In Tribute To...

“In Tribute to…” is a recurring All About Jazz column in which musicians, writers and members of the jazz community honor artists, mentors and influential figures whose work helped shape the music and their lives.

Points of View: Celebrating Dave Holland

by Ludovico Granvassu
October 1, 2026

Birthdays offer an annual opportunity to celebrate. Milestone birthdays offer something more: a chance to take stock. But when a towering figure in jazz turns 80 after six decades of music-making, how do we even begin to take the measure of a musical life so rich, so wide-ranging, and so influential? A comprehensive interview could tell part of the story. An in-depth analysis of a discography could tell another. But perhaps the most tangible, and personal, way to ...

Dave Holland Tribute: Table of Contents

by Ludovico Granvassu
October 1, 2026

To celebrate Dave Holland's 80th birthday, All About Jazz invited musicians, colleagues and friends from around the world to share their memories and reflections on one of jazz's most influential bassists, composers and bandleaders. The alphabetical list below provides direct links to each contributor's tribute. You can also read the complete Dave Holland at 80 tribute here. A Anna Abondolo Claudia Acuña Ralph Alessi Tyrone Allen II

John Coltrane At 100: A Global Perspective

by Ian Patterson
September 23, 2026

With the advent of his birth centenary, John William Coltrane is on our minds again. But then he nearly always is. His influence on generations of saxophonists is palpable. For countless musicians the term “Coltranesque" can be a badge of honor or a millstone around the neck. With the exception perhaps of Miles Davis--whose centenary also fell in 2026--arguably no other jazz musician has been so imitated--knowingly or otherwise. His main influence, however, is not so much in ...

Miles Davis At 100: A Global Perspective

by Ian Patterson
May 26, 2026

Miles Davis' centenary has arrived. The second century begins. What changes jazz has undergone in the 100 years since Miles Dewey Davis was born in Alton, Illinois on May 26, 1926! Davis was all about change, evolution, growth, and reinvention. A driving force behind many of the changes in direction jazz took during his 65 years on Earth, Davis was also a leader who inspired--one way or another--a host of young musicians who took wing in his various ...

Remembering All About Jazz's Chris May

by AAJ Staff
November 26, 2024

With profound sadness, the All About Jazz family mourns the loss of Chris May (1946-2024), a luminous soul whose passion and dedication took AAJ to new heights during his 20 year tenure. Chris was more than a colleague--he was a beloved writer, a brilliant editor, and a cherished friend whose words dazzled with grace and insight. We invite our community to honor Chris's memory by sharing your stories and reflections that capture his remarkable spirit. Please email us your tributes ...

Remembering All About Jazz's Dave Binder / John Kelman

by AAJ Staff
August 15, 2024

It is with great sadness that All About Jazz must announce the death of Dave Binder, better known to millions of readers as John Kelman. Dave died of a heart attack on August 10th, after a long bout of illness. For twenty years Dave was the most internationally renowned of all AAJ's contributors, penning over 2,700 articles which racked up tens of millions of page views. As senior editor for many years, Dave was a guide and mentor to numerous ...

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Jazz Honors The Beatles

by AAJ Staff
April 13, 2023

All About Jazz is honoring The Fab Four in the year of the 60th anniversary of the release of their first album (Please Please Me). This collective tribute was originally published in September 2009--as a living document, we'll add more quotes & stories over time (see how-to in comments section). We also compiled a companion playlist and present it below. When The Beatles first emerged at the forefront of The British Invasion, few could have predicted the impact ...

Miles Davis: How 9 Jazz Icons Remember His Genius

by Rob Garratt
September 28, 2021

Like nearly every other jazz fan on the planet, I've long held an unshakeable fascination with the music of Miles Davis. Thirty years after his death, Miles's legacy, innovations and iconography continue to shape contemporary conceptions of the art form more than any other figure--his life and lessons simultaneously a road map, Holy Grail and high water mark combined. It feels almost inevitable that Miles served as my gateway to improvised music, and yet more than two decades ...

The 55 Bar: Music and Stories

by Ludovico Granvassu
September 27, 2021

All About Jazz celebrates the iconic 55 Bar and the essential role it plays as an establishment where bands are born and sounds shaped over time thanks to its longstanding commitment to jazz. Adored by patrons and musicians since the '80s, the 55 Bar has faced difficult economic challenges during the pandemic and as a result, need our support to continue operations. If you have the means, please make a donation and help 55 Bar reach its financial goal through ...

Frank Kimbrough: From Now to Forever—A Remembrance

by Ludovico Granvassu
January 8, 2021

On December 30, 2020, pianist Frank Kimbrough passed away at the age of 64. True to form, 2020 wreaked havoc until the end. The cause of death was not Covid-19, but the shock at the untimely loss of a revered artist was not any less powerful. Frank Kimbrough had the rare gift of touching lives with much more than his remarkable music. In order to pay tribute to his legacy, we have collected remembrances, anecdotes and ...