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Ella Fitzgerald is one of the most recognized voices in jazz history. As a teen, her dream was to be a dancer, but fate had different plans for her. "Lady Ella" possessed a three-octave range, was noted for her pure tone, and is widely considered one of the finest Great American Songbook interpreters.

On her latest self-titled CD, versatile Canadian jazz vocalist Holly Cole explores the theme of self-deception. Her song choices reflect lyrics that deal with implication instead of literal statements. In an interview and performance on KPLU, Cole shares songs that say a lot between the lines.

With this live version of "Wonderwall," Mehldau reduces Oasis' most famous song to a post-bop stride-piano exercise.

Named for the little slice of New York City that gave rise to Tito Puente, pianist Oscar Hernandez's Spanish Harlem Orchestra celebrates the rhythms of salsa music. The Grammy-winning group played a fiery set at the 2008 Portland Jazz Festival.

Better known as the "keys half" of the Benevento/Russo Duo, Marco Benevento developed Invisible Baby from a batch of compositions that didn't fit the duo format. Here, he plays jazz piano backed by spot-on rhythmic textures and powerful crescendos.

Eighties absurdo-disco band Was Not Was has a new album. David Was shares some of his thoughts about embarking on a rock and roll odyssey at a time when he should be figuring out how to stretch his Social Security check.

Southern singer Lizz Wright crafts a distinct mixture of jazz, folk, gospel, and R&B, but she's been most widely celebrated as a rising star in the jazz world. Hear Wright give a performance and interview from WXPN.

For nearly 30 years, David Weiss and Don Fagenson have melded funk and absurdity as Was (Not Was). They talk with Scott Simon about their latest album, Boo!, the first in more than 15 years.

Trumpeter Nicholas Payton shares three songs from his latest CD, Into the Blue. The New Orleans native talks jazz and what it means to resonate. The new songs show a creative musician who knows himself, and bandmates who understand each other.

Tierney Sutton may have had a cold in the studio during this performance and interview from KPLU, but it's hard to tell. The L.A.-based jazz vocalist lays down minor-key versions of otherwise "happy" songs, including a haunting cover of "You Are My Sunshine."