Critic Kevin Whitehead reflects on the jazz notables who died this year, including Sheila Jordan, Andy Bey, Ray Drummond, Bunky Green, Chuck Mangione, Eddie Palmieri and Jim McNeely. This is FRESH AIR ...

Creative artists rarely retire. Jazz musicians often continue to perform and record as they age. In this hour you'll hear the final musical statements of jazz musicians in the 21st century.

This is FRESH AIR. Today, our jazz historian, Kevin Whitehead, looks back at seven jazz notables who died this year. He earlier paid tribute to band leader Jack DeJohnette and to my late husband, the ...