Bobby Watson and Victor Lewis with Chris Cortez
Former Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers saxophonist Bobby Watson and drummer Victor Lewis (who played with Stan Getz for 11 years) joined forces in the 1980-s to form the band Horizon producing essential recordings while maintaining their own fruitful careers. After a decade of inactivity, the group reunited to produce Horizon Reassembled setting the course for another chapter in their musical adventures.

George Cables with Jesse "Chuy" Varela
Captivating pianist and composer George Cables first emerged in New York in the 1960's where he established himself working alongside groundbreaking artists Woody Shaw, Joe Henderson and Bobby Hutcherson. Throughout the 1970's he worked frequently with Dexter Gordon, Freddie Hubbard and Art Pepper and currently leads his own trio while performing with the all-star collective known as the Cookers.

Susannah McCorkle with Dick Conte
Berkeley native and multi-linguist Susannah McCorkle active during the 1980's and 1990's was recognized for her thoughtful and engaging interpretations of the Popular American Songbook recording over two dozen commercially successful albums. Tragically, she suffered from crippling depression and the added pressures of stardom ultimately ending her own life in 2001 at the age of 55.

Andrew Speight with Michael Burman
ARIA Award winner, alto saxophonist and educator Andrew Speight hails from Sydney Australia where his family continues to produce the hugely popular Manley Jazz Festival . . . A tradition that started over 40 years ago. As a long time, Bay Area resident, he's been a constant champion of jazz mentoring and inspiring a legion of young players while maintaining a strong presence as a world class player and educator.

Dorthaan Kirk with Jesse "Chuy" Varela
NEA Jazz Award Fellowship recipient Dorthaan Kirk was honored as Newark's First Lady of Jazz for her commitment and lifetime of activity promoting jazz through various community events at radio station WGBH. Since the death of her husband Rahsaan Roland Kirk in 1977 she has worked tirelessly preserving his legacy while continuing the important work of outreach and coordinating a monthly Jazz Vespers series uniting music with spiritualism.

Some Nifty Theme Songs
(originally aired 9/27/15)

Teddy's Ladies
(originally aired 10/4/15)

When West Coast Jazz Meant "OId and Hot"
(originally aired 10/11/15)

Mary Lou: Lifetime Forerunner, Part 1
(originally aired 10/16/16)

Mary Lou: Lifetime Forerunner, Part 2
(originally aired 10/23/16)

10/04 Celebrating Dr. Billy Taylor (Part of NPR's 50th)

Jazz in Charm City
"Growing up where I grew up - it's everything." If there's a touch of defiant pride in Kris Funn's voice as he says these words, maybe that's only natural: Funn, a highly regarded bassist, is talking about Baltimore.

In the 1920s and '30s, Baltimore was a mecca for African American popular music. It was still a jazz hotbed well into the '60s, but then Baltimore fell into a long series of struggles and setbacks. Funn, who came up in Charm City during the Reagan era, recalls the whir of police helicopters overhead - a sense memory he incorporated into one of his tunes, "Ghettobird."

The city has recently seen a resurgence, and jazz is one notable part of that story. That's what we'll focus on this episode of Jazz Night in America, featuring music from the Baltimore Jazz Collective - founded by trumpeter Sean Jones, who now leads the jazz program at The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University. We'll hear the band at Keystone Korner Baltimore, which opened last spring and became the city's first major jazz club in ages.

We'll also hear tales from the Baltimore jazz scene past and present: from Keystone Korner proprietor and NEA Jazz Master Todd Barkan; from Jones and Funn; and from Todd Marcus, a bass clarinetist and community activist who also plays in the Collective and has made the revitalization of West Baltimore his all-consuming mission, one step at a time.

Jazz Night in Central Park
We bring you the story of an impromptu concert series spawned on the grounds of one of the first free African American settlements - Seneca Village - in the heart of Central Park, New York City. Join us for "Walk of the Wind" with performances by tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, drummer Nasheet Waits, and more.

Mel Brown
Jazz Night catches up with veteran Portland drummer Mel Brown who shares stories of playing on Motown in the 1970s and how he returned to his hometown to cultivate a scene for the next generation. We hear a set from his organ group recorded at 2019 Montavilla Jazz Festival.

Ernie Watts
Two-time Grammy Award winner Ernie Watts is one of the most versatile and prolific saxophone players in music. It has been more than fifty years since he first picked up a saxophone, and from age sixteen on he has been playing professionally, initially while still attending school. Watts has been featured on over 500 recordings by artists ranging from Cannonball Adderley to Frank Zappa, always exhibiting his unforgettable trademark sound. Jesse "Chuy" Varela will profile the career of Ernie Watts and feature an interview recently conducted with Ernie prior to his appearance at The 222 in Healdsburg, CA.

Houston Person
Saxophonist and record producer Houston Person stops by the Doodlin' Lounge for a chat with Pete.

Monterey Jazz Festival, Past and Present
"The first Monterey Jazz Festival took place over the first weekend of October 1958; and with the exception of 2020, when COVID-19 intervened, the festival has been presented every year since. Michael Burman will present a few performances from that first concert and from those over the following 50 years."

Yusef Lateef and Kenny Garrett
Tune in for some tracks by each of two saxophonists born on October 9: multi-reed player and NEA Jazz Master the late Yusef Lateef; and Miles Davis protege and Grammy nominee Kenny Garrett."