Creed Taylor Produced

I’ve been busy fixing up ctproduced.com and planning for 2026, more on that later. One of my unenviable tasks is trying to keep my digital archive in order. I’ve solved my magazine and book archive – I now have a fully indexed and searchable local archive that contains some 590 books and white papers, along with some 17,000 magazines. The bad news is I still have some 1,500 files in my download folder.

At least for those with access to npr.org – the US public radio organization, the recordings and shows that make up Nancy Wilson’s NPR show, Jazz Profiles, are an invaluable collection of interviews and music ^[1]Search Results npr.org “Jazz Profiles ^[2]https://www.npr.org/series/10208861/npr-s-jazz-profiles.

I’ve been working on another of my long-running, maybe never-finished write-ups on the albums that Creed recorded with Zoot Sims. I have a couple of recordings of the late Nancy Wilson’s NPR show, Jazz Profiles, including Zoot Sims and Oscar Pettiford. I thought I’d check the Internet Archive to see if they had them.

Of course, they did! More archiving work by Kim Paris, who has archived a great number of live recordings, has also archived 21 shows from the Jazz Profiles series ^[3]https://archive.org/details/fmradioarchive?query=jazz+profiles&sort=-addeddate&tab=collection.

Thanks to Kim Paris for all the time he has taken to locate, document and upload all the programs.

Nancy Wilson

Nancy Wilson (1937–2018) was an American vocalist whose career spanned more than five decades, celebrated for her versatility across jazz, R&B, soul, pop, and blues. She preferred to call herself a “song stylist,” a reflection of her interpretive approach and her ability to cross genres with ease. Over her career she recorded more than 70 albums and earned three Grammy Awards ^[4]en.wikipedia.org

Early Career and Rise

Born in Chillicothe, Ohio, Wilson began singing in church and performing locally while still in high school. After moving to New York in 1959, she quickly secured a contract with Capitol Records, releasing a string of successful albums in the early 1960s. Her breakout recordings included “Guess Who I Saw Today” and “(You Don’t Know) How Glad I Am.”

Jazz Profiles for NPR

Nancy Wilson’s most significant public‑radio contribution was as the host of NPR’s documentary series Jazz Profiles.

Jazz Profiles (1986–2005)

• Wilson hosted this weekly NPR series for nearly two decades, guiding listeners through the lives, music, and cultural impact of major jazz figures. ^[5]National Endowment for the Arts
• The show became one of the most comprehensive audio histories of jazz ever produced, ultimately creating nearly 200 one‑hour episodes.
• Her hosting style—warm, authoritative, and deeply informed—reflected her lived experience within the jazz world.
• According to NPR producer Tim Owens, Wilson was the “soul of Jazz Profiles” and required no audition; her voice and credibility made her the natural choice. ^[6]NCPR: North Country Public Radio
• She debuted as host in 1995 and remained the series’ only host until its conclusion in 2002. ^[7]NCPR: North Country Public Radio
• Wilson later said that Jazz Profiles was one of her proudest achievements. ^[8]NCPR: North Country Public Radio

Legacy

Nancy Wilson is remembered not only as a genre‑defying vocalist but also as a thoughtful cultural narrator. Her work on NPR helped preserve and contextualize jazz history for new generations, complementing her already formidable musical legacy.

Nancy Wilson died on December 13, 2018, at her home in Pioneertown, California, at the age of 81.