Mar 2, 2026 9:58 PM
In Memoriam: John Hammond Jr., 1942–2026
John P. Hammond (aka John Hammond Jr.), a blues guitarist and singer who was one of the first white American…
Russian saxophonist Igor Butman is set to perform at the Jazz Across Borders forum&festival gala with
(Photo: Courtesy Jazz Across Borders forum&festival)The second installment of the Jazz Across Borders forum&festival in St. Petersburg, Russia, is set for Nov. 16-17 as part of the International Cultural Forum.
Five components make up the event: a conference (panel and roundtable discussions, master classes and meetings with members of the industry), music showcases, a series of performances in St. Petersburg clubs, an expo of jazz industry representatives and a gala concert with saxophonist Igor Butman, vocalist Patti Austin and the Moscow Jazz Orchestra.
“The first Jazz Across Borders forum&festival was visited by more than 1,000 people from 32 countries of the world,” Butman said in a press release. “Major promoters, prominent figures of the jazz industry, young musicians, representatives of big and small festivals, our teachers and students—all of us came together for the common goal: to show and prove to others that jazz art is being developed, loved and appreciated in this country, and that we want to continue developing and improving this genre of music. ... We’ve set a high standard and promise to aim higher every year.”
Butman—along with the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation—initially conceived of the festival. Additional information about the festival, including details on how to register register, can be found on the JAB website. DB
• On June 15, the U.S. Department of State issued an advisory saying that Americans should reconsider travel to Russia.
Hammond came to the blues through the folk boom of the late 1950s and early 1960s, which he experienced firsthand in New York’s Greenwich Village.
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John P. Hammond (aka John Hammond Jr.), a blues guitarist and singer who was one of the first white American…
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