Search results for

Over the course of 70 years, more than 60 albums and four Grammys, The Blind Boys of Alabama's members become synonymous with gospel soul. The innovation never ends, however, as they infuse their new album, Down in New Orleans, with Dixieland jazz, funk and R&B.

Jeff "Tain" Watts, an original member of the Wynton Marsalis quintet, has released an album titled Watts. But it's no ego trip; the disc is inspired, at least in part, by L.A.'s Watts neighborhood.

Wilson's Loverly won the 2009 Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album. With a wide variety of standards — from "St. James Infirmary" to "Til There Was You" — she stretches out on Loverly at the Chicago Symphony Center.

Foster starts out her KUT session by reaching back to her roots with a Sister Rosetta Tharpe song. It sets the mood for a soulful performance and conversation with the modern blues singer and guitarist, who looks beyond the folk tradition for which she's become known.

Anne Brown, who would have been 110 years old this month, was the first Black vocalist ever accepted at Juilliard.

After taking a break from touring with the bluesy rock duo The Black Keys, Auerbach produced his first solo album, Keep It Hid, from his self-built analog recording studio. Driven by reverb and riffs, Auerbach's solo work sounds authentic, blunt and powerful.

NPR's Rachel Martin speaks with Elisa Albert about her new novel, "Human Blues."

Rudresh Mahanthappa's Kinsmen blends South Asian music with American jazz. The jazz saxophonist says his inspiration to explore Indian music on the saxophone came from a CD his brother gave him as a joke called Saxophone Indian Style.

The soulful pop singer was working as a waitress at the start of 2008, but it didn't take her long to grab a spot as the opening act for Robert Plant, Alison Krauss and T-Bone Burnett on their Raising Sand tour. Though she might be called an overnight sensation, Little has been honing her bluesy, jazzy style for years.

Morrison released Astral Weeks: Live at the Hollywood Bowl this past week. The recording captures the singer performing his classic album in its entirety for the first time ever. Originally released in 1968, Astral Weeks is widely regarded as one of the best records of all time.