NPR Live Sessions

WRTI is proud to take part in this year’s Jazz Summit, presented by Jazz Philadelphia and the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, in partnership with PECO, on October 9th and 10th. This year’s Summit is virtual, and will directly address the challenges facing the jazz world right now, with the theme "Resilience."

Members of the 2019 Boysie Lowery Living Jazz Residency program visited the WRTI Performance Studio last year to play a number of songs. In this video, vibraphonist Grady Tesch, a residency fellow who is also a composer, arranger, and educator, beckons listeners to lean in and enjoy his composition, "Walk To The Guillotine."

The multitalented Kendrah E. Butler-Waters, a pianist, composer, and vocalist, weaves cultural honesty and spiritual sensibilities into her compositions and performances. "I try to share the history of African American folks and our development into my work," said Kendra during an interview with WRTI Jazz Host and Live Sessions Executive Producer J. Michael Harrison.

Pianist Victor Gould took a shine to the piano at age four and has been sparkling on the keyboards ever since. Born in Los Angeles, Victor's piano virtuosity has made waves in New York’s renowned jazz scene and beyond.

When London-born bass player Anthony Tidd teams up with Philly-born, spoken-word artist Ursula Rucker, a special type of combustion occurs. Both create altruistic, socially conscious musical messages. Both are well-known names on the international music scene working with artists hailing from jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and alternative music.

When tenor saxophonist Teodross Avery first listened to John Coltrane’s iconic album Giant Steps a couple decades ago, it changed the course of his musical career.

It's Jazz Appreciation Month, and WRTI is highlighting vocalist Laurin Talese as part of a diverse playlist featuring both established and emerging women from around Philadelphia and around the world.

When the leather-clad Connie Han sits down at a piano, she makes magic happen. It’s no wonder that she is one of NPR’s Artists To Watch for 2020. She, along with bassist Ivan Taylor and drummer Bill Wysaske dazzled on “Extended Stay,” which we are thrilled to present to you this week.

Although you can hear exceptional jazz on WRTI 90.1 every night and 24/7 online on our jazz stream, April is a time for a special focus on this classic American art form. Join us for great music and unique features as we mark Jazz Appreciation Month.

Eleven years ago, Chilean-born jazz vocalist Claudia Acuna graced the stage of the Kimmel Center’s Perelman Theater to pay tribute to the great Billie Holiday. Four months ago, she came to the WRTI Performance Studio and took command of the room with her own music. This performance of "Futuro" is especially poignant, being that she wrote the tune while awaiting the birth of her son.