KCSM Proudly presents "Celebrating 60 Years of Broadcast Excellence. This documentary chronicles KCSM's history and its commitment to Jazz, told by the dedicated curators and fans who make the station swing.

On November 26, 2024 KCSM's own Jesse "Chuy" Varela hosted the Oaktown Jazz Workshops 30th Anniversary celebration at Yoshi's at Jack London Square in Oakland. Founded in 1994 by Khalil Shaheed to educate and illuminate young people to jazz music, the event featured the John Santos Sextet, Richard Howell, the OJW Alumni Band and the current OJW Performance Ensemble. Much love goes out to OJW Executive Director Ravi Abcarian and photographer David De Hart for the photos. (click the headline for more photos of the celebration)

Dr. Angela M. Wellman is an award-winning musician, scholar, educator, and activist. As a third-generation musician, Wellman has performed with many noted musicians, such as the McCoy Tyner Big Band, Joe Williams, and Dee Dee Bridgewater. She is a recipient of multiple local and national awards, including the City of Oakland's “Cultural Key to the City,” the Jazz Journalists Association’s Jazz Hero Award, the Arhoolie Award, and the 2020 Caffie M. Greene Community Building Award from UPSurge! NY, the prestigious National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Study Fellowship, the 2021 Alameda County Arts Leadership Award, and the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Beacon Award from the International Women’s Brass Conference. Dr Wellman is also recipient of the 2023 Icons Among Us Award from the Black Joy Parade and an inductee in Alameda County Women’s Hall of Fame-2023 Dr Wellman is the founding director of the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music in Oakland which provides music education for people in urban areas and is unique in serving predominantly black and brown youth. OPC is part of a broader agenda to build a national network of Public Conservatories with a unified teaching philosophy and teaching practices that engender equity, belonging, and empathy through music. In 2005, since she founded Oakland Public Conservatory, OPC has delivered masterclasses, performances, workshops, and community events by local and international artists. Dr Wellman has spent her whole life in music as a professional trombonist, teacher, and music education activist, focusing on ensuring that African American students have access to high-caliber music instruction.

Chess Records, Pt. 6 - 1955 takes a close look at all the significant Chess and Checker releases from 1955. Little Walter scores another R&B #1 and the biggest record of his career with "My Babe," while the Moonglows show that they have staying power when "Most Of All" makes the R&B top 5. On March 2, 1955, Ellas McDaniel lays down a hambone beat, calls himself Bo Diddley and the Rock n' Roll Revolution is on its way. Then this new music is cemented in July when Chess releases Chuck Berry's first record, "Maybellene" and in August it hits #1 and stays there through the fall.

Sarah Hanahan (ENCORE). The spotlight burns bright on alto saxophonist Sarah Hanahan, our featured artist on the latest episode of Jazz Night in America. Hear her blazing set from the 2022 Caramoor Jazz Festival AND music from her debut album, ‘Among Giants’ (Blue Engine Records) — featuring Marc Cary on piano, Nat Reeves on bass and Jeff “Tain” Watts on drums.

On Part 2 of a 3 part special, Making Records with Shirley Horn, we tell the story of the albums the great vocalist-pianist made for Verve between 1987 and 1998. And on this episode we’ll feature the Grammy-nominated albums “You Won’t Forget Me” and “Here’s To Life”. With Miles Davis, Wynton Marsalis, Buster Williams, Billy Hart and arrangements by Johnny Mandel.

This program is hosted by former Bop Stop Director Gabe Pollack. For more than two decades pianist Orrin Evans has made an art form of the unexpected. With more than 25 albums to his credit, Evans has become the model of a fiercely independent artist who’s made a habit of rattling the jazz world’s confining cages. That determination has paid off in accolades like topping the “Rising Star Pianist” category in the 2018 DownBeat Critics Poll and two Grammy nominations. As a daring pianist, Evans combines raw-edged vigor and left-field nuance into a sound wholly his own. This performance catches Orrin Evans on his first tour after completing his collaboration with The Bad Plus. From June 14th, 2019 It’s Orrin Evans…Live at the Bop Stop.

William Luck features great classic gospel selections on this edition of Gospel Memories.

Donna is an elementary school teacher at a Christian school in Texas. She says “she is there for her students” and believes God called her to teach. Donna highlights some of her classroom teaching methods and advice she gives parents of her elementary school students.

My topic is the Blues featuring an encore interview with Fruteland Jackson, an electric blues guitarist, singer, and song writer. Jackson has works with children to raise awareness of blues music and has been honored for his work in this field, including in 1997 being granted a prestigious W. C. Handy Award for “Keeping the Blues Alive” in Education.