National Public Radio christened Susan Werner with the revered title of “Empress of the Unpredictable,” and the Iowa native/Chicago resident has clearly earned the complimentary sobriquet.   

California native and acclaimed Jazz composer/saxophonist Donny McCaslin got a fairly big jump on his music career, performing with an ensemble of experienced musicians by the time he was 12.  

 As a composer, educator and performer, Arturo O’Farrill is on the leading edge of enlightening new generations to the rhythmic wonder of Latin Jazz.   

 In the case of the effervescent seven-piece, The Duke of Uke & His Novelty Orchestra, their inclusion of “bacon” as an inspiration on their Facebook page — alongside the more conventional choices of Motown, Funk, Ragtime, Jazz, Rock and “Popssical” — is telling for multiple reasons.   

Since his emergence from the San Francisco Jazz scene nearly two decades ago, Charlie Hunter has defined his stylistic direction by resolutely refusing to be tagged as any one thing, preferring to embrace and explore whatever captures his imagination.   

Pianist Alejandro Ziegler was only 12 years old when a cerebral hemorrhage ended the brilliant career of fellow Argentine Astor Piazzolla, the originator of Neuve Tango and one of the world’s most revered musical giants.   

In discussions about the world’s greatest guitarists, one name often unconscionably overlooked is that of avant Jazz six-stringer Bill Frisell. For the past three and a half decades, Frisell has created textural environments that are visceral and pastoral, actively engaging and passively contemplative, utilizing guitar skills that border on genius.  

Though Jazz is the music saxophonist Jeff Coffin is most closely identified, his experience and passion extends well beyond the genre.    

Games aren’t always won by the most talented, the high-flying slam-dunking, ankle-breaking, one-on-one sensations with all the speed, power and hops of the greatest phenoms with the multi-million dollar free agent deals. No, sometimes, more often than you might think, the difference maker is one of the old-heads coming off a perfectly timed screen heading along the baseline just as the pass arrives to meet him at the three-point line as he steps back and fires quickly, instinctively, because he just knows every beat in this measure.   

Any band with decent musical aptitude and a passion for the days of sheet music stores, phosphates and the Charleston can churn out covers of songs gleaned from thrift shop 78s and attract a sizable, loyal audience. The real gift is taking that Hot Jazz/Country Blues/Ragtime/Western Swing inspiration and translating it into original and completely contemporary songs; Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three possess that gift.