Pop songs, protest, poetic musings - vocalist Abbey Lincoln (1930-2010) explored a passionate spectrum of styles on her way to being hailed as the premiere jazz singer of her time. Geoffrey Smith picks highlights from a unique career.

Ever since the 1920s, stride piano has been party-time music, and it still is. Geoffrey Smith celebrates its two-fisted, tuneful energy with three modern stride masters, Ralph Sutton, Dick Hyman and Dick Wellstood.

Anita O'Day (1919-2006) and June Christy ( 1925-1990) were queens of big band singing in the 1940s and 50s, starring with Gene Krupa and Stan Kenton before going solo. O'Day was hot, Christy was cool, and Geoffrey Smith compares their styles and careers.

The fallen angel of West Coast jazz, Chet Baker (1929-88) won a huge popular following as trumpeter and vocalist while fighting a life-long battle with drugs. Geoffrey Smith surveys a troubled, iconic talent

In honour of what would have been Kenny Wheeler's 85th birthday, Geoffrey Smith chooses favourite works by the revered trumpeter-composer who died last October, including excerpts from his portrait of Don Quixote, Windmill Tilter.

Jamaica's gift to British jazz, altoist Joe Harriott (1928-73) mixed bebop fire with intuitive, free-form improvisation and Indo-Jazz fusion, producing a series of groundbreaking recordings before his early death. Geoffrey Smith salutes a rare talent.

On the day tenor saxophone legend Sonny Rollins turns eighty-nine, Geoffrey Smith celebrates the man hailed as the greatest living jazz musician with a selection of tracks from Rollins’ own archive of road show performances, including such classics as “Don’t Stop the Carnival”.

Deeply if unconventionally religious, Duke Ellington regarded the three Sacred Music Concerts of his last years as “the most important thing I have ever done.” Geoffrey Smith selects highlights from these passionate, exuberant, personal works combining song, dance and the great Ellington band.

Though trumpeter Bill Coleman (1904-1981) played with Fats Waller and Coleman Hawkins, he made his main career in France, with the likes of Stephane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt. Geoffrey Smith salutes a shining expat star.

On the weekend of Wayne Shorter's birthday, Geoffrey Smith salutes the great saxophonist-composer with music written for his own groups, and those of Miles Davis and Art Blakey.

Pianist Don Pullen (1944-95) moved effortlessly from avant-garde to bebop to blues. Geoffrey Smith surveys a keyboard original who starred with Charles Mingus and in his own hard-hitting groups, while creating such rhapsodic solo pieces as Ode to Life.

During his tragically short career, trumpeter Woody Shaw (1944-89) won praise across the jazz spectrum, from Eric Dolphy and Miles Davis to Wynton Marsalis, for his brilliant technique and story-telling power. Geoffrey Smith celebrates a master who died all too young.

In the mid-1950s, trumpet icon Miles Davis (1926-91) led a legendary quintet featuring rising tenor superstar John Coltrane and a famously fiery rhythm section. Geoffrey Smith picks highlights from their classic repertoire.

Besides topping the charts in the 1950s, Ahmad Jamal's piano trio recordings had a profound influence on the music of Miles Davis. Geoffrey Smith explores a relationship that surprised the critics.

Hezekiah "Stuff" Smith was the clown prince of jazz violin. Ruling New York's 52nd street with his madly swinging sextet, he partnered the likes of Dizzy Gillespie until his death in 1967. Geoffrey Smith surveys an exuberant career.

Geoffrey Smith surveys recordings by guitarist Bill Frisell

Geoffrey Smith surveys recordings by the saxophonist and band leader Charlie Barnet

A trail-blazing teacher and pianist, Lennie Tristano (1919-78) influenced the likes of Bill Evans and Charles Mingus, while creating coolly radical music of his own. Geoffrey Smith salutes a unique free-jazz pioneer.

Devoted to "adoration of the melody", trumpeter-cornetist Ruby Braff forged a timeless style, at once lyrical, fluent and personal. Geoffrey Smith highlights some classic recordings from his fifty-year career. Geoffrey Smith's Jazz, a personal journey taking in great musicians and great music.

Geoffrey Smith delves into recordings from the second half of Dexter Gordon's career - from the 1960s onwards - and finds some of the finest tenor playing of that career, and of its time.

Buddy DeFranco's long and distinguished career established him as master of the clarinet in modern jazz. Geoffrey Smith takes a closer look.

Reed master Sidney Bechet can claim to be the first great jazz soloist, winning international acclaim before his fellow New Orleans giant, Louis Armstrong. Geoffrey Smith salutes a genius who inspired saxophonists from Johnny Hodges to John Coltrane.

Jazz piano doesn't come more exciting that the stride masters of Harlem. The likes of James P. Johnson, Fats Waller and Willie the Lion Smith set a standard for keyboard heroics that reached its peak in the breathtaking virtuosity of Art Tatum. Especially for Radio 3's piano season, Geoffrey Smith salutes the giants of stride.

A fusion super-star, guitarist Pat Metheny has won huge audiences with a style that blends pulsating rhythm, gorgeous colours and sweeping melodies. Combining the energy of rock with a virtuoso jazz technique, he’s produced a string of hits adored by both fans and fellow musicians. Geoffrey Smith selects highlights from an epic career.

A classic blues-shouter, Jimmy Witherspoon (1921-97), began with Kansas City swing, crossed over to rhythm and blues, but truly came into his own with such jazz giants as Gerry Mulligan and Ben Webster. Geoffrey Smith salutes a blues master at once earthy and modern.