Saxophonist Dave LeFebvre with Chris Cortez

Pianist Larry Vuckovich with Michael Burman

Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society Artistic Director Pete Douglas with Chris Cortez

Trumpeter James Tinsley with Lee Thomas

Saxophonist Joshi Marshall with Chris Cortez

Goodman, Shaw & Dorsey: Big Band Leaders & Their Small Combos
Beginning in 1935, a handful of Swing Era big bands formed smaller groups — Benny Goodman Trio, Artie Shaw’s Gramercy Five and Tommy Dorsey & His Clambake Seven. The Jim Cullum Jazz Band and special guests have fun on popular tunes recorded by those combos like, Slipped Disc, Scuttlebutt, and At the Codfish Ball.

Riverwalk Jazz 20th Anniversary Bash
Celebrating 20 years on-the-air, The Jim Cullum Jazz Band is joined by Vernel Bagneris, Topsy Chapman, and Shelly Berg for an unforgettable night of red hot jazz.

The Kid from Red Bank: The Unmistakable Basie Beat
The remarkable bandleader and pianist, Count Basie, left his indelible stamp on jazz history. The Jim Cullum Jazz Band and special guests join forces to salute this icon of classic American jazz.

Yank Lawson and Bob Haggart: Swinging with The Bob Cats
Star soloists of Bob Crosby’s Bob Cats, trumpeter Yank Lawson and bassist Bob Haggart, join The Jim Cullum Jazz Band with rare live performances of this highly acclaimed, hard-swinging band’s repertoire.

Black, White & the Blues: Jazz Age Chicago
As musicians like King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, New Orleans Rhythm Kings, and a host of blues queens made the move from Texas and New Orleans to Chicago, it became America’s melting pot for hot, blues driven jazz. The Jim Cullum Jazz Band with pianist Shelly Berg, vocalist Topsy Chapman, and Broadway’s Vernel Bagneris get together to tell the story of Chicago’s great ‘musical’ migration.

Frederick Harris
Pianist Frederick Harris, a Stanford Jazz Workshop alumnus and long-time faculty member, is heard performing in trio, quartet, and quintet formats at Campbell Recital Hall. Recorded on July 20th, 2009 at the Stanford Jazz Festival by Lee Brenkman. With Charles Thomas and Curt Moore with special guests Jonathan Bautista, Franzo King, Jr., and Marina King.

Julian Waterfall Pollack
Julian Waterfall Pollack's Three-O, recorded at the Jazzschool in Berkeley on August 5th, 2007. The 20 year old classically trained pianist is joined by Darrell Green and Marcus Shelby.

38th Annual Stanford Jazz Festival
Recorded at the 38th Annual Stanford Jazz Festival, presented by Stanford Jazz, drummer Matt Wilson’s Sonic Garden featuring Douglas Yates, Julian Lage and Jorge Roeder.  Recorded on July 25th at Campbell Recital Hall by Lee Brenkman.

Myra Melford
Pianist and composer Myra Melford with Devin Hoff, Scott Amendola and Ben Goldberg. Recorded August 25th, 2007 at the Jazzschool in Berkeley as part of the 2007 Downtown Berkeley Jazz Festival.

John Calloway
Multi-instrumentalist John Calloway leading a quintet with Mike Olmos, Murray Low, David Belove, Jesus Diaz and David Flores at the 37th annual Stanford Jazz Festival.  Recorded on July 5th, 2008 by Lee Brenkman.

Les Brown and His Duke Blue Devils
Jimmy Wade's Moulin Rouge Orchestra of Chicago
Red Nichols Five Pennies in Stereo

Dixieland And Jazz Contrasts 1923 - 2003

The Songs And Music Of Broadway's
Kenney Brothers 1929 - 1950.

Don Redman "It's A Great World, After All"
Rosy McHargue and his Ragtimers

Julian Fuh's Follies Orchestra of Berlin 
Pianist Lasse "Bob" Laine of Stockholm and New York

Saxophonist/Vocalist Louis Jordan
Louis Jordan is a part of the NPR Basic Jazz Record Library for many reasons. He was among the first black entertainers to be successful in a wider pop market. Jordan and his Tympany Five influenced bands like Bill Haley and the Comets -- his music is often cited as one of the roots of rock and roll. He was also underrated as a jazz musician, both a fine clarinetist and alto saxophonist. But most importantly, Jordan is a part of the Library because his music is guaranteed to put a smile on the faces of all who heard him.

Composer/Pianist/Singer/Actor/Bandleader Hoagy Carmichael
Hoagy Carmichael was an American composer, pianist, singer, actor, and bandleader. His best-known songs are now American standards, and include "Stardust," "Georgia on My Mind," and "Heart and Soul." Carmichael's career lasted four decades, and he penned hundreds of songs.

Saxophonist Zoot Sims
No matter the tempo, no matter the rhythm section backing him, it was impossible for tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims (1925-1985) not to swing, even when he played by himself. Sims was one of the most natural of all jazz musicians, whose warmth, creativity and humor earned him the unreserved admiration of musicians and fans alike. Though Sims never sought it, fame came with membership in Woody Herman's "Four Brothers" saxophone section, and later, in a celebrated partnership with fellow "brother" Al Cohn. Strongly influenced by Lester Young and Ben Webster, he nevertheless had a singular sound and style infused with a simple directness that was irresistibly Zoot Sims.

Vocalist Sarah Vaughan
Musicians and audiences alike marveled at the ease with which Sarah Vaughan moved up and down her four-octave range, turning even the most mundane songs into operatic riffs. Her sound possessed a full-bodied purity, with an approach not unlike an instrumentalist. Early in her career, "Sassy" cut her teeth on bebop, performing with Billy Eckstine, Dizzy Gillespie, and Charlie Parker. She also ventured into the pop world, recording hits such as "Broken-hearted Melody," "Day-O," and "Send in the Clowns."

Saxophonist Benny Waters
As a player whose incredible longevity linked him to the jazz pioneers, Benny Waters (1902-1998) reemerged late in life as one of the great, unsung saxophonists in jazz. He had played with all the legends-King Oliver, Fletcher Henderson, Jimmie Lunceford, and Hot Lips Page. After a forty-year stay in France, Waters returned to the United States. In the final years of his life he was discovered by a new generation and was very active: playing jazz festivals, composing, recording, and telling stories.

Rags, Strides and Stomps
Put cut in your strut, and take pride in your stride! Our trio honors the giants of the stride piano – Fats Waller, James P. Johnson and Willie “The Lion” Smith. Virtuoso Marcus Roberts and
relative newcomers Jonathan Batiste and Aaron Diehl take turns in a cutting contest on the keys. Jazz’s piano masters are still hard to beat.

Dizzy’s Atmospheres
An acoustic cocktail mixed by the masters. Saxophonist Phil Woods, pianist Cedar Walton and trombonist Steve Turre. Real club Jazz – shaken, stirred and captured live at Dizzy’s Club Coca
Cola.

Wynton Marsalis and Friends: Louis Armstrong’s Hot Fives
Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra veterans – Wycliffe Gordon (trombone), Victor Goines (clarinet) and Walter Blanding, Jr. (tenor saxophone), join Wynton Marsalis (trumpet) to recreate
Armstrong’s revolutionary early works. 19-year-old pianist Jonathan Batiste astounds with his ‘stride’ technique. Marsalis looks to ‘Satchmo’ on Cornet Chop Suey, Fireworks, and St. James Infirmary.

Great American Songwriters: Vernon Duke
Get whisked away to Autumn in New York, April in Paris or even A Cabin in the Sky. Pianist Bill Charlap with Houston Person (saxophone), Ethel Ennis (vocals), Peter Washington (bass)
and Kenny Washington (drums) perform the book of composer Vernon Duke. The perfect fall get away.

Remembering Blossom Dearie
Singer, pianist and songwriter Blossom Dearie had one of the most distinctive voices in jazz. She paired that delicate, childlike delivery with swinging piano playing, decorating such humorous tunes as "I'm Shadowing You" and "My New Celebrity Is You." On this program from 1985, Dearie performs her hits and joins McPartland for a piano duet of "Everything I've Got Is Yours."

Aaron Diehl
Pianist Aaron Diehl is a very recent graduate of The Juilliard School of Music, but he's most assuredly an up-and-coming force in jazz. Dubbed "the Real Diehl" by the reigning prince of jazz, Wynton Marsalis, Diehl displays a brilliant technique and a truly creative approach to music whether he's interpreting Tatum, Ellington, or Mozart. He joins McPartland on "April in Paris" and "One Morning in May."

Randy Brecker with guest host Bill Charlap
Trumpeter Randy Brecker has been a tireless explorer of all kinds of musical genres, from funk to Brazilian to mainstream jazz. Brecker brought along his group to this Piano Jazz where he joins guest host Bill Charlap and performs some of his own tunes including "There's a Mingus A Monk Us," "Skunk Funk" and "Moontide." Charlap joins the group for "All the Things You Are."

George Shearing
English pianist George Shearing has appeared on Piano Jazz four times over the last 30 years -- a record shared with Bobby Short for most appearances by a single guest. In this program from 1987, McPartland reminisces with her fellow countryman about obscure British tunes and the two have fun re-harmonizing "God Save the Queen." Shearing sings and plays Cole Porter's "After You" and the two end with a two piano version of "Indiana."

Introducing Ambrose Akinmusire
In one week, Akinmusire aced both the Thelonious Monk and Carmine Caruso International Trumpet competitions. He's "crackling, a plethora of ideas" says the San Francisco Chronicle.

Maria Schneider Orchestra
Schneider writes with transparency and color, then like a dancer, partners with her orchestra in realizing the score. This new set from the Kennedy Center features "Cerulean Skies" from Sky Blue.

Miguel Zenon on the Marsalis Stage at Newport
Saxophonist Zenon is fusing the plena (a Puerto Rican vocal and hand drum tradition) and jazz through his ingenious composing and a quartet that can count! His new CD is Esta Plena.

Claudia Acuna on the Marsalis Stage at Newport
Claudia from Chile sings poetry by Violeta Parra and Victor Jara, and Branford Marsalis guests with her New York band.