Remembering the Jazz Cafe

In 1993-1994, when I was in graduate school at Freed-Hardeman University, I was a DJ at the campus radio station, FM 91 Five WFHC. The station is now WFHU. We played Jazz and I instantly fell in love with being on air.

Classic jazz became my domain and that led to my show, “The Jazz Cafe.” That was one of the greatest times of my life. To this day, I remember it with such joy and nostalgia.

Recently, I found two notebooks of playlists and transcripts from my show and I wanted to share. It’s really hard to believe that 1993-1994 was more than 20 years ago.  

One page has this script:

This is the Jazz Cafe your home for the best in classic jazz. The place where jazz is king. So come on in, grab a chair, call your friends and tell them they have a home at the Jazz Cafe.

My play list that night was:

Billie Holiday, “God Bless the Child.”
Harry Connick, Jr., “On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe.”
Miles Davis, “On the Corner.”
Miles Davis, “New York Girl.”
Stan Kenton, “Machito.”
Stephanie Grappelli, “Honeysuckle Rose.”
Mel Torme, “New York State of Mind.”
Glenn Miller, “Rhapsody in Blue.”
Earl Hines, “Wrap Up Your Troubles in Dreams (And Dream Your Troubles Away).”
Duke Ellington, “Newport and Up.”
Louis Armstrong, “When You’re Smiling.”
Dave Stahl Band, “Danny Boy.”
Thelonious Monk, “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.”
Frank Sinatra, “Tangerine.”
Charles Lloyd Quartet, “Of Course, Of Course.”
Jelly Roll Morton and James Johnson, “The Finger Breaker.”
Shirley Horn, “A Time for Love.”
Miles Davis, “Tomaas.”
Eddie Condon All Stars, “St. James Infirmary.”
Art Blakey, “We-Dot.”
Weather Report, “Birdland.”
Count Basie, “One O’Clock Jump.”
Preservation Hall Jazz Band, “When the Saints Go Marching In.”
Willis Jackson, “Call of the Gators.”
Lin Halliday with Ira Sullivan, “Indian Summer.”
Wayne Shorter, “Adam’s Apple.”
Art Pepper, “Funny Blues.”
Betty Carter, “Look What I Got.”
Ron Carter Quartet, “Round Midnight.”
Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra, “How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall?”
Stanley Jordan, “Stairway to Heaven.”

Those were great times! Go enjoy some Classic Jazz, my friends. YouTube is an extraordinary blessing.