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Sheila Jordan's singing style lights up Piano Jazz with guest host Jon Weber.

The song cycle Winterreise stands among the masterpieces in the art of song. Schubert conjures up harmonic twists and melodic turns, conveying emotions with remarkable simplicity and force.

Mahler's grand-scale "Resurrection" Symphony marked the real beginning of his career as a composer. It's the work with which he answered the metaphysical challenge of Beethoven's Ninth, with a turbulent beginning and a triumphant conclusion.

Packing KEXP's studio with a wall of sound, The Heavy performs four gritty, funk- and soul-infused garage-rockers. Fronted by versatile singer Kelvin Swaby, the British band kept the walls vibrating, even after it left.

It's a wonder Reed has time to get behind his drum kit at all, let alone lead two of Chicago's best bands. While his quintet Loose Assembly plays heavily improvised contemporary music, his quartet People, Places & Things has always embraced a strong historical current, paying homage to forgotten or overlooked Chicago music from six decades ago.

One of the most recognizable guitar riffs in America belongs to Living Colour. The band's 1988 hit, "Cult of Personality," won the group Grammy Awards and fame. In the past two decades, that fame faded, but Living Colour is back — and members say they've gained wisdom.

The musically gifted son of Paul Simon, Harper was on stage by the age of 12 as a guest on his father's famous '80s tour in support of Graceland. This fall, the younger Simon's solo debut finally surfaced. Earning comparisons to the work of Bob Dylan and Elliott Smith, the album showcases traditional gospel influences, Americana, rock and, of course, folk.

Handel's deeply felt musical setting of the life of Christ conveys the emotional tide of its story with almost miraculous insight. In the process, it's acquired a universality that is unique in the history of music.

With many hundreds of new recordings each year, jazz maintains a lot of biodiversity in its tiny ecosystem. Chances are, it's got something for everyone, but finding the right fit is like searching for an ant in the jungle; it's never an easy quest, but when it happens, you'll likely find an entire colony. Here are the 10 finest jazz records of 2009, as chosen by WBGO's Josh Jackson.

With singer Amber Webber's quivering vibrato and Joshua Wells' warm piano accompaniment, the group specializes in quietly dark moments, whether in a shared glance or a finely knit harmony.