Shemekia Copeland has spent a career performing socially-conscious blues with dashes of rock, folk, country and Americana. This week’s radio episode features backstories of her songs and connects her artistry to blues icons from Ruth Brown to Ma Rainey.

Hank Mobley: No Room For Squares / The Blue Note Recordings 1963-66, Part 2. We present the brilliant saxophonist-composer in the company of Lee Morgan, McCoy Tyner, Billy Higgins, and more.

Allegra Lev. I discovered jazz singer/songwriter Allegra Levy through her delightful, very hip, children’s CD, Songs for You and Me and went on to learn what others had known for years about this award-winning vocalist: that she is one of the most interesting, swinging, heartfelt young talents on the scene today. Allegra was named a Top 10 Rising Star among jazz vocalists in DownBeat’s 2021 Critics’ Poll. After banishing her husband, dog and two-year-old from the room, Allegra discussed the joys and challenges of a jazz life with me from her home in Manhattan in May 2023.

Jose Luiz Martins. Washington DC based pianist and composer Jose Luiz Martins brings a unique and inventive approach to his playing, compositions and arrangements. His creative sense of storytelling combined with a diverse harmonic palette and refined sense of rhythm create a vibrant, expansive, and enticing sonic experience. That harmonic palette is on display both in this performance and his 2025 release Odessey Mixtape. Featuring, among others, Alex Hamburger on Flute and Patrick Duke Graney on Percussion, and from a July 26th, 2025 performance, Daniel Peck is your host for Jose Luis Martins… Live at the Bop Stop.

Aladdin Records, Part 1 - 1945-49. The three-part special is on one of the most important record labels of the pre-rock era, Aladdin Records. Eddie and Leo Mesner started Aladdin as Philo Records in 1945. It was one of the first independent labels on the West Coast and sought to fill in the R&B void left by major labels like Victor, Decca and Columbia. The Mesners hired Maxwell Davis to help with musical arrangements and back up their artists and got the label off to a jumpin' start. In February of 1946, Philo became Aladdin and a record label icon was born. With artists like Johnny Moore's Three Blazers featuring Charles Brown, Helen Humes, Illinois Jacquet, Wynonie Harris, Amos Milburn and some rare releases from a young Robins group, how could Aladdin possibly fail? They didn't and in the process, they helped propel rhythm & blues into the mainstream, paving the way for the emergence of Rock n' Roll. This week's show focuses on the beginning of the label from 1945-49 and next week's show will feature 1950 to the birth of Rock n' Roll, while part three will concentrate on the early Rock releases. Grab some nickels, because the party's getting ready to start down at the Chicken Shack.

Exploring the many orbits of jazz legend Wayne Shorter. Wayne Shorter would have turned 93 on August 25. We commemorate the legendary saxophonist and composer with concert performances, interviews, and music picks from our host, Christian McBride

Coming Soon.

Bevan Manson, Part 1. Pianist, composer Bevan Manson’s CD Talking to Trees, was inspired by his love of nature and his fears for it, as global warming continues to threaten our environment. Bevan grew up with a jazz musician father who played his great record collection for Bevan, as well as a healthy dose of classical music. Loving it all, Bevan ignored the pop music of his day, and instead, dove into piano lessons at seven, went on to study at Eastman School of Music, to teach at UC Berkeley, and eventually, to write for film and TV. Talking to Trees includes Bevan’s original compositions along with fresh takes on well-known classics, all honoring the importance of our natural environment. We had so much fun that I made this a two-part show!

Dave Frank is one of the busiest solo jazz pianists and music educators on the scene today. He is the author of the best-selling Hal Leonard book and video series, Joy of Improv and Breakthrough to Improv, was an Associate Professor of piano at Berklee College of Music in Boston from 1987-2004, and was a co-founder of the New York School of Jazz. His involvement in the Dave Frank School of Jazz in New York is kind of self-evident, and his mastery of the piano will be evident very quickly. From September 26th, 2025 Daniel Peck is your host for a solo piano performance from the great Dave Frank…Live at the Bop Stop.

Aladdin Records, Part 2 - 1950-54. Part 2 in our 3-part series on Aladdin Records, one of the most important independent labels of the pre-rock era. Part 2 will pick up the Aladdin Records Story in 1950 and carry it through til rock n' roll began hitting the mainstream in 1953-54. This week, we'll hear more hits from Aladdin's early hit-makers, Amos Milburn and Charles Brown. We'll also dig some of the newcomers, like Floyd Dixon, Peppermint Harris, Calvin Boze, Shirley & Lee, the Five Keys and more. Aladdin was a rare label in that almost everything they pressed was worth hearing. If you ever see a discarded Aladdin 45 by an artist you've never heard before, pick it up, because chances are it'll make you very, very happy. Next week, part 3 will close down the series on Aladdin.