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| New to WJCT Public Media—Jazz Beyond Tradition with Ulysses Owens, Jr. & Keanna Faircloth In celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month, WJCT Public Media and the Jacksonville Music Experience will debut Jazz Beyond Tradition, a six-episode series that explores jazz voices from the past, present and future. Hosted by Jacksonville-bred, Grammy-Award-winning musician and educator Ulysses Owens, Jr. and award-winning radio and podcast personality Keanna Faircloth (NPR Music, WBGO, Artimacy Podcast), each episode of Jazz Beyond Tradition will honor jazz elders and standard-bearers, while creating space for the voices of tomorrow in jazz and beyond with playlists that connect the past to the present in joyous and surprising ways. The series kicks off on Sunday, April 21 at 7 p.m. on WJCT News 89.9 with a focus on the magic of jazz vocals, featuring interviews with rising stars Christie Dashiell and Ekep Nkwelle, accompanied by a playlist that weaves together the stories of pioneering artists and the influence of jazz on contemporary music, while foreshadowing the future of jazz vocals. "Ulysses is a powerhouse musician who exemplifies what it means to take Jazz beyond tradition, " says Faircloth of her co-host, whose new album, A New Beat, with his band of jazz upstarts, Generation Y, has, as of press time, enjoyed the top spot on the Jazz Week charts for eight consecutive weeks. "Ulysses' music and mission has been to carry on the jazz tradition while looking ahead to the future, literally taking the next generation of musicians along for the ride. He's also a well-respected native of Jacksonville who serves the community through his talent. I also appreciate how he's able to talk shop with the musicians that we interview! He truly adds something very special to the JBT formula." "Keanna is the Queen of Jazz Radio, in my humble opinion, because she loves and lives for the music and the culture wholeheartedly, " says Owens Jr. "She has been on the air successfully for over two decades and understands what the listeners need from the music. She is an ambassador for the present and future of jazz radio, anchored in the tradition – having been mentored by the late Jamal Muhammad and Rob Crocker, as well as Maxx Myrick. We are super fortunate to have someone with her national reach working with us at WJCT." Featuring engaging interviews with local, national and international artists and tastemakers (including harpist Brandee Younger, saxophonist James Brandon Lewis, music journalist Marcus J. Moore, among others), Jazz Beyond Tradition bridges the gap between where jazz has been and where it's headed. From the torchbearers of the jazz-vocal tradition to the state of the mighty tenor saxophone to the enduring influence of unimpeachably cool jazz-focussed record labels to the prevalence of jazz in Jacksonville, Jazz Beyond Tradition illuminates the artform and provides a unique lens through which to view, hear and understand the music. "Jazz Beyond Tradition is more than a show, it's a movement that seeks to bring the tradition of this music to our audience while also giving them a glimpse into the sonic future, " says Owens Jr. "It's been a pure joy creating this show with Keanna and it's made me fall in love with jazz all over again!" Jazz Beyond Tradition kicks off on Sunday April 21 and airs every Sunday night at 7 p.m. on WJCT News 89.9 through May 26. Each episode will also air on The Independent 89.9 HD4's Jazz Brunch (10am-noon). Follow JBT on Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Keanna Faircloth's Instagram pages, and on the JBT website here. Air Dates: April 21, 28; May 5, 12, 19, 26 on WJCT News 89.9 from 7-9 p.m. EST And on The Independent 89.9 HD4's Jazz Brunch on April 21, 28; May 5, 12, 19, 26 from 10am-noon. ABOUT THE HOSTS Ulysses Owens, Jr. is a three-time Grammy Award-Winning musician, producer, educator and author. Owens Jr.'s music has been praised by the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Downbeat and more, and he's played on releases by Kurt Elling and The Christian McBride Big Band, among others. Aside from recently releasing his eighth studio album, Owens Jr. has authored three books, his latest is called The Essential Guide to the Large Ensemble, and he's a regular contributor to the Jacksonville Music Experience, WJCT Public Media's music platform. He's a faculty member at The Juilliard School, where he's the director of the Small Ensemble program. He's also the Artistic Director for his family's arts non-profit organization in Jacksonville, Florida called "Don't Miss A Beat, " and the newly appointed Artistic Director for the Friday Musicale Summer Jazz Camp in Jacksonville. He has a three-year appointment as the Educational Artist in Residence for SF Performances in San Francisco, CA. Keanna Faircloth is radio personality, writer and artist advocate. From 2019-2022, she served as the host of Afternoon Jazz on WBGO 88.3 FM in Newark, NJ. While at WBGO, Faircloth created and produced the widely acclaimed interview series, The Pulse. She is the creator and host of the podcast Artimacy, where she has interviewed artists like Robert Glasper, Dionne Warwick, Wynton Marsalis, Melba Moore, and countless others. In 2019, she was named a "Future African American Leader in Radio" by Radio Ink Magazine. She has written for WBGO, WRTI, The New York Times, and NPR Music. She is also a contributor on NPR's New Music Friday edition of All Songs Considered, and a music contributor on NPR's Here and Now. Airing Schedule: April 21 - "The Magic of Jazz Vocals" April 28 - "The State of the Tenor" May 5 - "Jazz Meets Harp" May 12 - "A Night at the East" May 19 - "Jazz in Florida" May 26 - "40 Plus Years of the Jax Jazz Festival" write your comments about the article :: © 2024 Jazz News :: home page |