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Five years ago, vibraphonist and marimba player Stefon Harris started Blackout. It's a troupe of music mercenaries adept in the language of jazz, the strut of soul music and the raucous ruckus of breakbeats, go-go and new-jack rhythms. Hear Blackout bring swagger to modern jazz in a session from WBGO.

Taylor has modernized the blues' lyrical tradition by singing about race in a way that would have been impossible in the prewar era. But in "Looking for Some Heat," he works from the standpoint of a familiar character: the nomadic everyman who travels far and wide in search of love and warmth, only to find that he's best off someplace far less exotic.

Blue Highway founding member and 10-time IBMA dobro player of the year Rob Ickes has just released an album of jazz duets with pianist and grade-school music teacher Michael Alvey, titled Road Song.

Saxophonist Branford Marsalis has jazz in his genes. His father is pianist Ellis Marsalis, and all three of his brothers — trumpeter Wynton among them — are jazz musicians. On Fresh Air, he recalls growing up surrounded by music.

When trumpeter Dominick Farinacci pitched a Lee Morgan tribute to the programmers of the 29th Detroit Jazz Festival, they loved the idea. Outdoors in the sun, three top young horn men nail Morgan's going-too-fast-and-making-the-corners style, sometimes in harmony.

One of today's great singers celebrates the centennial of a jazz icon. Wilson brings her fresh arrangements of classic tunes to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

The Puerto Rican alto saxophonist and composer's new album explores national identity through spoken word and music. He brings that music to life at the Newport Jazz Festival, joined by his big band.

Elling doesn't seem intimidated by the stature of the song "Lush Life," and that's the key to his success. He doesn't try to reinvent the song; he just sings it as if it happened to him.

In 1959, jazz pianist Dave Brubeck topped the pop charts and shook up the notion of rhythm in jazz with an odd-metered song called "Take Five." On the occasion of its golden anniversary and a new reissue of Time Out, Brubeck explains why it was such a hit.

When Alexander walked into KPLU's Seattle studios with his longtime collaborator, pianist David Hazeltine, he was ready to play. He kicked things off right away with an intricate jazz composition by Hazeltine which, Alexander said, leaves "no margin for error." Hear the full session from KPLU.