Sep 3, 2026 10:44 AM
In Memoriam: Cassandra Wilson, 1955–2026
Cassandra Wilson, a singer, songwriter and producer who was one of the most acclaimed and successful jazz vocalists of…
Women are often overlooked in the pantheon of jazz organists. But with her 50th album, Encore, Encore, Encore (Sunnyside), Paris-based Rhoda Scott has brought plenty of attention to her important role on the B-3.
The 12 tracks are evidence that Scott is a master at the organ tradition, while putting her own stamp on the legacy, often performing solo as the “Barefoot Lady,” a moniker she received due to her barefoot pedal work. On Encore, Encore, Encore, Scott performs almost solo, only accompanied by French drummer Lucian Dobat.
Except for Scott’s original “Do What ‘Cha Gotta Do” and Johnny Griffin’s blues “Sweet Sucker,” all fo the selections on the album are American popular standards. Kurt Weill’s “Mack The Knife” and the Comden-Green favorite “New York, New York” swing hard; and by contrast, Scott’s light-speed take on “If I Should Lose You” is fueled by the futuristic ideas of Larry Young. Other tracks on the album include “Pistachio,” “Sunrise, Sunset,” “Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me,” “In The Mood” and “In The Mood Biz.”
Wilson’s ability to connect to audiences helped her to win two Grammy awards and multiple other accolades. She was named an NEA Jazz Master in 2022.
Sep 3, 2026 10:44 AM
Cassandra Wilson, a singer, songwriter and producer who was one of the most acclaimed and successful jazz vocalists of…
Bertoncini was a specialist and advocate for the nylon-string acoustic guitar, turning down high-profile opportunities that were unsuited to the sound and techniques that he used with that instrument.
Sep 1, 2026 11:06 AM
Gene Bertoncini, an esteemed jazz guitarist, composer, arranger and educator, died Aug. 29 at the Lillian Booth Actors…
A solo concert by saxophonist Joshua Redman will close the first night of the Hyde Park Jazz Festival on Sept. 26.
Sep 22, 2026 12:26 PM
The Hyde Park Jazz Festival will take place for the 20th time on the final weekend of September 2026. Beginning half…
“It was just that suddenly … I could hear it,” Ravi Coltrane said of an epiphany he experienced during his late teens regarding his father’s music. “And it was almost like a calling, like something saying, ‘Hey, man, come on. It’s time to get serious.’ And the first time you really tune in and dial in and focus like that, it can be very life-changing.”
Sep 22, 2026 1:39 PM
Editor’s Note: Tomorrow, Sept. 23, is the 100th anniversary of John Coltrane’s birth. In honor of the tenor and…
Camille Thurman took to the stage alongside bassist Kenny Davis and drummer Tommy Campbell for a rendition of Johnny Mercer’s “I’m An Old Cowhand” that recalled Rollins’ epochal 1957 trio outing Way Out West.
Oct 6, 2026 1:33 PM
As emcee Mark Ruffin noted at the commencement of an epic tribute to saxophonist Sonny Rollins at the Cathedral of…
