Jazz Break at Noon - July 2025

July 7-11

Alto Elegance: Celebrating Johnny Hodges 
This week, we honor one of the most distinctive and influential voices of the alto saxophone, Johnny Hodges. Born on July 25, 1907, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Hodges' musical journey began with piano before discovering the captivating sounds of Louis Armstrong and Sidney Bechet, which inspired him to take up the saxophone. By 1926, having refined his craft primarily on the alto saxophone, he moved to New York, joining Chick Webb's band before his pivotal and decades-long tenure with Duke Ellington's Orchestra. As a principal soloist in Ellington's renowned ensembles for nearly four decades, Hodges also led several acclaimed recording sessions under his own name, often featuring his esteemed Ellington bandmates, including Duke himself.

On this week's program, we'll shine a spotlight on Hodges' exquisite small combo recordings from the 1950s and early 1960s. These sessions, particularly for Verve Records, brilliantly illuminate the sensitive, bluesy, and utterly elegant style showcased on countless Duke Ellington recordings. We'll feature selections from Duke's In Bed (1956), The Big Sound (1957), Side by Side (1959), Blues A-Plenty (1958), and The Smooth One (1960) plus early works with Ellington in the 1930s! Join us for a celebration of alto saxophonist, Johnny Hodges. Hosted by JJ Lopez.

July 14-18 

Afro-Caribbean: A Sonic Journey Through the Islands
The musical dialogue between the Caribbean and Black North America is as rich as it is enduring, rooted in a shared African heritage that has shaped some of the world’s most influential musical traditions. Though the exact moment of their first convergence may be obscured by time, their sonic kinship is unmistakable. This week on Jazz Break at Noon, host Bria Woods invites you on a journey through the Caribbean’s diverse musical landscape.

Each listening session will feature a carefully curated playlist of music from the Caribbean and artists representing various island cultures. We will visit Puerto Rico with Eddie Palmieri, Trinidad and Tobago with Etienne Charles, Jamaica with Monty Alexander, Panama with Danilo Perez, the Dominican Republic with Michel Camilo, Cuba with Machito, Haiti with Mozayik…and more countries and artists.

Alongside the music, we’ll explore the instruments and stylistic elements that define genres like rumba, salsa, calypso, and soca — from the steelpan to the clave — and uncover the cultural and historical forces that shaped these sounds. We’ll also shine a light on the artists who helped bring these traditions to global audiences, often building on generations of community-based music-making.

Whether you're a seasoned jazz listener or new to Caribbean rhythms, this week offers an opportunity to discover the depth and beauty of a region whose influence on global music is both profound and ongoing.

Tune in Monday through Friday, 12p.m.-1p.m. CST, on 91.7 FM, streaming at KRTU.org, or via the KRTU app. Let the islands move you.

July 21-25

Pulse of the Present: New Jazz Releases 2025
The current state of jazz music is as creative and inspiring as ever. This week on The Jazz Break at Noon, hosts JJ Lopez and Bria Woods invite you to explore the vibrant landscape of New Jazz Releases 2025. They'll spotlight the latest recordings from some of today's most accomplished and brightest recording artists. From artists like Cyrus Chestnut, Artemis, MTB, Joe Farnsworth, Carl Allen, and Rodney Jordan, who continue to champion swinging bop and straight-ahead expressions, to visionary talents such as Gerald Clayton, Kris Davis, Patricia Brennan, Brandee Younger, Billy Mohler, and Terri Lyne Carrington & Christie Dashiell, who are pushing jazz to new horizons—this week's program offers a wide spectrum of contemporary jazz.

Their survey will also feature several significant legacy and archival recordings released for the first time in 2025, adding exciting new material to the discographies of legendary artists no longer with us, including Mulgrew Miller, Freddie Hubbard, Michel Petrucciani, and Roy Hargrove. Grab your notepad and pencil and join us for an essential look at the latest releases shaping the world of contemporary jazz, right here on The Jazz Break at Noon!

July 28 - August 1

Jazz Guitar Masters Hosted by JJ Lopez
The world of jazz guitar is rich with legends – innovators, soloists, composers, and bandleaders who have shaped its very essence. Conveniently, the month of August offers us a special chance to celebrate many of these giants and spotlight their unique impact on the instrument's development and enduring legacy. Our featured artists this week include: Charlie Christian, Eddie Durham, Herb Ellis, Kenny Burrell, Pat Martino, Pat Metheny, Stanley Jordan, and Peter Bernstein. Each has, in their own unique way, driven the innovation and evolution of jazz guitar playing and composing.

From its foundational developments in the 1930s with Texas-born pioneers Charlie Christian and Eddie Durham, to the swinging hard bop of Kenny Burrell, and the visionary, boundary-pushing sounds of Pat Metheny, and beyond this week we'll explore their artistry and essential recordings. Join us for a fascinating journey into the world of Jazz Guitar Masters, this week on The Jazz Break at Noon. Hosted by JJ Lopez.