Jazz Jazz and blues music performances and features from NPR news, NPR cultural programs, and NPR Music stations.

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Drummer Herlin Riley, one of 20 inaugural recipients of the Jazz Legacies Fellowship Skip Bolen/WireImage/Getty Images hide caption

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Skip Bolen/WireImage/Getty Images

A new fellowship gives 20 older jazz musicians $100,000 each — no strings attached

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Sammy Rae & The Friends Paige Walter/WXPN hide caption

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Paige Walter/WXPN

Sammy Rae & The Friends on World Cafe

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The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performs Sacred Songs, choreographed by interim artistic director Matthew Rushing based on material featured in the original 1960 version of the company's Revelations. Paul Kolnik hide caption

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Paul Kolnik

Lost songs from Alvin Ailey's 'Revelations' find voice in new piece

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Back cover photo of Sun Ra's LP Live At Praxis'84, 1984, Soundwave Limited Flickr hide caption

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Flickr

John Morrison on World Cafe

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Christie Dashiell at The Mansion at Strathmore in Rockville, Md. Jared Soares for NPR hide caption

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Jared Soares for NPR

First-time Grammy nominee Christie Dashiell on the history behind her jazz album

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Frank Poindexter is the great-grandson of Joseph L. Walcott, who opened Wally's in 1947. George Murphy/WXPN hide caption

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George Murphy/WXPN

Wally's Cafe Jazz Club on World Cafe

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Castle Rat's fantasy-themed heavy metal is featured on the 2024 edition of Viking's Choice. Courtney B Hall/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtney B Hall/Courtesy of the artist

Samara Joy's performance from her Alma Mater, Purchase College, is featured in this year's Toast of the Nation. AB + DM hide caption

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AB + DM

Samara Joy live at Purchase College

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Gather around the ‘Yule Log’ with pianist George Burton

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Glenn Miller wearing an American military uniform. D. Hess/Getty Images/Hulton Archive hide caption

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D. Hess/Getty Images/Hulton Archive

80 years later, Glenn Miller's sudden disappearance remains unsolved

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Pianists Jahari Stampley, Kris Davis and Roberto Fonseca perform at this year's Jazz Piano Christmas, live at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Jati Lindsay/Courtesy of The Kennedy Center hide caption

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Jati Lindsay/Courtesy of The Kennedy Center

Jazz Piano Christmas 2024

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Saxophonist Devin Daniels and trumpeter Julien Knowles distinguished themselves on breakthrough releases this year — Daniels on the star-making LesGo! and Knowles on his solo debut, As Many, As One, each of which features the other as a band member. Craig Allyn hide caption

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Craig Allyn

Quincy Jones in Hattingen, Germany, in 2014. Sascha Steinbach/Getty Images hide caption

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Sascha Steinbach/Getty Images

Ode to “Q”: The Jazz Side of Quincy Jones

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Roy Haynes, performing at the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague, Netherlands, in 2002. Peter Van Breukelen/Redferns hide caption

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Peter Van Breukelen/Redferns

Roy Haynes has died at age 99

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John Scofield has played with Miles Davis, Charles Mingus and many more over the 100 or so albums he's recorded as a sideman and bandleader. He says that picking 10 tracks from that illustrious catalog felt "overwhelming." Jonathan Chimene/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Jonathan Chimene/Courtesy of the artist

50 years in 10 tracks: A career-spanning playlist from John Scofield

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