Some events create special memories that last long after the event is over. The gathering and performances on the evening of Friday, October 24, 2025 at Union Church created that feeling – by celebrating the contributions of Boston jazz legend Solomon “Sonny” Carrington III as a saxophonist, drummer, motivational speaker, educator, and organizer. Performers, speakers, and the multi-generational audience honored Sonny with the 2025 Boston Jazz Luminary Award. Ron Savage, Vice President and Executive Director of Berkeley College of Music, presented Sonny with the award, sharing Sonny’s biography and the impact that Sonny has had on him and so many others: “Sonny parented many jazz musicians. He encouraged me to take my studies seriously.” Dzidzor Azaglo and Uta Poiger used their introduction of Ron Savage to remind the audience that the Reckonings Project’s motto, “We Are Here,” means “We Were Here” – a symbol of our Jazz Square Activation partnership with the Boston Jazz Foundation, Claremont Neighborhood Association, and Union Church. Celebrating jazz musicians and organizers of the jazz scene and jazz education in Boston, past and present, and inviting audiences to enjoy and appreciate jazz in Boston today is all part of Jazz Square Activation. 

“This never happened to me before.” Thus began Sonny’s remarks. Sonny’s joy and memories of interacting with jazz legends like Charlie Parker or insisting that jazz teaches young and old key life lessons filled our hearts as a community. Sonny has mentored and inspired not only his daughter, NEA Jazz Master and four-time Grammy-winning percussionist Terri Lyne Carrington, but many other jazz artists like Ron Savage, as well as numerous young students. We are grateful for his impact both on and off the stage. 

Jose Soto, an award-winning Costa Rican pianist and educator, and his band began the evening with a powerful performance, blending jazz with Indigenous storytelling. They played pieces from their album, The Ancestral Call, inspired by the Bribiri Indigenous people in Southern Costa Rica and along the border with Panama. Their music connects us to jazz as an art that adapts to different cultures while maintaining its cultural significance rooted deeply in African American cultures. 

After the speeches honoring her father, headlining percussionist Terri Lyne Carrington captivated the audience with a performance featuring members of the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice. The evening became even more special when Boston jazz masters like Ron Savage, Danilo Pérez, Greg Gruber, and others joined Terri Lyne on stage as surprise guests to honor Sonny through their music. Their performances celebrate a musical tradition that continues to nurture communities. We still feel the sensation from those performances and this special evening.