Aug 12, 2025 10:24 AM
Vocalist Sheila Jordan Dies at 96
Sheila Jordan, a vocalist who was celebrated for her scatting and lyric-improvising abilities, died Aug. 11 at her home…
Robert Glasper will helm The Black Radio Experience celebration in Napa, California, on Labor Day weekend.
(Photo: Courtesy Blue Note Jazz Festival)The Blue Note Jazz Festival’s Black Radio Experience, a celebration of the rich tapestry of Black culture, will take place Aug. 30–Sept. 1 at the The Meritage Resort & Spa in Napa Valley, California.
With elite keyboardist and producer Robert Glasper at the helm, the Black Radio Experience aims to transcend boundaries and forge new bonds. In addition to featuring live performances by 30-plus artists and comedians on three stages, the Labor Day weekend celebration will highlight signature culinary events, wine tastings, pool parties and various artist-led experiences. The full lineup will be announced in April, but limited on-site hotel and ticket packages go on sale March 7.
Glasper has numerous accolades, awards and achievements to his name. He won the Grammy for Best R&B Album for Black Radio III (Loma Vista Records) in 2023. To date, he has five Grammy wins and 14 nominations across 11 categories, an Emmy Award for his song for Ava Duvernay’s critically hailed documentary 13th with Common and Karriem Riggins, and a Peabody Award for his composition “Mr. Soul!” His work and accolades bridge all aspects of the music business, from live touring to film scoring, composing and producing.
The Black Radio Experience lineup will be announced in April. For more information, click HERE. DB
Jordan was a dyed-in-the-wool bebopper whose formative musical experiences were with Charlie Parker.
Aug 12, 2025 10:24 AM
Sheila Jordan, a vocalist who was celebrated for her scatting and lyric-improvising abilities, died Aug. 11 at her home…
“I don’t guess I’m going to excite you; I know I’m going to excite you,” Palmieri said in an August 1994 DownBeat feature.
Aug 12, 2025 10:33 AM
Famed Latin jazz composer, bandleader and pianist Eddie Palmieri passed away in his New Jersey home on Aug. 6. He was…
“What I got from Percy was the dignity of playing the bass,” Buster Williams said of Percy Heath.
Aug 26, 2025 1:53 PM
Buster Williams, who at the age of 83 has been on the scene for 65 years, had never done a Blindfold Test. The first…
Don and Maureen Sickler serve as the keepers of engineer Rudy Van Gelder’s flame at Van Gelder Studio, perhaps the most famous recording studio in jazz history.
Sep 3, 2025 12:02 PM
On the last Sunday of 2024, in the control room of Van Gelder Studio, Don and Maureen Sickler, co-owners since Rudy Van…
The Free Slave, Cosmos Nucleus and Sunset To Dawn: three classic Muse albums being reissued this fall by Timer Traveler Recordings.
Aug 26, 2025 1:32 PM
Record producer and “Jazz Detective” Zev Feldman has launched his next endeavor, the archival label Time Traveler…