jazz

Previously unheard recordings of saxophonist John Coltrane, captured by saxophonist Frank Tiberi, are being released by Impulse Records as part of celebrations marking the Coltrane centenary. The so-called Tiberi Tapes offer new material from one of jazz's most influential figures, and the news is drawing wide attention from jazz fans and musicians reflecting on Coltrane's enduring legacy.

Tribute posts are circulating about Bernard 'Buddy' Rich, the American jazz drummer, songwriter, conductor and bandleader born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Rich is widely regarded as one of the most influential drummers of all time, and music fans continue to celebrate his technique and legacy, keeping his name prominent in jazz circles.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater is staging 'Play On!', a musical that blends the comedy of 'Twelfth Night' with the music of Duke Ellington. The production reworks Shakespeare's classic story of mistaken identity and romance, setting it to Ellington's celebrated jazz songbook. Local coverage highlights the unusual pairing as a fresh take on the Bard, drawing attention from theatergoers in Chicago.

Jazz singer Stella Cole, who rose to fame through online performances, will take on the role of Gil Brentley in the Broadway musical Maybe Happy Ending. Her recording of the show's song 'Why Love' has been released, giving audiences a first listen ahead of her run in the Broadway production.

The death of jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter, who died in 2023 at age 89, has prompted musicians and fans to share his advice and reflections. One widely shared remark urges players not to tap their foot, arguing it locks them into the era of swing and hinders imagination. People are posting tributes recalling his influence on modern jazz and post-bop, alongside mentions of his Blue Note legacy and collaborations with Herbie Hancock.

A live recording of Ella Fitzgerald performing at the Falkoner Theatre in Copenhagen is drawing attention among jazz listeners. The material highlights the legendary singer's stage work at the Danish venue, reviving interest in her classic performances and prompting fresh discussion of her enduring influence on jazz vocal music.

The Jazz Repertory Ensemble performed a concert of classic jazz, drawing an audience described as mesmerized by the music. The student ensemble, affiliated with the University of Iowa's music program, presented well-known standards from the classic jazz repertoire. Coverage is limited to a single campus report with no additional details yet on the program, venue or audience reaction beyond the performance's strong reception.

A retrospective record review revisits Traffic, the British rock band formed in 1967, arguing that despite their jazz and psychedelic leanings they were a rock band at heart. The piece reassesses the group's catalogue and legacy for readers discovering or rediscovering their music decades after the band's heyday.

Indianapolis Jazz Fest has wrapped up with its Grand Finale, and local coverage is looking back on the closing night as a joyful, celebratory send-off. The event marked the end of the festival's run, bringing together performers and audiences in the city for a final showcase of jazz music. Writing in NUVO, a reviewer reflects on the highlights and atmosphere of the finale.

Musician Luiz Santos is promoting his new instrumental track 'Royal Exaltation', which blends classical, art and jazz influences. The piece is available to stream on his personal website, where listeners are invited to enjoy the full recording. The release is being shared with fans of instrumental and art music.

Participants in the ThursdayFiveList hashtag game are naming five songs whose titles use rare and unusual words. One widely shared entry lists 'Otomo' by Bonobo, 'Likufanele' by Zero7, 'Karmacoma' by Massive Attack, 'Mysterons' by Portishead and 'Music for Shattering Supermarkets' by Michael Garrick Trio, spotlighting trip-hop and British jazz with cryptic titles.

A piece combining jazz with baroque-style harpsichord writing, structured as a fugue, is circulating online and drawing amused interest from music fans. Listeners are sharing the unusual blend of an early keyboard instrument with jazz idioms, noting that fugal form is an unexpected vehicle for improvisation-based music. Little is known about who composed or performed the piece.

Jazz FM is playing Bob James's 'Westchester Lady' on air, prompting listeners to share the track under now-playing tags. The 1975 piece remains one of the American keyboardist's best-loved recordings and a fixture of smooth jazz playlists. Fans of the station are highlighting the song as it rotates through the schedule.

A new documentary honoring the late jazz trumpeter Marcus Belgrave is drawing attention in Detroit. Belgrave, who died in 2015, was a towering figure in the city's music scene, mentoring generations of musicians while performing with jazz greats. Local coverage highlights the film as a tribute to his lasting influence on Detroit jazz.

Circle Theatre in Fort Worth is staging a revival of 'Ain't Misbehavin'', the Tony Award-winning musical built on the music of Fats Waller. The production brings the celebrated jazz-era revue back to local audiences, offering the theater's take on a show first praised for its performances and its tribute to the Harlem stride piano tradition.

KPBS Public Media has published its roundup of the top 10 arts events to catch in San Diego this weekend. The list highlights a mail art exhibition, a performance by Mexican singer-songwriter Julieta Venegas, and cross-border jazz programming connecting artists on both sides of the US-Mexico border. It serves as a weekend guide for locals looking for cultural activities across the region.

Jazz FM is currently airing "You Can Do It" by Nuyorican Soul, the house and jazz project of Masters at Work duo Louie Vega and Kenny Dope. The now-playing mention is a routine station update rather than a news event, giving listeners a chance to catch the 1990s club-jazz classic on air.

The Daily Northwestern's 'Reel Thoughts' column has published a positive review of the stage musical 'Hadestown', declaring it was worth the wait. The piece adds to ongoing praise for Anaïs Mitchell's Tony-winning show, which retells the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice through a folk and jazz-inflected score. Coverage like this reflects continued student and critic enthusiasm for the production's music and staging.

Saxophonist and composer Immanuel Wilkins is the subject of a new profile examining his dual role in New York City jazz: honoring the city's deep jazz traditions while pushing the music in new directions. The piece frames the young bandleader as both custodian of a historic scene and one of its most forward-looking voices.

Final Boss Big Band is performing big band jazz arrangements of classic video game music, blending nostalgic game soundtracks with swing-era instrumentation. The ensemble's approach gives familiar gaming themes a fresh orchestral treatment, tapping into growing mainstream interest in video game music as a concert and performance genre.

Musicians Jim Rattigan, Liam Noble and Thomas Gould are drawing attention with their track 'Dreamer', shared on Spotify and tagged in jazz circles. The song has been recommended as a goodnight tune in small music communities, with listeners highlighting pianist Liam Noble. Interest appears limited to niche jazz audiences rather than broader public discussion.

Drummer and percussionist Luiz Santos is promoting his release 'Brazil Contemporary Art', a collection of Afro-Brazilian grooves blending jazz, Brazilian and Latin influences. The album is available directly through the artist's website, and Santos is sharing it with fans of world music and Brazilian jazz.

Gil Scott-Heron's classic track Johannesburg was featured on BBC 6 Music's 6 Music's Jukebox programme. The late American poet and musician, known for blending spoken word with jazz and soul, remains a staple of the station's playlists. Johannesburg, a 1974 anthem of anti-apartheid solidarity, continues to resonate with listeners decades after its release.

A feature from the Smithsonian explores how American jazz has shaped classical music, tracing the genre's enduring influence on composers and concert traditions. The piece highlights the ongoing conversation about jazz as a distinctly American art form whose rhythms, harmonies and improvisational spirit continue to resonate in classical repertoire and performance today.

South African group iPhupho L'ka Biko have released their first EP, Azania. The band describes themselves as "children of Biko", referencing activist Steve Biko, and their sound as Afrikanist Experimental Jazz. The EP features collaborations with Siyabonga Mthembu and Kinsmen, and is being shared and discussed by listeners of experimental African music.

JazzFM is playing Chet Baker's recording of 'I Remember You', prompting listeners to share the track on social media. The classic ballad, associated with Baker's trumpet work and vocals, continues to resonate with jazz fans decades after his death, with listeners tagging their listening sessions with NowPlaying as the station's programming highlights the American trumpeter.

The Connecting Chords organization is presenting Duke Ellington's sacred music in West Michigan for the first time in roughly 60 years. The concerts revive Ellington's celebrated sacred concerts, large-scale jazz works the composer created late in his career, and are drawing attention from local music lovers and public radio coverage in the region.

Miku Takahashi of Japanese idol group Hinatazaka46 served as personality for a radio program covering the 57th Yamano Big Band Jazz Contest, presenting highlights from the event. The long-running contest showcases amateur big bands from across Japan and is a fixture of the country's jazz scene. Listeners can hear the programme via a free radio app.

Quincy Jones and Phil Woods formed one of the most enduring musical partnerships in jazz history. They met in New York in the early 1950s, and Woods went on to become Jones's go-to alto saxophonist for decades. Musicians and fans are revisiting the collaboration and friendship, calling it among the deepest and most productive in the genre's history.

A photograph dated September 30, 1952, showing jazz pianist Dave Brubeck and alto saxophonist Paul Desmond outside Philadelphia, posing with a 1949 Kaiser Vagabond car, is being shared among jazz and photography enthusiasts. The image captures the two musicians early in their partnership, years before the Dave Brubeck Quartet's landmark success with Time Out in 1959.