WUSF Studio Sessions Podcast

BJ Sam was born in Africa, but his music resonates far beyond African shores. His impact extends far beyond gospel music, influencing artists across multiple genres. He has collaborated with over 100 musicians and celebrities from all the continent of the world including famous Hollywood Oscar nominee Paul Raci, Bollywood legend Jaspinder Narula; Grammy voting pianist Charu Suri; and Monaco ballet star-singer Lorena Barica...

Dave Koz is a celebrated American saxophonist, composer, and radio host, widely recognized for his contributions to smooth jazz. Born in 1963 in Encino, California, he began playing the saxophone in his youth and quickly rose to prominence in the late 1980s, touring with artists like Bobby Caldwell and Richard Marx. His solo career took off with his 1990 debut album and has since led to numerous chart-topping albums, Gramm...

WUSF, Community Foundation Tampa Bay, and the Firehouse Cultural Center proudly present Stormy Weather: a concert focused on hurricane preparedness for the 2025 season.

The Firehouse Cultural Center, which suffered significant damage during Hurricane Helene, is co-hosting to highlight the financial and physical impacts of hurricanes. This event is presented by Community Foundation Tampa Bay whose mission is to build a vibra...

Meet Andrew Berish: he is an Associate Professor who holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in Musicology from the University of California, Los Angeles and B.A. in History from Columbia University. Dr. Berish’s current research focuses on the relationship between musical expression and the social experience of space and place. He recently release his book "Hating Jazz: A History of its Disparagement, Mockery, and Other Forms of Abuse."

Formed in 2022 by Trombonist James Wall and Multi-Instrumentalist T.J. Schaff, The Schaff - Wall Collective is a diverse and experimental music ensemble that performs in multiple configurations across the West Coast of Florida. The group draws influence from multiple genres and specializes in live jazz, fusion, pop, and New-Orleans style music. The band's core duo consists of James Wall (Trombone/Vocals) and T.J. Schaff (D...

Meet Gabrielle Leonore: she is an autistic artist who is premiering her first one-woman show, My Life as an “Inspirational Porn” Star, that she acts, writes and produces. You may have recently seen her as “Desdemona” in TheatreFor’s production of Desdemona: A Play about a Handkerchief and as  a “Person in Charge” in Tampa Rep’s production of Straight White Men. She has played Various Roles in “A Sketch-ceptional Showcase” ...

"The Tal Cohen Trio manages to combine complex, modern jazz concepts with graceful phrasing, thoughtful development and honest expression. The original ideas, high level of communication and spontaneity of the group is a breath of fresh air and proof that jazz has a bright future” – David Manson, Director of EMIT & the St. Petersburg Jazz Festival. This concert was filmed on location at the Side Door at the Palladium i...

La Lucha is a Tampa Bay-based trio that consists of three best friends from three different parts of the world: Colombia (Alejandro Arenas), Mexico (John O’Leary), & United States (Mark Feinman). Their music ventures boldly into a wide variety of musical styles, offering an appealing and fun mix of genres under the jazz umbrella. The combination of their musical versatility and varied musical influences makes for compe...

Meet Dylan McHann. He is an accomplished saxophonist and composer based in Miami, Florida and plays tribute to some of the greats like Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane. He’s performed in prestigious clubs like Dizzy’s Coca Cola and at festivals like the Monterey Jazz Festival. He recently performed a show that honors two jazz giants—Horace Silver and Cedar Walton. This concert was filmed at Studio@620 in St. Petersburg, F...

Travis Van Bumble and Stephanie Ruscito are The House Cats: a husband and wife, guitar and vocals duo, playing straight ahead-jazz, bebop, and swing. Travis and Stephanie grew up near Clearwater, and have been playing music together for over ten years. Travis’ walking baselines and chord melodies give The House Cats a big, swinging sound, but as soon as they play a ballad you’ll feel the mood shift, and see the two’s chemi...

Amigo the Devil is a musician and songwriter who channels a voice of unsettling beauty and raw truth. He's a master at murderfolk, the genre that combines Americana, dark folk, and metal with themes of the macabre. His songs are greatly influenced by the honesty of Leonard Cohen, the creativity of Tom Waits and the ruthlessness of Chavela Vargas. He's currently touring and will be performing his solo show at the Floridian ...

Meet Daniela and Nate, a Bossa Nova duo dedicated to sharing authentic Brazilian jazz with audiences across the globe. They’ve travelled and performed hundreds of shows from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. They’re currently touring their latest show, Love and Bossa Nova, which began in the pandemic on Zoom and quickly transformed into a live concert series. They’re performing on April 23 at the Palladium. I got to sit down with t...

Jeremy Carter is a true study of Jazz music, Nebraska native, and understudy of the Southeast’s best professors and musicians. Jazzy funk riffs, screaming over the sounds of the BSP is truly a spectacle, for the ears and the eyes. If you find yourself stop-dancing in a dropped draw fashion, it is probably because of Carter’s riffs–his soul pouring over the speakers like sand. Carter has recorded with numerous national acts...

Meet Dylan McHann. He is an accomplished saxophonist and composer based in Miami, Florida and plays tribute to some of the greats like Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane. He’s performed in prestigious clubs like Dizzy’s Coca Cola and at festivals like the Monterey Jazz Festival.  I spoke with Dylan over zoom about his upcoming show at Studio 620 on Saturday April 5. The show honors two jazz giants—Horace Silver and Cedar Wa...