Six Degrees of Jazz

09/20/2026

September 22 kicks off a five-week series celebrating the side players who joined John Coltrane to record one of the most iconic albums in jazz history — Blue Train (Blue Note, rec. 1957/rel. 1958).

Things get started with Lee Morgan (trumpet), followed in turn by Philly Joe Jones (drums), Kenny Drew (piano), Curtis Fuller (trombone), and Paul Chambers (bass). Each show starts with a track from Blue Train and digs into each artist's career as a session player, often collaborating with each other on other artists' albums. Over the course of the five weeks, expect hard bop, blues, organ jazz, a vocal turn or two, and no shortage of stone-cold classics. It's the perfect soundtrack for your early fall mornings.

And as a preview of Lee Morgan's trumpet style, check out "The Sidewinder," from the Morgan album of the same name: https://youtu.be/NHN6-yWFKPc?si=eOgv44CxVPDhGRhu

Tuesdays, 7-8 AM ET
WXOX 97.1 FM / ART FM A R T x F M

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music GroupThe Sidewinder (Remas...

09/13/2026

Another successful Give for Good in the books! Thank you to all who supported my page and the station. Tune in Tuesday for the Ron Carter show I originally planned for Sept. 8. It's a great show. Look forward airing it and giving lots of shout outs!

OVERWHELMED WITH APPRECIATION!!!

WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL SUPPORTERS!!!!

WE ARE FEELING SO MUCH LOVE!!!

IT FEELS SO GOOD TO KNOW YOU ARE TUNING IN!!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! LISTEN IN FOR YOUR SPECIAL DEDICATION!!!

24/7/365 WXOX!!!

09/09/2026

Give for Good is the day that makes it all happen for WXOX and our listeners. If you enjoy Six Degrees of Jazz and WXOX, take a moment on September 10 (very important that it is that day) to visit the Art FM Give for Good page and locate the Six Degrees of Jazz page to make a donation ($5 min) to help us throughout the year. Thanks for listening and for your support!

GIVE FOR GOOD IS THURSDAY!!! Help ART FM and all your favorite DJs WIN PRIZES while doing your part to keep our noncommerical station on the air!!! Plus $1000 bonus for the organization that gets the most donations through these fundraiser pages! The best part is, you don't have to chose between them, you can pick them all!!!! 5 Bucks is all it takes! 09.10.26

09/06/2026

Give For Good Louisville is coming up on September 10 — the day when community support keeps WXOX strong for another year. If you follow Six Degrees of Jazz, or any of the volunteer‑powered shows on the station, this is your chance to help sustain the work we do. You can support SDOJ on Sept. 10 using this link:

👉 https://mtyc.co/ipg7uf

Regrettably, I’m under the weather and won’t be able to make it into the studio this Tuesday to share more about Give for Good, so SDOJ will take a one‑week pause. A guest DJ will be on the mic on September 8, and I’ll be back the following Tuesday with the show originally planned for September 8 — Ron Carter, because SDOJ, and those who love it, can only go so long without a Ron Carter hour.

In the meantime, please join WXOX on September 10 for Give For Good Louisville. Thanks for listening, and thanks for supporting the station. A R T x F M

Support local broadcasting - great music, news, community vibes!

09/04/2026

I was shocked and saddened to learn that jazz vocalist Cassandra Wilson had passed. I first came across her work in the mid‑90s, when I picked up Blue Light ’Til Dawn — and from that moment on, she’s been my favorite jazz vocalist.

When Six Degrees of Jazz premiered in the Tuesday 7–8 AM slot on Election Day 2024, she was part of that first hour, with her version of “St. James Infirmary” driven by Herlin Riley’s drums. Since then, she’s appeared in shows built around Regina Carter (violin), Olu Dara (cornet), Brandon Ross (guitar — two tracks), Marvin Sewell (guitar), Ron Carter (bass), and Mulgrew Miller (piano).

And when I include the substitute shifts I’ve done, I’ve played 15 different Cassandra Wilson tracks across 16 shows, for a total of 17 spins. Her music has shaped my programming in ways that are hard to overstate.

Most jazz DJs would mark her passing with a tribute show, and that would be fitting. But instead, I’m planning to spotlight her longtime bassist, Lonnie Plaxico, not this week but before Thanksgiving. And of course, I’ll keep playing Cassandra Wilson every chance I get.

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music GroupYou Don't Know What L...

08/30/2026

Give For Good Louisville is coming up on September 10 — the one day we ask for listener support. Your support keeps WXOX’s volunteer‑powered shows on the air all year.

To mark the occasion, I’m pulling out all the stops with sweeps‑worthy programming for the next two weeks, and this week’s Six Degrees of Jazz features drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts — one of the greats. The collage below pulls from Tain dates in my own collection that anchor Tuesday’s show. And next week, it’s the patron saint of SDOJ: bassist Ron Carter. It's Carter show #4 in the Tuesday 7–8 AM ET slot, for those keeping score at home. Thanks for listening, and remember to support WXOX on September 10.

08/26/2026

Eventually Six Degrees of Jazz will air a show (already prepped) featuring bassist Abraham Laboriel. His career encompasses jazz, Christian/Gospel, Brazilian, R&B, pop and even "9 to 5." Until then.

Official music video for ”9 To 5” by Dolly PartonListen to Dolly P...

08/23/2026

Tuesday’s Six Degrees of Jazz spotlights bassist, composer and producer Marcus Miller, and I’ll be joined in studio by Rev. Dr. Kilen Gray, a longtime friend and Marcus Miller super‑fan who caught Miller’s recent Louisville show.

We’ll talk about the concert, the music, and the legacy — and play an hour of Miller’s work with jazz icons and R&B greats.

As a preview, here’s “Blast!”
https://youtu.be/KN7HrvBAfO0?si=tXhQIqYMDYgwa1yG

Tuesday at 7:00 AM ET on WXOX 97.1 FM / WXND 100.9 FM.
A R T x F M

Marcus Miller - Estival Jazz Lugano, Switzerland July 4, 2008.(HD)...

08/16/2026

Tuesday’s edition of Six Degrees of Jazz spotlights flautist Hubert Laws — a NEA jazz master whose presence elevates every session, from jazz legends to soul icons. As a preview, here’s Laws in gospel mode from his CTI release In the Beginning (1974):
https://youtu.be/HNvsvxY1x00?si=nbGKs-8nO5KGeE1G
Tune in 7–8 AM ET on A R T x F M

08/09/2026

Tuesday’s Six Degrees of Jazz is all about Mulgrew Miller — a pianist whose swing, touch, and presence shaped so many recordings I’ve loved over the years. He left us far too soon, passing in 2013 at just 57, but his playing continues to inspire and resonate with listeners and musicians.

As a preview, check him out with eventual SDOJ spotlight artists Jimmy Cobb and Buster Williams: https://youtu.be/1qVW0ZPKXiY?si=BSMEviOaBA3xa2vO

The show starts at 7:00 AM on WXOX 97.1 FM / WXND 100.9 FM. See you then. A R T x F M