WTJX 93.1, the NPR Station for the Virgin Islands, is pleased to announce the addition of 10 new shows. Nine are musically orientated, and one is a talk show hosted by women.
Monday 7-9 p.m.
New Urban Jazz: (2 hours) … Host Bob Baldwin’s show hearkens back to when greats like Grover Washington Jr., Ramsey Lewis, Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis and Wayne Shorter populated the sound with new directions for their music. Bob Baldwin is an International recording artist, jazz concert producer, and knowledgeable host, who brings the audience the living genre from an artist’s perspective. He will be celebrating his 30th year as a recording artist (2018).
Tuesday 7-9 p.m.
Catch the Flo: (2 hours) … “Catch the Flo” is a weekly music show hosted by contemporary jazz keyboard artist Marcus Johnson. “Catch the Flo” features jazz music, both straight and smooth, Latin grooves, urban instrumentals, southern jam bands, soulful vocalists and more. The listener will hear classic artists who were the progenitors of smooth jazz (think Herbie, Miles) and new artists on the horizon. Johnson describes “Catch the Flo” as a “Lifestyle journey in great music” that will feature: Chill, Lounge, Brazilian vibes and Jazz.
Wednesday 7-9 p.m.
The Groove: (2 hours) “The Groove,” with host Rufus Harrison, features contemporary jazz artists like Gerald Albright, Marion Meadows, George Benson, Marcus Miller and Boney James — mixed with substantial vocalists such as Nina Simone, Donny Hathaway, Bill Withers, Liz Wright and Al Jarreau. In addition, Harrison adds multi-genre musicians like Brazilian pianist Eliane Elias, the late great Wes Montgomery and the Jazz Crusaders to new music topping the smooth jazz charts.
Thursday 7-9 p.m.
My World of Music: (2 hours) … hosted by singer/songwriter Walt Richardson II. “My World of Music” has a strong Caribbean, African, Latin base, with blues, folk, Asian and Middle Eastern sounds mixed in, throughout. Much of the music in this program is a highly rhythmic and danceable mix. The show opens each week with reggae-inspired theme music and immediately takes off into a global direction. The show features: A hot mambo band, a South African chorus, Arab groove, Bob Marley performing live, a steamy samba and a reggae version of Bob Dylan’s classic “Maggie’s Farm.”
Friday 7-9 p.m.
The Roots of Smooth Jazz: (1 hour) … Host Bobby Jackson goes deep into the musicology of smooth jazz and focuses a portion of each hour on a particular smooth jazz artist, featuring that artist’s music and brief segments of the artist speaking in his/her own words about their evolution and who influenced them.
Sunday 7-8 a.m.
The Spin (women’s talk show) (1 hour): The host is Esther Armah with a power-packed panel of women of color with fresh voices and fresh perspectives. It’s a no holds barred, candid and informed discussion on current news and on issues like race, gender, health, income and more. Esther, a U.K. native of Ghanaian heritage has identified a panel of 20 brilliant multi-generational women who are media savvy and masters in their fields, or as Esther refers to them “badass women.” Panelists include women who are African-American, Caribbean, Latino, African and Indian.
Sunday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Cafe Jazz: (3 hours) …Three hours of big band, bebop and beyond café jazz is a mix of original vinyl recordings with contemporary jazz releases on CD. The show is energetic, classic and classy. It is filled with lots of fulsome big band sounds. It also features the very best of the bebop era and straight-ahead jazz. Host and producer Richard (Gene) Knight adds sprinkles of history, humor, trivia, folklore and candid commentary for the audience’s entertainment. The three-hour show is divided into one-hour segments.
Sunday 4-5 p.m.
Jazz in the New Millennium: (1 hour) is a one-hour jazz program hosted by veteran journalist, radio host and educator Rick Mitchell. While most featured artists have solid mainstream jazz bona fides, the host also offers samples of their work across different eras and musical genres. Mitchell says the show celebrates the bridge between the 20th century jazz tradition and the new pathways of jazz in the new millennium.
Sunday 7-8 p.m.
Cool Jazz Countdown: (1 hour) “Cool Jazz Countdown” is a one-hour weekly show, highlighting the Top 10 Jazz Albums of the week based on jazz charts, listener’s feedback and local radio airplay. Cool Jazz Countdown is a real service to jazz lovers with hectic schedules, helping them to stay on top of all that’s new in jazz releases and reissues. From mainstream, to contemporary to the new collaborations of jazz & soul, Cool Jazz Countdown covers it all.
Sunday 8-10 p.m.
Friends of the Blues: (2 hours) … “Friends of the Blues,” hosted by “Shuffle Shoes the Blues Guru” and Dr. Skyy, features such legends as Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon and Sonny Boy Williamson as well as current “unknowns and regional stand-outs. True aficionados, the hosts are immersed in blues culture; they know the artists, the labels, the recordings, the band members, and they do a good amount of traveling to live blues performances throughout the U.S.
