archive
World Cafe
Del McCoury And The Preservation Hall Jazz Band On World Cafe
September 14, 2011 WXPNThe New Orleans classicists are touring with bluegrass legend Del McCoury on the heels of their recent collaboration, American Legacies.
The Healing Power Of Blues Dancing
August 20, 2011 Blues dancing, a deeply romantic style, asks that couples dance as though they're in love with each other, even if they've never met the person they're dancing with. For many, this community-based gathering has had life-changing effects.
Graham Reynolds' Re-Imagined 'Portraits' Of Duke Ellington
February 13, 2011 Taking on Duke Ellington's music is a daunting task for most composers, but for Graham Reynolds, it was a rewarding journey. On his new album, DUKE! Three Portraits of Ellington, jazz standards are perfomed by a big band, by a string quartet — and remixed by DJs.
Take Five: A Jazz Sampler
Highlights From The 2009 Newport Jazz Festival
August 11, 2009 Last weekend's festival packed in a dizzying array of talent, all performing in the span of 32 hours. We listened closely to as much of it as we could and picked five of the best songs — though certainly only a tiny sampling of the greatest moments — from our recordings.
Talented But Overlooked Jazz Artists
July 31, 2008 We've talked this month about the jazz greats, but what about the others? Many musicians have not won the recognition that they deserve — including Grammy-Award winning Billy Childs and singer Robert McCarther. They join Farai Chideya to help wrap up our series on jazz.
Understanding Women's Influence On Jazz
July 25, 2008 Usually when we think of women in jazz, we think of singers like Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, and Ella Fitzgerald. But female jazz players cannot be overlooked: Women have played almost every instrument, in every style, during every era of the music's history. For more, NPR's Tony Cox talks with jazz historian Linda Dahl.
Jazz Singer Nnenna Freelon Shares Influences
July 25, 2008 Over the years, jazz songstress and six-time Grammy Award nominee, Nnenna Freelon, has earned a reputation as a fierce singer and captivating performer. NPR's Tony Cox talks with Freelon about her career and how female artists have affected the genre.
Exploring Jazz Music Overseas
July 24, 2008 As our series on jazz continues, we explore how the sound is developing in far-flung places. For more on the genre's reach abroad, NPR's Tony Cox talks with bass clarinetist and multireedist, Bennie Maupin; flautist and conductor, James Newton; and saxophonist David Murray.
