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…
Marquis Hill benefited from time spent at the Velvet Lounge, a jazz room on the South Side of Chicago run by saxophonist Fred Anderson (1929–2010).
(Photo: Todd Rosenberg)“It was blatant that this person was following me around the store, to the point that it felt like a shadow,” he said. “I had never felt like that in my life. After dinner, we got back on the tour bus and I wanted to put that feeling into music. I turned that negative situation into a tune.”
The agitation Hill felt is palpable in the skittery rhythms he employs, yet the piece maintains its lyrical bearings. For all the social concerns at the heart of Hill’s art, his music does not dwell in the darkness. That, he said, is due in no small measure to the influence of his grandmother, a constant touchpoint.
She was the inspiration for “The Watcher,” a reference to her role as an elder who, in the absence of police, kept an eye out in the neighborhood for developing problems. The tune, from Modern Flows Vol. 2, has its moments of alarm, heralded by ominous horn figures repeated over a rumble of bass and drums. Still, it displays a sense of equanimity throughout.
Another tune from Hill’s most recent work inspired by his grandmother, “It’s All Beautiful,” casts a soft glow as vibraphonist Ross’ harmonies illuminate the horns’ simple melody. By Hill’s account, the piece, rendered without embellishment, echoes his grandmother’s spirit—and, by extension, his own.
“She had a way of coping with the hardships of life by reminding us we have a choice,” he said. “In these crazy times, we can live in Hell. But I’d rather put my energy into something that’s beautiful.” 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.…
