Big band leader, trumpeter and composer Gerald Wilson was a jazz treasure for more than 6 decades. JazzCorner.com's Lois Gilbert spent several hours with Gerald on his 89th birthday during the Detroit Jazz Festival. Gerald Wilson died on Sept 8, 2014; 4 days after his 96th birthday. This very special JazzCorner.com InnerView is brought to you by Mack Avenue Records. https://www.mackavenue.com

If you have ever heard one note from the great Dianne Reeves, you know she has you at hello! Her new album, "Beautiful Life" touches on several aspects of music and plays on the strings of our sensibilities, Mixing in her love of collaboration, Dianne has teamed up with a stunning array of peers including Esperanza Spalding, Robert Glasper, George Duke, Gregory Porter, Gerald Clayton, Lalah Hathaway, Richard Bona and her producer Terri Lyne Carrington.

In this JazzCorner.com InnerView, LeRoy Downs talks with Dianne Reeves about "Beautiful Life" sponsored in part by the Joy of Jazz Festival in Johannesburg, South Africa where Dianne Reeves is performing September 25 - September 27, 2014. For more information visit: https://www.joyofjazz.co.za/

Pianist Oscar Hernandez, leader of the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, can get down with a salsa beat or play a lilting Latin Jazz tune. In this JazzCorner.com Jazz Perspective, Hernandez says Latin music should get the same respect as straight ahead jazz. It's not always party time. This Perspective was produced by Reese Erlich.

Multi-Grammy Award winner Arturo Sandoval is most famous for his jazz and Latin trumpet playing. In this JazzCorner.com Jazz Perspective, producer Reese Erlich asks Sandoval how he composed music for 12 films. Arturo says sometimes you get only 20 seconds for a music cut, but you learn how to do it. He is also featured on the "Spiderman" soundtrack.

Pianist Helen Sung is an artist who was born classical and grew up a jazz player. The Houston born composer, educator and swinging pianist was first introduced to the music in college and once intrigued by its rhythms, harmonies and sense of freedom, she switched her classical major to study jazz. Accepted as part of the first iteration of The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance, Helen soaked up all of the lessons from Jazz Masters such as Ron Carter, Clark Terry, Jackie McLean, Ray Brown, Jimmy Heath and many others. Her latest record "Anthem For A New Day", features Reuben Rogers, Obed Calvaire, Ingrid Jensen, Seamus Blake, Regina Carter, John Ellis, Paquito D'Rivera. This JazzCorner.com InnerView is sponsored in part by the DC Jazz Festival. For more information visit https://dcjazzfest.org

Rudresh Mahanthappa is one of contemporary jazz's most vibrant saxophonists and composers, blending intense virtuosity, modern rhythms and the influence of Indian classical music. Born in Italy to Indian parents and growing up in Colorado, Rudresh Mahanthappa utilizes his varied background and influences to create his own sound. This JazzCorner.com InnerView is sponsored in part by the DC Jazz Festival. For more information visit https://dcjazzfest.org

When it comes to merging jazz and funk, no other trombonist has done as sublimely as Fred Wesley. As a funk musician and arranger, he's made history with James Brown, Bootsy Collins and Parliament-Funkadelic. On this podcast though, he reveals his first aspirations of being a straight-ahead jazz musician. In this JazzCorner.com Innverview, John Murph talks with the legendary trombonist about the art of jazz and funk as he prepares to showcase that blend at the 2014 Pittsburgh Jazz Festival. This podcast sponsored in part by the Pittsburgh JazzLive International Festival. For more information visit: https://pittsburghjazzlive.com.

Ralph Peterson talks about his three decade-plus career as a powerhouse jazz drummer and bandleader. He learned the ropes from Art Blakey with whom he played with as a second drummer. Peterson discusses how he met Blakey and about his tribute to the jazz icon at the 2014 Pittsburgh Jazz Festival. He also shares with JazzCorner.com InnerView host John Murph, the origins of his Fo'Tet ensemble. This podcast is sponsored in part by the Pittsburgh JazzLive International Festival. For more information visit: https://pittsburghjazzlive.com

It hard to categorize bassist Christian McBride. He's as adept on acoustic bass as well as electric and transitions easily from mainstream jazz to downright funk, always with rhythm, swing and poise. In this special jazzcorner.com InnerView with producer Lois Gilbert, Christian takes us on his journey from his roots in Philadelphia to be one of the leading bassists of our time.

The great saxophonist and flutist Frank Wess ​died on Oct 30, 2013. He became famous playing with the Count Basie Band in the 1950s. His incredible career spanned both the big band and bebop eras. In this Jazz Perspective from 2007, Wess tells ​JazzCorner.com ​producer Reese Erlich that he really didn't have any problems playing bebop – except the drumming was so different. "Art Blakey was dropping those bombs," he said with a laugh. This Jazz Perspective includes Wess' playing from the Count Basie days as well as his CD 'Hank and Frank'.