May 13, 2022
Doo Wop Sings Standards
Jazz standards like “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” and “A Sunday Kind of Love” are not just for singers like Frank Sinatra. This week, we’ll hear the Great American Songbook sung by The Flamingos, The Platters, and other doo wop groups from the 1950s.
May 6, 2022
Mink Jazz: Peggy Lee In The 1960s
This week on Afterglow, our spotlight is on Miss Peggy Lee, with a closer look at the 1960s, a time when her music and persona became more sleek, romantic, and glamorous.
April 22, 2022
June Christy's Early Capitol LPs
In the early 1950s, singer June Christy broke away from Stan Kenton’s Orchestra to record solo, helping to establish the “vocal cool” style of jazz singing. This week, we’ll explore some of those early solo recordings she made for Capitol Records.
March 25, 2022
2022 Grammy Award Preview
It’s Afterglow’s annual preview of Grammy nominees in the Vocal Jazz and Traditional Pop categories, ahead of the award ceremony on Sunday, April 3rd. Nominees this year include Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, Kurt Elling, Esperanza Spalding and more.
March 18, 2022
Unforgettable: A Tribute to Natalie Cole
30 years after she swept the Grammys, we'll explore how Natalie Cole transformed herself from an R&B star into a jazz star, following in her father’s footsteps.
March 11, 2022
Lucky To Be Me: The Songs Comden and Green
We explore the musical partnership of Betty Comden and Adolph Green, two songwriters who contributed gems like “Just In Time” and “The Party’s Over” to the American Songbook.
February 25, 2022
Carmen McRae On Decca
Carmen McRae was one of the most respected jazz singers in the business for four decades. This week, we’ll explore her early recordings for the Decca label in the 1950s.
February 18, 2022
Billie Holiday and the Big Bands
We usually think of Billie Holiday as a small-group singer, but she also worked with several big bands. This week, we’ll hear her recordings with Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, and more.
February 11, 2022
The Two Williams: Spencer and Clarence
This week, we explore the songs of two unrelated black jazz composers from the early 20th century: Spencer Williams and Clarence Williams. These two Louisiana natives wrote early jazz standards like “Basin Street Blues” and “Baby Won't You Please Come Home.”
February 4, 2022
Brother Ray Sings Standards!
In the 1950s and 60s, Ray Charles left his indelible mark on songs in a variety of genres, including R&B, pop, country... and jazz standards from the Great American Songbook.
January 28, 2022
How Do You Keep the Music Playing?: The Songs Of The Bergmans
This week, we pay tribute to the husband-and-wife songwriting team of Alan and Marilyn Bergman, who wrote lyrics to such memorable songs as “The Windmills Of Your Mind,” “What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life,” and many more. Marilyn Bergman passed away earlier this month at age 93.
January 14, 2022
Charlie Parker With Voices
On this program, we’ll explore the few times Charlie Parker worked with vocalists, as well as some vocal interpretations of classic Charlie Parker tunes.
January 7, 2022
The Artistry Of Stephen Sondheim
This week, we remember the artistry of American songwriter Stephen Sondheim, and his many contributions to the American songbook, like “Small World,” “Send In The Clowns,” and more. Sondheim passed away last November at age 91.
December 31, 2021
Bing Crosby Duets
Even as early as the 1940s, Bing Crosby was already considered a jazz legend
December 24, 2021
All Is Calm: A Quiet Afterglow Christmas
This Christmas night, relax at the end of a stressful year with some holiday songs to soothe your soul, sung by Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole and more.
December 17, 2021
The Merriest!: A Swingin' Afterglow Christmas
It’s the holiday season, and we’re keeping things light and snappy this week as we dance along to some swinging holiday tunes, sung by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and more!
December 10, 2021
Dancing In The Dark: The Songs of Schwartz and Dietz
They may not be as well known as Rodgers and Hammerstein, but the songwriting duo of Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz nevertheless made significant contributions to the American Songbook, like “That’s Entertainment” and “You And The Night And The Music.”
December 3, 2021
The Stan Kenton Singers
In the 1940s and 50s, the Stan Kenton Orchestra became equally known for their brash arrangements and cool singers, like Anita O'Day and June Christy.
November 26, 2021
Recent Releases 2021, Part 2
We once again turn our attention to what’s new in the world of vocal jazz, exploring recent releases by singers like Tony Bennett, Jazzmeia Horn, Ledisi and more.
