Leroy Downs News Today

Thousands of Jazz fans poured into Carson’s Dignity Health Sports Park when the doors opened for the Dymally Jazz Festival

KCRW’s resident Jazz Cat LeRoy Downs pays tribute to the pioneering jazz saxophonist and shares a moving 2022 conversation with Shorter and Esperanza Spaulding.

From experimental hip-hop to jazz electronica, post-Instagram post-punk to neo-discodelia, futurist salsa dura to pop renaissances, 2022 marked the first full year of art born in the “after.” These are the albums that defined our year.

Unranked and individually selected, these are the songs that kept us moving, thinking, and feeling in 2022.

Readers react to our coverage of Trump's 'big lie', Southern California's live music scene and chef José Andrés' charitable efforts.

The songs that helped us get up in the morning, fall asleep (or stay awake) at night, or that we simply played on repeat, because you never need a reason.

From iconoclast jazz to astral punk, minimal psychedelia to raw soul, knockout debuts to long-anticipated returns, these are the albums that defined the triumphs, defiance, and surreality of 2021.

Written by Andrea Domanick and KCRW Staff Jul. 03, 2021 When listening to the remarkable debut full length from Genesis Owusu, “Smiling With No Teeth," one cant help but be struck by the sheer number of different genres between which the Ghana-born, Australia-based artist bounces at a head-snapping pace. There’s sludgy techno ("On the Move!"), synthy New Wave ("The Other Black Dog"), modern electronic R&B ("Centerfold"), retro soul ("Waitin On Ya" & “Smiling With No Tee...

Picture of him. 80%. the stop and frisk program that lets police detain anyone they deem suspicious is very much in question. a federal judge said it is unconstitutional. even though the program was designed to prevent crimes before they happen, many of the stop and frisks say it targeted innocent people. >> leroy downs was sitting on the step outside his own home like this when it happened. >> the officers drove past me, went up the street, reversed, came out and approached me. >> reporter: w...

>> and some of the huge amounts of money spent can be freed up for other purposes as well. >> thats right. >> evan perez, our newest member here, welcome to cnn. this will be an excellent ride for you and for all of us. >> after 5 million stops, half of them involving sources, a new york city federal judge ruled the frisk law is unconstitutional. the class action lawsuit finally went to trial this spring. hes not in beirut, hes not in isl islamabad, hes in new york. tell us whats going on? >> it...