Jazz Break at Noon - January 2026

January 5 – 9

The Definitive Sounds of Hard Bop
This week on The Jazz Break at Noon, we dive into the gritty, soulful, and relentlessly swinging world of Hard Bop. Emerging in the mid-1950s as a response to the cooler sounds of the West Coast, Hard Bop re-injected jazz with the primal elements of the blues, gospel, and R&B. It was a music of intense energy and profound emotion, defined by driving rhythms, soaring solos, and memorable melodies.

We’ll survey the definitive recordings and the artists who shaped this golden era. From the preaching piano of Horace Silver and the thunderous drums of Art Blakey to the soaring trumpet of Lee Morgan and the soulful saxophone of Cannonball Adderley, we'll explore the essential albums on Blue Note, Prestige, and Riverside Records that created the modern jazz standard. Join us for a week of pure, unadulterated soulful swing. It’s the Definitive Sounds of Hardbop, this week on the Jazz Break at Noon. Hosted by JJ Lopez.

January 12 – 16

Max Roach: Rhythm as Revolution
This week on The Jazz Break at Noon we celebrate one of the most significant figures in American music history: drummer, composer, bandleader, and activist Max Roach (January 10, 1924 – August 16, 2007). Roach was not merely a timekeeper. He was an architect of modern jazz who liberated the drum kit, transforming it into a melodic instrument of limitless expression. A pioneer of bebop alongside Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, he went on to define hard bop with Clifford Brown and used his art as a potent weapon in the civil rights movement.

This week, we trace his extraordinary evolution from his earliest works with Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis to his groundbreaking percussion ensembles and avant-garde explorations of the 1960s and 1970s. We will explore his seminal recordings with Clifford Brown and showcase selections from his expansive discographies for EmArcy, Impulse!, and Atlantic showcasing a restless innovator who believed that rhythm was revolution. Join us as we honor drummer Max Roach. Hosted by JJ Lopez. 

January 19 - 23

Fresh Air for San Antonio: Celebrating 50 Years of KRTU
January 23rd, 2026 marks 50 years since a group of Trinity students worked diligently to build a new radio station in San Antonio with the mission of producing "unusual" programming for the community. Despite having to navigate a saga of setbacks, the tenacity and ambitious vision of the young founders galvanized a community to fund, support and contribute to what has become KRTU 91.7 FM.

Half a century later, KRTU remains a pillar of art, culture and experiential learning for people of all ages and backgrounds. Housed at Trinity University, KRTU broadcasts throughout the greater San Antonio area, and online to listeners around the globe. Staff, alongside enthusiastic student interns and dedicated community volunteer hosts, facilitate live concerts, special member events, and engaging programming year after year, decade after decade.

This week on the Jazz Break at Noon, host Bria Woods honors KRTU’s 50-year history through music and interviews following the chronology of the station’s story. Each of the five days will focus on a different decade of music and each day a key figure from that decade will share more about their time at the station, either as a student or a staff member.

Tune in this week Monday through Friday from 12pm to 1pm CST. You can listen on the dial at 91.7FM, online at krtu.org or on our free mobile app.

Monday (1976-1980)
Guests: Anne Conger (founding student) and Don White (first Student Station Manager)

Tuesday (1980-1990)
Guests: Dr. William Christ (Trinity University professor emeritus of communication and was KRTU’s general manager from 1998 to 2012) and Nathan Cone (Trinity graduate ‘95 and he was a student manager, serving as Jazz Program Director and Operations Manager)

Wednesday (1990-2000)
Guest: Ron Nirenberg (Trinity University graduate ‘99, and former KRTU General Manager)

Thursday (2000-2010)
Guest: Ryan Weber (Trinity Graduate ‘04, former KRTU Operations Manager and current Volunteer Host)

Friday (2010-2026)
Guest: Jim Blakemore (helped to fund the station in the 70s, lifelong supporter)

January 26 - 30

Gangsterism on Keys: The Artistry of Jason Moran
This week on The Jazz Break at Noon, we spotlight Houston, Texas-born pianist and artist, Jason Moran. A fearless composer and bandleader with an expansive history on Blue Note Records, Moran defines the polystylistic sound of 21st-century jazz. Through his unique "Gangsterism" lens of inquiry, he creatively deconstructs and reconstructs the music of the masters who inspire him. From Duke Ellington and Fats Waller to Afrika Bambaataa, jazz to hip hop, Moran has produced a catalog of startlingly original interpretations of 20th-century classics.

We’ll explore Moran's recording history for Blue Note and his own Yes Records, featuring original compositions and collaborations, including his acclaimed Bandwagon Trio and his work with Charles Lloyd's New Quartet. Join us for Gangsterism on Keys: The Artistry of Jason Moran, this week on The Jazz Break at Noon. Hosted by JJ Lopez.