Jazz
Page: 2
André 3000 had an interesting way of describing his jazz career.
During a recent interview with the Recording Academy, Stacks was asked whom he considers his peers now that he’s venturing into a different genre. “A long line of historical bands like Sun Ra, the Chicago Art Ensemble. Even rapper Lil B,” he answered. “I was joking to myself. I was like, ‘I’m almost the Lil B of this type of music.’ Lil B is… they call it ‘Based Rap.’ My son actually turned me on to Lil B.”
He then expanded on his Based God comparison, saying, “a lot of what he’s doing is made up or improv or really reactionary.” Adding, “It’s not this studied, perfect thing. Because I came up in the ‘90s, we came up with Nas and Wu-Tang and some of the [people] considered the best rappers around. It was about clarity. It was more of a studied kind of thing. A person like Lil B is not studied at all. But the way the kids respond to him, it’s because of that. It’s kind of like a punk way of rapping, and I like it. [And what I’m doing is] almost like punk jazz or punk spiritual jazz. It’s pure feeling.”
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Elsewhere in the interview, the Atlanta rap legend was asked about his visibility during the past year or so being that he’s tried to shy away from the spotlight in the past. He admitted that he somewhat prefers this era of fame because the lights aren’t as bright. “It’s almost like [laughs] superstar lite, like Coke Lite or Coke Zero. It’s like Superstar Zero,” he quipped. “You’ve got the fame, but it’s not as intense as it was before. It’s different. A lot of people are weirded out about the direction, so it’s not the same intensity of the whole world onboard with you — which is kind of cool for my age and tastes. I like this pace a lot, compared to just being all over everywhere all the time.”
Trending on Billboard
He also released the album film Listening to the Sun and said it’s to help remind fans that he dropped an instrumental flute tape. “The album has been out a year, and we recently dropped this film that we did to the album that came out a year ago, but we just released it on YouTube,” he said. “So, a lot of people are just now discovering the album. It’s like, ‘Yeah, we heard something about this flute thing,’ but they never heard it. Now that this video is out, a lot of people are hearing it again, or for the first time. So it’s a cool thing that you kind of get this second wave of people that are just now hearing it.”
Marsha Ambrosius is setting up shop for one night only with Billboard at Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City tonight — but you don’t need to be near Manhattan to tune in. Featuring songs from her new album Casablanco and beyond, the nine-time Grammy nominee’s performance at the famed jazz club will be […]
Marshall Allen, Marilyn Crispell, Chucho Valdés, and Gary Giddins are set to receive the NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship. They will be honored on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at a free concert at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. in Washington, D.C.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) said in a statement: “We are delighted to welcome these four luminaries to the ranks of NEA Jazz Masters. They have each in their own way played a crucial role in the nurturing and development of this art form and demonstrate the immense diversity and creativity found in jazz today. We look forward to working together with the Kennedy Center on events next April that will celebrate their achievements and inspire new audiences and musicians to embrace jazz.”
“This class of NEA Jazz Masters represents the finest in free-thinking musicians,” said Jason Moran, Kennedy Center artistic director for jazz. “Each has been an active and integral part of communities that have pushed the music forward to new heights.”
Trending on Billboard
Here are thumbnail sketches of the four honorees:
• Marshall Allen’s inventive and distinctive saxophone playing, as well as his band arrangements, have made him a major force in jazz going into his hundredth year. He is best-known for his work with Sun Ra, recording and performing with him from the 1950s until Sun Ra’s death in 1993, and taking over the leadership of the Sun Ra Arkestra for the past 30 years. He received a Grammy nomination two years ago for best large jazz ensemble album for Swirling.
• Since emerging on the scene in the late 1970s, Marilyn Crispell has become one of the most original and sought-after avant-garde jazz pianists and composers. Her adventurous and distinctive style was influenced by her first loves in jazz, John Coltrane and Cecil Taylor.
• Originally from Cuba, pianist, bandleader, composer, and arranger Chucho Valdés is one of the most influential figures in the world of Latin and Afro-Cuban jazz. In a career spanning more than 60 years, Valdés has fused elements of the Afro-Cuban music tradition, jazz, classical music, rock, and more into his distinctive style. Valdés has won seven Grammys over a 42-year span (1980-2022).
• Gary Giddins has been one of the leading critics in the field of jazz for more than 50 years, having written books as well as essays for The New York Times, New Yorker, Esquire, and many other publications, and the “Weather Bird” column for The Village Voice. As a teacher, he has spurred new generations of jazz fans at several universities. Giddins won a Grammy for best album notes in 1987 for the Frank Sinatra collection, The Voice: The Columbia Years 1943-52. He was also nominated in that category for his notes for collections by Duke Ellington and Art Pepper.
Giddins is this year’s recipient of The A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship for Jazz Advocacy. The award is given to those who have made major contributions to the appreciation, knowledge, and advancement of this distinctively American art form.
Since 1982, the NEA has awarded 177 fellowships to great figures in jazz, including Kenny Barron, Terence Blanchard, Carla Bley, Dave Brubeck, Terri Lyne Carrington, Betty Carter, Stanley Crouch, Roy Eldridge, Paquito D’Rivera, Quincy Jones, Sun Ra, Dianna Reeves, and Henry Threadgill.
The NEA Jazz Masters Fellowships are awarded to living individuals on the basis of nominations from the public. NEA Jazz Masters Fellowships are $25,000 and can be received once in a lifetime. Visit the NEA’s website for detailed information and to submit nominations.
The deadline for nominations for the next class of honorees is Oct. 31, 2024.
Blue Note Entertainment Group and Black Radio Productions have unveiled the lineup for their newly announced Napa Valley event, Blue Note Jazz Festival Presents: The Black Radio Experience, hosted by Sway Calloway, Aug 30 to Sept 1.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Inspired by the event’s Artist in Residence — Grammy-winning pianist, artist, producer and jazz great Robert Glasper — The Black Radio Experience “is an immersive journey into the soul of music, transcending boundaries and celebrating the rich tapestry of Black culture,” a press release announcing its launch explains.
“Every year our festival in Napa brings a unique vibe, and this year we are bringing you the Black Radio Experience during Labor Day weekend with a dope list of artists for an exclusive hang,” Glasper said in a statement.
Trending on Billboard
Unlike new festival properties that have sprung up recent years like Friends in Lovers festival in Las Vegas and Lionel Richie and Diana Ross’s inaugural Fool In Love Festival in Los Angeles – which feature more than 100 artists spread out over a huge festival ground — The Black Radio Experience is a smaller, intimate experience snuggled in to the The Meritage Resort & Spa in Napa. Headliners include John Legend, Jill Scott and André 3000, and performances by Andra Day, Common, Nile Rodgers, Ledisi and more.
“This year’s event promises an even more boutique, intimate, and exclusive vibe than ever before, presenting an unparalleled caliber of iconic artists,” said Alex Kurland, director of programming of Blue Note. “Robert Glasper’s vision and inspiration shape the talent and tone of the entire experience,” stated Kurland.
The inaugural festival took place on June 1, 2011, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City. In 2022, a Napa Valley Blue Note Jazz Festival was launched at Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena.
The next Black Radio Experience event will feature three full days performances across two stages and a wine cave venue with music icons against the backdrop of Napa Valley. The event will include Chef Darryl Bell’s ‘In the Vineyard’ Stateline Road Smokehouse, where he combines his Kansas City roots with Michelin training and access to Napa Valley’s newest premier steakhouse, Ember Steak, for all three days of the event and with more exclusive food experiences to come.
Hotel packages run from $2,250 per person to $3,400 per person, with three-day GA passes starting at $499 going on sale Thursday, May 16, 2024. Visit the website here for more information.
The Black Radio Experience
Courtesy Photo
David Sanborn, beloved jazz saxophonist who is credited on songs for Stevie Wonder, David Bowie and many more, died on Sunday (May 12). He was 78 years old.
A message posted to the musician’s social media page confirmed the news, noting that Sanborn had been battling prostate cancer for the past few years. “Mr. Sanborn had been dealing with prostate cancer since 2018, but had been able to maintain his normal schedule of concerts until just recently. Indeed he already had concerts scheduled into 2025,” the message reads. “David Sanborn was a seminal figure in contemporary pop and jazz music. It has been said that he ‘put the saxophone back into Rock ’n Roll.’”
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
It is with sad and heavy hearts that we convey to you the loss of internationally renowned, 6 time Grammy Award-winning, saxophonist, David Sanborn. Mr. Sanborn passed Sunday afternoon, May 12th, after an extended battle with prostate cancer with complications. pic.twitter.com/VyW56OCkfc— DavidSanborn (@DavidSanborn) May 13, 2024
Throughout his career, Sanborn played alongside some of rock’s most iconic figures, both in the studio and onstage. Most notably, he toured with Wonder and played on his 1972 album, Talking Book. He also performed on Bowie’s classic, “Young Americans,” and toured with the late star.
Trending on Billboard
However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg of Sanborn’s illustrious career. Throughout his life, he’s recorded with musicians including B.B. King, Paul Simon, Cat Stevens, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Chaka Khan, Ron Carter, George Benson, Kenny Loggins, The Eagles, Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Roger Water, Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger and more.
Outside of recording music, Sanborn hosted a syndicated radio program, The Jazz Show, as well as a podcast called As We Speak. He also worked on a YouTube series called Sanborn Sessions with his nephew and brother-in-law.
Boney James becomes the first act to amass 20 No. 1s on Billboard’s Smooth Jazz Airplay chart. The venerable saxophonist reaches the milestone as featured on “Cigar Lounge” by Big Mike Hart, who leads with his first chart entry. James — born in Lowell, Mass., and raised in New Rochelle, N.Y. — first topped the […]
André 3000 will bring his big bag of flutes to the 2024 Newport Jazz Festival, which the former OutKast rapper will headline along with Nile Rodgers & Chic, Kamasi Washington, Elvis Costello, Brittany Howard and Robert Glasper. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news This year is the 70th […]
Some history will be made, and rekindled, during this year’s 13th annual Blue Note Jazz Festival.
The five-week parade of concerts begins on June 1 and will encompass 94 performances by nearly four dozen acts at five venues — primarily the Blue Note club itself in New York City’s Greenwich Village, as well as Sony Hall, the Brooklyn Bowl, Town Hall, Central Park SummerStage and Celebrate Brooklyn at the Prospect Park Bandshell.
Alex Kurland, Blue Note’s director of programming, promises that festivalgoers will not be lacking for variety.
“Jazz is very much the guiding force at Blue Note, but we’re not stuck in a box or restricted about genre-specific programming,” Kurland explains. “It’s very open. The inspiration of jazz runs through so much music and so much creative culture in general, so we’re really just embracing all this really special artistry. Jazz represents freedom, and that’s really where we’re leaning towards.”
To that end the festival lineup features a dizzying amount of diversity during its run. But the major news is, in fact, about a jazz artist: trumpet legend Wynton Marsalis will be returning to the 200-seat Blue Note as a bandleader for the first time since 1991. Marsalis will perform 12 shows across six nights (June 11-16) with his regular Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and with the Future of Jazz Septet.
Trending on Billboard
“I’m so excited to be back at the Blue Note after all these years,” Marsalis tells Billboard in a statement. “One of the fondest memories of my career is being in the Blue Note with Dizzy (Gillespie), Sweets Edison and Clark Terry going to see Freddie Hubbard.”
The shows are part of a new collaboration between the Blue Note and Jazz at Lincoln Center, where Marsalis is the managing and artistic director of jazz. It will also bring performances by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Youth Big Band, directed by Julius Tolentino, and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Youth Orchestra, directed by Tatum Greenblatt, on June 15-16, respectively.
“This is a very historic presentation of Wynton, one of our proudest presentations of the month,” Kurland says. “This is a landmark kind of reunion between Wynton and the Blue Note; he’s played the Blue Note since the opening of the venue, but not as a leader since he began his curation of Jazz at Lincoln Center. It will be unique for him to play in a tiny space. We feel very honored.
“We are all about collaboration and partnership,” Kurland adds. “A lot of that occurs on the stage, but on business and branding and presentation side, we love to partner with different organizations to have these special moments, and working with Jazz at Lincoln Center makes a lot of sense.”
The venues for the four other headliners — Andra Day on opening night, June 1, followed by Corinne Bailey Rae on June 16, British drummer Yussef Dayes on June 22 and the Ezra Collective closing the festival on July 7 – will be announced later this month.
Other intriguing team-ups during the festival include Wu-Tang Clan’s Ghostface Killah, who’s long incorporated jazz in his mixes, double-billed with New Orleans’ Soul Rebels for three nights (June 21-23) at the Blue Note. At the Sony Hall: Jazz Is Dead performs June 9; Yo La Tengo teams up the Sun Ra Arkestra on June 15; James Brown/Parliament-Funkadelic trombonist Fred Wesley makes a rare appearance on the same bill as the Brecker Brothers on June 21; and Antibalas pairs with Hailu Mergia on June 22.
Other Blue Note festival residencies include New Orleans’ Soullive for six nights; drummer Julius Rodriguez and Crescent City trumpeter Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah will be there for four nights each; and bassist and bandleader Derrick Hodge and Ozomatli for three each. Stanley Clarke will perform June 25-26 at Sony Hall, and Yes/King Crimson veteran Bill Bruford is journeying from England for a June 29 ProgJect show at the same venue.
A strong corps of other vocalists, meanwhile, also includes Lisa Fischer and Gino Vannelli. The festival lineup also includes eight Blue Note brunch concerts on Sundays and one Saturday show devoted to the Buena Vista Social Club’s music on June 8.
“When you’re looking to book amazing, great artists you’re drawing from the global landscape, so that’s very glaring in the lineup,” Kurland says. “There are definitely a lot of innovative artists who are very contemporary; that’s always important for the Blue Note, to have such a progressive edge. Then you have the great icons, the legends…and hopefully you’re giving people a sense of the great range of that’s available.”
More details about the festival can be found here. The full 2024 Blue Note Jazz Festival lineup includes:
June 1—Soulive—Blue NoteJune 1—Andra Day—Venue TBDJune 2—Soulive—Blue NoteJune 2—Harlem Gospel Choir—Blue Note BrunchJune 2—Paula Cole—Sony HallJune 3—Derrick Hodge—Blue NoteJune 4—Derrick Hodge—Blue NoteJune 5—Derrick Hodge—Blue NoteJune 5—Lisa Fischer—Sony HallJune 6—Soulive—Blue NoteJune 7—Soulive—Blue NoteJune 7—Michel Camilo—Sony HallJune 7—ALJO with Hamilton de Holanda and Yamandu Cost—Town HallJune 8—Soulive—Blue NoteJune 8—The Music of The Buena Vista Social Club—Blue Note BrunchJune 9—Soulive—Blue NoteJune 9—Jazz is Dead—Sony HallJune 9—Harlem Gospel Choir—Blue Note BrunchJune 10—Brandee Younger—Blue NoteJune 11—The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis—Blue NoteJune 12—The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis—Blue NoteJune 12—Yemi Alade—Sony HallJune 13—The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis—Blue NoteJune 14—Jazz at Lincoln Center presents Wynton Marsaliswith The Future of Jazz Septet—Blue NoteJune 14—Eliane Elias—Sony HallJune 15—Jazz at Lincoln Center presents Wynton Marsaliswith The Future of Jazz Septet—Blue NoteJune 15—Yo La Tengo with the Sun Ra Arkestra—Sony HallJune 15—Jazz at Lincoln Center Youth Orchestra—Blue Note BrunchJune 16—Jazz at Lincoln Center presents Wynton Marsaliswith The Future of Jazz Septet—Blue NoteJune 16—Victor Wooten—Sony HallJune 16—Corinne Bailey Rae—Venue TBDJune 16—Jazz at Lincoln Center Youth Orchestra—Blue Note BrunchJune 17—Julius Rodriguez—Blue NoteJune 17— Haley Reinhart—Sony HallJune 18—Julius Rodriguez—Blue NoteJune 19—Julius Rodriguez—Blue NoteJune 19— Mulatu Astatke—Sony HallJune 20—Julius Rodriguez—Blue NoteJune 20— Mulatu Astatke—Sony HallJune 21—Ghostface Killah with The Soul Rebels—Blue NoteJune 21—Fred Wesley with The Brecker Brothers—Sony HallJune 22—Ghostface Killah with The Soul Rebels—Blue NoteJune 22—Antibalas with Hailu Mergia—Sony HallJune 22—Yussef Dayes—Venue TBDJune 23—Ghostface Killah with The Soul Rebels—Blue NoteJune 23—Harlem Gospel Choir—Blue Note BrunchJune 24—Ozomatli—Blue NoteJune 25—Ozomatli—Blue NoteJune 25—Stanley Clarke—Sony HallJune 26—Ozomatli—Blue NoteJune 26—Stanley Clarke—Sony HallJune 27—Chief Adjuah—Blue NoteJune 27—Gino Vanelli—Sony HallJune 28—Chief Adjuah—Blue NoteJune 28—Bombino with Etran De L’Air—Sony HallJune 28—Os Mutantes—Brooklyn BowlJune 29—Chief Adjuah—Blue NoteJune 29—ProgJect with Bill Bruford—Sony HallJune 29—Brass Queens—Blue Note BrunchJune 30—Chief Adjuah—Blue NoteJune 30—Harlem Gospel Choir—Blue Note BrunchJuly 1—Joey Alexander—Blue NoteJuly 7—Ezra Collective—Venue TBD
HipHopWired Featured Video
Igmar Thomas exists in a musical ecosystem that engages every part of his human experience, allowing him to express the kaleidoscopic span of creative expression. In a recent chat with Hip-Hop Wired, Igmar Thomas shared a bit about his upbringing in California, encountering fellow leaders of the jazz scene, and his excitement about the inaugural Hip Hop &… festival at the Kennedy Center.
With a reserved vocal tone befitting of a band leader, Igmar Thomas’ breezy nature translated well in our brief chat with him. We opened up the talk by asking Thomas how growing up in San Diego, which isn’t known for its jazz scene, and how he came to encounter his love of music overall.
“Growing up in San Diego, it’s not New Orleans or New York, it’s more of a slice of franchise America,” Thomas began. “I wasn’t exposed to juke joints and things like that at a young age but my father’s love of music and his record collection was diverse. He loved all types of music.”
Thomas continued, “I heard everything growing up and discovering music via radio and television. My friends and family also got me into a lot of different genres. So my musical vocation at a young age isn’t like say, a cat from New Orleans.”
Thomas then explained that he began his formal training with music at age 11, joining the school band playing in a structured format, and learning the trumpet. He added that the public school system was key in getting him into playing music.
The West Coast jazz scene, much like the Los Angeles underground beat scene, is packed with talent. Thomas has worked alongside the likes of Ron Bruner, Stephen “Thundercat” Bruner, Kamasi Washington, and others during their respective journeys in music. We asked about the early days of those connections.
“It all came together towards the end of high school and it was pretty organic [how we all met],” Thomas says of his early encounters with Washington. “I can’t recall everything but I think I saw Kamasi playing at the UCLA Jazz Fest, or he could’ve been with Christian McBride. Growing up where I did, it was amazing to see him play in the same lane I wanted to be in and killing it at that.”
Thomas adds, “Kamasi was playing better than I could. I actually got to meet Kamasi and his folks via Ray Hargrove, who was my big brother in music. So I was at Catalina’s a lot and met Kamasi and Ron [Bruner] there. I met Kamasi’s whole band eventually, which includes Brandon Coleman, Ron, and his brother Stephen, who everyone knows is Thundercat.”
In the chat, Thomas remarked on how Ron Bruner had more of an eclectic style of dress back then, which Thomas says may have been informed by his working with Sa-Ra Creative Partners at the time while Thundercat was conservative in comparison. These days, Thundercat is viewed as a style icon, something Thomas mentioned with a laugh. He respectfully referred to the bassist as his generation’s Bootsy Collins.
We then switched our conversation to the Revive Big Band and Thomas’ aims with the outfit from its early days to now. With a knowing nod to how his journey played out, Thomas shared that he’s hoping that his band can be an extension of creativity from him and those who make up the band.
“I felt like when we first came out, we were trying to prove something but now, I don’t feel that way anymore,” Thomas explains. “Our message is consistent and what I mean is we’re all one family. They used to box us in by styles, and genres. But our debut album will show our true family tree. That includes Hip-Hop, R&B, funk, rock, and jazz. When you see us play, you see we’re more aligned musically than the award shows would have you believe.”
Thomas added, “I came up in the jazz tradition which does have rules but also, in that same breath, some breaking of the rules. We’ve always mixed things up. Bird [Charlie Parker] did it. Miles [Davis] did it. It’s just history repeating itself and that’s what the band represents. We play within a space of invisible boundaries and sometimes cross them.”
We asked Thomas to share his thoughts on the upcoming Hip Hop &… festival at the Kennedy Center, where Revive Big Band has two evening shows lined up. Having played at the Kennedy Center previously, Thomas says he’s excited to share what his band is doing and is thankful for the hard work of Simone Eccleston, the director of Hip Hop Culture & Contemporary Music at the Kennedy Center.
“I love what they’re doing at the Kennedy Center, they’re doing a tremendous job,” Thomas said. “Seeing it from the outside looking in, I love every bit of it. The festival idea is amazing and I hope it’s a trend that spreads. I am a big fan of both Hip-Hop and jazz and I rock Hip-Hop ahead of my jazz gigs and vice versa. That same synergy I seek in life, we hope to give the fans in attendance via the Revive Big Band experience.”
Thomas continued, “I want to be sure to add that the Hip Hop &… festival is dedicated to the memory of Meghan Stabile, who started the Revive Music Group. Our work with Revive Music informed our interpretation of jazz and Hip-Hop. This is the result of Revive Music Group and all of the work Simone Eccleston has put in to make this happen. It’s all coming full circle because Meghan got us booked at the Kennedy Center in 2014 and now Simone is making all these wonderful things happen.”
Learn more about Igmar Thomas and the Revive Big Band here.
To obtain information on any of the ongoing Hip Hop &… festival happenings, featuring Robert Glasper, De La Soul, Rakim, and more, click here.
—
Photo: Igmar Thomas/Kennedy Center
Multiple Grammy-winning jazz guitarist-vocalist George Benson is rejoining the Warner Music Group (WMG). In addition to new music arriving later this year, the legendary artist and WMG are celebrating the reunion with a previously unreleased video featuring Benson in a live performance of the track “Lady Blue” in the late ‘70s. Explore Explore See latest […]