The Jazz Break at Noon is KRTU’s weekly, mid-day program. Hosted by Music Director Kory Cook, the program is an educational listening session highlighting major artists, styles, and themes from jazz music’s rich history. From rare recordings of the 1930s to today’s most progressive sounds, the Jazz Break at Noon takes you on an educational sonic journey through jazz history.
July 1-5
Jazz Festival Highlights
This week, tune in to hear classics and rarities from the Newport, Monterey, and Montreaux summer jazz festivals, with music from Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Anita O'Day, Miles Davis, Chick Corea, and more. We'll also hear recent recordings from festivals in Willisau, Switzerland; the Earshot Festival in Seattle, WA; and San Antonio's own Jazz'SAlive.
July 8-12
The Hard Bop Trumpet of Lee Morgan: 1956-1971
From life as a Jazz Messenger to his final recordings, we'll soar with the exalted trumpet sound of Lee Morgan, through his short-lived but highly prolific and powerful recording career beginning in 1956 to 1971.
July 15-19
New and Recent Recordings from South Texas-based Artists
Local recordings from San Antonio-based and regional Texas artists, with rare & classic sides, new studio recordings and highlights from this year's South Texas Jazz Project. We'll hear music from Ernie Caceres, Anthony Caceres, Donald Collins Jr, Michelle Garibey-Carey, Jose Amador, Aaron Prado, Audra Menconi, Tommy Howard, and more.
July 22-23
Sonny Clark, In Demand
As a favored pianist in the hard bop idiom for both his rhythmic comping and composing, Clark recorded a series of fine albums for Blue Note Records in the late 1950s with Paul Chambers, John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Art Farmer, Curtis Fuller, and the Turrentine brothers, to name a few. Since his early death in 1963, artists have paid homage to Clark, and we'll hear some of those recordings.
July 24-26
New Summer Releases from Pianists as Leaders
Following up the music of Sonny Clark, we'll hear new summer releases from pianists as composers and bandleaders. George Cables, David Kikoski, Brandon Goldberg, Fabian Almazan and San Antonio's Aaron Prado lead some of the new recordings we'll hear this week.
July 29-Aug 2
Soul of the Organ
Join the host of the Diggin Deep Soul Shakedown, JJ Lopez for a special 'Soul of the Organ' Jazz Break at Noon. Since the late 1950s, the Hammond B3 Organ has helped shape the Soul Jazz sound. The Soul of the Organ will explore some of the greatest organ players of yesterday and today. Featured artists include Shirley Scott, Jimmy Smith, Joey Defrancesco and new pioneers like Tony Monaco and Akiko Tsuruga.