Due to an error, the sweepstakes entry has been extended through Monday, 5/4/2026 at 6am. We're excited to offer this sweepstakes opportunity and your chance to win! Click the story subject for the entry form and official rules.

JAZZ in IRELAND: Part 2 of a new series of articles from Ireland and Europe for KCSM.org INTRO by Melanie O’Reilly, jazz singer, radio host & producer, jazz educator. Happy International Jazz Day from Ireland! On this day when jazz is celebrated around the world, we continue our new series of regular articles on Jazz in Ireland on the KCSM website. In this Part 2 of the series, guest writer musician & musicologist Mark O’Callahan continues with the story of Jazz as it unfolded in Ireland and how, despite the obstacles stated in Part 1, the brilliant and innovative Irish jazz artists started to emerge after 1945 into the 1950’s 60’s & 70’s; also included is an introduction to the extraordinary and influential Irish guitarist Louis Stewart.Part 3 of the series Jazz in Ireland will continue next month with a more in-depth exploration of Louis Stewart, his peers, and the generation of Irish jazz musicians he influenced. (click story subject to continue)

KCSM's Jazz Appreciation Month Celebration "Passing The Torch" made 48 Hill news! (click the story subject for more)

Imperial Records, Part 3 - 1951-52. Imperial Records was a major player among the indie labels of the late 1940s and the entirety of the 1950s. Started in Los Angeles in 1946 by Lew Chudd, a Canadian raised in Harlem, Imperial began filling the ethnic and cultural voids left by the majors at the time. Chudd knew there was a large market for Latino Music in America, so he headed to Mexico City and recorded some Mexican jump bands that sold very well. He then included square dance records which also racked up sales as now square dances could be held without callers. He began recording Rhythm & Blues in 1947 and by '49, he had hired Dave Bartholomew to scout talent in fertile New Orleans.

Jesse “Chuy” Varela welcomes Rhonda Sauce to Jazz In The Afternoon to talk about her new EP, “Some Other Place”, and upcoming performance at the San Francisco International Arts Festival. Rhonda Sauce is a distinctive voice in the Bay Area’s jazz scene, celebrated for her expressive vocals, genre‑blending approach, and ability to connect deeply with audiences through both intimate and bold performances. Her work invites listeners into a world where jazz is not confined to tradition but is a living, evolving art form.

Ponta Lopud Jazz festival. On a picturesque island off the coast of Dubrovnik, the Ponta Lopud Jazz Festival creates a rare space for artists to connect and create. Co-founder and Croatian American singer Thana Alexa is at the heart of it. Hear how a quaint festival becomes a larger-than-life experience, with performances by Sofía Rei and more.

Part 2. Erroll Garner: The Complete Concert By The Sea. With the jazz piano giant in one of the most famous jazz concerts ever.

Bill Evans and Tony Bennett. You’re in for a special treat -- The combination of two peerless musicians: Bill Evans and Tony Bennett. This may sound like a strange combination, with Evans, an introspective pianist with a sensitive touch, and Bennett, a muscular singer with exuberant gusto. But together they balanced each other and created a consummate artistic work that brought out the best of both of them.

Long time Pittsburgh resident trombonist, pianist and band leader Reggie Watkins has released four recordings as a band leader and has appeared on many others. From 1999 to 2006 he served as trombonist and musical director for trumpeter and band leader Maynard Ferguson, and later served in the same capacity with singer-songwriter Jason Mraz. Reggie has four releases as bandleader including his May 2025 release Rivers and he performs selections from that album here. From June 20th, 2025 Daniel Peck is your host for Reggie Watkins… Live at the Bop Stop.

This episode includes music from Sis. Rosa Shaw, Capitol City Stars, Staples Jr. Singers (pictured), Patterson Singers, plus Holy Week selections from Rev. James Cleveland and the GMWA Mass Choir, Willing Four, Fisk Jubilee Singers, and others.

Since 2021, Nishant Joshi has served as Alameda’s Chief of Police. Host Scott Piehler talks with Chief Joshi about his 25+ year career, his path from Oakland PD to Alameda, the unique opportunities an island presents to law enforcement, and why community involvement is the true key to successful policing.