Broadcast on 22-Sep-2008

This famous recording is Part 2 of our "back to school" mode and an annual Feature on The Jazz Show. Bernstein, who loved, respected and understood Jazz presents an educational and entertaining study of this musical form. He talks about how it's put together with some musical examples provided by Bernstein, himself at the piano and some major players like Coleman Hawkins, Buck Clayton, Buster Bailey, Phil Woods, Miles Davis and many more. Even though this recording was done in the 1950's it is still an important educational document. Bernstein was an amazing communicator who could bring some of the complexities of music to the lay person. "What is Jazz?" is a classic and an essential recording for anybody with even the mildest interestin this great American art form called Jazz.