DownBeat

Vibraphonist and composer Roy Ayers, whose soul-driven, electrified approach influenced generations of R&B-adjacent musicians, died March 4 at his home in Manhattan after a long illness. He was 84.

Vernice “Bunky” Green, the trailblazing alto saxophonist, composer and educator, passed away on March 1 at age 91.

Contemporary jazz icons Bob James and Dave Koz will be touring the U.S. together this spring as a piano-and-saxophone duo under the billing “Just Us–An Intimate Evening of Songs and Stories.”

Pedal steel guitarist and composer Susan Alcorn died Jan. 31 in Baltimore, Maryland, due to natural causes.

Christian McBride has opened booking for guests to join his newest production, Christian McBride’s World at Sea, scheduled for early next year.

n response to the wildfires that continue to burn in areas of Southern California, the National Association of Music Merchants has announced that this year’s NAMM Show is still on

The digital-only anthology Strata-East: The Legacy Begins, available Feb. 21 on all platforms, celebrates the revolutionary spirit of one of the most influential artist-owned independent jazz labels in history