Of all music genres, none is as uniquely American as jazz. It’s also the style that has been most open to innovation and experimentation, and it’s easy to track how jazz has changed in its nearly 100 years of existence. Zune’s Jazz Collection is a painstakingly researched and compiled journey, from the initial wave of Dixieland and big band through the liberating sounds of bop and fusion. If the legacies of Louis, Duke, Bird, Trane, Miles, Monk or Mingus have intrigued you, then...

This morning I was asked by Zune friend @abarcelos via Twitter for some music recommendations. I have my own opinions and those of you following me know what those are. So I thought I would turn to our resident music experts that work here in Zune HQ [thanks to Omid and Paul]. Here are some Thursday music recommendations: Alternative: Peter Bjorn & John – Living Thing Alexandra Hope – Invisible Sunday Art Brut – Art Brut Vs. Satan M. Ward – Hold Time Dan Auerbach record...

Every March the music world invades the hotel rooms, music clubs and convenience stores of Austin, Texas for the South By Southwest Music Festival. Originally begun in 1987 as a showcase for unsigned bands, SXSW has evolved into a sprawling media behemoth, a panorama of all musical styles, a minefield of interactivity, and an orgy of conferences and product demonstrations. This year nearly 2,000 musical artists are slated to perform in nearly every nightclub and concert hall in downtown Austin, and...

Good news! The Zune service and Zune.net are back online. Head on over to http://social.zune.net/podcasts/ to try out the new streaming audio podcasts through your browser. We now have one of the largest streaming audio podcast catalogs - so go browse and enjoy. Also don't forget to create a music quiz - everyone is doing it, or so I hear. You may continue to see some leftovers of the update last night like delayed playcount data. This data is not being lost, it just may take a little longer...