Enslaved people would sing work songs while working the plantations and religious spirituals in church. Combined with the African rhythms, these musical styles were the foundation of blues. The ...

Brasil is a country full of music. Samba, which was strongly influenced by African music, originated in Rio de Janeiro about 100 years ago Bossa nova, the focus of this hour, is basically a fusing of ...

Saxophone virtuoso Charlie Parker, left, brought Miles Davis, right, into his bebop band in the 1940s, Davis’s first professional job The Original Dixieland Jazz band, pictured in 1917 ...

This is FRESH AIR. Today is the centennial of the birth of jazz drummer Roy Haynes. He almost made it to the occasion. He died in November at age 99. Haynes was one of the most in-demand drummers ...