Dayna Stephens released two career-expanding albums this year: the studio effort Liberty and Right Now! Live At The Village Vanguard.
Dec 23, 2020 8:53 AM
Saxophonist Dayna Stephens’ worldview differs from that of most people.
As the survivor of a rare kidney disease,…
Mary Halvorson remained busy during the pandemic year, releasing a new album with her group Code Girl, as well as with the trio Thumbscrew.
Dec 22, 2020 9:00 AM
Since her debut on record about 15 years ago, guitarist and composer Mary Halvorson has stood out. A fierce…
Trumpeter Jeremy Pelt and pianist George Cables are set to stream a Saturday show this week.
Dec 21, 2020 9:00 AM
As performers look to replace income from lost gigs and regain a sense of community amid the coronavirus pandemic, a…
The Nels Cline Singers has occupied the space between free-jazz and indie rock since guitarist Nels Cline formed the group in 2001.
Dec 18, 2020 9:00 AM
He’s perhaps best known as a member of the band Wilco. But those with a fuller picture of Nels Cline’s career know…
Pianist Noah Haidu’s latest album, Doctone, features compositions by the late Kenny Kirkland.
Dec 17, 2020 8:52 AM
Pianist Kenny Kirkland (1955–’98) left us far too soon, succumbing to congestive heart failure. The versatile…
Chadwick Boseman portrays Levee, and Viola Davis plays the title character in the Netflix film Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. It began streaming Dec. 18.
Dec 16, 2020 11:04 AM
About two-thirds of the way through the new Netflix film Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, the title character, played with…
Bassist Tarus Mateen recorded Black Solo Sonets For Piano And Bass over the course of four years, during tours and various recording sessions.
Dec 16, 2020 8:51 AM
In the late ’80s, Tarus Mateen landed a plum gig: backing up vocalist Betty Carter. Barely into his 20s at the time,…
Danny Jonokuchi and his large ensemble, The Revisionists, submitted the winning video entry for the inaugural edition of Count Basie’s Great American Swing Contest.
Dec 15, 2020 11:29 AM
Musicians who are selected to judge a jazz competition often face an extremely difficult, painstaking task. But,…
Carla Bley (left), Steve Swallow and Andy Sheppard recorded Life Goes On for the ECM label.
Dec 15, 2020 8:57 AM
The list below is a roundup of the 5-, 4.5- and 4-star reviews that ran in the print edition of DownBeat during 2020.…
Anat Cohen is set to stream a Jazz House Kids presentation on Wednesday.
Dec 14, 2020 9:00 AM
As performers look to replace income from lost gigs and regain a sense of community amid the coronavirus pandemic, a…
