Josh Jackson
Josh Jackson is the associate general manager for content at WRTI in Philadelphia.
Prior to joining WRTI, he was program director and content manager of WVTF in Virginia and special projects producer at WBGO in Newark, N.J. While at WBGO, Josh hosted Live at the Village Vanguard, a monthly concert series from the legendary New York jazz club. He was also the creator and host of Living With Music, a multimedia riff about jazz, discovery and other big ideas.
He started with a full-time gig and volunteer host position at WWOZ in New Orleans, landed a temporary production assistant job at American Routes and attended public radio boot camp at Murray Street Productions in New York. He has produced award-winning documentaries and more than 250 live concert recordings while at WBGO.
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Baritone saxophonist Josh Sinton has a healthy obsession with the music of Steve Lacy, who remains an enduring figure in jazz. With the recent release of Transit, his second volume of Lacy originals, Sinton selects five key Lacy performances and explains why they're important.
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Best known for his lively work with pianist Vijay Iyer, Crump leads his drummer-less trio through a set of poignant originals on WBGO's The Checkout with Josh Jackson.
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The mid-40s are typically a transitional period for many jazz musicians. On Push, pianist Jacky Terrasson enlisted a young rhythm section, and the result has recharged his music. In a session from WBGO, Terrasson's trio opens with a tribute to Michael Jackson.
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The New York-based saxophonist leads a New Orleans-style parade band with a circus tendency. Hear three originals from Puppet Mischief in this session from WBGO.
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Jazz is strange enough for some listeners. Dig a little deeper and it gets ever so bizarre. Some musicians take instruments from other traditions and make it their own. Some go for the big and bold. Others just invent. Hear the strange worlds of Cloud Chamber Bowls, the daxophone, mollusks and more.
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When "Buckshot La Funke" appeared on a Louis Smith record, you may not have known it was actually Cannonball Adderley. Record contracts of yesteryear (and some today) buried exclusivity clauses in the fine print. But musicians have to eat, so they would record under other names, like the five included here. -
Studio recordings from 1959 make a strong case for that year as one of the best ever for jazz. Now, a large set of 50-year-old live recordings from the Newport Jazz Festival have been released online. WBGO's Josh Jackson and The New York Times' Ben Ratliff select some choice highlights.
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With many hundreds of new recordings each year, jazz maintains a lot of biodiversity in its tiny ecosystem. Chances are, it's got something for everyone, but finding the right fit is like searching for an ant in the jungle; it's never an easy quest, but when it happens, you'll likely find an entire colony. Here are the 10 finest jazz records of 2009, as chosen by WBGO's Josh Jackson.
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Serpa was a student at the New England Conservatory in Boston when she was pulled into the jazz world in a big way by saxophonist Greg Osby. In a session from WBGO, the Lisbon-born vocalist sings two originals and gives her own unique twist on the fado.
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Attempting to make your way into jazz is never easy, but the jazz writer and cultural critic Gary Giddins has rendered it a bit more approachable. His new book, Jazz, is a new guide for novice listeners and longtime fans alike. Giddins picks five songs from his list of 101 entry-way jazz recordings.
