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Cannonball Adderley invented "soul jazz," a distinctive style that brought the group great popularity. On this 1961 album, a young vocalist named Nancy Wilson (who later became host of NPR's Jazz Profiles) joined the quintet on vocals to bring listeners gems of musical collaboration.

In 1957, one of the all-time great jam sessions was televised on a CBS series called The Seven Lively Arts, then made into a record called The Sound of Jazz. Jazz greats Billie Holiday, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, and Lester Young perform on this classic compilation. According to Murray Horwitz, "It's like having an outfield with Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and Willie Mays."

Muddy Waters' 1968 blues-rock hybrid Electric Mud works as an intermittently spirited experiment, a loosely structured attempt at moving an icon beyond the traditional. The legend sounds like a lost soul from the Delta who's wandered into the exaggerated druggy debauchery of a hippie movie.

Laptop computers spawn a new kind of musical competition: the laptop battle. DC9, a smoky nightclub in downtown D.C. recently hosted one of these cyber-music showdowns.

When James Brown's funky horn section got cooking, the Godfather of Soul would call up Maceo Parker for a solo. The saxophonist has since launched his own solo career: His new double album is packed with funky jams and a tribute to Ray Charles.

Evolving out of 1950s bebop, hard bop incorporates elements of gospel, soul and R&B. One of the style's biggest supporters, Blue Note Records, celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. And while jazz has progressed since then, hard bop is still heard in many modern jazz recordings. Hear five classics.

Retrace the strands that led to a lot of current American satire — including The Simpsons, Saturday Night Live and The Daily Show — and sooner or later you end up at Harvey Kurtzman.

Ellington was the most prolific jazz composer of all time, writing and performing tirelessly for more than 50 years. Many of his compositions also bear the name of composer Billy Strayhorn, his longtime collaborator and friend. Ellington's mark can be found everywhere on jazz, both past and present.

Earlier this year, Higdon's Violin Concerto earned her a Pulitzer Prize. It was a surprising event that gave the composer a chance to reflect on the many friends and colleagues who helped her over the years.

For 30 years, the go-to guy for zydeco music has been Stanley Dural Jr., better known as Buckwheat Zydeco. In addition to featuring his own songs, his new album Lay Your Burden Down features songs by an eclectic group, from Bruce Springsteen to Jimmy Cliff to Captain Beefheart.