Leslie Stoval, Dick Conte, and Claire Mack — have been selected for induction into the San Francisco Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame as part of the BARHOF Class of 2026. They will be celebrated at Radio Day by the Bay in Alameda on July 18 and the BARHOF Induction Luncheon on October 10 . This is a meaningful recognition of three remarkable KCSM broadcasters whose work has helped shape Bay Area radio, music, and community life. Their induction also reflects the depth of talent, history, and cultural impact at KCSM.

If you were in Sonoma this past Sunday, (6/28/2026) you might have run into KCSM's very own Kathleen Lawton at a free Concert at Sonoma Plaza presented by Music in Place. It was a wonderful sunny day with Alabama Mike and the Mighty Revelators who tore it up! Bama even kindly gave KCSM a shout out! Another fabulous Bay Area talents!

If you attended the Healdsburg Jazz Festival, you may have spotted Greg Bridges, host of Jazz Oasis and Beyond the Oasis, serving as the festival's stage announcer. And if you stopped by the festival booths, you likely met Jim Sintetos, host of Jazz Without Borders and New Wave of Jazz (both on HD2) and Kathleen Lawton, host of Jazz Oasis and Crazy 'bout the Blues who were there representing KCSM. We hope you had the opportunity to say hello!

Congratulations and good luck to KCSM’s very own Chris Cortez, who was nominated for the 2026 Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame in the category Bay Area Audiocaster of the Year! We'd also like to congratulate Dick Conte (retired Jazz In The Afternoon Host) and Leslie Stovall (posthumously) for their nomination in the category of Performer (Disc Jockeys, Talk Show Hosts, etc.)

Altin Sencalar. Hailed by Stereophile Magazine for “sound[ing] like the 21st-century grandchildren of JJ Johnson and Kai Winding” and praised by the International Trombone Associations Journal for his “virtuosity [and] melodic and harmonic mastery,” Altin Sencalar is in high demand across the country as a performer, educator, and composer. We caught Altin on tour in support of his 2025 release ‘Unleashed’. Featuring Altin on Trombone, Matt Twaddle on Piano, Leland Nelson on Bass and Sofia Goodman on Drums, and from a May 24th, 2025 performance, Daniel Peck is your host for Altin Senclair – Live at the Bop Stop.

Chuck Berry, Part 1 - 1955-56. Chuck Berry has been called the "Father of Rock n' Roll" and with good reason. He took the blues of T-Bone Walker and B.B. King, the guitar riffs of Carl Hogan and mixed it with the fiddle and Western Swing music of Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys. Then he rolled it all into one big sonic blast. Rhythm & Blues become Rock n' Roll when Chuck Berry began writing songs aimed at teenagers, finally granting them their own music. This is part 1 of a 3-part feature on Chuck Berry's early career; the first full year of recording for the legendary Chess Records in Chicago. We'll look at his recordings from his first session, held in May, 1955 to his fourth session from April, 1956 and everything in-between. Some of the titles you'll know by heart, like "Maybellene," "You Can't Catch Me" and "Roll Over Beethoven," but others might be new to your ears, like the eerie "Down Bound Train" and the very bluesy "Wee Wee Hours." Chuck Berry defined Rock n' Roll guitar and his influence is felt every time someone picks up a guitar with the intention of tearing the house down. Next week, we'll finish up 1956 and begin 1957.

Ben Flocks is an acclaimed saxophonist from Santa Cruz who has earned widespread esteem performing and recording with a glittering constellation of jazz stars, from Dave Brubeck, Patrice Rushen, and Joshua Redman to Antonio Sanchez, Javier Santiago, and Caili O’Doherty. Ben performs at the Stanford Jazz Festival on Monday, June 20, and joins Jesse “Chuy” Varela in the KCSM studio to talk about his latest album, “Moon Shades,” and teaching at the Stanford Jazz Workshop, of which he is an alumnus.

Abdullah Ibrahim: How Improvisation Saved My Life. Abdullah Ibrahim, the legendary South African pianist and composer, died on June 15 at the age of 91. Abdullah Ibrahim, the legendary South African pianist and composer, died on June 15 at the age of 91. We're revisiting this archive episode in his memory. In it, he reflects on growing up under apartheid in South Africa and what freedom meant to him. Listen to a performance with his band Ekaya, recorded at Town Hall in New York City.

Altin Sencalar. Hailed by Stereophile Magazine for “sound[ing] like the 21st-century grandchildren of JJ Johnson and Kai Winding” and praised by the International Trombone Associations Journal for his “virtuosity [and] melodic and harmonic mastery,” Altin Sencalar is in high demand across the country as a performer, educator, and composer. We caught Altin on tour in support of his 2025 release ‘Unleashed’. Featuring Altin on Trombone, Matt Twaddle on Piano, Leland Nelson on Bass and Sofia Goodman on Drums, and from a May 24th, 2025 performance, Daniel Peck is your host for Altin Senclair – Live at the Bop Stop.

Gospel Memories pays tribute to Arizona Dranes (pictured) on the 100th anniversary of her initial recording session: June 17, 1926; also, music from the Tommies, Fairfield Four, Gerald Sisters, Greater Rosehill B.C., Dorothy Norwood, and others.

Vincent Phua is the General Manager and Managing Member of Alameda Brewing. Alameda’s only East End brewery was formerly known as Alameda Island Brewing. A 2024 rebrand, including the hiring of new brewmaster Justin Green led to a 2025 Silver Medal at the World Beer Cup for “Burma Ale,” their rendition of the ancient beer known as Gruit, a style that predates the widespread use of hops. Alameda Brewing has also become known as a community oriented third space.

Part 2. Attorney Dan Stidham continues his recollections of his defense of Jessie Miskelley accused of murdering three eight-year-old boys in West Memphis, Arkansas in 1993.Stidham speaks about the legal challenges and why he wrote his book, A Harvest of Innocence: The Untold Story of the West Memphis Three Murder Case. Part 2 of a 2-part interview.