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Ahmad Jamal was one of the few jazz musicians who achieved commercial success, having several hits on the R&B charts. He also had a major influence on Miles Davis. This album, Ahmad Jamal at the Pershing: But Not for Me, contains "Poinciana," which played on jukeboxes across the country.

The name of this CD is Lee Konitz with Wayne Marsh, but Lennis Tristano is probably its greatest influence. Appearing on half the tracks, piano innovator Tristano played a major role in influencing the album's other musicians away from a traditional, frantic bebop sound.

Avant-garde and sometimes controversial, Eric Dolphy was a master of several instruments. He was one of the first musicians to record unaccompanied horn solos, and largely introduced the bass clarinet as a solo instrument. On this 1964 album, Dolphy displays his talents on flute, alto saxophone, and bass clarinet.

Jelly Roll Morton claimed that he invented jazz. While this statement provoked much criticism, Morton is widely considered the first great composer of jazz. Morton's most popular tunes, including the frequently copied "King Porter Stomp," can be found on this album.

Nefertiti captures one of Miles Davis' last great bands at its height. Along with Miles on trumpet, tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams are heard on this album.

One year before her death, Billie Holiday recorded her last studio album, Lady in Satin. The album includes classic songs such as "You've Changed," "End of a Love Affair," and "Glad to be Unhappy."

In 1965, Herbie Hancock recorded an album intended to capture the spirit and mood of the ocean — Maiden Voyage. Two of the album's tracks —"Dolphin Dance" and the title song — became jazz standards.

Earl "Fatha" Hines, often credited with establishing the piano as a solo instrument, revolutionized the 1920s "stride" piano style by playing unusual accents with his left hand. By the time Hines recorded '65 Piano Solo , he had perfected his piano technique into a mellow and modern sound.

Norwegian composer Jan Garbarek blends jazz, atmospheric ambient music and European folk traditions, making his music tough to classify. Critic Jim Fusilli says that on his latest CD, In Praise of Dreams, Garbarek heads even further into the ether.

Music critic Michelle Mercer spent nearly three years working on a biography of jazz legend Wayne Shorter. In the process, she learned a lot about Shorter, his music — and the importance of the silence between sounds.