University of South Florida Scholar Commons First Choice Monthly Newsletter WUSF 3-1-2008 First Choice - March 2008 WUSF, University of South Florida Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/wusf_first Part of the Broadcast and Video Studies Commons Scholar Commons Citation WUSF, University of South Florida, "First Choice - March 2008" (2008). First Choice Monthly Newsletter. Paper 47. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/wusf_first/47 This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the WUSF at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in First Choice Monthly Newsletter by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. firstchoice wusf FOR INFORMATION, EDUCATION AND ENTERTAINMENT • MARC H 2 0 0 8 Marian McPartland: Grand Dame of Piano Jazz To NPR listeners, the mellifluous voice of Marian McPartland is the voice of an old friend. McPartland has hosted Piano Jazz since 1979, conversing and performing with jazz legends. McPartland is a legend in her own right. Born in England, she was a piano prodigy by age three and received classical training during her teens. After joining a four-piano vaudeville act, she toured Europe during World War II, entertaining Allied troops. While on that tour, she met and married cornetist Jimmy McPartland. The multitalented McPartland went on to compose such jazz standards as “Twilight World” and “In the Days of Our Love,” form her own jazz trio, form her own jazz recording label, write a shelf-full of books about jazz, and play with most of the jazz giants of the mid-20th century. Her extraordinary life explains why so many normally reticent musicians open up to McPartland so freely on her show—and why their conversa- tions are so alive. Today’s jazz legends Piano Jazz know McPartland can do more than just talk about jazz; she can also with Marian create it. Some of McPartland’s best McPartland conversations are wordless; she remains a stellar piano accompanist. is heard on As alto saxophonist Phil Woods once said, “Marian is a pro, and she’s got WUSF 89.7 on a real gift of making people feel like themselves.” No wonder musicians Saturdays from from Elvis Costello to Sting, Ray 9 to 10 p.m. Charles and Tony Bennett have been guests on her show. No wonder our listeners can’t live without her voice. WUSF: FIRST CHOICE WUSF Public WUSF TV/DT March Highlights Broadcasting: A range of MY GENERATION – The 60s is a collection of essential folk media choices rock, rhythm-and-blues and WUSF 89.7 provides pop classics that brings back NPR news and classical the sounds—and memories— music during the day of the peace, love and protest and straight-ahead jazz era. With introductions by at night. To keep you “Mama” Michelle Phillips of informed and engaged, we the Mamas & the Papas, this combine NPR’s acclaimed special recalls an unforgettable global reporting with time of profound change and our own award-winning music that remains relevant Florida coverage. today. Check our Web site for WUSF 89.72 delivers public show times. radio’s best news and information 24 hours a DANIEL O’DONNELL day. Its fresh spectrum AT HOME IN IRELAND of programs includes: presents a wonderful Fresh Air, Talk of the Nation, combination of music and The Diane Rehm Show, breathtaking scenery. O’Donnell The Splendid Table, The and his longtime singing Infinite Mind and On the partner, Mary Duff, perform at a Media. This channel is available on HD digital new concert hall in Letterkenny radios and online. in his home county of Donegal. His trademark personal touch WUSF TV/DT proudly is evident as he returns to the broadcasts on four digital church where he married his television stations which wife, Majella. Check our are now available on Web site for show times. Verizon FiOS: Channel 870, WUSF TV-16, providing THE OSMONDS 50TH PBS programming; ANNIVERSARY REUNION Channel 871, The Florida marks the first time in many Knowledge Network; Channel 872, Create; years that the entire Osmond and Channel 873, The family is gathered together on Annenberg CPB Channel. the same stage. They have set concert attendance records wusf.org WUSF’s Web site around the world and still offers crystal-clear digital maintain successful careers. simulcasts of our radio The special includes cameo programming on WUSF 89.7 and WUSF 89.72. On- appearances by celebrity demand podcasting allows guests, including Andy Williams, listeners to download now as well as many historic photos and listen later. Both state- and video clips. Check our of-the-art services are free. Web site for show times. WUSF: FIRST CHOICE Bob Seymour It’s Jazz All Night Jazz IS ALIVE AND WELL AT WUSF. The station fills the airwaves and the Internet with timeless classics and new releases— 51 hours of high-quality jazz every week. Bob Seymour, WUSF’s jazz director, is responsible for this audio feast. What’s on the table? Only the finest. Along with jazz programs from WUSF’s studios, listeners enjoy weekly broadcasts of Riverwalk, Jazz at Lincoln Center, JazzSet, and Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz which, Seymour says, “keep us in touch with great live performances and the larger jazz community coast to coast.” Still hungry? Dig into WUSF’s original jazz programming throughout the week with Seymour and fellow jazz hosts Jeff Franklin and Gig Brown, beginning at 10 p.m., bringing you great sounds all night long. continued on following page WUSF: FIRST CHOICE Seymour earned an economics degree from It’s Jazz All Night continued from preceding page The sounds are wide-ranging, reflecting the the University of Illinois but has found himself in broad spectrum of the music. “Our strong suit is broadcasting almost ever since. “I’d always had a straight-ahead jazz of the past four or five decades, fascination with radio, but never imagined being on air with a good assortment of new releases,” Seymour until after college, and it just fell into place,” he says. says. “But you’re also as likely to hear Pat Metheny And while working in various formats, he says, “I always or blues or Brazilian jazz in any given hour.” Devoted gravitated to the qualities of public radio—the lack of listeners never know exactly what to expect, but know hype, the emphasis on excellence, the importance of they can count on the selections to be worth their the listener. Jazz on public radio is a natural.” time. And that’s what keeps them listening. The earlier start time for jazz, a move WUSF How does he describe the typical strategically made in January 2006 to capture a larger evening audience, was a change Seymour welcomed WUSF jazz listener? eagerly. With jazz now beginning at 10 p.m., “someone “There is no such thing. You can’t pigeonhole with a 9-to-5 job can catch some the jazz listener by age, socioeconomic status, or jazz, or a high school kid can hear anything,’’ Seymour, says and laughs. “But they’re a little Oscar Peterson before bed. smart. They’re curious. They have open minds and The increase in people listening open ears.” is very apparent to me with that Making individual contact with listeners is additional hour.” Seymour’s favorite part of the job. “It’s a real treat to be Along with presenting an in touch every day with the people who like this music, intriguing blend of jazz every night, and with the artists, and my colleagues on the business Oscar Peterson Seymour and his WUSF colleagues side who have a passion for jazz.” view themselves as “Jazz Central,” Seymour, part of the WUSF family since 1981, fell keeping listeners up to date on in love with jazz early. “As a kid playing trombone, I was what’s happening locally and given a J.J. Johnson record. I just followed my curiosity, around the jazz world. And promi- and kept reading the fine print on album jackets, even if nent musicians share their stories, I didn’t know what I was hearing. And that J.J. record is too. Pianists Chick Corea, Dick still a real favorite, come to think of it.” Hyman, and Kenny Drew, Jr., have all made repeat visits to WUSF. Joe Henderson WUSF 89.7: A Jazz Feast Seymour recalls on-air conversations with jazz legends WEEKDAYS Joe Henderson and Benny Golson as two of his most Mondays memorable evenings on the job. Jazz with Bob Seymour (midnight-5 a.m.) Seymour is frequently found on stage introducing Tuesdays through Thursdays Jazz with Bob Seymour (10 p.m.-1 a.m.) concerts, at USF’s Monday Night Jazz Series, as well as the Clearwater Jazz Holiday and Sarasota Jazz Tuesdays through Fridays Jazz with Jeff Franklin (1 a.m.-5 a.m.) Festival. As a founding board member of the Tampa Jazz Club, he emcees programs at the Gorilla Theatre, WEEKENDS Fridays and credits the several jazz societies in the area for Riverwalk Jazz (10-11 p.m.) their role in enriching the live music scene. Jazz at Lincoln Center (11 p.m.-midnight) “We have a lot of really talented musicians, though JazzSet (midnight-1 a.m.) there’s a lack of a cohesive club scene. But you can hear Saturdays a lot of great music if you keep your ear to the ground.” Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz (9-10 p.m.) Thanks to Seymour and WUSF, when live jazz Saturday Night Jazz with Bob Seymour (10 p.m.-1 a.m.) is cooking, area jazz lovers can find out where.