What impact has jazz made on American music today?

Who were these jazz musicians - if they were jazz musicians?

• Who are the jazz musicians I flew with from Los Angeles to DC today? They were talking about performing at the White House (maybe), and had fangirls (well, two). There was a group of maybe six or eight African-American men, aged anywhere between late forties to early sixties. They looked like jazz cats, and were dressed in black suits, some with hats, very dapper, looking sharp. I vaguely heard them mentioning something about a concert at the White House. Most of these musicians were in first class, and one of them was across the aisle from me in coach. The guy in coach had some sheet music with him, and was working on more sheet music on his laptop. When we landed at Dulles, I saw two college-aged Caucasian girls talking excitedly to one of the men - I didn't see any of the other guys around. He dug a photograph out from his rolling bag and signed it for them, and I heard the girls saying "We love..." (I'm assuming this ended in "your music" or "your work")? Anyone have any idea who they were? I tried searching for upcoming jazz concerts in DC and the White House, of LA-based musicians performing in DC, but no luck so far.

• Answer:

  The number of jazz musicians most jazz fans would recognize by sight in an airport is relatively small. I'm voting for Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Ron Carter, or Terence Blanchard. Ron Carter usually has a very stylish beard, which you didn't mention, so probably not him.