For over seventy years, Chicago has served as a primary epicenter for the evolution of jazz, with the city's radio airwaves acting as the essential medium for breaking new artists and sharing the music with the public. On both a global scale, and street view of culture.
From Cooper Park on 117th & Ada - named in the memory of Jack L. Cooper, the first major broadcaster of jazz, gospel and community service on local airwaves who serves as the shoulders for which every jazz announcer in Chicago that followed stands on - To the influence of Terry Callier on the sound of Jazz in Northern Africa, France, and beyond that was born in the soil of our great city.
Chicago is proudly serving as the official Global Host City for International Jazz Day 2026, a UNESCO-recognized celebration positioning our city at the center of a landmark cultural moment that unites over 190 countries; and I’m honored to be presenting Our Jazz Life: A Celebration of the History of Jazz Radio in History.
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The history of jazz in Chicago is inextricably linked to the dedication of legendary broadcast journalists, producers, and on-air personalities who have programmed, played, and popularized this uniquely American art form for more than five decades.
This month I hit the internet hard to promote our Our Jazz Life with some true “Jazz Lifers” - John Hill, Richard Steele, Neil Tesser, Barry Winograd, Lofton Emenari, Dave Freeman, Dan Bindert, Bob Foskett, and Burt Burdeen. These gentlement have served as cultural stewards, preserving the legacy of icons like Miles Davis, Ramsey Lewis, George Freeman, and Herbie Hancock through compelling storytelling and archival mastery.
Here are some of the media appearances we did together:
Broadcasted & Recorded Media Links
Live from the Heartland (Full Episode)Watch on YouTube Aired 17
Heartland Highlight (Mark Ruffin Panel)Watch Highlight Aired April 17
Radio Misfits / Minutia Men Listen on iHeart Ep 202; April 8
Live from the Heartland Listen on Apple (Weekly Feed)
International Jazz Day Hub Chicago Jazz Alliance chicagojazzalliance.org
DCASE Event Calendar Choose Chicago Event Details Page
WDCB Jazz Calendar @ 90.9 FM WDCB wdcb.org/events/jazz
Chicago Revealed
Chicago Jazz Magazine Channel
Interviews dropped starting April 16
IJD Global Concert
yt.be/jazzday
Live stream starting April 30 at 7:00 pm CT
CAN TV Chicago
CAN TV YouTube “History of Jazz Radio”
clips during the week of April 20
Lumpen Radio
Public Media Institute Video highlights from Mario Smith’s interviews
Other Airings & Archive Outlets
The following appearances are currently being aired during International Jazz Week programming (April 20–27, 2026).
WHPK 88.5 FM (”All That’s Jazz”): Scheduled to air Tuesday, April 21, at 12:00 PM CDT. You can listen live or check for archives at whpk.org.
Chicago Revealed (Chicago Jazz Magazine): Interviews with Mark Ruffin, Richard Steele, and others were recorded April 14 and are dropping throughout this week. Check the official site at chicagojazz.com or their YouTube channel.
CAN TV (Channel 21): Video episodes of the Heartland panel are airing on Channel 21 in Chicago and streaming online at cantv.org during the week of April 20.
Lumpen Radio (News From The Entrance Door): Hosted by Mario Smith. Replays are available via lumpenradio.com.
WCPT 820 AM: Mark Ruffin is scheduled to appear on Sunday morning, April 26, on the program featuring President Preckwinkle. Streaming at wcpt820.com.
Other Press Coverage Outlets
Articles from the following journalists have or will be dropping for the lead up to the Sunday, April 26 “History of Jazz Radio Day” event.
Hyde Park Herald: Marc Monoghan.
Block Club Chicago: Maxwell Evans.
Rolling Out Magazine: Mo Barnes.
Axios Chicago: Justin Kaufmann.
INDIGO: Hermene Hartman.
