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Have a Blue (Note) Christmas with Don Was
Album cover collage by Trevor Smith. Don Was photo (bottom left) by Myriam Santos

Have a Blue (Note) Christmas with Don Was

Don Was digs into the Blue Note Records vault for a different kind of Christmas playlist, bringing together rare cuts, classics and deep grooves from across the label's history.

Have a Blue (Note) Christmas with Don Was - UNEDITED

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Three is not a crowd: Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda and Antonio Sánchez are BEATrio
Shervin Lainez

Three is not a crowd: Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda and Antonio Sánchez are BEATrio

Banjo, harp and drums meet in the BEATrio, where Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda and Antonio Sánchez explore a sound they never planned to create. Hear how the trio first came together.

Jazz Night: BEATrio

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Saxophonist Nicole Glover has performed with Christian McBride, Wynton Marsalis and the all-star ensemble ARTEMIS.

Saxophonist Nicole Glover has performed with Christian McBride, Wynton Marsalis and the all-star ensemble ARTEMIS. Ebru Yildiz hide caption

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Ebru Yildiz

Saxophonist Nicole Glover had to face herself to find her sound

Glover fought to build a life in music. From Portland, Ore., to New York City, her story traces resilience, creativity and the strength she found through sincerity.

Nicole Glover - Headline tbd

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drummer marcus gilmore stands on a rooftop. he wears a dark blue denim jacket. his hands are in his pocket. he stands in front of a snare drum with drum sticks laying across it.
Ogato

The beat goes on: Marcus Gilmore steps forward at the Vanguard

WBGO

Drummer Marcus Gilmore joins Christian McBride to celebrate his Vanguard debut and reflect on the legacy of his grandfather, Roy Haynes, while carving his own path with Journey to the New.

JNIA Marcus Gilmore Ep

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Sheila Jordan, Jazz vocalist; Picture taken in Jazz Club Unterfahrt, Munich/Bavaria

Sheila Jordan, jazz vocalist; Picture taken in Jazz Club Unterfahrt, Munich/Bavaria OhWeh/ Wikicommons hide caption

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OhWeh/ Wikicommons

Remembering Sheila Jordan, a voice that defined bebop's spirit

WBGO

Among the last beboppers, one of the first singers on Blue Note and a pioneer of voice and bass, Sheila Jordan left an indelible mark on jazz. In this conversation from 2023, she joined Christian McBride to reflect on her remarkable life and music.

JNIA Shelia Jordan update

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Eddie Palmieri plays Harlem River Drive live.

Eddie Palmieri plays Harlem River Drive live. NPR hide caption

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NPR

'Harlem River Drive' Revisited With Eddie Palmieri

WBGO and Jazz at Lincoln Center

Palmieri's classic Latin funk album remains relevant 45 years later. This performance shows why.

'Harlem River Drive' Revisited With Eddie Palmieri

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Pianist Fred Hersch sits at a piano. He is wearing a dark blue shirt. His hair is cut short and he is wears glasses.
Roberto Cifarelli/ECM Records

How pianist Fred Hersch's daring collaborations shaped his career

WBGO

As he nears 70, pianist Fred Hersch looks back on a fearless life in jazz, sharing personal favorites, stories behind bold collaborations and music from his new album.

How pianist Fred Hersch’s daring collaborations shaped his career

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Jazz House Kids students

Jazz House Kids students Chris Drukker hide caption

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Chris Drukker

Jazz House Kids is rewriting the rules of jazz education

WBGO

Jazz House Kids trains the next generation of jazz stars — alums include Isaiah J. Thompson and Immanuel Wilkins — and gives every young musician a place to belong.

Jazz House Kids TBD

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Hiromi Uehara

Hiromi Uehara Mitsuru Nishimura hide caption

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Mitsuru Nishimura

Jazz Night In America: The Radio Program

10 tracks, 10 bands: A wild ride through Hiromi's music

Pianist Hiromi picks a track from 10 different bands she's led or joined, tracing the bold ideas and unexpected turns that have shaped her ever-evolving sound.

Jazz Night Hiromi

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A journey through the influences and trippy sounds of drummer Justin Tyson

Justin Tyson.  duaneonline hide caption

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 duaneonline

Jazz Night In America: The Radio Program

A journey through the influences and trippy sounds of drummer Justin Tyson

WBGO

A go-to drummer who has lit the scene ablaze, Tyson shares his top five drum heroes. Plus, the seasoned sideman shares tracks from his trippy debut as a band leader, the paper doors.

Take a trip through the influences and trippy sounds of drummer Justin Tyson

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Andy Bey at the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival in 2015.

Andy Bey at the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival in 2015. Jonathan Chimene hide caption

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Jonathan Chimene

Remembering Andy Bey: A love letter to a jazz legend

WBGO

A master of vocal jazz, Andy Bey left behind a singular legacy. This tribute revisits his life, music and a rare, reflective interview recorded near his 80th birthday.

Andy Bey: A Love Letter To A Jazz Legend

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Isaiah Collier

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Johanna Brinckman

Isaiah Collier explores 400 years of Black history — one movement at a time

WBGO

Saxophonist Isaiah Collier's The Story of 400 Years is a sweeping suite that traces Black American history from the Middle Passage to today — and the personal and historical moments that shaped it.

Isaiah Collier explores 400 years of Black history — one movement at a time

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Gather around 'The Yule Log' with pianist George Burton

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Gather around 'The Yule Log' with pianist George Burton

WBGO

On this special holiday episode, we gather around the fire for a special listen to pianist George Burton's burning Christmas record, The Yule Log. We'll hear some favorites and some deep, deep Christmas cuts.

Gather around the ‘Yule Log’ with pianist George Burton

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Quincy Jones attends the "Steiger Award 2014" at Heinrichshuette on October 3, 2014 in Hattingen, Germany.

Quincy Jones in Hattingen, Germany, in 2014. Sascha Steinbach/Getty Images hide caption

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Sascha Steinbach/Getty Images

Ode to 'Q': The Jazz Side of Quincy Jones

WBGO

We honor the late Quincy Jones' extraordinary jazz legacy with our host, Christian McBride, who bonded with the media mogul and musical icon over the years.

Ode to “Q”: The Jazz Side of Quincy Jones

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Host Christian McBride and Saxophonist Lou Donaldson in Florida.

Host Christian McBride and Saxophonist Lou Donaldson in Florida. Katie Simon/WBGO hide caption

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Katie Simon/WBGO

Good Gracious! Words Of Wisdom And Soulful Reflection From 'Sweet Poppa' Lou Donaldson

WBGO and Jazz at Lincoln Center

The legendary alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson died on Nov. 9, 2024. To honor his legacy, we revisit our 2019 episode featuring Lou in an intimate conversation with host Christian McBride.

Good Gracious! Words Of Wisdom And Soulful Reflection From 'Sweet Poppa' Lou Donaldson

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John Scofield

John Scofield has played with Miles Davis, Charles Mingus and many more over the 100 or so albums he's recorded as a sideman and bandleader. He says that picking 10 tracks from that illustrious catalog felt "overwhelming." Jonathan Chimene/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Jonathan Chimene/Courtesy of the artist

50 years in 10 tracks: A career-spanning playlist from John Scofield

WBGO

Guitarist John Scofield picks 10 of his favorite tracks from his own catalog and shares the stories behind them as he celebrates 50 years of recorded music.

50 years in 10 tracks: A career-spanning playlist from John Scofield

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George Benson, dressed in a dark orange blazer jacket, sits holding his guitar in front of a music staned

George Benson says that at the height of his commercial success in the 1970s, he faced a backlash from the jazz community. "[If] it appealed to too many people ... something's got to be wrong with it." Matt Furman © Rhino-WMG/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Matt Furman © Rhino-WMG/Courtesy of the artist

George Benson on success, critics and staying true to himself

WBGO

Vocalist, guitarist and jazz icon George Benson joins Christian McBride for a conversation about his early years on the jazz scene, fame and his new “lost” album.

George Benson on success, critics and staying true to himself

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Christie Dashiell sings, and Antonio Hart plays saxophone, on opening night of DC Jazzfest with the DC Jazz All-Stars at the Hamilton Live in Washington, D.C. Photo by Cheriss May, for NPR.

Christie Dashiell sings and Antonio Hart plays saxophone with the JazzDC All-Stars on opening night of DC JazzFest at The Hamilton Live in Washington, D.C. Cheriss May/NPR hide caption

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Cheriss May/NPR

The Picture Show

PHOTOS: The DC Jazz Festival celebrates 20 years!

For its 20th anniversary, the DC Jazz Festival featured performances throughout the Washington, D.C., area culminating in a weekend jam-packed with performances stretched across several venues at The Wharf in Southwest Washington.

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