Join Jesse "Chuy" Varela as he celebrates the contribution of Arsenio Rodriguez, the blind Afro-Cuban Tres guitar player who revolutionized Cuban music by adding congas, piano, and multiple trumpets to the traditional Cuban Son (Sohn). He is considered the bedrock of what is now called Salsa. Special guest Bobby Sanabria, the noted trap drummer, percussionist, bandleader, and educator joins us to talk about Arsenio and his latest album, “Arsenio and Beyond” honoring this pioneer of modern Latin music.

Aladdin Records, Part 3 - 1953-55. Part 3 in our series on Aladdin Records, focuses on one of the most important independent labels of the pre-rock era. Part 3 focuses on 1953-55, just as Rock n' Roll was beginning to enter the mainstream. Matt The Cat digs up a great variety of styles this week as vocal groups, raw Rhythm & Blues, jump instrumentals, drinking songs and ballads take center stage. We'll dig on some hits and misses from Amos Milburn, The Five Keys, Chuck Higgins, Gene & Eunice and Shirley & Lee. We'll also hear some great debut records from Bobby Marchan and Sonny Knight, who would go on to greater success on other labels. A few rare vocal group sides are also featured. Grab a handful of nickels, because this week is loaded with Aladdin Records sides out of Beverly Hills, CA.

Known as the “Saxophone Colossus”, saxophonist Sonny Rollins left an indelible legacy as a jazz saxophonist for his tone, strength, and melodic invention. Join Jesse “Chuy” Varela as he honors Sonny Rollins with a 4-Hour special celebrating his birthday and legacy.

Candice Hoyes and Kelly Green. Two rising talents chart their own path through jazz. Classical soprano turned genre-bending vocalist Candice Hoyes draws on influences from Minnie Riperton to Zora Neale Hurston. Then, pianist and singer Kelly Green brings sly nods to Louis Armstrong and Ahmad Jamal to her playful, hard-to-pin-down sound.

Miles Davis 100th birthday was on May 26th but we continue celebrating his centennial throughout our programming during our Fall Fund Drive. Tune in as Jesse “Chuy” Varela we air select chapters from the acclaimed Miles Davis Radio Project produced by Steve Rowland and narrated by noted actor, Danny Glover.

Coming Soon.

British guitarists, Jamie Taylor and Sam Dunn have been musical collaborators since their university days. They each have their own bands and busy careers as teachers, Jamie at Leeds Conservatoire in the north of England, and Sam at Eton College and The Purcell School, and as sidemen they’ve been even busier. In fact, I’ve employed them both for concerts at London’s Ronnie Scotts and beyond. After years of musical merriment these two have finally recorded their first duo CD, Going Coastal. I thought I’d have a chat with Jamie about it all and discuss the challenges and delights of playing with another guitarist, especially one you know so well.

The Stephen Phillip Harvey Jazz Orchestra is a seventeen-piece ensemble featuring a rotating roster of world-class musicians from across the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest. Known for their bold sound and adventurous programming, the group debuted in 2022 with Smash!, a studio album released on Next Level. With their most recent release Multiversal, Harvey channels the spirit of America's original large ensemble—the jazz orchestra—into a vivid, pseudo-cinematic soundscape filled with drama, intensity, and imaginative storytelling and the orchestra performs selections from that release here. From October 24th, 2025 Daniel Peck is your host for the Stephen Phillip Harvey Jazz Orchestra…Live at the Bop Stop.

Elvis' R&B Influences. 49 years ago this week, we lost the "King Of Rock n' Roll." Much has been written about Elvis’ enormous impact and popularity over the years, but it’s almost impossible to overstate the cultural shift that took place as he rose to fame in 1956. Elvis was a musical sponge. He absorbed all the music that moved him and those around him, from Country and Hillbilly to Gospel, Pop, R&B and Blues. This week focuses solely on the rhythm & blues that motivated Elvis’ early career. During the end of his first session with Sam Phillips, Elvis cut into an inspired rendition of a semi-forgotten Arthur Crudup gem and rock n’ roll was literally born. From the New Orleans R&B of Smiley Lewis, to the jump blues of Wynonie Harris, Elvis dug it all and made each song uniquely his own. He wasn’t copying his R&B idols, he was merely using their material as a springboard for his own blend of the White and the Black. Sam Phillips was right when he said that it would take a White cat with an African-American feel to propel this exciting R&B music into the mainstream and lucky for us, he found that in Elvis Presley.

How Jackie McLean's legacy shaped Hartford's jazz scene. Hartford, CT became a destination for jazz thanks to the arrival of alto saxophonist Jackie McLean over 50 years ago. We’ll hear from students who are carrying on his legacy in the city and beyond.