Some albums announce themselves with fireworks. Then some albums simply settle into the room, invite you to stay awhile, and remind you why contemporary jazz continues to be one of music's most rewarding listening experiences. James "PJ" Spraggins' fifth studio release, High Five, is firmly in that second category.

At Back on the Block, we celebrate the artists who gave shape and feeling to the soundtrack of our lives. Today, we remember Peabo Bryson with gratitude, admiration, and love. Rest in peace to one of the finest to ever grace a microphone.

Recently, while driving and tuning into the RadioActive1, a jam played that I hadn't heard in ages. It was a track by one of my favorite female vocalists, the beautiful, enchanting, and incredibly talented Phyllis Hyman.