Apr 21, 2026 12:05 PM
Review: Jazz on Top of the World
Swedish bassist Bjørn Meyer releases his second solo LP, Convergence (ECM; ★★★ 37:58), certainly not sounding…
Björn Meyer’s Convergence
Apr 21, 2026 12:05 PM
Swedish bassist Bjørn Meyer releases his second solo LP, Convergence (ECM; ★★★ 37:58), certainly not sounding…
“We thought it’s important that Ronin has a new statement,” said Nik Bärtsch of his band’s latest album, Spin. “The sound is differently produced, so it reflects more of who we are.”
Apr 21, 2026 10:00 AM
Nik Bärtsch cuts an imposing figure on stage. He’s unmistakable with his soul patch, shaven head and black attire.…
Apr 14, 2026 12:36 PM
Saturday, April 18, is Record Store Day, that annual beloved holiday for everything vinyl! In preparation, DownBeat has…
In honor of its 70th, Verve is releasing music by the legends, including Archie Shepp, Dizzy Gillespie and Ella Fitzgerald.
Apr 14, 2026 11:45 AM
With a catalog that boasts recordings by everyone from Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Getz to Diana Krall and Jon Batiste,…
“I love compositions by jazz musicians,” says vocalist Samara Joy. “There’s a different touch, a different foundation.” She put lyrics to a song each from Brian Lynch (right) and Charles McPherson for Torch Bearers.
Apr 7, 2026 1:38 PM
In the fall of 2024, trumpeter Brian Lynch hired writer Ted Panken to draft the booklet, vinyl notes and PR materials…
Walter Smith III joins a lofty group of new releases from Blue Note that includes recordings from Ron Carter, Bill Frisell and Immanuel Wilkins.
Apr 7, 2026 1:12 PM
Jazz and gospel are close blood relations. And fortunately, those Saturday night and Sunday morning worlds sometimes…
Jones said that actively pursuing a Grammy nomination gave her “the means by which I launched my music to a wider world,” a win even though the Grammy nod did not come her way.
Apr 7, 2026 1:03 PM
In 2025, after 12 years in the industry, I released my sixth album, Eugenie, on my own Open Mic record label. Despite…
“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…
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.…
The Jerome Sabbagh Quartet: from left, Nasheet Waits, Joe Martin, Ben Monder and Sabbagh.
Mar 30, 2026 10:10 PM
When tenor saxophonist Jerome Sabbagh wrote “Lone Jack,” which opens his most recent album, Stand Up (Analog Tone…
