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Blossom Dearly, a pink cherry blossom with a passion for jazz, talks with Leo Sidran about her unexpected internet success, the importance of kindness, why jazz is American history, and her first live performance with the Shrub-Tones at Lincoln Center.

Aside from being one of the principal innovators of modern jazz guitar, John Scofield is a creative artist of an even rarer sort: a stylistic chameleon who has forged a consistent, rock-solid aesthetic identity. A triple Grammy award-winning artist with more than 40 recordings to his credit, Scofield has expressed himself in the vernacular of bebop, blues, jazz-funk, organ jazz, acoustic chamber jazz, electronically tinged groove music, jam band style and orchestral ensembles with ease and enthusiasm. Affectionately called, Yankee Go Home, Scofield’s latest project covers Americana/Rock hits and jazzed-out folk songs, with a few original tunes in the roots/rock/jazz vein. “I’m reconnecting with a lot of my teenaged Rock ‘n Roll roots – naturally colored by my 50 years of Jazz practices,” Scofield says, “For me this is a play on we “Yankees” taking up the music of our homeland.” He’s been working on reinterpretations of music from Leonard Bernstein to Neil Young, Buddy Holly to Stevie Wonder, and the Grateful Dead. “My main focus in guitar playing has always centered around being part of a group, exploring the music that happens when musicians listen to each other and improvise together. Quite frankly, until now, I’ve avoided playing solo concerts and, before starting this endeavor, had done only one solo performance in public since I was a child. I still have occasional nightmares about playing Greensleeves for my sixth-grade class! It gets pretty lonely up there by yourself, and I hadn’t considered solo guitar as the perfect platform for improvising. Not to mention that I’m no Segovia either! All that said, after playing guitar for 56 years, I’m finally interested in going it alone and exploring the possibilities. It’s taken me decades to realize that I’ve been playing unaccompanied guitar at home or in hotel rooms every day since 1962! I’ve put a lot of thought in lately to how I can present an evening of solo guitar that represents my passions and sensibilities. My idea is to keep it song-based, playing jazz, country and rock tunes that I love as well as some of my original compositions. I plan to employ my Looper pedal occasionally when I want to play over myself. I’ve been preparing for nearly a year, working my brain in new directions while looking forward to these shows with excitement and a small bit of trepidation. I hope you enjoy being on this journey with me.”

The BRIC JazzFest is back with a roster of artists running the jazz gamut. And for its seventh edition, singer-songwriter Madison McFerrin has taken on the coveted role of co-curator, applying her spirit of freedom to a fresh wave of programming.

Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein and Bill Stewart look back on the unlikely beginnings of one of jazz’s longest-running trios, from their early gigs at Augie’s on the Upper West Side to their new album, Rhombus.

One thing I’ve noticed over two decades’ worth of interviews with Vijay Iyer, the award-winning pianist and composer, is that he doesn’t instinctively…

Join us on Friday, September 23, as we welcome GRAMMY-winning American jazz drummer and Queens native Lenny White for an exciting evening of jazz fusion at 8PM EST.

The performance will feature White's original compositions and deliver a beautiful, surprising, and daring tribute to the late virtuoso Chick Corea- a 23-time GRAMMY-winner, DownBeat Hall of Famer, and NEA Jazz Master beloved by Flushing Town Hall audiences and jazz fans around the world.

White will be joined by Tom Guarna (guitar), Quinton Zoto (guitar), Richie Goods (bass), and Vince Evans (piano and synthesizers).

Leonard "Lenny" White III, who was born in Jamaica, Queens, became interested in music at a young age. As a self-taught drummer, White began his career playing with groups in the New York jazz scene. At only 19 years old, the young White recorded the album "Bitches Brew" with his hero Miles Davis. White is, however, best known as one of the original members of the group Return To Forever founded in 1972 by the late Chick Corea. In the late 1980s, White became part of the Jamaica Boys, a Queens-based funk trio including Marcus Miller on the bass and singer Dinky Bingham, who replaced Mark Stevens, the brother of Chaka Khan.

White is often described as one of the founding fathers of the jazz-rock movement and has emerged as one of the premier drummers in jazz. White has played and collaborated with music artists such as Miles Davis, Joe Henderson, Gato Barbieri, Gil Evans, Stan Getz, Ron Carter, Woody Shaw, Freddie Hubbard, Jaco Pastorius, Herbie Hancock, Cedar Walton, Carlos Santana, Chaka Khan, and many more. Today, he is sharing his music knowledge as part of the Music Adjunct Faculty at NYU Steinhard as Composer-in-Residence.

White has won three GRAMMY awards, received more than two GRAMMY nominations, and won one Latin GRAMMY award.

The concert begins at 8:00PM. Tickets for the performance are $40 for general admission, $32 for members, and $20 for students with valid student ID. Table packages for 2 with refreshments are available for purchase for $130 or $110 for members.

“It seems that only beautiful sounds emanate from Gene Bertoncini’s guitar.” — The New Yorker

“A formidable and consummately lyrical guitarist.” —Time Out, New York

Acclaimed jazz guitarists Gene Bertoncini & Roni Ben-Hur return to Zinc for a special collaborative evening of music on Monday, July 25.

Gene Bertoncini is one of the pre-eminent jazz guitarists active today. His fluid technique and lyricism have won him international praise and accolades as the “Segovia of jazz.” An eloquent and versatile improviser, Mr. Bertoncini has been heard with an extraordinary range of jazz greats, including performances and recordings with Benny Goodman, Buddy Rich, Wayne Shorter, Hubert Laws, and Paul Desmond among others, as well as such distinguished singers as Tony Bennett, Lena Horne, Nancy Wilson, Vic Damone, and Eydie Gorme.

Jazz guitarist Roni Ben-Hur has earned a sterling reputation as a musician and educator, renowned for his golden tone, improvisational brilliance, compositional lyricism, and ability to charm peers, students, and listeners alike. Eminent jazz critic Gary Giddins wrote in the Village Voice: “A limber and inventive guitarist, Ben-Hur keeps the flame alive and pure, burning in every note… He’s a guitarist who knows the changes and his own mind.” Roni — born in Israel in 1962 but a longtime American citizen, based in the New York City area — has recorded a dozen-plus album as leader or co-leader, with The New York Times praising his “crisp, fluid style” and Time Out New York calling him “a formidable and consummately lyrical guitarist.” He has developed a rare facility in both straight-ahead jazz and samba/bossa-nova styles, underscored by his work with masters in each field, from bebop piano sage Barry Harris and winds ace Frank Wess to beloved Brazilian vocalist Leny Andrade and composer Marcos Valle.

Showtimes are at 7:00 pm & 8:30 pm. Tickets: $20 in advance / $25 day of show. For more info, call (212) 477-9462 or visit https://www.zincjazz.com

“It seems that only beautiful sounds emanate from Gene Bertoncini’s guitar.” — The New Yorker

“A formidable and consummately lyrical guitarist.” —Time Out, New York

Acclaimed jazz guitarists Gene Bertoncini & Roni Ben-Hur return to Zinc for a special collaborative evening of music on Monday, July 25.

Gene Bertoncini is one of the pre-eminent jazz guitarists active today. His fluid technique and lyricism have won him international praise and accolades as the “Segovia of jazz.” An eloquent and versatile improviser, Mr. Bertoncini has been heard with an extraordinary range of jazz greats, including performances and recordings with Benny Goodman, Buddy Rich, Wayne Shorter, Hubert Laws, and Paul Desmond among others, as well as such distinguished singers as Tony Bennett, Lena Horne, Nancy Wilson, Vic Damone, and Eydie Gorme.

Jazz guitarist Roni Ben-Hur has earned a sterling reputation as a musician and educator, renowned for his golden tone, improvisational brilliance, compositional lyricism, and ability to charm peers, students, and listeners alike. Eminent jazz critic Gary Giddins wrote in the Village Voice: “A limber and inventive guitarist, Ben-Hur keeps the flame alive and pure, burning in every note… He’s a guitarist who knows the changes and his own mind.” Roni — born in Israel in 1962 but a longtime American citizen, based in the New York City area — has recorded a dozen-plus album as leader or co-leader, with The New York Times praising his “crisp, fluid style” and Time Out New York calling him “a formidable and consummately lyrical guitarist.” He has developed a rare facility in both straight-ahead jazz and samba/bossa-nova styles, underscored by his work with masters in each field, from bebop piano sage Barry Harris and winds ace Frank Wess to beloved Brazilian vocalist Leny Andrade and composer Marcos Valle.

Showtimes are at 7:00 pm & 8:30 pm. Tickets: $20 in advance / $25 day of show. For more info, call (212) 477-9462 or visit https://www.zincjazz.com

“It seems that only beautiful sounds emanate from Gene Bertoncini’s guitar.” — The New Yorker

“A formidable and consummately lyrical guitarist.” —Time Out, New York

Acclaimed jazz guitarists Gene Bertoncini & Roni Ben-Hur return to Zinc for a special collaborative evening of music on Monday, August 29.

Gene Bertoncini is one of the pre-eminent jazz guitarists active today. His fluid technique and lyricism have won him international praise and accolades as the “Segovia of jazz.” An eloquent and versatile improviser, Mr. Bertoncini has been heard with an extraordinary range of jazz greats, including performances and recordings with Benny Goodman, Buddy Rich, Wayne Shorter, Hubert Laws, and Paul Desmond among others, as well as such distinguished singers as Tony Bennett, Lena Horne, Nancy Wilson, Vic Damone, and Eydie Gorme.

Jazz guitarist Roni Ben-Hur has earned a sterling reputation as a musician and educator, renowned for his golden tone, improvisational brilliance, compositional lyricism, and ability to charm peers, students, and listeners alike. Eminent jazz critic Gary Giddins wrote in the Village Voice: “A limber and inventive guitarist, Ben-Hur keeps the flame alive and pure, burning in every note… He’s a guitarist who knows the changes and his own mind.” Roni — born in Israel in 1962 but a longtime American citizen, based in the New York City area — has recorded a dozen-plus album as leader or co-leader, with The New York Times praising his “crisp, fluid style” and Time Out New York calling him “a formidable and consummately lyrical guitarist.” He has developed a rare facility in both straight-ahead jazz and samba/bossa-nova styles, underscored by his work with masters in each field, from bebop piano sage Barry Harris and winds ace Frank Wess to beloved Brazilian vocalist Leny Andrade and composer Marcos Valle.

Showtimes are at 7:00 pm & 8:30 pm. Tickets: $25 in advance / $30 day of show. For more info, call (212) 477-9462 or visit https://www.zincjazz.com