Taj Mahal has spent the bulk of his musical career creating and capturing the deep traditions of the blues. His vast knowledge of the genre, its origins and the traditions that informed it, fuel his love of creating it and sharing it wide and far.

Dave Grusin is known to some as a gifted pianist and keyboard player, to others as one of the most talented and prolific composers of film and TV scores. To many, he's a champion of musical talent no matter the genre.

88-year-old trombonist and composer Julian Priester arrived in Seattle in 1979, and has become the Northwest’s “mentor in chief,” but that’s just a small part of Priester’s six-decade musical journey.

Roberta Flack has been the voice behind your favorite slow jams since 1968. A classically trained pianist and humanitarian, Flack's legacy as a vocalist lives on even as ALS prevents her from performing.

Eddie Henderson didn’t immediately gravitate toward jazz. He studied classical trumpet and went to medical school but after studying under several jazz icons, he hit the music scene in earnest and continues to perform with a dream team of artists.

Joe Chambers is a composer and commanding multi-instrumentalist who plays drums, vibraphone, marimba, and piano — and is still going strong today.

Trumpet player, arranger, bandleader, songwriter and producer of music, film and television, Quincy Jones is one of the most influential American artists – with a career that began in the Pacific Northwest.

From playing piano to composing and arranging, Bob James couldn't anticipate that his highly harmonic playing and early recordings would become the most sampled music ever.

Bassist Buster Williams has been a distinct voice in jazz since the 1960’s and he’s still a force today. KNKX’s Nick Morrison tells us more.

Ron Carter is credited with over 2,200 recording sessions, making him the most-recorded jazz bassist in history, according to Guinness World Records.