50 years of jazz radio and the future of Nashville’s jazz scene

“Jazz is here, whether you know it or not!”

That’s how one local jazz musician describes the scene in Middle Tennessee. It’s thriving, if less visible, with deep roots going way back to the 1930s, especially in the historically Black Jefferson Street community.

That’s also the location of the first jazz radio station in Nashville and the first Black-owned FM station — on the campus of Fisk University. Jazzy 88 WFSK is celebrating 50 years on air and getting ready for the return of its Fisk Food & Jazz Festival after a three-year absence.

WFSK is an anchor for the local jazz community, but it now has a lot of company from the Nashville Jazz Workshop, Rudy’s Jazz Room and a burgeoning youth attraction to jazz music performance and appreciation. In this episode, we’ll learn about the visionary launch of WFSK and how it is a beacon for smooth, contemporary jazz musicians and listeners. We’ll also hear about other efforts to spread jazz education and awareness to music lovers of all ages.

But first, Nashville Scene contributor Matt Masters join us to talk about his recent reporting on far-right extremism in Williamson County.

Guests:

• Sharon Kay, general manager of Jazzy 88 WFSK
• Les Sabler, jazz guitarist
• Larry Seeman, communications director for the Nashville Jazz Workshop
• Crystal Miller, jazz vocalist
• Miles Hall, high school student, jazz musician