This 2-CD set comes from Marian McPartland’s 85th Birthday celebration held on March 23, 2003 at New York’s Birdland, an event that also marked the 25th anniversary of her NPR show Piano Jazz. McPartland has been an enthusiastic champion of jazz as well as a superb pianist, and the high esteem in which she’s held shows through in the guest list. There’s a brilliant sextet with Phil Woods and Dave Douglas, while Regina Carter and Jim Hall together generate all the momentum of the swing era. Norah Jones and Karin Allyson are among the singers who join McPartland for ballads and buoyant up-tempos, while the trumpeters include Clark Terry, Jon Faddis and Roy Hargrove. The piano, though, gets special attention. In the enduring spirit of Piano Jazz, McPartland duets with Billy Taylor and impresario George Wein from her own generation and takes an exploratory approach to "Summertime" with the young Jason Moran. Bill Charlap adding a compelling solo medley. A fitting tribute to McPartland, this set celebrates both the breadth and depth of the current jazz mainstream. --Stuart Broomer