Nate Chinen

The fearless free-funk and jazz artist, a student of Ornette Coleman's Harmolodics concept, followed his unorthodox path to a singular five-decade career.

In the lineage of jazz, Miles Davis, born 100 years ago, presents something of a paradox: He looms as large as anyone, but he means many things to many people.

Jack DeJohnette, of the most daring and singular jazz drummers of the last 60 years, died on Sunday.

Annahstasia enters the chat. The Cure reimagines a lost world. Mary Halvorson demonstrates why she's a MacArthur genius. WRTI's Nate Chinen joins Stephen Thompson to share their favorite albums out June 13.

The superbly alert and flexible drummer formed a swirling current in modern jazz for more than 60 years. He was 82.

His wife, Fresh Air host Terry Gross, said the longtime contributor to The Village Voice and NPR had been living with emphysema and Parkinson's disease.

Bartees Strange. Denison Witmer. The Sun Ra Arkestra's Marshall Allen. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson welcomes Nate Chinen of Philadelphia's WRTI to discuss the best new releases out on Valentine's Day. Featured albums: • Bartees Strange, 'Horror' • Denison Witmer, 'Anything At All' • Marshall Allen, 'New Dawn' • Sullivan Fortner, 'Southern Nights' • John Patitucci, 'Spirit Fall' Check out our longer list of albums out Feb. 14 and stream our New Music Friday playlist at npr.org/music. Credits: • Host: Stephen Thompson • Guest: Nate Chinen (WRTI) • Producer: Simon Rentner • Editor: Otis Hart • Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed • Vice President, Music & Visuals: Keith Jenkins

This year's unmissable jazz releases came in two flavors: breakthrough releases by driven young newcomers, and a heap of unearthed treasures from the vault.

NPR Music's Ann Powers and Daoud Tyler-Ameen are your guides to the most compelling albums released this Friday. Featured albums: • Ab-Soul, Soul Burger • Jamey Johnson, Midnight Gasoline • Our Girl, The Good Kind • Various Artists, Like Someone I Know: A Celebration of Margo Guryan Check out the longer list of albums out Nov. 8 and stream our New Music Friday playlist at https://npr.org/music.