1946: Jukebox Rhythm Review, Part 2. Our old Rockola Jukebox is once again in the forefront as we spotlight the biggest Rhythm & Blues jukebox hits of 1946. This week, in part 2, we'll focus on the second half of the year, featuring three #1s from Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five. During 1946, Jordan held the top spot on the Race Record Chart for an incredible 35 weeks. The King Cole Trio scores one of their most memorable hits, "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons," which tops the Pop Chart, but only makes it to #3 R&B. The Ink Spots continue to dominate, but like Nat "King" Cole, they're scoring bigger Pop Hits. Jay McShann tells us about his "Voodoo Woman Blues," while Roosevelt Sykes takes us down that "Sunny Road." T-Bone Walker, Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup and Julia Lee make appearances as well as Bull Moose Jackson, who makes his first chart appearance in the middle of 1946 for Queen Records. Matt The Cat wraps up 1946 with movie and sports highlights and as always, the "story behind the story," on some of the greatest blues and rhythm records of all-time.

Gregory Porter in Conversation. Gregory Porter’s voice broke onto the scene over a decade ago. Flowing out of the gospel church, it’s a voice of dignity, in the mode of his hero, Nat King Cole. A voice of reassurance, whether aiming for the heavens or a single soul. It’s also the voice Porter’s own experience, going back to his childhood in California. He opens up about that journey in conversation with our host, Christian McBride. We’ll hear about his transition from sports to theater to music, and about the meaning behind some of his soul-baring songs.

Tres Pontas: Milton Nascimento With Wayne Shorter, Part 1. The iconic Brazilian composer-vocalist in collaborations with jazz giants Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock.

Zev Feldman Two. Archival record producer, Zev Feldman has been called the Indiana Jones of Jazz, referring to his tireless pursuit of previously unissued recordings to share with the rest of us. Feldman and Resonance Records releases these gems with extensive, informative liner notes, rare photos and in-depth interviews with experts in the field.Zev’s latest project, Art Tatum – Jewels in the Treasure Box: The 1953 Chicago Blue Note Jazz Club Recordings – features a previously unissued 3-LP collection of Tatum, guitarist Everett Barksdale and bassist Slam Stewart recorded live at the Blue Note in Chicago in 1953.

Omar Sosa. In the world of jazz honing identity is paramount and finding your own voice is sometimes a lifelong quest. Omar Sosa found his voice as a child when he began his formal music studies in Cuba where he was indoctrinated to the classical music of the conservatory and the folkloric and popular music of his Afro-Cuban heritage. Since the release of his first album, “Omar, Omar”, in 1996, Sosa has sowed a career of profound exploration that has sprouted a music beyond category that weaves jazz with global influences and his deep spiritual devotion. (click story subject for more)

Norside Organ Trio Featuring Tommy Lehman. Mixing jazz, blues and funk with a healthy dose of the Hammond B3, the Pittsburgh based Norside produces a sound best described as Rust Belt Funk. Whether they’re playing alongside contemporaries such as The New Mastersounds and Bar Kays, or pushing boundaries with the Steeltown Horns, Norside embodies the commitment to giving the Hammond B3 room to breathe and pushing musical boundaries.For this performance, they’re joined by pre-eminent Northeast Ohio trumpeter Tommy Lehman. By this point in the program, Tommy needs no introduction but he travels extensively both as a member of Alla Boara and The Admirables and as the leader of multiple groups under his own name.Featuring Tommy Lehman on Trumpet, Skip Sanders on the Hammond B3, Steve Ippolito on Drums and Glenn Strother on Guitar, and from a March 13th, 2025 performance, Daniel Peck is your host forNorside featuring Tommy Lehman…Live at the Bop Stop.

George Goldner, Part 1 - Rama Records. We begin a multi-part series on record man, George Goldner. He is said to have had the "golden ear" for hit records and songwriter Jerry Leiber even complimented his talent for picking hit songs by saying that Goldner had, "the musical taste of a fourteen-year-old-girl." Born to Jewish immigrants in 1919, Goldner's first love was Latino dance music and he began his career by opening night clubs and starting Tico Records, a Latino label in 1948. By 1953, he was interested in Rhythm & Blues and began releasing records under the Rama subsidiary. This week, we'll take a close look at Goldner's first R&B label, which helped put Rock n' Roll on the musical map with the 1953 smash, "Gee," by New York vocal group, The Crows. "Gee" crossed over to a very respectable #14 on the pop chart and just might be the first Rock n' Roll hit by a Rock n' Roll group. From there, Goldner signed The Wrens, The Valentines, The Joytones, The Heartbeats, The Harptones and other NY groups that are now considered vocal group royalty. His house band was led by the tenor great, Jimmy Wright, who put his sax stamp on all these classic records for Goldner's various labels. Next week in part 2, Matt The Cat will focus on Gee Records as we continue our look into the ground-breaking labels of George Goldner.

Very Very Threadgill. Henry Threadgill, NEA Jazz Master and one of the world's leading avant-garde composers and arrangers, turns 82 on February 15. To celebrate, we present a 2014 Harlem Stage concert honoring his 70th birthday, curated by pianist Jason Moran. Dozens of musicians who have played alongside Threadgill throughout his storied career gathered to perform his groundbreaking compositions while the maestro himself watched from the audience.

Tres Pontas: Milton Nascimento With Wayne Shorter, Part 1. The iconic Brazilian composer-vocalist in collaborations with jazz giants Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock.

Ira Liss & Dan Radlauer. Like many creative artists during the pandemic, saxophonist/band leader Ira Liss and multi-instrumentalist/composer Dan Radlauer were inspired by their unexpected gift of time. They had collaborated previously on a number of projects but with this CD, they did something unusual. Dan and Ira invited musicians not usually associated with jazz to perform with Ira’s big band with arrangements by Dan. Artists as diverse as Country Music’s Vince Gill and jazz recorder virtuoso Tali Rubinstein—and everyone in between—jumped at this unique opportunity to play or sing with a big band with original compositions by Dan or songs of their choosing. The result is the CD, Unexpected Guests.