Wrcj In-studio Guests

WRCJ’s John Penney spoke recently with Saxophonist and Artistic Director of the Detroit Jazz Festival, Chris Collins, about this year’s artist line-up and last year’s virtual event. The world’s largest free jazz festival returns to live audiences in downtown Detroit, September 3 – 6.

Thursday, July 29th at 1:00pm, PUBLIQuartet begins its residency through virtual events that will be free to the community through the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Wright Museum. The first event is "Reflections on Beauty" a multimedia project about the life of entrepreneur, activist and America's first African-American women millionaire - Madame CJ Walker. PUBLIQuartet presents that project both at the DIA on Thursday, July 29 and again at the Wright Museum on August 25 - which will be followed by a discussion panel with the quartet and Madame Walker's great-great granddaughter and autobiographer A'lelia Bundles. WRCJ’s Peter Whorf Speaks with quartet violinist and violist Jannina Norpath and Nick Revel.

In this excerpt from "Live With C#" Cecelia Sharpe speaks with special guest, acclaimed jazz violinist Regina Carter!

Detroit-based Akropolis Reed Quintet returns to live performance this Friday evening in Detroit’s Beacon Park. Saxophonist Matt Landry spoke with WRCJ’s Peter Whorf in May about his group’s recent recording entitled Ghost Light. Matt returns to talk with Peter about this week’s performance of music from that new release…

The Scandinavian Cello School presents concerts weekly at a cattle farm in Denmark, providing a stress-free, soothing environment for its cows, who enjoy the moo-sic.

Detroit-based Akropolis Reed Quintet recently released their latest recording of new works entitled Ghost Light. The collection showcases music by Stacy Garrop, Michael Gilbertson, Niloufar Nourbakhsh, Theo Chandler and Jeff Scott with poetry from Detroit’s Marsha Music. Akropolis notes that “over the past two years, we’ve premiered a series of works dealing with life, death and rebirth…with Ghost Light we wanted to shine a light on ghosts around us…and embrace the beautiful cycle of life and death while recalling important moments and practices from our history.” Akropolis saxophonist Matt Landry speaks with WRCJ’s Peter Whorf about Ghost Light, and starts their conversation on the topic of Stacy Garrop’s music…based on ancient Egyptian ideas…

In this excerpt from Live with C#, Cecelia talks with former psychologist and current life coach, Christine Elwart. She has some beneficial tips to help boost our mental wellness.

The final track of Pat Metheny’s 2021 album Road to the Sun is a confluence of three musical visionaries, featuring the master guitarist playing the music of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, on the Pikasso guitar, an instrument developed by Canadian luthier Linda Manzer. photo credit: Florian Thoss/Courtesy of the artist

-Gavilán Brothers: A Concert and Film May 8, 2021 8pm- This week from the Chamber Music Society of Detroit, violinist Ilmar Gavilán and pianist Aldo López-Gavilán perform at the Flagstar Strand Theatre in Pontiac, in a performance of Aldo's genre-defying music rooted in classical, Latin jazz and Afro-Cuban traditions. Listeners can attend in person as part of CMSD’s socially distanced, limited-capacity audience; or watch online from the comfort of your own home. Before the concert, meet Aldo and Ilmar by watching the online Metro Detroit Premiere screening of "Los Hermanos - The Brothers" on May 6, including a live post-film conversation featuring the Gavilán Brothers and the filmmakers hosted by longtime area arts and music critic Mark Stryker. The film will also be available on-demand through May 9. Both in-person and virtual concert tickets give you access to the online film screening. WRCJ’s Peter Whorf speaks with Ilmar, Aldo and CMSD President Steve Wogaman.

John Penney’s conversation with Peter Whorf completes a three month series of insights on great music with WRCJ’s local jazz hosts. In this interview, John shares some of his early memories of classic jazz recordings, starting with his father’s collection of swing era giants…

Musician, composer, and educator Kris Johnson joins C# to discuss his journey through the Civic program, our rich Detroit Jazz culture, his online music course, and more.

Cecelia Sharpe's interview with two dynamic women on Live with C#. Karla Hall Retired VP of the DTE Foundation and Margo Hall, actress, playwright, director and newly appointed Artistic Director of the Lorraine Hansberry Theater!

Linda Yohn hosts The Swing Set on Sundays at 7pm on 90.9FM. In a series of WRCJ jazz host conversations with Midday Music’s Peter Whorf, Linda recalls her family’s early influence on her musical life…

Violinist Hilary Hahn has just released her newest recording of music by Ernest Chausson, Sergei Prokofiev and Einojuhani Rautavaara. She begins her conversation with WRCJ’s Peter Whorf explaining why her latest disc is entitled Paris…

The all-female band Artemis transfixed listeners at the 2018 Newport Jazz Festival, and were soon signed to Blue Note Records. But in the 1940’s The International Sweethearts of Rhythm were among the first to break the gender barrier on the jazz bandstand.

Marian McPartland hosted National Public Radio’s Piano Jazz for over 30 years. Throughout her lifetime, she was known for her support of jazz education and other female jazz musicians.

Maxine Michaels hosts jazz on WRCJ’s Maxology every Friday at 7pm. She speaks with Midday Music host Peter Whorf about the top musicians and broadcasters who have influenced her throughout her radio career, leading off with a Motown legend…

This year’s Sphinx Organization concerto competition took place in the virtual space. You can still see the exciting performances by this year’s artists at DPTV.org. Sphinx Organization President Afa Dworkin speaks with WRCJ’s Peter Whorf about this year’s event…

Daniil Trifonov’s last two discs have focused on great Russian music of the past century. Trifonov is up for a Grammy for his Rachmaninoff release, and his newest recording, Silver Age, delivers the best of Prokofiev, Scriabin and Stravinsky. Daniil spoke with WRCJ’s Peter Whorf last week…

Tyshawn Sorey has found his voice, drawing upon all kinds of music, from the classical avant garde, to jazz and traditional classical music, to express himself as a contemporary black American composer. Photo Attribution: John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation