If there’s one sound that defines classic jazz, it’s the feel of swing. At its core, swing comes from dividing the beat into ...

This is FRESH AIR. African American composer and MacArthur fellow Tyshawn Sorey has written music for orchestra, chamber ensembles and opera companies and leads his own groups featuring improvising ...

Robinson's improvisations neither attack nor retreat from the substance of these standards. The first of the albums is Not Like Before. Opening with "42nd Street," Robinson initially embraces the ...

Spencer Zweifel is an accomplished jazz pianist who graduated in 2019 with a degree in jazz studies from the University of Northern Colorado. He won best pop/rock soloist in the 2018 Downbeat magazine ...

It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing — all you’ve got to do is stagger your timing. For decades, fans of jazz music have debated why some songs have swing — the characteristic swaying ...

One night in a Japanese jazz kissa changed music listening for me forever. My love for the jazz piano trio began in the most unique way possible. Every now and then, a listening session turns into ...

Each player in this trio addresses the beat in a spontaneous way, without constant chaos. A casual romp like this session makes for breezy listening. This is FRESH AIR. African American composer and ...