Herbie Hancock

Fifty-five years ago, a young jazz presenter named George Wein discovered that the people sailing yachts around Narragansett Bay loved jazz. With their support, Wein founded the Newport Jazz Festival, the first of its kind, and it's still going strong. Here's a highlight of this year's festival, from Herbie Hancock and Dave Holland.

One of the true public faces of jazz, the keyboard giant brought a stellar group of musicians to the JVC Jazz Festival Newport to help perform classics from his catalog, as well as recent reconfigurations of pop music.

Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Joshua Redman, Patti Austin and Stevie Wonder celebrate the Institute that offers young musicians college-level training from the masters. The namesake — Thelonious Monk — was born October 10, 1917, and would be 90 this fall. Hear the concert.

Hancock is one of the most influential players and composers on the modern jazz scene. A true innovator and ardent explorer, Hancock continues to push boundaries and transcend musical genres. In a program from 1987, Hancock solos on his own tune, "Dolphin Dance," and then joins Marian McPartland for "That Old Black Magic."

Herbie Hancock's album is now considered one of the defining moments in jazz fusion. The Library of Congress is preserving the album in its musical collection as one of the country's most culturally significant audio recordings. Hancock and producer David Rubinson reflect on the album's creation and long-lasting impact.

Award-winning record producers Larry Klein, John Leventhal and Steve Rodby help create the sonic landscapes for Joni Mitchell, Shawn Colvin and Pat Metheny. They explain how they use studio technology — delicately, of course — to create great recordings.

The jazz legend plays a game called "And That's Why I Earn the Big Bucks": Three questions about the worst business decisions of 2007. Along the way, he also makes a surprising nomination for the sexiest instrument.

Shortly before he died, saxophonist Michael Brecker recorded one more album with some long-time collaborators. Discussing Brecker's legacy are pianist Herbie Hancock and guitarist Pat Metheny, as well as Brecker's long-time manager.

Herbie Hancock is widely regarded as one of jazz music's most influential players, crossing boundaries of rock, soul, funk and infusing elements of jazz in many different genres. His new album Possibilities hits stores Tuesday.

As the British Invasion changed the landscape of the music industry, jazz musicians had to adapt to popular music written by the bands themselves instead of hired songwriters. But as we hear in these five Beatles covers, jazz musicians were finding their own voices in the Fab Four's tunes.

Pianist Arturo O'Farrill, son of the Latin jazz pioneer Chico O'Farrill, now conducts the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra in New York. He picks five jazz albums which he says changed his life.

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.

The Library of Congress is known for its collection of the written word, but it also has a mandate to preserve the country's most culturally significant audio recordings. Sociology professor and cultural critic Oliver Wang reviews some of the library's key musical acquisitions from the past year.

Amy Winehouse racked up award after award in the 50th edition of Sunday's Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist. But Herbie Hancock's jazz tribute to Joni Mitchell pulled off a last-minute upset, winning Album of the Year.

Jazz legend Herbie Hancock won the Grammy for best album with River: The Joni Letters. It's a complex record spanning several genres and encompassing diverse talents. Critic Tom Moon breaks it down.

Last night, the Album of the Year Grammy went to an underdog — Herbie Hancock's River: The Joni Letters. Though the Joni Mitchell tribute doesn't rank among Hancock's best work, Tom Moon says that for those who know the pianist, the unlikely honor isn't really so unlikely.

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.

Fans and detractors of jazz fusion cite Miles Davis as the one who led the way to a new direction in jazz in the late 1960s and early '70s. The sessions for In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew not only bred a new style, but also helped identify the pioneers who would help define rock-influenced jazz. Hear five classic examples.

August is a month for moving at a relaxed pace, so it's a perfect time to seek out a tall cool one and some music to go with it. Here are five tunes to help you find the happily you're ever after.

The summer sun is frying the concrete kingdom. Sweltering heat is parboiling millions of psyches around you. It's probably time to flee the city, but like many urbanites, you don't own a car. Book a rental and bring these five songs and crank the factory-installed stereo in your getaway car.

Nick Morrison, a DJ at Seattle's KPLU, selects 10 of the year's best jazz CDs from instrumental legends and up-and-coming vocalists.