As one of the foremost living purveyors of the bebop tradition Charles McPherson, and his band, played to a packed First Thursdays audience at Del Mar Town Hall on April 2. This year, The Mellon Foundation and the Jazz Foundation of America honored McPherson as a 2026 Jazz Legacies Fellow. This fellowship recognizes work that has shaped and continues to impact the evolution of jazz. It honors artists not only for their historical impact, but for their ongoing creative vitality and leadership. The announcement of his selection heralded McPherson as a “Bebop torchbearer with a direct connection to the bedrock of modern jazz,” according to a news release.
First Thursdays is a production of the Cultural Arts Committee of the Del Mar Foundation. For more information and to join the waiting list for First Thursday performances, go to www.delmarfoundation.org.