Jazz

A journey into the heart of the all-American art form, with the help of jazz-pop legend Don Was, grassroots impresario Meghan Stabile and some of today’s finest practitioners

- Lauren Du Graf

Don Was is nervous. We’re in his room at the Bowery Hotel, sitting next to three-time Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams. It’s the first time she’s hearing Vanished Gardens, her new album with the legendary jazz saxophonist Charles Lloyd and his group the Marvels. Was produced the album and is putting it out on Blue Note Records, where he has served as president since 2012.

Meeting with Williams was not part of today’s plan. We were in the middle of an interview when Was spotted her in the lobby of the hotel.

“This is so kismet, it’s ridiculous,” she said, reaching up to embrace him. Williams, a Southern-bred artist who has spent more than three decades exploring the Americana landscape, had been at the Bowery for weeks, putting together a deal for her forthcoming memoir. Was had been trying to contact her for her blessing on a final mix.

“Got any time now?” he asked. We headed up to Was’s suite, and Williams settled into a mohair-upholstered lounge chair. He handed her headphones and watched as she listened to the first track. Her face was inscrutable.

“This is intense,” says the 65-year-old producer, who’s in New York to work on a new project for the Rolling Stones. (He doesn’t want to reveal too much but offers this: “It’s really early. What I can tell you is that they’re certainly inspired, they’re definitely not done making music, and they’re writing songs together. And they’re good.”) He’s wearing a fedora, his face framed by a mess of natty dark hair. A black Armani overcoat hangs over an outfit that’s all athleisure — a Columbia Sportswear zip-up and Nike Tech fleece sweatpants. A tangle of necklaces circle his neck, including one stamped with the words F#CK YALL.