The Vibraphone or Vibes were invented in the 1920s and was mostly a novelty percussion instrument. In 1930 Lionel Hampton started playing the vibes in the LA area. He later joined Benny Goodman’s Big Band and toured with them. In the 1940s Lionel became a popular band leader in the New York area.The next master to come along was Milt Jackson. Best known as the founder of the Modern Jazz Quartet he played from the 1940s through the 1980s. Milt played in the be-bop style with artists like Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and Thelonius Monk. Bobby Hutcherson was originally from LA. Like Lionel Hampton and Milt Jackson he started as a drummer. His epiphany came when he heard Beshaw swing performed by Milt Jackson, Miles Davis, Percy Heath, Thelonius Monk and Kenny Clark on the Miles Davis All Stars album. Bobby followed a more free jazz style. He moved to New York and later returned to the SF Bay Area. He was a founding member of the SF Jazz Collective.

Please join Sonny and Mel as they explore the music of these gentlemen and see how they changed the sound of jazz.

Vibes R’Us: Lionel Hampton, Milt Jackson, Bobby Hutcherson & More with Sonny & Mel Sat. May 5th  10am-2pm 

Al Green and Otis Redding represent two of the outstanding artist of 60’s and 70’s soul. Otis Redding is best know for his hit “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay”. Otis got his start as part of the southern chitlin’ circuit in the 60s. He was later signed to Stax Records and was a talent scout as well as a performer. A major turning point in his career came as he closed the Sat night performance of the Monterey Pop Festival. This performance introduced him to more main stream white audiences. Al Green came from a religious family from Arkansa and his early years were spent listening to gospel. However his early influences were Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke, Wilson Pickett and James Brown. Al found his own style with his album Let’s Stay Together released in Jan 1972. Through the 70s Al produced a series of hits. In the 80s he turned to gospel music. Today he is a practicing minister in the Memphis Tn area.

Fri night Kathleen and Harry will be exploring the music of these two great soul singers. You’ll hear Otis and Al’s hits, seldom-heard rarities and dynamic live tracks

The Heart of Soul: Otis Redding & Al Green with Kathleen & Harry Fri. May 4th  9pm-Midnight

Her title the “High Priestess of Soul” describes the music and performances of Nina SImone. Her 40 year career started in Tyron, North Carolina. Her parents were Methodist ministers and Nina learned to play piano at the age of 3. She was intent on becoming a classical pianist. She graduated as the valedictorian of her high school class. Unfortunately she was unable to get accepted to top musical schools. To make a living she taught music and started playing in bars in New Jersey. She quickly attracted crowds who appreciated her broad mix of classical, jazz, and broadway tunes. This led to a recording contract with Bethlehem Records. Over the next 30 years she would perform and record for audiences all over the world. Her later life was spent in southern France but she frequently toured.

On April 14th Nina Simone was one of 5 nominees inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame for her performances. Join us at KCSM to celebrate the music of Nina Simone.

Celebrate Nina Simone’s induction into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame

   Chuy & Mel Fri. May 4th  2-6pm 

   Keith & Mel Sun. May 6th  10am-2pm 

The weather has warmed up and the flowers are blooming. Spring has come. For the next three weekends KCSM is bringing you a series of jazz specials.

For our first weekend Mey 4-6 we have

Celebrate Nina Simone’s induction into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame with Chuy & Mel Fri. May 4th  2-6pm 

The Heart of Soul: Otis Redding & Al Green with Kathleen & Harry Fri. May 4th  9pm-Midnight 

Vibes R’Us: Lionel Hampton, Milt Jackson, Bobby Hutcherson & More with Sonny & Mel Sat. May 5th  10am-2pm 

Celebrate Nina Simone’s induction into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame with Keith & Mel Sun. May 6th  10am-2pm 

Then we follow for Mother’s Day weekend

Otis Redding with Chuy & Mel Fri. May 11th 2-6pm 

Mother’s Day Weekend with the Ladies of Song with Sonny & Mel Sat. May 12th 10am-2pm 

Mother’s Day Weekend with the Ladies of Song with Keith & Mel Sun. May 13th 10am-2pm 

Latin Jazz Mother’s Day – with Chuy & Chris Sun. May 13th 2-6pm 

We wind things up a weekend of Miles Davis

MILES DAVIS – with Chuy & Mel Fri. May 18th 2-6pm

MILES DAVIS – with Sonny, Dick & Mel Sat. May 19th 10am-6pm

We will be posting more details about this programs in the coming weeks. Please join us!

Join Chuy Varela, Sonny Buxton, Dick Conte, Kathleen Lawton and Melanie, as we lift a glass and celebrate the Centennial of the birth of Marian McPartland, the Grand Dame of Jazz Radio, and the host of Piano Jazz for over 30 years, making it the longest running cultural program on NPR.

Marian’s career began during WW II where she played for the English and American troops in Europe. She would meet Jimmy McPartland her future husband during a USO tour. After WW II she move to NY to become part of the jazz scene there. In 1956 she began to write for Downbeat magazine and was a regular contributor through the 1960s. In 1964 she started her radio show at WBAI in New York. This was syndicated and eventually became Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz on NPR in 1979. Marian would go on to feature interviews and performances with all the great jazz artists. She was also a champion of women in jazz and new artists.

We toast Marian on Friday, February 2^nd from 2 to 6PM and Saturday, February 3^rd, from 10AM to 6PM, right here, on KCSM, the Bay Area’s Jazz Station.

At 81, Eddie Palmieri is an icon of Latin and Jazz music. We celebrate this living legend and his legacy on Sunday, January 28th, from 2-6pm, on The Latin Jazz Show. We’ll hear Eddie in an interview conducted recently in which he tells us about his whirlwind global excursion celebrating his 80^th birthday and the “Wisdon/Sabiduria” he shares on his latest album.

The big band era brought us stellar jazz singers like Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra. Nat King Cole started out as a jazz pianist with his own trio. He was quite popular through WW II. In 1943 Nat King Cole recorded his first mainstream hit, “Straighten Up and Fly Right” for then then new Columbia Records. This song sold 500,000 copies. Nat broadened out to include the new media of radio and television.

Frank Sinatra has been a perennial singer in America since 1943. He started out as a the recording idol of the “bobby soxers” generation. His discography is a major component of the great American songbook of the post WW II era. Sintra continued to sing and was a major artist through 1998. He was a major figure in the Las Vegas “Rat Pack” bunch.

Join Melanie, Dick, Sonny and Kathleen from 10am – 6pm on Saturday Jan 27th to listen to the stories of the Boys in the Band.

On October 24^th, the music world lost one of the pioneers of Rock & Roll and R&B, Fats Domino! For over 60 years, Antoine Dominique Domino Jr. thrilled us with his special brand of Soul and Boogie Woogie piano.

A native of New Orleans Fats Domino has over sixty million records sold to his name. He was one of the first inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His boogie woogie piano is legendary. His music is prime for dancing.

Join us for a 90^th Anniversary Celebration of the birth of Fats Domino and the music that still keeps us movin’ and grooving’, on Friday, January 26^th from 2-6PM and Sunday, January 28^th, from 10am-2PM, right here on KCSM, the Bay Area’s Jazz Station.

In the 1950s Cuban music exploded in popularity with the Mambo and Cha Cha Cha. It gave prominence to many artists but it was the female singers like Celia Cruz, Graciela, Olga Guillot, La Lupe, Celeste Mendoza, and Omara Portuondo, who captured the hearts of the world with their voices.

Celia Cruz ranks as one of the most popular Latin Music singers with twenty-three gold albums. Her career started in 1950 in pre-Castro Cuba and lasted through her passing in 2003.

Another Cuban singer Omara Portuondo was a contemporary of Celia Cruz. She was popular through the 60s-80s. Her career picked up in 1996 with the album Buena Vista Social club. She was a founding singer and is still part of the group.

On Sunday, January 21^st, from 2-6pm, we honor the Cuban Divas on the Latin Jazz Show, right here at KCSM Jazz 91.

The 1960’s defined an era of awakening as transistor radios, eight track stereos and Hi-Fi’s began to pop-up in every home. Nearly half of the population was underage and the brightest stars were linked to the British Invasion and the Motown and San Francisco Sounds. KCSM takes you back with “Feelin’ Soulful!”…A stroll through the soulful side of jazz with revolutionary artists such as the Staple Singers, Ramsey Lewis, James Brown, the Jazz Crusaders and more.

While Keith and Melanie are spinning the tunes on Sunday you need to check out out pledge gifts. You can find these CDs and more at our Winter Pledge Gifts

Join Keith and Melanie for “Feelin’ Soulful!” on Sunday Jan 21^st from 10AM-2PM here on KCSM the Bay Area’s Jazz Station.