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Jazz in its most flexible definition hits New York City in a marathon weekend every January. Here are some of the 120 bands to seek out, including Camila Meza, Makaya McCraven and Ray Angry.

No, the title isn't just a clever pun. Like John Coltrane and the saxophone, Miles Davis' figure looms large over our ideas about jazz trumpet. But there are hidden secrets in the horn and a host of musical linguists uncovering new languages for an instrument imbued with a bop history. Here are five of the best examples.

When George Gershwin wrote "I Got Rhythm" for the 1930s musical Girl Crazy, he created one of the most catchy melodies in American history. But little did he know that his lovable song — apart from becoming a hugely popular jazz standard — would evolve into something far greater.

It's early November, and for many in America, that means that when we go outside, we're likely to get wet. Whether we're dodging sprinkles, showers or downpours, November is part of a rainy season. Hear five songs from vocalists inspired by rain, including Gene Kelly, Patricia Barber and Mahalia Jackson.

Playwright Quiara Alegria Hudes has gone back to the basics — the very basics of the ABCs. Her latest project — a children's book called Welcome To My Neighborhood! A Barrio ABC — follows a young girl who takes her best friend on an alphabetical tour through her North Philadelphia neighborhood.

Sometimes, lightning does strike twice: The latest novel by Giles Foden — author of The Last King of Scotland — is an absorbing, elegant and thoughtful read. Turbulence, which dramatizes the Allied effort to use meteorology for military gain during World War II, follows a young meteorologist who must convince a brilliant pacifist to contribute to the war effort.

Twenty-five percent of Americans believe vaccines could lead to development disorders in children. How can so many people be wrong?

Poet Kelle Groom crams so much pain into her new memoir that it's almost hard to believe. But ultimately it's her spare and vital voice — not the tragic circumstances of her life — that makes I Wore the Ocean in the Shape of A Girl so exhilarating.

The wait has been long and the predictions many, but according to Christian broadcaster Harold Camping, the enlightened will finally be called home on Oct 21. Author Rhoda Janzen offers three redeeming suggestions to help you prepare for the upcoming apocalypse.

The film, directed by Paul Greengrass and starring Tom Hanks, is based on the true story of a freighter captured by Somali pirates in 2009. NPR's Bob Mondello says it's an accomplished and surprisingly emotional thriller. (Recommended)