MARK RUFFIN: NOW, A JAZZ MOMENT WITH NEA JAZZ MASTER LORRAINE GORDON.

GORDON: Alfred started the thing recording Sidney Bechet. The big hit was "Summertime."

Summertime up, hot, and under…

GORDON GOT HER START IN JAZZ WORKING FOR A YOUNG RECORD LABEL. THE LABEL? THE ICONIC BLUE NOTE RECORDS. IT WAS CO-FOUNDED BY HER FIRST HUSBAND, ALFRED LION, IN 1939.

GORDON: Alfred and I – well, Alfred – he found, or through friends or whatever we found or researched artists that were not being recorded then at all, they were being left behind. So there was a lot of experiment going on with the artists we liked.

Summertime up and hot to end

RUFFIN: THIS JAZZ MOMENT WITH 2013 NEA JAZZ MASTER LORRAINE GORDON WAS PRODUCED BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.

MUSIC CREDIT: Excerpt of "Summertime" written by George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, and Dubose Heyward, and performed by Sidney Bechet, from the album, Best of Sidney Bechet, used courtesy of EMI Capitol and by permission of Warner Chappell Inc. (ASCAP)