Michael. J. West

1 month ago | downbeat.com | Michael. J. West

By Michael J. West   I  May. 29, 2025 Al Foster, a drummer regarded for his fluency across the bebop, post-bop and funk/fusion lineages of jazz, died May 28 in New York City. He was 82. His death was announced by his daughter, Kierra Denise Foster Ba, in a post on Facebook. Cause of death was not disclosed. Active in jazz since the mid-1960s, Foster was nonetheless probably best known for his on-and-off collaboration with Miles Davis in the ’70s and ’80s.

1 month ago | downbeat.com | Michael. J. West

By Michael J. West   I  May. 5, 2025 Bremen, Germany, is certainly not one of the most likely spots for the world’s largest annual jazz industry gathering. But that unlikelihood didn’t deter more than 20,000 musicians, presenters, producers, agents, media and other professionals from 60 countries from descending on the northwest German city for this year’s edition of jazzahead!, which took place April 24–26. And they weren’t just professionals looking to exchange business cards.

2 months ago | downbeat.com | Michael. J. West

By Michael J. West   I  Apr. 22, 2025 Francis Davis, an august jazz and cultural critic who won both awards and esteem in print, film and radio, died April 14 in Philadelphia after a long illness. He was 78. His death was confirmed by his wife, radio personality Terry Gross. Cause of death was emphysema.

Jan 30, 2025 | washingtonpost.com | Fritz Hahn |Sophia Solano |Adele Chapin |Thomas Floyd |MARK JENKINS |Chris Kelly | +1 more

Adele Chapin, Mark Jenkins, Chris Kelly and Michael J. WestThe beginning of February brings Lunar New Year celebrations, the start of Black History Month and the first Valentine’s Day-themed activities. This is one weekend when you can see lions dancing in the street and at breweries, learn about famous Black artists from D.C., and honor Martin Luther King Jr. in song. But there’s so much more on the agenda, from a Shakespeare festival to celebrations of Groundhog Day.

Jan 28, 2025 | downbeat.com | Michael. J. West

By Michael J. West   I  Jan. 28, 2025 Brooklyn has long harbored a self-contained jazz (and broader music) scene of its own — but that’s not the subject of Winter Jazz Fest’s Brooklyn marathon. It’s really a function of the fact that the once-compact marathon program has grown too big for its Lower Manhattan origins. The music heard Jan.