Saxophonist Yosvanny Terry with Alisa Clancy

Pianist Arturo O'Farrill with Jesse "Chuy" Varela

Vibraphonist Cal Tjader with Dick Conte

Composer/Arranger Chico O'Farrill with Jesse "Chuy" Varela

Trumpeter Arturo Sandoval with Lee Thomas

Wardell Gray
Through a series of epic tenor saxophone battles with Dexter Gordon, Wardell Gray rose to prominence in Los Angeles in the mid-40's (and served as the inspiration for a classic scene in Jack Kerouac's On The Road!). He did time in the bands of Count Basie and Benny Goodman, and combined an even tone and attack with crystal clear ideas and a relentless swing feel.

Fats Navarro
Probably the best remembered of the Tadd Dameron horns, Navarro stood alongside Dizzy Gillespie as the one of the two most influential bebop trumpet players in the early days of the music.

Allen Eager
Tenor saxophonist Allen Eager came straight out of the tradition of Lester Young, but bent his soft tone and relaxed swing around the new feels and ideas of modern jazz, and in doing so was on the vanguard of a sound that would eventually bloom into the West Coast/cool tradition of tenor playing.

Ralph Lalama
A legend in the New York jazz world, tenor saxophonist Ralph Lalama has been a featured member in the big bands of Woody Herman and Thad Jones, the Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band.

The Eminence of J.J. Johnson
Jazz Night in America presents the music of trombonist J.J. Johnson curated by Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra trombonist Vincent Gardner and his section partner Elliot Mason. We also, pull back the curtain on Johnson, the composer, and we learn about Johnson, the man, from Carolyn Johnson who was Johnson's wife from 1992 until his death in 2001.

Randy Weston at 90
Jazz Night in America pays tribute to Pianist/Composer/NEA Jazz Master Randy Weston, who died on Saturday September 1st, 2018 at the age of 92.

Philadelphia is For Lovers
Jazz Night in America presents selections from a world premiere, commissioned work featuring versatile guitarist Nels Cline with his 17-piece "Lovers" ensemble, unpacks these arrangements and tags along with Cline on some of his research trips to the "City of Brotherly Love."

Cyro Baptista
Baptista transcends borders and style. In the world of Brazilian percussion, few players have shared the stage with Herbie Hancock, Yo-Yo Ma, Trey Anastasio of Phish, and Sting. This Jazz Night In America concert showcases Baptista's experimental and funk undertones as he performs traditional Brazilian grooves like forro and samba. We'll also visit Home Depot and take a trip into the woods to see how he creates a new percussion instrument for his arsenal.

Eileen Farrell
Long acknowledged as one of the world's leading sopranos, Eileen Farrell (1920-2002) was comfortable in the spotlight of opera, jazz, and the blues. She began her career as a classical and operatic singer, and in the 1980s began performing pop. Of the change, Farrell said, "In opera there is a certain person you have to be. Doing pop, I can be whoever I want to be."

Michel Camilo
Grammy Award-winning pianist, composer, and bandleader Michel Camilo is one of the most fascinating jazz artists working today. A prodigy from the Dominican Republic, he began his professional career at sixteen, the youngest member of the National Symphony Orchestra. In his twenties he moved to New York City, where he took the jazz scene by storm with his whirlwind approach to music, technical brilliance, and post-bop Latin rhythms.

Pat Metheny
Guitarist Pat Metheny is one of the brightest stars in the jazz firmament. The only person to win a Grammy in ten different categories, the ever-evolving artist is constantly experimenting with new technology and honing his improvisational skills and unique style.

Remembering Bob Dorough
Over his long career, Dorough has demonstrated his versatility in many ways as he worked on orchestration, arranging, film scoring, and conducting. From all this, came his "break" in the chance to compose and score original pieces for the iconic television series "Schoolhouse Rock!"

Phil Woods
Alto saxophonist Phil Woods has crisscrossed the world playing in the big bands of Charlie Barnett, Buddy Rich, Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones, and even Benny Goodman. He's made over four hundred jazz records, earned five Grammy nominations for his own Quartet records, and has performed with pop artists such as Billy Joel and Paul Simon. The story of this impassioned road warrior is told by Woods himself and others, including Jackie McLean, Bill Goodwin, and Nat Hentoff.

Shirley Horn
This Grammy Award-winning singer and pianist specializes in love songs. In the early '60s, Shirley enjoyed a taste of popularity with the support of Miles Davis and Quincy Jones, and then disappeared from the spotlight to raise her daughter. She burst on the scene again in the '90s with several recordings and six consecutive Grammy nominations, and a 1998 Grammy award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance.

Errol Garner
Erroll Garner was one of the most original, intuitive, and purely exciting pianists to emerge during the modern jazz era. Although he is perhaps best known as the composer of "Misty," Garner's significance as a jazz innovator easily rivals his status as a successful songwriter. His approaches to melody, harmony, and especially rhythm are as fresh and inventive today as when he first introduced them in the mid '40s. Interviewees include Steve Allen, Linton Garner, Martha Glaser, John Levy, Marian McPartland, and Dr. Billy Taylor.

Sonny Rollins
Sonny Rollins is widely considered the greatest living tenor saxophonist. A highly self-critical player, the elusive Rollins has taken numerous hiatuses from the music industry to, according to him, work on both his playing and himself. After more than fifty years at his craft, he still pursues his original dream "to change the world through music."