Listen to recent stories

Playlist

browse by date
subscribe
share

Jon Batiste and the Stay Human band perform on top of Fort Adams at the 2014 Newport Jazz Festival for an NPR Music Field Recordings video shoot.

Mito Habe-Evans/NPR

Jazz Night In America Videos

Jon Batiste Leads A Private Street Parade Atop A Fort

November 6, 2014 • O'er the ramparts of 190-year-old Fort Adams, we watched the keyboardist and bandleader urge us to "Believe In Love," accompanied by his Stay Human band, and then saunter away.

NPR

Jazz Night In America Videos

What Is A Polyrhythm? Beats Taking Turns

November 5, 2014 • Saxophonist Miguel Zenón likes to stack beats on top of each other. But he doesn't do it for the novelty: As he explains, he's also trying to tell a story about multiple national identities.

The Wayne Shorter Quartet performs at Blue Note at 75, The Concert. NPR hide caption

itoggle caption NPR

Jazz Night In America: The Radio Program

Happy Birthday, Blue Note

October 23, 2014 • The iconic record company turns 75 this year, and to celebrate, it threw a concert featuring both its living legends and rising stars. Hear highlights and reflections on the label's influence.

Listen Loading… 57:18

Playlist

Anna Webber

Meet Christian McBride

The host of Jazz Night In America is also one of the premier bass players of his generation.

wednesday night webcasts

Nov

Miguel Zenon at Newport Jazz Festival

9pm (ET)

Nov

Very Very Threadgill

9pm (ET)

Nov

Johnny O'Neal, Live at Mezzrow

9pm (ET)

Oct

Sun Ra's Arkestra: Tiny Desk Concert

1pm (ET)

WBGO

Our Partner: WBGO

Founded in 1979, WBGO is a publicly-supported cultural institution that champions jazz to a worldwide audience.

jazz.org

Our Partner: Jazz.org

Jazz at Lincoln Center entertains, enriches and expands a global community for jazz through performance, education, and broadcast.

Wallace Roney performs at the Detroit Jazz Festival.

NPR

Jazz Night In America Videos

The Funky Tune That Was Too Big For Miles Davis

October 29, 2014 • Trumpeter Wallace Roney played Davis' understudy for many years. So it was fitting when he resurrected a long-lost orchestral composition that Wayne Shorter wrote for his mentor.

Marshall Allen and the Sun Ra Arkestra perform at the Tiny Desk. Claire Eggers/NPR hide caption

itoggle caption Claire Eggers/NPR

Tiny Desk Concerts

Sun Ra Arkestra: Tiny Desk Concert

October 31, 2014 • With costumes inspired by Egyptian symbolism and science fiction, the late jazz innovator's band plays an out-of-this-world set in the NPR Music offices on Halloween.

Dave Brubeck performs in 1982. Ralph Gatti/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

itoggle caption Ralph Gatti/AFP/Getty Images

Jazz Night In America: The Radio Program

Reimagining Brubeck

October 16, 2014 • The late pianist Dave Brubeck left jazz with a large body of compositions. Hear how his iconic music was rearranged by members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

Listen Loading… 56:53

Playlist

Miguel Zenón. Adam Kissick for NPR hide caption

itoggle caption Adam Kissick for NPR

Jazz Night In America: Wednesday Night Webcasts

Miguel Zenón's 'Identities Are Changeable'

October 9, 2014 • The Puerto Rican alto saxophonist and composer's new album explores national identity through spoken word and music. He brings that music to life at the Newport Jazz Festival, joined by his big band.

Listen Loading… 1:03:22

Playlist

Miguel Zenón's new album is titled Identities Are Changeable. Jimmy Katz/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

itoggle caption Jimmy Katz/Courtesy of the artist

Reconnecting The Circuit Of Puerto Rican Identity Through Music

November 2, 2014 • To understand what it means to be Puerto Rican in the U.S., saxophonist Miguel Zenón spoke with friends and fellow musicians who share his split identity — and put their stories into his music.

Listen Loading… 6:15

Dr. Lonnie Smith at the Blue Note 75 concert. NPR hide caption

itoggle caption NPR

Blue Note At 75, The Concert

May 11, 2014 • The iconic jazz label celebrates a major anniversary with this special performance featuring artists from its past and present: Wayne Shorter, McCoy Tyner, Norah Jones, Jason Moran and many more.

Listen Loading… 2:17:47

Playlist

NPR

A Blog Supreme

What Is Jazz Night In America?

October 8, 2014 • It's a new public radio program, a concert video webcast every Wednesday night, and a partnership bringing together WBGO, Jazz At Lincoln Center and NPR Music. Here's how to check it out.

Wallace Roney leads a performance of Wayne Shorter's "Universe" at the Detroit Jazz Festival. NPR hide caption

itoggle caption NPR

Jazz Night In America: The Radio Program

To Miles, From Wayne

October 16, 2014 • In the late 1960s, saxophonist Wayne Shorter wrote a series of pieces for trumpeter Miles Davis and orchestra. They were never recorded — until Wallace Roney played them at the Detroit Jazz Festival.

Listen Loading… 56:15

Playlist

Percussionists Clemente Medina, Román Diaz and Pedrito Martinez perform with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Frank Stewart/Jazz at Lincoln Center hide caption

itoggle caption Frank Stewart/Jazz at Lincoln Center

Jazz Night In America: The Radio Program

Behind Wynton Marsalis' Afro-Cuban 'Ochas' Suite

October 9, 2014 • Jazz At Lincoln Center welcomes a world-premiere commission featuring pianist Chucho Valdés and percussionist Pedrito Martinez. Together, they blend jazz with folkloric and religious music of Cuba.

Listen Loading… 56:28

Playlist

The Django Festival All-Stars. NPR Music hide caption

itoggle caption NPR Music

Field Recordings

The Fastest Fingers At The Festival, For Django Reinhardt

October 16, 2014 • A group of European gypsy jazz masters closed out the Newport Jazz Festival with a dazzling set full of flying fingers. After everyone left, we asked the players to perform one more just for us.

copy

copy

wednesday night webcasts