This year, we bade farewell to avant-garde pioneer Muhal Richard Abrams. Michael Hoefner/Wikipedia hide caption
Jon Hendricks Jon Hendricks artist page: interviews, features and/or performances archived at NPR Music
Jon Hendricks
Jazz singers, Dave Lambert (left), Annie Ross and Jon Hendricks with Canon L. John Collins on the steps of St Paul's Cathedral in London in 1959. Jon Hendricks died on November 22 at the age of 96. Keystone/Getty Images hide caption
Johnny Mercer. William L. Gottlieb/Library of Congress via flickr.com hide caption
Jazz in Song: The Words
Jon Hendricks gives a clinic on vocalese at the 2007 Art of Jazz Festival. Smaku via Flickr hide caption
Al Jarreau says that Jon Hendricks' lyrics can appear simple, but contain "depths of meaning." Courtesy of the artist hide caption