Kevin Whitehead

Born in 1924 in Newark, N.J., Vaughan came up in the '40s, alongside bebop, a new jazz style she instantly took to. In the following decades, she proved to be one of the best singers of any genre.

Bass improviser Richard Davis, trombonist Curtis Fowlkes and saxophonists Charles Gayle and Peter Brötzmann are among the notable musicians we lost this year.

No matter how much (or little) pre-planning occurs, the success of improvised music hinges on the chemistry of the players. In Extra Extra, Bergonzi's crew creates in the moment, without distractions.