Candid Records jazz recording artists Terri Lyne Carrington and Christie Dashiell are celebrating a Grammy nomination for Best Vocal Jazz Album for their 2025 protest project, We Insist 2025!.

The album arrived during the 65th anniversary year of We Insist! Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite—the landmark recording written by Max Roach and Oscar Brown Jr., featuring Abbey Lincoln, originally released in December 1960 on Candid Records. Carrington and Dashiell’s reimagining echoes that historic message while addressing current social justice concerns.

Released in 2025 amid heightened social and political urgency, We Insist 2025! positions itself as more than a tribute. The project reframes the original suite’s call to action for the present moment—centering justice, freedom, and collective voice. Carrington has described the concept plainly: “We Insist is a call to action,” adding that the album carries “a project of community spirit and collectivism” with an ensemble of leading creative musicians and artists.

The June 13, 2025 release has drawn strong critical attention, with multiple outlets naming it among the year’s standout jazz albums.

Carrington—an NEA Jazz Master and four-time Grammy Award winner—is an internationally renowned drummer, composer, bandleader, producer, and author. She is also the founder and artistic director of the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice at Berklee College of Music.

Dashiell is a Grammy-nominated vocalist and composer and a professor at Howard University. She frames the title We Insist as a declaration: “We won’t back down… we insist on our freedoms… we insist that we have our rightful place in society,” emphasizing that the original We Insist! was urgent in 1960—and remains urgent now.

The nominated project includes collaborators Milena Casado, Morgan Guerin, Simon Moullier, and Matthew Stevens (all Candid Records artists), alongside Weedie Braimah—a lineup that reflects Carrington’s long-standing commitment to mentoring and collaborating with forward-thinking voices shaping the next wave of jazz.

Carrington has also spoken about the influence of Max Roach, noting, “Max Roach has always been an important person and influence in my life.” She credits him as an innovator who brought the drums to the forefront and as a leader who helped her understand the importance of being a complete musician with big ideas. Carrington has also shared that Roach’s belief in her early on pushed her to persevere, be resourceful, and trust her own path.

On choosing Dashiell for We Insist 2025!, Carrington said she was “a perfect collaborator,” praising her ability to cover the spectrum of Black music and making that range central to the album’s identity—not only as jazz, but as a broader throughline. Carrington added that she was especially glad Dashiell stepped into a role that inevitably nods to Abbey Lincoln’s legacy.

The album’s promotional run included a Town Hall hosted by SiriusXM Real Jazz programmer Mark Ruffin, along with support from BBC Radio 6 Music host Gilles Peterson, who played various tracks—including “Tears For Johannesburg.” The project’s social media campaign also featured “I Insist” messages from artists and creatives, including Chaka Khan, Dianne Reeves, Peter Erskine, Toshi Reagon, T.S. Monk, Antonio Sánchez, and more.

Carrington and Dashiell launched national and international tour dates, including Blue Note Tokyo and SummerStage at Marcus Garvey Park (Harlem) in partnership with Jazzmobile’s Summerfest. Additional 2026 dates are expected to be announced soon.

More info:
Terri Lyne Carrington: terrilynecarrington.com
Christie Dashiell: christiedashiell.com

Mustafa’s third annual Artists For Aid concert is taking place Saturday, January 10th, at The Shrine in Los Angeles. Bella Hadid and Pedro Pascal are co-hosting the event in partnership with the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and the Sudanese American Physicians Association, each of which will receive 50 percent of all proceeds. Jazmine Sullivan, Noname, Ravyn Lenae, Raphael Saadiq, Daniel Caesar, Noor Hindi, Omar Apollo, Shawn Mendes, Mustafa, Rex Orange County, Faye Webster, Geese, Alex G, Blood Orange, Clairo,  Safia Elhillo, Tamino, Snoh Aalegra, Lucy Dacus, and 070 Shake will perform. Tickets are available for purchase now. 

About Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF)

PCRF is a non-political, non-profit organization that provides medical care and humanitarian relief to children in the Middle East, regardless of nationality or religion. PCRF provides free, high-quality medical care to thousands of injured and ill children each year who lack access to adequate treatment within their local healthcare systems. In addition to medical care, PCRF provides humanitarian aid and medical support to tens of thousands of children due to the ongoing crisis. 

About Sudanese American Physicians Association (SAPA)

The Sudanese American Physicians Association is an organization that mobilizes Sudanese medical professionals in the U.S. to support healthcare delivery and capacity-building efforts in Sudan. SAPA provides medical missions, training, supplies, and emergency response during crises and conflicts. Their work focuses on strengthening healthcare systems and improving access to quality medical care for underserved communities.

John Coltrane’s New York home will reopen as an interactive museum in 2026. The John and Alice Coltrane home in Dix Hills, New York, was deemed a national treasure in 2018 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The saxophone innovator and his wife, Alice, who was a respected jazz harpist and pianist, moved their family from New York City to Long Island in 1964 seeking a place that would be more conducive to their musical, spiritual, and parental goals. The home is where he created his masterpiece, A Love Supreme, and Alice produced all of her music for the Impulse! label. 

Visitors will be able to attend workshops, residencies, and performances. Steve Fulgoni, founder and president of the Friends of the Coltrane Home nonprofit organization, says, “In an age of digital isolation, the Home will remind us of the power of presence, mentorship, and shared human experience.” The home’s stewards want to promote community-driven creative growth. “Community service is the essential part of it, especially for young people,” said Kathleen Hennessy, vice president of Friends of the Coltrane Home. “There’ll be music playing throughout the house … opportunities for people to learn, play music, explore meditation, and self-expression.” She added, “It’s not supposed to be behind a velvet rope. We’re going to let people come in and sit on the furniture and listen to the music.”

The museum is scheduled to have a soft opening in September 2026 which would have been John Coltrane’s 100th birthday. Visitors will have access to the entire house, including John and Alice’s master bedroom that still has the original purple carpet. Alice’s studio is part of the home and it serves as a place for artists of all ages. The studio will resume its Live From Alice Coltrane’s Studio series that began during the pandemic. Harpist and composer Brandee Younger, who is on the board of the Coltrane Home, spoke on the history of the studio.

“Alice didn’t project the image of a business trailblazer, but she absolutely was one. Although John passed away [in 1967] before they could complete that vision together. Alice carried it forward. She finished the studio and the music, and she ultimately negotiated what I see as a groundbreaking deal with Impulse! Records. Producing one’s own album was something unheard of for Black artists in that era, whether in jazz or any other genre. As a young Black harp student, Alice Coltrane was one of the few role models I had who showed me that someone who looked like me could play the music I loved and bring the harp into unexpected genres, and the fact that she lived right here made it all the more meaningful.” Younger is a Long Island native and she has performed using Alice Coltrane’s restored harp.

The Coltranes’ home in Philadelphia is also being restored with help from The African-American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. The progress of the Dix Hills home and museum can be watched via the official website. 

Big K.R.I.T. will launch the release of his new album, Dedicated To Caladee Biarritz, with his annual benefit concert, Big KRITmas, at Terminal West in Atlanta. The rapper and producer celebrates 20 years in music and the partnership with ONErpm is the next part of his journey. He says, “This album is a new chapter for me, and partnering with ONErpm lets us tell this story the way it’s meant to be heard—on our terms, for the people who’ve been ridin’ with me since day one.” Orlando McGhee, Head of Urban for ONErpm, shared his excitement about the partnership in a press release. “We are honored to welcome Big K.R.I.T. to ONErpm. K.R.I.T. represents authenticity, storytelling, and evolution in rap. This partnership amplifies his vision, and we’re excited to support this next chapter.”

Dedicated To Cadalee Biarritz was released on December 5th and the benefit show takes place December 17th, 7–11 PM, at Terminal West, 887 West Marietta St NW, Atlanta, GA 30318. Fans can still buy tickets.