Search results for

Bessie Smith became known as "the empress of the blues" in the 1920s, when most vocalists called themselves blues singers. On The Essential Bessie Smith, she shows how her famous voice could captivate a room without the aid of a microphone.

Nefertiti captures one of Miles Davis' last great bands at its height. Along with Miles on trumpet, tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams are heard on this album.

Delayed for a U.S. release because of its Cuban connections, Briyumba Palo Congo transforms the sounds of Havana into classic jazz. Recorded by Chucho Valdes, the album frequently pays homage to Gershwin and Ellington. Don't miss the swinging Latin version of "Rhapsody in Blue."

Dizzy Gillespie once said that he heard Roy Eldridge playing trumpet and uttered, "That's the job I want." Later, the two musicians were bitter rivals, but eventually agreed to produce a record. The result was 1954's Roy and Diz, a classic repertoire of dueling trumpets.

Tony Bennett got his break when Bob Hope saw him performing with Pearl Bailey and put him in his stage show. This native of Queens had mega-hits in the 1950s and '60s as a crooner. Teamed with famed jazz pianist Bill Evans in this album, Bennett shows off his inventive, interpretive voice.

Criticized for his violent temper on and off stage, Charles Mingus nonetheless became one of the greatest bassists in jazz history. Pithecanthropus Erectus was one of the precursors of the 1960s free jazz movement, as its title track is one of the first examples of musicians freely interpreting systems of notes.

Fletcher Henderson and saxophonist Don Redman invented a mechanism for ensemble playing that fueled the initial swing craze. Henderson's innovative style is apparent on Ken Burns Jazz: Fletcher Henderson, which spotlights his achievements from 1924-1940.

Members of the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra were often called the "Trained Seals" for their well-rehearsed precision and tight unison playing. This album's "Sleepy Time Gal" and "My Blue Heaven" exemplify the creative style of one the greatest bands of the 1930s.

The new CD Bach in Havana, from the Miami-based Cuban group Tiempo Libre, blends Bach melodies, from pieces such as the Mass in B minor and the Well-Tempered Clavier, with infectious Cuban rhythms including the cha-cha-cha, the son and the danzon.

The Director of Iraq's Museum of Antiquities talks about the looted treasures of Babylon, and the few that have made their way home.