Ken Burns takes on "that most American of art forms": jazz. The 10-part journey begins with the music's roots in post-Civil War New Orleans and concludes roughly a century later. The story focuses not only on the personalities and events that helped define the music but also on the social and cultural climate in which they emerged, making Ken Burns' 'Jazz' a film about more than just music.

Ken Burns's thorough exploration of jazz music includes: 500 pieces of music, 75 interviews, 2400 stills and more than 2000 film clips.