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Honoring Jimmy Rowles

By Fritz ByersI’ve been voting in the annual DownBeat Jazz Poll for nearly as long as I’ve been hosting Jazz Spectrum – 34 years. I just sent in my ballot for this year’s poll. DownBeat, as you probably know, has been covering the world of jazz since 1934. It has survived, better than most, the challenges of the evolving world of publications, communications, and commentary. The current state of jazz journalism is fodder for a post or two, so maybe we’ll get to that down the road. Read More

New Episodes of Finding Festivals

Media & Press

WGTE Public Media is proud to present the full 13-episode season of Finding Festivals, created by local producer and show host Haylie Robinson. The series aims to unite communities through education and entertainment as Robinson travels throughout Ohio and Michigan, experiencing and sharing the story of many well-known festivals and events. The series' first episode will air on WGTE HD on Saturday, September 9 at 10:30 a.m. and new episodes air beginning on October 14 at 10:30 a.m. on WGTE HD. Read More

New Toledo Stories: Freedom Means Never Surrender

Media & Press

Join WGTE Public Media along with The Anastasia Fund and the Northwest Ohio Polish Cultural Center as it presents Toledo Stories: Freedom Means Never Surrender, a documentary that traces the exceptionally heroic lives of Colonel Marian Wojciechowski and Wladyslawa Poniecka-Wojciechowski. A live in-person premiere event is being held Friday, September 8 at 6 p.m. at the Franciscan Center building at Lourdes University. It will premiere on WGTE HD on Thursday, September 14 at 8 p.m. Read More

This week on Jazz Spectrum – September 2, 2023

Jazz Spectrum

By Fritz ByersThe centerpiece this week is Passage, the new release from Johnathan Blake’s spirited and tasteful quintet, Pentad.

The previous blog post, by Kim Kleinman, reports on a live performance last weekend by Pentad, streamed from Smoke Jazz Club in New York City, which Kim and I shared remotely. I commend that post to you for Kim’s characteristically incisive impressions of the music. Read More

JOHNATHAN BLAKE’s PENTAD with Steve Wilson, Joel Ross, David Virelles, and Dezron Douglas SMOKE JAZZ CLUB

Jazz Spectrum

By Kim KleinmanEven before the seasons of streams, Johnathan Blake made a huge impression on me as Kenny Barron’s magician on drums (and cymbals, as he is quick to add). He sits high behind his kit and keeps the cymbals low and flat so that he can reach them with the same motion as he uses with the drums. He is a force, a graceful dynamo. Read More

This week on Jazz Spectrum – August 26, 2023

Jazz Spectrum

By Fritz ByersTwo days ago, I posted a short piece about Wayne Shorter. You’ll find it just below in the blog thread.

Each set of this week’s show, except the two dedicated to the Song of the Week (“Good Morning Heartache”), begins with Wayne and a world-class band performing one of his compositions. Read More

Wayne Shorter

Jazz Spectrum

By Fritz Byers

This Friday is the birthday of Wayne Shorter, born August 25, 1933. He passed in March of this year, at 89. For more than fifty years, Wayne was in the pantheon of composers and instrumentalists, and he will live there permanently. If we had only his nine 1960s Blue Note recordings, from Night Dreamer in 1964 through Super Nova in 1969, he would be unrivaled as a composer, bandleader, and improviser. Read More

This week on Jazz Spectrum – August 19, 2023

Jazz Spectrum

By Fritz Byers

As you’ll see in the playlist for this week’s show, three of the first four sets begin with big-band pieces. Read More

New FM 91 Special “Late Night Klezmer with the Berlin Philharmonic”

Media & Press

“Late Night Klezmer with the Berlin Philharmonic” celebrates the eminent composer Samuel Adler.TOLEDO, OHIO – August 16, 2022 – Join WGTE Public Media as it presents the one-night special, “Late Night Klezmer with the Berlin Philharmonic” on Thursday, September 7 at 8 p.m. on FM 91. Read More

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