The Ragged Edge

The Ragged Edge The original radio program exclusively devoted to the most adventurous currents in jazz and creative improvised music. Host: Steve Hahn. Established 1983.

Broadcast live Tues. 8-10 pm, PST, KBZR-FM 89.9, kbzr.org

05/05/2026

On this Tuesday's show we check out San Diego's hippest free jazz quartet of the 21st century, Cosmologic. Circumstances conspired to bring together four individual stars who joined forces in one of the strongest cooperative groups of our era. The frontline horns of saxophonist Jason Robinson and trombonist Michael Dessen happened to be working on doctorates at UC San Diego under George Lewis and Anthony Davis. Drummer Nathan Hubbard had studied with Harry Partch inheritor Danlee Mitchell at San Diego State, while bassist Scott Walton was also earning his doctorate at UCSD while anchoring every west coast group of the time. Four outstanding recordings - a product of 12 years together - cement their legacy. Join me May 5th at 8 pm Pacific on "The Ragged Edge" for a survey of Cosmologic's productive career on KBZR.org.

04/28/2026

By the time of his death in 2018, trumpeter Tomasz Stanko was indisputably the most significant Polish jazz musician in history. Though his early efforts were significantly oppressed by the Polish Communist regime of the 1960s, he was part of a revolutionary musical movement that never relented in opening up Eastern Europe to Western influences. And he never forgot his mentor, Kzrysztof Komeda, who led the way in bringing Polish influence to a wider audience, largely through his film scores for Roman Polanski. Join me this Tuesday, April 28th on "The Ragged Edge" for an examination of Stanko's contributions to international jazz at 8 pm Pacific time on KBZR.com

03/31/2026

The three founding members of the long-standing quartet Human Feel met in 1987 as students at the New England Conservatory. Jazz fans know all of them for their individual careers almost 40 years later. Saxophonist/clarinetists Chris Speed and Andrew D'Angelo, and drummer Jim Black were later joined by guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel in the provocative ensemble that gave them their first professional experience and continues to this day. Join me at 8 pm Pacific on Tuesday, March 31st for the latest edition of "The Ragged Edge" on kbzr.org

03/26/2026

Hey fans of creative music. I've been a little neglectful in recent weeks, even as we've had features on Sonny Sharrock, Vinny Golia, and the Either/Orchestra. There is no end to the bounty of this glorious artistic expression. I hope you will check in on a (periodic) basis to (re-)acquaint yourself with the best that improvised music has to offer. Every Tuesday night from 8-10 pm Pacific on "The Ragged Edge." kbzr.org

03/02/2026

Chicago-based multi-instrumentalist Hal Russell is one of the great unsung heroes of free jazz. Playing professionally since the age of 16, he came up in the late swing era, graduated seamlessly to be-bop, and from 1959 held down the drum chair in the city's first freely improvising ensemble, the Joe Daley Trio. He never stopped playing free for small audiences even while making his living backing up every touring singer who passed through Chicago. It wasn't until he put together his NRG Ensemble in the '80s, staffed by the best young players in town that he gained a wider reputation. And his string of ECM recordings near the end of his life made him a European sensation. Tune in this Tuesday, March 3rd at 8 pm Pacific to "The Ragged Edge" as we attempt to answer the question: was Hal Russell the white Muhal Richard Abrams? listen at kbzr.org

01/25/2026

Along with label founder Manfred Eicher, Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek was key in establishing ECM's spacious Nordic aesthetic in the 1970's. However, his origins were solidly in the more adventurous currents of jazz, apprenticing with George Russell's European groups, and anchoring Keith Jarrett's European Quartet. Join "The Ragged Edge" this Tuesday, January 27th at 8 pm Pacific for a look at the early career of the man who is often credited with establishing jazz's "European Sound" on KBZR.org.

01/12/2026

You haven't missed the Lester Bowie feature yet. Due to a power outage last week "The Ragged Edge" was postponed. Tune in this Tuesday, January 13th at 8 pm Pacific for your return engagement on KBZR.org.

01/06/2026

Trumpeter Lester Bowie was among the first of the St. Louis jazz experimentalists to move north to Chicago where he immediately connected with the AACM community and shortly after co-founded the Art Ensemble of Chicago. His personal work included duets, a funky organ quintet, a stint with Nigerian superstar Fela Kuti, and his own prolific and long-running brass octet, Brass Fantasy. No modern trumpeter incorporated more of the history of his instrument than Bowie, with a vocabulary of growls, smears, whinnys and half-valve effects regularly on display. Join "The Ragged Edge" this Tuesday, January 6th at 8 pm Pacific for a look at his all too-brief career on KBZR.org.

12/29/2025

Perhaps the most singular figure in jazz history, Herman "Sonny" Blount - better remembered as Sun Ra - had a thorough grounding in the swing and bop traditions of his day, but went on to create a body of music that made him a legend even among those knowing nothing of jazz. From his first recordings as a leader he was constantly expanding the frontiers of composition and ensemble performance with a band that, over 40 years, included hundreds of the most important players in jazz. Join me this Tuesday, December 30th at 8 pm Pacific on "The Ragged Edge" for a look at the earliest years of his Arkestra. On KBZR.org.

12/20/2025

Pianist Andrew Hill is widely regarded as one of the most adventurous composers in jazz. He was always a transitional figure bridging hard bop and free jazz, but his associations with creative improvisors, including one of Eric Dolphy's last recordings, put him in the category of pianists advancing jazz in new directions. He's always been somewhat under the radar, but no serious critic can afford to ignore him. Join me this Tuesday, December 23rd, at 8 pm Pacific for a look at his long, productive career on "The Ragged Edge," on KBZR.org

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