Thelonious Monk Biographer Robin DG Kelly with Alisa Clancy

Violinist Regina Carter with Jesse "Chuy" Varela

Song Stylist Nancy Wilson with Kathleen Lawton

Trombonist Curtis Fuller with Dick Conte

Trudy Pitts
An underrated, hard swinging organist who sprung from the fertile jazz scene in Philadelphia, Pitts went from classical training at Temple and Julliard to playing and recording with jazz legends like Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt. Her albums often contained pop repertoire, but her treatment of the tunes was deep soul-jazz.

Mike Nock
New Zealand/Australian pianist, Nock spent 25 years in the US, rising to visibility as a member of Yusef Lateef's classic quartet in the early 1960's. He’s been a prolific composer and bandleader with an expansive palette and a warm touch, and has the gift of presenting challenging improvisational ideas in a melodically accessible way.

Alan Silva
Alan Silva's deft inventiveness and comfort with extended techniques made him the sideman of choice for Cecil Taylor, Sunny Murray, and many others, his work in performance and education in Europe helped make free music an international art, and his band leading has explored group improvisation on a terrifyingly large scale.

Stephen Riley
Stephen Riley's playing is both historical and innovative-with a husky, nuanced sound, and a slithering, weaving way of playing lines, he has found a hip and new identity in the tradition of players like Paul Gonsalves and Lucky Thompson.

The GroundUp Music Festival
After years of performing at festivals around the world, 34-year-old Snarky Puppy leader/bassist Michael League founded the GroundUP Music Festival in order to bring musicians and fans together in an intimate setting on Miami Beach. Jazz Night in America takes you there featuring Bela Fleck, Joshua Redman, Lionel Loueke and others.

CrossCurrents
Music from a recent Jazz at Lincoln Center concert led by tabla player Zakir Hussain and bassist Dave Holland, featuring pianist/composer Louiz Banks, drummer Gino Banks, flutist Chris Potter, Bollywood vocal star Shankar Mahadevan, Mumbai-based jazz guitarist Sanjay Divecha, percussionist Sameer Gupta and others.

Terence Blanchard
Jazz Night in America explores trumpeter/composer/educator Terence Blanchard's work as a film composer. We hear music from three varying performances from the Tri-C Jazz Festival in Cleveland and do a deep dive into his 30-year collaboration with acclaimed film director Spike Lee.

Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah
Jazz Night in America joins trumpeter Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah for an electrifying performance at the New Orleans Jazz Market, where he drew from his recent release The Centennial Trilogy. And we'll cut to the heart of his mission, as a bridge-builder, an ambassador and an avatar-every bit a son of New Orleans, and in every sense a citizen of the world.

Richard Sudhaulter
Richard Sudhalter (1938-2008) was a true Renaissance man of jazz. A top cornetist, he was also a respected critic, author, recording artist and featured guest at major jazz festivals. He co-wrote Bix: Man And Legend, which was nominated for a National Book Award, and in 1983 won a Grammy for his liner notes for Bunny Berigan: Giants Of Jazz. On this 1992 episode of Piano Jazz, Sudhalter remembers Bix Beiderbecke and joins Marian McPartland for a duet version of Chasing Shadows.

Nancy Wilson
The Jazz and Music world lost a shining light on December 13th when Song Stylist Nancy Wilson died at the age of 81. Wilson's knowledge of music and her personal relationships with jazz musicians made her the perfect host for the NPR series Jazz Profiles. We remember "Miss Nancy" on this 1994 edition of Piano Jazz.

Mercer Ellington
On this episode of Piano Jazz, recorded in 1994, Mercer Ellington joins host Marian McPartland to discuss working for his famous father, composing and Billy Strayhorn, and to play a piano duet of C Jam Blues.

James Moody
In this 1997 Piano Jazz, tenor saxophonist James Moody stops by for a set including two tunes by his mentor, Dizzy Gillespie -Con Alma and A Night in Tunisia - and stretches out on John Coltrane's Giant Steps and Charlie Parker's Anthropology. He also performs his signature tune, Moody's Mood based on the changes to Jimmy McHugh's 1935 standard, I'm in the Mood for Love.

Horace Silver
Pianist/Composer Horace Silver was a prolific composer who put soul in the funky, hard-bop style that he helped define in the mid '50s. He combined memorable melodies with driving rhythms to create several jazz staples, including Song For My Father, Doodlin', Senor Blues, and Opus de Funk.

Jimmy Smith
A critic once described organist Jimmy Smith as an "excitement merchant" creating a lush, soul-stirring sound that brings audiences to their feet. This tribute explores Smith's early days in Philadelphia and shows how he brought the Hammond organ to the forefront of jazz. We'll also explore his work with trios and big bands, and his work with jazz greats such as Wes Montgomery and Oliver Nelson. Interviewees include Jimmy Smith, Shirley Scott, Mark Whitfield, and Kenny Burrell.

Abbey Lincoln
Few singers have the emotional depth of Abbey Lincoln. And few are as versatile. With a voice capable of evoking the joy and pain of life, Lincoln has been carving a niche as a singer, songwriter, storyteller, actress and survivor during her career. Her own story speaks of hardship and finding herself. Interviewees include Ms. Lincoln, Max Roach, and Benny Carter.

James Moody
In 1996, reedman James Moody celebrated his fiftieth year in the music business. Whether playing the saxophone or flute, or singing a few bars of his favorite tune, Moody's expressions are marked by wit and fluidity. This program highlights Moody's work with Dizzy Gillespie, and his treatment of I'm in the Mood for Love - better known as Moody's Mood. Moody also reflects on the life experiences that have shaped his playing style and rich musical legacy.