American singer Mark Murphy is one of the most versatile vocalists in jazz. A master of scat and vocalese, he is also a renowned interpreter of ballads and standards. British singer Ian Shaw joins Alyn Shipton to consider Murphy's finest records, from his early work such as 'That's How I Love The Blues' to his vocalese masterpiece 'Stolen Moments'.

Trumpeter, composer, arranger and bandleader Thad Jones was a hugely influential musician. In this programme Guy Barker and Alyn Shipton discuss his finest work, including many discs under his own name, records with Count Basie and Charles Mingus, and records made by the big band he co-led with Mel Lewis.

Fred Anderson, who died in June, was a founder member of the AACM in Chicago and ran the city's famous club, the Velvet Lounge. Alyn Shipton visited him at the site of his historic club before it was demolished in 2006, and talked to Anderson about his best recordings.

The music features Joe Jarman, Muhal Richard Abrams and Anderson's long-term collaborator, the drummer Hamid Drake.

Jimmy Woode was one of a dynasty of jazz musicians from Boston, where he began his career with the likes of Charlie Parker and Sidney Bechet. He joined Alyn Shipton during one of his last visits to the UK before his death, to select his finest records, including examples of his work with Ellington, and with the Kenny Clarke/Francy Boland band with whom he played after settling in Europe at the end of the 1960s.

Wynton Kelly was one of the most individual pianists in jazz, famous for his work with Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Wes Montgomery. He also led his own trio - often with fellow Miles Davis sidemen Paul Chambers (bass) and Jimmy Cobb (drums) who played with him on "Kind of Blue". Tim Richards guides Alyn Shipton through Kelly's impressive catalogue of recordings.

Richard Pite joins Alyn Shipton to pick the best discs by the founder of modern jazz drumming, Max Roach. They include pieces by many of Roach's own groups.

Ahead of the launch of his Later Works at this year's Gateshead International Jazz Festival at the Sage, Stan Tracey joined Alyn Shipton to look back at his recording career. As well as work with visiting Americans such as Zoot Sims, Ben Webster and Sonny Rollins, Stan discusses his fascination with Duke Ellington, his own big bands and quartets, his suite Alice in Jazzland, and the story behind his most recent recordings.

Clarinettist, soprano, alto and tenor saxophonist Tony Coe is one of Britain's most brilliant jazz musicians, the first non-American to be awarded the "jazz Oscar" by Denmark's "Jazzpar" prize committee.

As a vocalist, Shirley Horn was expert at lending subtle treatment to old jazz standards. She was also a fine pianist, and in this week's Jazz Library singer Christine Tobin discusses the American's intimate trio sound as well as Horn's work with some of the finest big bands of the 1960s. Taking time out to raise a family, Horn returned in the 1980s and 1990s to make some of her finest recordings, including the Grammy-winning I Remember Miles.

Benny Powell grew up in New Orleans to the sound of marching bands and jazz in the air. He joined Lionel Hampton in the 1940s and went on to be a key member of the 1950s Count Basie Orchestra, staying for several years. He joins Alyn Shipton to pick highlights from his records with both leaders, plus examples of his work with Duke Ellington and also his long-running association with pianist Randy Weston, which fuses jazz and African music.