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…
Samara Joy’s Linger Awhile topped a daunting list of amazing music.
Samara Joy, Linger Awhile (VERVE) … 1,910
With this beautiful recording, a silky-voiced star is born.
Terri Lyne Carrington, New Standards Vol. 1 (CANDID) … 1,350
Putting her music where her mouth is, Carrington brings much-needed attention to the composing voices of women in jazz.
Redman/Mehldau/McBride/Blade, Long Gone (NONESUCH) … 1,190
A breathtaking reunion of four of the brightest stars in jazz.
Kenny Barron, The Source (ARTWORK) … 1,110
The master at 80, alone at the piano ... perfection!
Charles Lloyd, Trio Of Trios (BLUE NOTE) … 1,080
Three different trios, three full albums, one work of beauty, poise, joy and ambition.
Brad Mehldau, Your Mother Should Know (NONESUCH) … 810
The music of The Beatles channeled through the mind of one of our greatest living pianists.
Shorter/Carrington/Genovese/Spalding, Live At The Detroit Jazz Festival (CANDID) … 730
A beautiful moment captured not long before Wayne Shorter left the planet. Thank you, Detroit and Candid.
Fred Hersch & esperanza spalding, Alive At The Village Vanguard (PALMETTO) … 620
Two masters, one magical evening — Hersch at piano, spalding with just her lovely voice.
Julian Lage, View With A Room (BLUE NOTE) … 580
The amazing guitarist continues to thrill with another recording full of heart and soul.
Cécile McLorin Salvant, Mélusine (NONESUCH) … 500
The leading lady of jazz vocals creates a masterpiece of thoughtful, adventurous music. DB
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.
Mar 2, 2026 9:58 PM
John P. Hammond (aka John Hammond Jr.), a blues guitarist and singer who was one of the first white American…
“Cerebral and academic thought is a different way to approach music,” Flea says of his continuing dive into jazz. “I’ve always relied on emotion and intuition and physicality.”
Mar 30, 2026 10:30 PM
In the relatively small pantheon of certifiable rock stars venturing into the intersection of pop music and jazz, the…
Vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater will be among the headliners at this year’s DC JazzFest.
Mar 2, 2026 9:48 PM
The first wave of artists scheduled to perform at the 2026 DC JazzFest have been announced. This year’s headliners…
“These days, with curated news, where people only get half the story, people can’t even speak to family members anymore,” Schneider laments.
Mar 10, 2026 1:43 PM
Maria Schneider is doing her part to try to fix what ails America. Which got her thinking about crows, specifically,…
Each of the 25 JAMs has delivered a poster featuring a jazz legend that is sent out to schools across the nation. This year’s poster features Tony Bennett.
Mar 30, 2026 10:20 PM
Every April for the past quarter century, something remarkable has happened across the United States and far beyond.…
