Author: Jazz90.1

JazzKidz Week #18 – John Coltrane

By Jaclyn Breeze John Coltrane was a saxophonist and composer born in 1926 in North Carolina and was one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century. He played music from the time he was little and got his first alto saxophone when he was 17 as a birthday gift from his mother.…

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JazzKidz Week #17 – Samara Joy

By: Jaclyn Breeze Samara Joy was born on November 11th, 1999 in the Castle Hill neighborhood in the Brox, NY. She comes from a family of musicians and attended Fordham High School for the Arts. She then enrolled in SUNY Purchase’s jazz program for college where she was named an Ella Fitzgerald Scholar. In 2019…

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JazzKidz Week #16 – Nat King Cole

By: Jaclyn Breeze Nat King Cole was born in 1919 and grew up in Chicago. His mother realized when he was very young that he was musically inclined and began giving him piano lessons. By age 23 he was an accomplished pianist, and by the time he was a teenager he was performing in jazz…

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JazzKidz Week #15 – Lillian Hardin Armstrong

By: Jaclyn Breeze Lillian Hardin Armstrong (called Lil) was a jazz pianist, composer, singer, and bandleader. She was born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1898, and was taught many spirituals, hymns, and classical music on the piano. She later started learning pop and blues. Lil’s first piano teacher was her third-grade teacher, and was soon enrolled…

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WGMC@50 Podcast Series: Episode 25 – Dan Bindert

Dan Bindert first fell in love with radio in college while working for student-run WBSU-FM at SUNY Brockport. Soon after, he found himself picking up shifts at stations like WXXI-AM and here at Jazz90.1 in the early 90’s, easing into the biz. Dan has gone on to become General Manager of WDCB in Chicago, and…

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JazzKidz Week #15 – Shoshana Bean

By: Jaclyn Breeze Shoshana Bean is a singer and songwriter who has topped the Billboard Charts for both her jazz and broadway work. Born in 1977 in Olympia Washington, she moved to New York City after finishing college in Cincinnati where she studied Musical Theater. Best known for her work as Ephaba in Wicked following…

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JazzKidz Week #14 – Thelonious Monk

By: Jaclyn Breeze Thelonious Monk was a composer and pianist, born in 1917 and raised in Manhattan. He began learning piano when he was 6 years old. He mostly learned stride piano, a common technique in ragtime. From ages 10-12 he studied under the pianist and concertmaster for the New York Philharmonic, where he learned…

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JazzKidz Week #12 – Bessie Smith

By Jaclyn Breeze Bessie Smith, born April 15th, 1894, was a singer nicknamed “The Empress of the Blues.” Bessie’s parents died when she was very young, and so she and one of her brothers, Andrew, busked on the streets to earn money for their family. She sang and danced and he played the guitar. When…

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WGMC@50 Podcast Series: Episode 23 – Mike Velazquez

Mike Velazquez has been a volunteer DJ with Jazz90.1 for 13 years, and a fan of jazz since he was a child. He first came to the station as an evening host, and now hosts middays from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Mike shares his story about how a conversation with the late Gary O.…

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Jazz Kidz Week #11 – Randy Weston

By: Jaclyn Breeze Randy Weston, a composer and pianist, was born in Brooklyn, NY on April 6, 1926. Being in the city, he grew up listening to the many jazz stars that were always playing there. His biggest influence was Thelonius Monk, but he also cites Count Basie, Nat King Cole, Art Tatum, and Duke…

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Jazz90.1 Receives Proclamation From County Legislature

On February 13, Jazz90.1 was recognized by The Monroe County Legislature and President Yversha Roman, receiving a proclamation commemorating the station’s 50th anniversary. Station Manager Rob Linton and Operations Assistant Derrick Lucas were on hand to accept the honor.   “Jazz90.1 is grateful for this recognition from The County Legislature. The station has been an integral part of…

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WGMC@50 Podcast Series: Episode 23 – John Nyerges

Jazz90.1 has had the opportunity to partner with many amazing musicians during our five decade history. Many of those players are from right here in Rochester, and they have remained our close personal friends. From the old Meet The Artist Concert Series at Apollo Middle School, to our jazz cruises and other community concerts –…

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WGMC@50 Podcast Series: Episode 22 – Nick Francesco

Nick Francesco has been in the microcomputer industry since 1975. He has done extensive training, including adjunct teaching at various colleges, and lots of end-user support. Nick also spent 20 years as a professional actor, and since 1989, Nick has co-hosted Sound Bytes heard weekly on Jazz90.1. From the start of the show on Rochester…

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JazzKidz Week #10 – Mary Lou Williams

By Jaclyn Breeze Mary Lou Williams was a pianist, composer, and arranger, especially popular in the swing and bebop eras. She was also a teacher dedicated to teaching younger generations about jazz’s African American heritage.  Mary Lou was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1910. She moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when she was 4 and began…

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WGMC@50 Podcast Series: Episode 19 – Joëlle VanBuren

Joëlle VanBuren served as Jazz90.1’s morning show host for nearly 30 years. She first got her taste for radio while a student at Purdue University (while studying French.) Before radio, she was a social worker at the Monroe County Department of Social Services. She began her radio career after being rejected by 1180 WHAM for…

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WGMC@50 Podcast Series: Episode 21 – Al Meilutis

Al Meilutis
Al Meilutis has been a life-long fan of Polka music. Although he has officially retired from the airwaves as co-host of The Polka Bandstand Show on Jazz90.1 – his story about how he arrived behind the mic is quite interesting. On Al’s wedding day in the early 90’s, the late Ray Serafin and his band…

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WGMC@50 Podcast Series: Episode 20 – Tom Christian

Wednesday afternoon host Tom Christian has quite the story about how he landed his own midday shift on Jazz90.1. Tom and his late wife Kathy have been supporters of the station for decades, and when Tom heard our call for new DJ’s – he decided to see what it was all about. Hear Tom’s story…

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JazzKidz Week #9 – Benny Goodman

By: Jaclyn Breeze The clarinet is a woodwind instrument, played by blowing air through the instrument. The modern clarinet was invented around 1700 with the same base as a chalumeau, an earlier woodwind instrument, but with more keys and a larger range. The clarinet has the largest pitch range of the common woodwinds. Clarinets are…

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JazzKidz Week #8 – Max Roach

By: Jaclyn Breeze — Jazz drummers play on a drum kit, which is a collection of drums and cymbals and is part of the rhythm section. The drums and cymbals that are used vary from player to player as well as through genres. The player usually uses sticks or brushes to play the drums with…

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