Greg Bryant
Jazz HostGreg Bryant has been a longtime curator of improvisational music as a broadcaster, writer, host and musician. As a young child, he began absorbing the artistry of Miles Davis, Les McCann, Jimmy Smith, James Brown, Ornette Coleman, Weather Report, and Jimi Hendrix via his parent's record collection. He was so moved by what he was experiencing that he took pride in relaying all of his discoveries with anyone who would listen.
Greg's zeal for sharing music blossomed into broadcasting in 1993 when he entered high school at age 14. His budding music collection and quick adaptation to the microphone landed him a volunteer gig as a weekly jazz radio show host in his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee on WFSK-FM, the radio station for Fisk University. He took pride and pleasure in spreading the news about the music of established legends and new talents, while championing masters of the music who deserved more recognition.
As a college student, Greg moved on to host jazz on Middle Tennessee State University's WMOT-FM and Northwestern University's WNUR; his respective undergraduate and graduate alma maters. Time on weekends was allocated to visiting area record stores furiously digging in crates for rare finds and out-of-print gems. He also prioritized being in the clubs for live music to ensure that he kept his ears fresh. Greg's dual regimen aided his musical knowledge immeasurably and established his earliest roots among working and touring musicians.
As a working electric bassist, Greg performed locally in his home state and toured abroad before moving to New York in January 2020, just before the global pandemic. Prior to his arrival at WRTI, he served as host of Jazz After Hours at Newark , New Jersey's WBGO where he also co-hosted the Jazz United podcast with critic, author, and editor Nate Chinen. The latter show earned "Podcast of the Year" honors for 2021 and 2022 from the Jazz Journalists Association.
Greg is an avid LP collector, continues to play bass, and enjoys seeing as much live music as possible. As a long-time admirer of the Philadelphia music scene, Greg is excited to share music with WRTI's current audience while assisting the station to capture and retain new listeners.
Hear Greg on Evening Jazz with Greg Bryant, Monday through Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m., and The Get Down, Saturday, 6 to 9 p.m.
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Greg Bryant is leaving WRTI at the end of December. We'll miss him! -
The jazz vocal tradition is always evolving, but rarely does that notion feel truer than in the output of Michael Mayo, who stopped by our studio to talk about his dynamic second album, Fly. -
As Thanksgiving rolls around, it’s a good time to ask: what are we grateful for? Here at The Late Set, our first answer is you, our listener. So we decided to spend this holiday episode answering your questions. -
“I’m a jazz musician first, I feel,” says Bilal. Maybe this comes as news to the many admirers who know him as an ethereal singer with a shape-shifting R&B profile, or as one of the original catalysts for neo-soul. On a compelling new album, Adjust Brightness — his first studio release in almost a decade — Bilal explores a galactic sweep of sound, making genre distinctions feel all the more irrelevant to any conversation. -
Play It Forward is our monthly online column and a nightly feature on-air for new jazz albums. This month, we feature Samara Joy, Jane Monheit, Tom Harrell, and the supergroup Three Visitors. -
“Dreams do come true.” That’s how Greg sums up this episode, as he and Nate talk with master drummer Jack DeJohnette about an incredible recording made in the spring of 1966. Featuring a ferocious quartet co-led by pianist McCoy Tyner and tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, it captures each of those giants at a turning point in his career. Blue Note Records will release this album, Forces of Nature: Live at Slugs’, on Nov. 22. -
Christian Sands, Miki Yamanaka and Peter Bernstein are among the artists in this inaugural edition of Play It Forward, a monthly column and nightly on-air feature for new jazz releases, curated by Greg Bryant. -
Urgency is a currency for Isaiah Collier, an ambitious young saxophonist from the South Side of Chicago. During a recent visit to Philly, he sat down with us to talk about stirring emotions, channeling energies, and his problem with the term “spiritual jazz.” -
Elling and Fortner's version of the Mumford & Sons song "After the Storm" premiered on WRTI's Evening Jazz. It's part of a new EP, Wildflower Vol. 1, that the pair recorded mere days ago. -
Feel that rumble underfoot? It might be the stampeding onrush of new music this fall. This episode, we’re throwing a spotlight on the most anticipated albums among them — including 'Odyssey,' by tenor saxophonist Nubya Garcia.
