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Ever since his 1958 live album from Chicago's Pershing Lounge, Ahmad Jamal has been recognized as a major force in jazz. In this program from 1985, Jamal reprises two signature pieces from that session in duets with Marian McPartland: "Poinciana" and "But Not for Me."

The new CD, One Ounce of Truth, puts the vivid words of poet and writer Nikki Giovanni to music, using a wide range of musical styles like bossa nova, jazz and soul. NPR's Tony Cox talks with Giovanni and singer Capathia Jenkins about the project.

Often compared to the likes of Ben Folds, or even a muted incarnation of Queen, Jukebox the Ghost makes music that's buoyant without leaving a saccharine aftertaste. Exhibit A: the flamboyantly orchestrated "Good Day."

In the late 1990s, JazzSet made two visits to the Mt. Hood Jazz Festival in Gresham, Ore. Music started before noon, and as the sun burned the haze away, the snow-capped peak shimmered on the skyline, helping to inspire memorable performances by the Billy Childs Trio and the John Blake Quintet.

Covering music from Marian Anderson to ZZ Top, 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die: A Listener's Life List covers all genres in its more than 900 pages. It's driven by the notion that "the more you love music, the more music you love." Author Tom Moon submits his picks for the best summer recordings.

When Scott Joplin wrote "Bethena (A Concert Waltz)" in 1905, his wife of two months had just died; Bethena may well have been her nickname. Now, more than a century later, "Bethena" sounds as fresh as it if were written just minutes ago, a tender and heartfelt remembrance of a love lost.

On their first recording together in more than 50 years, saxophonist James Moody and pianist Hank Jones show that the elder statesmen of jazz can still play beautifully. Our Delight displays the golden virtues of jazz with warmth and grace.

Music critic Ken Tucker reviews Fearless the second studio album by country-music singer/songwriter Taylor Swift. It debuted as number one on Billbaord's Top Country Music Albums.

The jazz piano legend is celebrating his 70th birthday with a weeklong stint at the Blue Note jazz club in New York and with a new record featuring guitarists such as John Scofield and Derek Trucks. The secret to his musical longevity? "Carrot juice," he says.

In New Orleans, December brings only faux snow, so Papa Noel packs his presents on a pirogue pulled by alligators. Feux de Joie bonfires are lit along the Mississippi River to light his way to the bayous. Papa might not have a stereo on board, but if he does, you might hear a few of these Cajun carols around the Crescent City area.