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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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. -
Herbie Hancock reunited the personnel on his landmark jazz-funk album 'Head Hunters' for a 50th-anniversary celebration at the Hollywood Bowl. For WRTI's Greg Bryant, it was a chance of a lifetime. -
For esperanza spalding, the iconic Brazilian troubadour Milton Nascimento exerts a magical influence. So it makes sense that she describes their luminous new album, Milton + esperanza, as the realization of a dream. -
There’s an incredible abundance of great new jazz albums already out this year. Here are five handpicked by Greg Bryant, host of Evening Jazz and the Get Down on WRTI. -
What should the omnivorous young jazz mainstream sound like today? One beguiling answer can be found in the music of Julius Rodriguez, a brilliant multi-instrumentalist who just released Evergreen, his second album for Verve, which synthesizes elements of jazz, R&B, gospel, funk, even electro-pop. -
Cornetist Ron Miles left us too soon — but also left a lot to remember him by. Two of his closest friends, guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Rudy Royston, do just that in this episode, which follows the release of a gorgeous archival album, Old Main Chapel. -
Trumpet great Lee Morgan now has a historical marker in West Philly, at the site of his final hometown gig. We were there for the ceremony, so we could bring you this report. -
When Shabaka hung up his tenor saxophone in favor of bamboo flutes, the world reacted with a mix of admiration and puzzlement. In this episode, we talk with him about his remarkable new album, Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace, and the challenge of making such a decisive pivot. -
While we await the solar eclipse on April 8, WRTI has some relevant pieces from the classical and jazz repertoire, from Sun Ra to Strauss.
