Louis Armstrong said it best, "If you have to ask what Jazz is, you'll never know". Here are some of the greatest jazz artists of the 20th Century, from the early pioneers through Be Bop and on to the more progressive musicians, in 17 rare, vintage performances.

Many of these numbers were performed live on TV and have never been available before. As a special bonus, there's All This Jazz, a fascinating overview featuring commentary from jazz greats Red Holloway, Ernie Watts and Gerald Wilson.

Performances are:

• Creole Rhapsody (1933) - Duke Ellington
• Long About Midnight (1935) - Cab Calloway
• Shine (1942) - Louis Armstrong
• Be Bop (1946) - Dizzy Gillespie
• Salt Peanuts (1946) - Dizzy Gillespie
• Count Basie Boogie (1949) - Count Basie
• Ad-lib Drum Solo (1955) - Buddy Rich
• Flying Home (1957) - Lionel Hampton
• Stompin' At The Savoy (1957) - Coleman Hawkins, Roy Eldridge, Stan Getz, Oscar Peterson Trio, Nat King Cole
• Dig-A-Dig-A-Doo (1957) - Nelson Riddle Orchestra
• You Rascal You (1964) - Louis Armstrong
• Back Home In Indiana (1964) - Louis Armstrong
• I Got Rhythm (1969) - Lionel Hampton
• There Is A Mountain (1969) - Herbie Mann
• Hesitation Blues (1977) - Earl "Fatha" Hines
• A Secret Place (1977) - Grover Washington Jr.
• Someday My Prince Will Come (1979) - Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea