KCSM staff, including Station Manager, Dr. Robert Franklin, were proud to attend this year’s Monterey Jazz Festival, the longest continuously running jazz festival in the world. Since 1958, MJF has given both legendary performers and emerging artists a platform to share their music with audiences who cherish jazz. (Click subject line for more)

Last month, KCSM On-Air Host Harry Duncan, (In The Soul Kitchen and Thursday's Jazz In The Afternoon) spun a special late night set on the last night of The Fuji Rock Festival in Japan. In the legendary Crystal Palace venue, Duncan served up a hour’s worth of freestyle roots and rhythm to a very enthusiastic, open and diverse group of dancers. (click the subject line to see a short video.)

Atlantic Records, Part 8 - 1954, Part 2. Atlantic Records was the most influential, significant and important independent record label to come out of the late-1940s, during a time when there were many great, small indie labels being born. What gave Atlantic the advantage over Specialty, Chess, Modern, Vee-Jay, Exclusive, King, etc. is the breadth of material, variety of music styles and the sheer number of hit records that led to the Rock n' Roll explosion of the mid-1950s. This behemoth 14-part series celebrates the first 10 years of Atlantic's existence: 1947-57. This week in part eight, we take a look at the last half of 1954, one of the biggest years in Atlantic's storied history. It was during the last six months of the year that Ruth Brown scored her 4th and 5th #1 records with "Oh What A Dream" and "Mambo Baby" respectively. "Mambo Baby" would end up being Brown's final #1, though she would still rack up hit records over the next 5 years. LaVern Baker and Ray Charles released career defining records at the very end of 1954 that would make an even greater impact in 1955, just as Rock n' Roll was beginning to enter the mainstream. We'll also dig on a killer New Orleans instrumental from Tommy Ridgley and Ivory Joe Hunter's first release for Atlantic. So buckle in and prepare yourself for an in-depth, 14 part look at the history of Atlantic Records, which could also be described as a look at the history of American Music itself.

Distinguished as one of the top bassists, bandleaders, and producers of today, Christian McBride is a leader who leaves no stone unturned in his jazz journey. Christian joins Jesse “Chuy” Varela to talk about his latest project, “Without Further Ado, Vol.1”, a stellar album featuring a superb group of vocalists singing songs he arranged for them with his acclaimed big band. He also talks about his upcoming appearances at The Presidio Theater in San Francisco on Thurs. Oct. 16 and Fri. Oct. 17 with his longtime collaborator, Brad Mehldau. Info: www.presidiotheatre.org

Tonight, we will be bringing you part 1 of an encore broadcast of Jazz With Bob Parlocha from the archives of WFMT in Chicago. Bob Parlocha was a jazz radio institution who began spinning disks for KJAZ-FM over four decades ago here in the San Francisco Bay Area. After the demise of KJAZ, Bob began syndicating, ~ Jazz with Bob Parlocha~ through the new WFMT Jazz Network. This program filled the late-night airwaves in many cities across the USA bringing that KJAZ esthetic nationwide for about 20 years until Bob's death in 2015. On this the tenth anniversary of his passing, we salute Bob Parlocha by presenting an archived program from his acclaimed Jazz With Bob Parlocha on WFMT.

The Urban Griot, Dr. Billy Taylor. Pianist, educator, and advocate Dr. Billy Taylor helped define jazz as “America’s classical music.” This episode celebrates his legacy with stories, testimonials, and performances — including his civil rights anthem “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free.”

Marc Ribot’s Jazz Bins. Guitarist Marc Ribot asserts that the Soul Jazz movement of the late 1970s and the New York punk movement going on at the same time had similar depth and intensity, even if the two scenes had different circles and different core motivations. Expressing these commonalities are something he’s been chasing ever since, and we’re fortunate enough to hear the fruits of that effort on this program.

Words and music with Rev. Joe Williams (pictured), member of the Sons of the Birds and the Dixie Hummingbirds. Rev. Joe's biography, "Flying with the Birds," written by Dr. Lynn Peterson, is now available. He is also being inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in St. Louis in September.

Patti Cary is an Alameda native, filmmaker, and the creator of Alameda Haunts, the organization behind multiple Spooky Season events, all benefitting the Alameda Food Bank. This is the 20th anniversary year of Alameda Haunts, and from the Lil’ Goblin parade in Franklin Park to the Creepy Cocktail Contest at bars and pubs across Alameda, there’s truly something for everyone. Patti and host Scott Piehler explore what it is about Alameda that makes Halloween so special.

Henry Friedman is the founder of the Washington State Holocaust and Education Center in Seattle, Washington. The topic of this week’s conversation is “Man’s Inhumanity to Man”.