Gregory Porter says he got into songwriting because his mother was a minister. "Melodies, lyrics, thoughts come to me in the most average of places ... when I'm birdwatching, which I like to do," he said on Soundcheck. Watch a video of Porter singing "On My Way To Harlem."

Saxophonist Ben Wendel's new album Frame is named for his move to New York and a change to his "frame" of reference. "Chorale" is one of the tracks off the new album. Watch Wendel perform the song in WNYC's Soundcheck studios.

The "Matriarch of the Blues" had grit in her voice that could melt like sugar or rub like salt in a wound. The great vocalist, whose turbulent life broke through in her affecting delivery, has died at age 73.

Adrian Ellis, who has been executive director at Jazz at Lincoln Center since 2007, will leave his post in January. Ellis is not completely cutting ties with Jazz at Lincoln Center. He will act as a special adviser to the Jazz at Lincoln Center board.

Drummer and composer Paul Motian, one of the most influential musicians in jazz, died on Tuesday. He was 80 years old and lived in Manhattan. The cause was complications of myelodysplastic syndrome, a bone-marrow disorder, according to his label, ECM.

The tiny Gulf country of Qatar is home to a film festival, a philharmonic orchestra, a modern art museum — and soon, a New York-style jazz club.

For nearly two decades, the electric chamber music ensemble Bang on a Can All-Stars has been creating a rich tapestry of experimental instrumental and mechanical sounds. Download its new unreleased track, "Instructional Video," here.

On Friday, jazz singer songwriter Jon Hendricks turns 90 years old. WNYC says "Happy Birthday" to the Poet Laureate of Jazz with the following videos and slideshow that show Hendricks onstage performing vocalese and doing some seriously impressive scatting.

The Cuban-born pianist Omar Sosa mixes Afro-Cuban rhythms, '70's jazz fusion and classical minimalism. In the piece "Eleggua," Sosa is joined by kalimba player Childo Tomas and trumpeter Joe Kraus. Check out a video of Sosa performing the song here.

On Monday night, a new festival hopes to draw attention to old-school venues like Minton’s Playhouse and the Lennox Lounge by bringing modern-day luminaries to Harlem for a week of concerts. The Harlem Jazz Shrines Festival will feature performances by Jason Moran, Wycliffe Gordon, Geri Allen, and Meshell Ndegeocello, among others.

Jesse Harris brings his laid-back jazzy songwriting style to Le Poisson Rouge Tuesday night. Download his instrumental track "Little Star" here.

Some of the hottest names in jazz are performing Friday night in the West Village at the seventh annual Winter Jazzfest.

Renowned saxophonist Branford Marsalis will reunite with trumpeter Terence Blanchard for a special performance at the Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater on Friday, Oct. 1 and Saturday, Oct. 2 at 8 p.m. WQXR music host Terrance McKnight checks in with Marsalis before his Jazz at Lincoln Center show.

In its new album, Terra Incognita, the Imani Winds has broadened its repertoire by recording works by Jason Moran, Paquito D’Rivera and Wayne Shorter—all well-known Jazz composers.

The twenties come roaring back again this weekend on Governors Island. The fifth Jazz Age Garden Party revisits the era of bobbed-hair flappers, and dapper gentlemen, speakeasies, and hot jazz.

Brazil has posthumously given the rank of ambassador to a poet and songwriter who penned the famous Bossa Nova anthem, "Girl from Ipanema."

Abbey Lincoln, who was born Anna Marie Wooldridge, in Chicago, died on Saturday in Manhattan at age 80, after an acting, singing and composing career that spanned some five decades.

New York City’s northern-most borough isn’t called the Boogie-Down Bronx for nothing. From hip-hop to salsa to funk to doo wop to rock to folk, the borough is packed with musical talent. We had to make some serious calls about which BX-born musicians would make the cut for our “Boogie-Down Mixtape."

Memphis-bred bassist and composer Stephan Crump is a rising star on the New York music scene and a member of the Vijay Iyer Trio and other ensembles.