Convict Leasing

Today's show spotlights a dark chapter in American history known as convict leasing that lasted in Texas until 1912. Master drummer and HSPVA alum, Kendrick Scott premiered a new work commissioned by DaCamera titled, 'Unearthed'. The multi media performance honored the 'Sugarland 95', 95 victims of convict leasing whose graves were discovered in 2018 at the former Imperial Sugar work farm in Sugarland, Texas.

We will also spotlight the latest Kendrick Scott album, 'Corridors' on Blue Note that features Houston saxophonist, Walter Smith III and bassist, Rueben Rogers.

Yvonne Washington and Milton Hopkins

In the African American tradition the end of life ceremony is called a 'Homegoing Celebration'. Today on the Houston Jazz Spotlight we are having a musical 'Homegoing Celebration' for two giants from the Houston scene. The sensational vocalist and song stylist, Ms. Yvonne Washington and legendary blues guitarist and band leader, Mr Milton Hopkins Sr (cousin of Sam Lightnin Hopkins) both of these masters left the stage earlier this year.

Louis Armstrong

Today on the Houston Jazz Spotlight we will be focusing on the Jazz giant and trumpet legend, Louis Armstrong, the father of modern Jazz Afro Classical music. Brother Armstrong was not only the champion and world ambassador of Jazz but he was also a vocal advocated in the struggle for racial and social justice in this country.

Today we will feature the music of Louis Armstrong and the many cats from Houston who recorded with him. We are calling the show, 'Louis Armstrong and His HTown All Stars!'.

Louis Armstrong made headlines when he condemned racism in Little Rock, Arkansas- risking his career while musicians who dismissed him as an Uncle Tom stayed silent. As the great reggae bard, Bob Marley sung " Soon we'll find out who is the real revolutionary."

Have a Swingin Dia!

Essie's 5th Birthday

We are celebrating all those hip cats who have birthdays in the month of July, especially the coolest of hip cats and assistant producer of the Houston Jazz Spotlight, Essie Joy Malone! Turning the Big 5! We will be playing the jazz versions of some of yours and Essie Joy's favorite cartoon and animated movies theme songs. Think about this, there have only been four animated movies with African American lead characters in my 57 years and Pixars's 'Soul' is number four.

I mention this because it is important for young people to not only see themselves in this form of storytelling but to also have stories that center their world.

Juneteenth 2022

On this episode of Houston Jazz Spotlight, we are celebrating two important dates, June 14th which marks my beloved mother, Marva Faye Jones- Malone, 80th birthday and June 19th which is Juneteenth. So during the first hour we will play some of mothers favorites and during the second hour we will get you ready for the Juneteenth celebration this Sunday. My mother brought jazz into my life with albums by Wes Montgomery and Hubert Laws. This is one of my mothers favorite albums by Sir Hubert and I loved it so much that I borrowed her copy when I came to TSU. I got him to sign the album for her at the Houston Jazz Festival in 2019.

Tune in to the Houston Jazz Spotlight from 6-8 pm on KPFT 90.1 FM and on kpft.org

Billy Harper

Today we are spotlighting the music of the spiritual giant of the tenor saxophone, Billy Harper. He is a kindred spirit of John Coltrane. I had the pleasure of brining Brother Harper to Houston to headline the 16th Annual Trinity Jazz Festival in 2017. Last week on the show we celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. Today during the first hour we acknowledge the holiday and the work that he and countless civil rights activist have started and for us to continue, especially around the issue of voting rights protection. Our 'Hot Bach', pianist, composer and artist, Jason Moran has a birthday this week and we will be playing new music by him.