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On the surface, there might seem to be a world of difference between jazz and bluegrass music. Jazz is predominantly urban and often deals with relatively complex structures, chords and key changes. Bluegrass is predominantly rural and, like blues, often works within fairly predictable structural boundaries. But jazz and bluegrass are more alike than they appear.

Looking back on the year in jazz, much of the focus naturally falls on young talents such as Vijay Iyer. Still, some of 2009's key records also evoked bygone jazz eras with such creativity that they might signal a new wave of New Orleans and Brazilian jazz.

As expected with any list of its nature, our rundown of the Decade's 50 Most Important Recordings has drawn both praise and criticism, particularly from diehard fans of artists and albums that didn't make the cut. As one user put it in the comments, "How dare they list X, and I see no mention of Y?!" While we did our best to be inclusive, a lot of our individual choices didn't end up on the final list. Here are just a few, chosen by the reviewers who lobbied for them.

The tenor sax is a powerful instrument. This is especially apparent in music created by mighty jazz masters whose skills shaped sounds still reflected in present-day compositions. Hear five great pairings, battles and studio jam sessions.

Take Five takes a detour with jazz's older cousin, the blues, as well as one of its most recognizable techniques: slide guitar. Gliding a bottleneck up and down the strings, the guitarist creates a world-weary sound. Muddy Waters sits at the center of this decades-spanning list.

"Strange Fruit" can feel like a period piece, more a memorial than a protest song. Rare are the performers who have invested it with new meaning, fraught as it is with the legacy of America's past.

For the past month, NPR Music producer Lars Gotrich laid out multiple strips of paper on his desk, with names like Uncle Owen Aunt Beru, Extra Life and Erykah Badu printed on them.

At the record store, Tom Cole spent most of his time warding off scornful looks as he toted Mothers of Invention LPs around. One day, he decided he needed to learn about jazz. A clerk at Discount Records and Books in Washington, D.C., suggested these five records. No standards; just his absolute favorites.

Jazz music was born in America in the early 20th century, evolving out of a meeting of African and European music traditions. Once the style began to develop around the world, jazz found its way back to Africa. Hear five of Africa's best jazz musicians, including Mulatu Astatke.

Some people are said to "follow a path" in their creative life, but a path is not enough for bassist Charlie Haden. For more than 50 years, he's been building his own musical freeway. To follow him down that freeway is one of the richest experiences in American music. It's Haden's birthday this week, so here's a chance to celebrate with five of his best songs.