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James P. Johnson was sometimes called the "perfecter" of stride piano, the difficult piano form where the left hand "strides" up and down between bass notes and chords, while the right hand plays the melody. This album captures his agility with the technique.

In 1965, Herbie Hancock recorded an album intended to capture the spirit and mood of the ocean — Maiden Voyage. Two of the album's tracks —"Dolphin Dance" and the title song — became jazz standards.

Proficient on both alto and tenor saxophone, James Moody was also a brilliant jazz flutist. He toured Europe in the 1940s with Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, and Max Roach. This album is known for its popular title track, which is a version of "I'm in the mood for love."

One year before her death, Billie Holiday recorded her last studio album, Lady in Satin. The album includes classic songs such as "You've Changed," "End of a Love Affair," and "Glad to be Unhappy."

Woody Herman is best known as the leader of several big bands, three of which were called "The Herds." This box set, The Thundering Herds 1945-1947, contains almost fifty of Herman's popular tunes, including his first hit, "Woodchopper's Ball."

Avant-garde and sometimes controversial, Eric Dolphy was a master of several instruments. He was one of the first musicians to record unaccompanied horn solos, and largely introduced the bass clarinet as a solo instrument. On this 1964 album, Dolphy displays his talents on flute, alto saxophone, and bass clarinet.

Jelly Roll Morton claimed that he invented jazz. While this statement provoked much criticism, Morton is widely considered the first great composer of jazz. Morton's most popular tunes, including the frequently copied "King Porter Stomp," can be found on this album.

Billie Holiday, also known as "Lady Day," began her career singing in Harlem nightclubs. She recorded the album Love Songs in the 1930s, when jazz commentator A.B. Spellman says she was "at her best."

Pat Metheny is perhaps best known for his post-1980s work, but he also produced one of the classics of the "dead" jazz period of the 1970s: Bright Size Life. The album pays homage to Metheny's Midwestern roots with songs such as "Omaha Celebration."

Cubist Music is the new recording by Puerto Rican pianist Edsel Gomez. It's on the Zoho label.