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Much of today's best Latin jazz embraces old traditions to create something new. NPR Producer Felix Contreras spotlights five female singers whose sounds borrow equally from Latin music and jazz.

For the first time, the prestigious Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition has crowned a male winner: G. Thomas Allen, from Chicago.

Latin music would not exist without bongos, congas or timbales — all percussion instruments, all with roots in Africa. Likewise, there wouldn't be Latin music without other African influences, such as syncopation. Latin percussionist, composer and bandleader Bobby Sanabria gives a primer on the close roots that Latin and jazz music share with the sound and soul of West Africa.

The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra began its stellar career by performing at the Village Vanguard, one of the most famous basements in New York City, in the 1960s. In 1999, the band re-released many of its classic songs on the album, Thad Jones Legacy, which includes detailed notes and a selected discography.

April is Jazz Appreciation Month, as well as National Poetry Month. Hear five songs that were originally written as poems to be read, not as lyrics to be sung. Each jazz artist here transformed a poem into lyrics that fit his or her particular style and phrasing, and then composed music to round out the interpretation.

The screwball comedy features a jazz soundtrack that includes classic tracks from the Blue Note catalog, including “Moanin’” by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, “Senor Blues” by Horace Silver, and “Let’s Get Lost” by Chet Baker.

If you haven't listened to his music in a while, you might have forgotten: The country pioneer had swing. Here are five jazz artists out of many who have put their own spins on his music.

The Queen's Cartoonists is a jazz band with elements of classical music, comedy and clowning that performs music live to animation, both old and contemporary.

At a time when jazz was not widely seen in higher education, the alto saxophonist brought the wisdom learned on the bandstand to the classroom.

She recorded a magical debut album on Blue Note and was later named a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts.