Patrick Jarenwattananon

As NPR's employees file their federal returns and take up shop in a new building, we look back at an interesting historical moment in the 1940s. A cabaret tax led to more jazz being performed in smaller venues that couldn't accommodate dancing. Of course, that's not the only reason why bebop sounds the way it does.

With his ever-changing Fairgrounds band, the drummer gets to mix and match his favorite musicians. Ballard and a multi-generational band play live in New York.

The Smithsonian Museum of American History kickstarted its annual campaign with a day of performances and discussions. In a morning ceremony, drummer Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez and pianist Randy Weston officially donated artifacts from their personal collections.

Corea's "Spain" has an epic quality to it. At the opening night of the SFJAZZ Center, he guest solos in a new arrangement of the piece with a house band made up of all-stars.

At 66, the jazz trumpeter is as busy as ever: His current band has released five excellent albums since 2007 alone. His new, project provides further testament to his prolific composing.

When he gets to lead the band, the bicoastal bassist Todd Sickafoose writes lushly textured, slowly developing music for a unique instrumental ensemble. Hear them lift the lid on unreleased tunes.

Bassist Stephan Crump wears many musical hats. His Rosetta Trio, with two guitars, strives for quiet sophistication. Here, he presents his late-afternoon back-porch ditties for interlocking strings.

Hear five tunes spanning the saxophonist's career, from '60s mysticism to modern spirituals.

The tenor saxophonist plays in some of the most talked-about jazz groups of today. Freshly signed to a new record deal, Smith draws the leadership role in presenting his own quintet at his alma mater.

Veteran jazz masters "Killer" Ray Appleton and Barry Altschul have issued fine new albums this year. Both in their early 70s, it's clear they draw from extensive experience. So how might that translate to making music that's fun to listen to?