Take Five: A Jazz Sampler Hear a weekly mix of five jazz songs picked by jazz radio personalities and jazz musicians around the world.
Special Series

Take Five: A Jazz Sampler

Get to know the music, five songs at a time

Wynton Marsalis leads a group of musicians through upper Manhattan's Riverside Church for the New Orleans-style funeral of vibraphonist Lionel Hampton in 2002. Doug Kanter/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Doug Kanter/AFP/Getty Images

Donny Hathaway remains widely admired in jazz, but much of his repertoire has yet to be tapped by improvisers. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images hide caption

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Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Lionel Loueke (left) and Miguel Zenon (right) join Jeff Ballard in the drummer's rhythm-oriented trio. Andrea Boccalini/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Andrea Boccalini/Courtesy of the artist

The gospel/folk singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe was accompanied by a jazz orchestra on her debut recording. Chris Ware/Getty Images hide caption

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Chris Ware/Getty Images

Keyboardist and producer Bob James' 1970s work helped to establish the sound of smooth jazz — and lives on in hip-hop samples galore. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

In a conversation aired on WBGO, Jessye Norman credits the study of jazz with her understanding of song interpretation. Carol Friedman/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Carol Friedman/Courtesy of the artist

Monty Alexander (left) and Ernest Ranglin are known for their fluency in both jazz and Jamaican popular music. Peter Dean Rickards/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Peter Dean Rickards/Courtesy of the artist