By MEG KINNARD, Associated Press

More artists have canceled scheduled performances at the Kennedy Center following the addition of President Donald Trump’s name to the facility, with jazz supergroup The Cookers pulling out of a planned New Year’s Eve concert, and the institution’s president saying the cancellations belie the artists’ unwillingness to see their music as crossing lines of political disparity.

Related Articles

Stocks edge lower as 2025 winds down while gold and silver rise

Without pennies, should retailers round up or down? States offer their 2 cents

Winter storm packing snow and strong winds to descend on Great Lakes and Northeast

Where are the wackiest New Year’s Eve drops in the US?

US removal of panels honoring Black soldiers at WWII cemetery in the Netherlands draws backlash

The Cookers, a jazz supergroup performing together for nearly two decades, announced their withdrawal from “A Jazz New Year’s Eve” on their website, saying the “decision has come together very quickly” and acknowledging frustration from those who may have planned to attend.

The group didn’t mention the building’s renaming or the Trump administration but did say that, when they return to performing, they wanted to ensure that “the room is able to celebrate the full presence of the music and everyone in it,” reiterating a commitment “to playing music that reaches across divisions rather than deepening them.”

The group may not have addressed the Kennedy Center situation directly, but one of its members has. On Saturday, saxophone player Billy Harper said in comments posted on the Jazz Stage Facebook page that he “would never even consider performing in a venue bearing a name (and being controlled by the kind of board) that represents overt racism and deliberate destruction of African American music and culture. The same music I devoted my life to creating and advancing.”

According to the White House, Trump’s handpicked board approved the renaming. Harper said both the board, “as well as the name displayed on the building itself represents a mentality and practices I always stood against. And still do, today more than ever.”

Richard Grenell, a Trump ally whom the president chose to head the Kennedy Center after he forced out the previous leadership, posted Monday night on X that “The artists who are now canceling shows were booked by the previous far left leadership,” intimating the bookings were made under the Biden administration.

In a statement to The Associated Press, Grenell said Tuesday the ”last minute cancellations prove that they were always unwilling to perform for everyone — even those they disagree with politically,” adding that the Kennedy Center had been “flooded with inquiries from real artists willing to perform for everyone and who reject political statements in their artistry.”

There was no immediate word from Kennedy Center officials if the entity would pursue legal action against the group, as Grenell said it would after musician Chuck Redd canceled a Christmas Eve performance. Following that withdrawal, in which Redd cited the Kennedy Center renaming, Grenell said he would seek $1 million in damages for what he called a “political stunt.”

President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, and Congress passed a law the following year naming the center as a living memorial to him. Scholars have said any changes to the building’s name would need congressional approval; the law explicitly prohibits the board of trustees from making the center into a memorial to anyone else, and from putting another person’s name on the building’s exterior.

Associated Press writers Steven Sloan and Hillel Italie contributed to this report.

Six Flags Magic Mountain’s long reign as the Coaster Capital of the World will soon come to a shocking and swift end as the once proud and mighty Coaster King abdicates the throne to a relatively unknown European amusement park.

Six Flags Magic Mountain will close two roller coasters in early January as work begins to transform Bugs Bunny World into Looney Tunes Land in celebration of the Valencia amusement park’s 55th anniversary.

ALSO SEE: Six Flags Magic Mountain pushes back new coaster to 2027

The closure of the 2014 Speedy Gonzales Hot Rod Racers and 1947 Magic Flyer during the massive makeover of the kiddie land along with the permanent closure of the 1997 Superman: Escape from Krypton earlier in the year has opened the throne to a new Coaster King.

Riders aboard the Superman: Escape from Krypton roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia in 2011. (Special to The Press-Enterprise)

Poland’s Energylandia will soon unseat the world champ and take over the coveted title of Coaster Capital of the World with a total of 19 coasters — the most of any single amusement park in the world.

ALSO SEE: Coaster war brewing between Six Flags Magic Mountain and relatively unknown European rival

Magic Mountain set a world record in 2022 for the most roller coasters in a single theme park with the debut of Wonder Woman Flight of Courage — the park’s 20th coaster.

Flight of Courage kept Magic Mountain just ahead of upstart Energylandia, which added two coasters in 2019 and two more in 2024.

Magic Mountain moved into a tie with Energylandia in March with 19 coasters when Superman: Escape from Krypton permanently closed.

ALSO SEE: Kelce brothers pitch an absolutely crazy roller coaster for Six Flags

The closure of Speedy Gonzales Hot Rod Racers and Magic Flyer will bring Magic Mountain’s coaster count to 17 — dropping behind sister parks Cedar Point and Canada’s Wonderland that both have 18.

Magic Mountain plans to open a new first-of-its-kind coaster in 2027 that will push the park into a three-way tie for second place with Cedar Point and Canada’s Wonderland.

Support beams have begun arriving at a staging area for Magic Mountain’s 2027 coaster.

The Zadra roller coaster at Energylandia in Poland. (Dreamstime/TNS)

Energylandia has been vocal about coming after the Coaster Capital crown — and now has the title to itself.

Energylandia has been on a building spree since opening about an hour outside Krakow with three coasters in 2014. The park added three coasters a year in 2015, 2017 and 2019 and two coasters a year in 2018, 2021 and 2024, according to Roller Coaster Database.

ALSO SEE: Six Flags Magic Mountain teases 7 possible new attractions

Magic Mountain has hung onto the coaster crown largely by adding without subtracting, retiring only the star-crossed Green Lantern: First Flight (2011-17) during the past decade.

The coaster counts at Cedar Point and Canada’s Wonderland have largely remained static as the parks replaced old rides with new ones.

Cedar Point closed Wicked Twister in 2021 and opened Siren’s Curse in 2025. Canada’s Wonderland closed Time Warp in 2024 and opened AlpenFury in 2025.

ALSO SEE: Six Flags Magic Mountain’s new roller coaster begins arriving at the park

Magic Mountain and Cedar Point have been engaged in a decades-long battle for coaster supremacy that has now come to an end.

“Even though we’re bringing the coaster count down, we’re doing a lot at Magic Mountain to really make it a better experience,” Six Flags Director of Construction Dave Evans said. “It’s not going to be about the quantity of coasters. It’s going to be about the whole experience that we’re bringing into the park.”

People ride the West Coast Racers dueling steel roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, Thursday, Apr. 1, 2021. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Magic Mountain’s fall from the coaster throne follows the merger of Six Flags and Cedar Fair in 2024 that brought Cedar Point and Canada’s Wonderland under the newly unified banner.

“As one united company now, it’s not about the coaster number anymore,” Evans said during a phone interview. “We’re not as concerned about chasing that record anymore. We’d rather enhance the guest experience.”

Related Articles

Howdy, neighbor! These are the most tourist-friendly cities in the U.S.

It’s 43 hours from LA to Chicago. These train people like it that way

10 supremely interesting places to travel in February 2026

Federal judge upholds Hawaii’s new climate change tax on cruise passengers

Riding the Mushroom Train for fungi, fine wine and forest conservation

Rising young talents and revered veterans helped take jazz to a multitude of exciting new destinations in 2025.

But the most notable debut album of the year, the aptly titled “New Dawn,” came from a musician who is very likely the world’s veteran living jazz artist. Saxophonist Marshall Allen, who turned 101 in May, is now in the Guinness Book of Records as “the oldest person to release a debut solo album (male).”

Allen was, in fact, only 100 when “New Dawn” came out in March. He continues to head the Sun Ra Arkestra, the cutting-edge jazz and Afrofuturism ensemble he joined in 1958 and has led since shortly after Ra’s death in 1993. He is that anomalous musician whose life has not been stunted by smoking.

At the other end of the spectrum is a host of fresh-faced artists who are bringing their own imprimatur to jazz. They include Baltimore trumpeter Brandon Woody, British saxophonist Xhosa Cole, Spanish trumpeter Milena Casado and Philadelphia-born singer Samara Joy, 25, who already has five Grammy Award wins to her credit.

As in previous years, my favorite jazz albums released in 2025 number in the dozens. Today, these are the ones that made my list today.

Linda May Han Oh, “Strange Heavens” (Biophilia)

Malaysian-born bassist and composer Linda May Han Oh has performed leading her own band and as a pivotal member of groups led by such greats as guitarist Pat Metheny, pianist Vijay Iyer and saxophonist Joe Lovano. Her latest album, “Strange Heavens,” soars repeatedly as she, drum marvel Tyshawn Sorey and the sublime trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire create vibrant music that is by turns combustible and contemplative, carefully crafted and wonderfully animated.

Guitarist, composer and band leader Mary Halvorson made one of 2025’s standout jazz albums.(Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)

Mary Halvorson, About Ghosts (Nonesuch)

New York guitarist and composer Mary Halvorson is a master of textures, dynamics and contrapuntal twists and turns whose music never goes quite where you expect but always hits its mark. With alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins and tenor saxophonist Brian Settles joining her six-piece band, Amaryllis — which features the outstanding vibraphonist and marimba player Patricia Brennan — Halvorsen makes full use of her expanded sonic palette. What results is a consistent treat.

Patricia Brennan, “Of The Near And Far” (Pyroclastic)

There is a cinematic scope in the music of Patricia Brennan, whose 10-piece ensemble performs her impeccably scored compositions with meticulous attention to detail while leaving room for improvisatory flights of fancy. Brennan’s multifarious pieces at times nod to progressive-rock at its most urbane — in particular such bands as Gentle Giant, Tangerine Dream and Happy The Man. Ultimately, though, “Of The Near and Far” is a singular accomplishment that promises even better things to follow.

Xhosa Cole, On a Modern Genius, Vol. 1 (Stoney Lane)

At 28, English tenor saxophonist Xhosa Cole is a star in the making. His often ecstatic playing enlivens this album of classic songs by Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington’s rhapsodic “Come Sunday.” All of them sound reverent and brand new as Cole injects them with infectious vigor and delightful twists — including key support from New York tap dancer Liberty Styles.

Yazz Ahmed, “A Paradise In The Hold” (Night Time Stories)

English-Bahraini trumpeter Yazz Ahmed’s fourth album is her most rewarding work to date. It’s a stunning, East-meets-West synthesis that deftly combines swirling Arabian melodies and polyrhythms with jazz tonalities and lively improvisation to create a borders-blurring whole that is both earthy and exotic.

Ambrose Akinmusire, “Honey From a Winter Stone” (Nonesuch)

Jazz, chamber music, electronica, Afro-Latin and hip-hop are all equals on this absorbing album by trumpeter and composer Ambrose Akinmusire. By turns introspective and illuminating, graceful and high-flying, tender and abstract, the music on “Honey From a Winter Stone” is a powerful statement of purpose from an uncompromising musical auteur.

Related Articles

Perry Bamonte, guitarist and keyboardist for The Cure, dies at 65

The 12 best needle drops of 2025

Barry Manilow to have surgery for early-stage lung cancer and postpones January concerts

Singer-songwriter Chris Rea, known for ‘Driving Home for Christmas,’ dies at 74

Review: ‘The Wiz’ revival at the Orpheum is a must-see delight

Vijay Iyer and Wadada Leo Smith, “Defiant Life” ECM

One of the most contemplative, understated and moving albums of the year, “Defiant Life” finds pianist Vijay Iyer and trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith reuniting for their first album together in nine years. While the title of “Defiant Life” reflects the challenges, pain and tumult in our increasingly chaotic world, the exceptionally poignant music Iyer and Smith make also points to redemption, if not catharsis.

Branford Marsalis Quartet, “Belonging” (Nonesuch)

Saxophonist Branford Marsalis was a New Orleans high school student and a member of the Big Easy funk band The Creators when pianist Keith Jarrett’s “Belonging” album was released in 1974. This new album is faithful to the joyous spirit and soul of the original album while exuding a welcome sense of celebration.

Joshua White, “Flora and Fauna: 9 Preludes for Solo Piano” (Orenda)

Now based in Long Beach, San Diego-bred pianist Joshua White has an expansive musical vocabulary that covers almost the entire breadth and depth of jazz. “Flora and Fauna: 9 Preludes for Solo Piano” is his second solo album — and his first without any accompanists. But a pianist this skilled requires no help to make compelling statements. Whether playing with whisper-soft delicacy and a meditative focus or with an infectiously exultant air, White is a major talent who deserves to be discovered and welcomed by a broader audience.

By VIVIAN HOWARD, Associated Press

The cheese ball is a cliché. I believe, however, that like the pig in a blanket and the baked potato, the cheese ball is so cliched it has actually become cool.

(Voracious / Associated Press)

Socially acceptable or not, when this dish from my cookbook “Deep Run Roots” is put out at a party of any kind, people hover over it like it’s a crystal ball.

Once you get used to the idea of making a cheese ball, keep a few things in mind. Bring it out at least 30 minutes before you plan on serving it. This forethought will make it spreadable and allow the complexity of its flavor to come through. Also, consider doubling the recipe. A fully formed cheese ball freezes and travels nicely. And, last, keep your cracker choice simple. Sea salt or plain Jane is the way to go here, possibly everywhere.

Note: This recipe calls for dates. Please do not use pre-chopped dates from a bag. They are covered in sugar and taste like sweet cardboard. Use whole, dried dates and remove the pits.

Cheese ball

Makes 1 large cheese ball or 2 small ones

(Voracious via AP)

Ingredients

¼ cup high-quality blue cheese (I like Maytag)
1/3 cup (5 ½ tablespoons) unsalted butter
¼ cup fresh goat cheese
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons cream cheese
¼ cup chopped dates
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions (both white and green parts work here)
½ teaspoon hot sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup Salt-and-Butter-Roasted Pecans, (recipe below), roughly chopped (or plain, toasted pecans)
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

SALT-AND-BUTTER-ROASTED PECANS

2 cups pecan halves or pieces
2 tablespoons melted butter
¾ teaspoon salt, divided

Directions

1. Soften the cheese: Take the blue cheese, butter, goat cheese, and cream cheese out of the refrigerator to soften 30 minutes before making your cheese-ball mixture.

2. While the cheese softens, roast the pecans: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Toss the pecans thoroughly with the melted butter and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet and slide that sheet onto the middle rack of your oven. Roast the pecans for 11 minutes if using pecan halves and 10 minutes if you’re using pieces. Bring the slightly darkened and toasty-smelling pecans out of the oven and hit them with the remaining salt. Let them cool. Any extra pecans will keep for 2 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature.

3. Finish the cheese ball: In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine all the ingredients except for the pecans and parsley. Paddle it up till homogenous. It will be loose and sticky and you’ll wonder how you’re ever going to form that mess into a ball. The answer is, you transfer the bowl to the refrigerator for 15 minutes or so. During that time the cheese mix will firm up enough for you to pat it into a sphere. Once it’s stiff enough to hold up, form the ball and roll that ball in the pecans, followed by parsley.

Vivian Howard is the chef and owner of the Chef and the Farmer restaurant in Kinston, North Carolina. The first woman since Julia Child to win a Peabody Award for a cooking program, she co-created and stars in the PBS series “A Chef’s Life.”

Excerpted from “Deep Run Roots” by Vivian Howard. Copyright (copyright) 2016 by Vivian Howard. Photograph by Rex Miller. Used with permission of Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company. New York, NY. All rights reserved.

Related Articles

Recipe: Sweet and spicy Korean fried chicken will fire you up

Dried cherry scones are a simple treat for the post-holiday breakfast table

Five Weeknight Dishes: Beef biryani, green chile bean bake and sheet-pan lemon turmeric chicken

Ayesha Curry shares her recipe for a ‘So This Is Christmas Cocktail’

Recipe: Miniature chicken pot pies warm the soul