Some voices in jazz are distinctive and others are unique. When Nat King Cole’s voice fills the air, there is no doubt who is singing. We'll hear from Nat twice in this hour, one in a big band setting, and the other in an intimate combo.

In the second set we explore some cool sounds from Shelley and Dianne, and then David stretches us a bit farther into a more exploratory yet reflective position. Continuing with a master of introspection, Chick revisitis a standard of his own pen followed by Bill Charlap's Trio laying it all out on the table with a fun filled romp through another standard. Then Ken ponders the rhythmic oration of a series of men who dared to express themselves to the audience.

We take a trip on the Latin side with two numbers from Buddy and Poncho, each celebrating the rhythmic pulse and harmonic complexity of that we know as Latin Jazz. Lastly, Nat rights our course to our final destination and helps us to complete our musical journey.

Each of these cuts is from a different branch within the jazz family, yet they don't sound out of place or yield a difficult transition from one to another. The intellectual prowess afforded by the jazz idiom and the participating musician enables journeys that travel far and wide and yet provide us with as much or as little navigational guide as warranted so that we never truly lose the path to our destination. Journey on the musical back roads; the sights and sounds you'll experience are more instructive and life giving than anything you'll reap from the musical interstate freeway.