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For 25 years, Jazz at Lincoln Center has offered thousands of performances, educational programs and events around the world. The organization is celebrating its silver anniversary this year. Co-founder and artistic director Wynton Marsalis, CBS News cultural correspondent, seen here, discussed the importance of jazz on "CBS This Morning."
Marsalis said on "CTM," "Jazz has three elements: one is improvisation in the music -- we have something to say ourselves that's important and that only we can say -- swing, which means other people have something to say too and we have to figure out how to negotiate and give them their space and the respect of their space, and also the blues -- and when we play the blues, it means in life all of us have something to deal with."
Keep clicking through this slideshow to see other legends that helped establish this music style in the American tradition.
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Louis Armstrong seen in 1971. He's seen here playing at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.; it may have been the last time he played his trumpet in public.
Marsalis said on "CTM" the last thing he would want to hear is "Louis Armstrong playing something."
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Jazz legend Miles Davis in the ring in 1971 in San Francisco. He loved to box, and said it was a great way for the trumpet player to keep in shape.
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Canadian jazz legend Oscar Peterson performs on the Stravinski hall stage during the 39th Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland, on Saturday, July 16, 2005.
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Dave Brubeck performs with his quartet at the 50th anniversary of the Newport Jazz Festival in Newport, R.I., Saturday, Aug. 14, 2004. Brubeck made his first appearance at the second Newport festival in 1955 and has appeared regularly since.
