KKJZ

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KKJZ (KJAZZ, 88.1 MHz FM) is a jazz radio station in Southern California broadcasting from the Long Beach State campus. The station is one of the highest rated jazz stations in the United States and one of only two public radio stations in Southern California presenting and promoting all genres of jazz and blues (the other being KSDS, operated by San Diego City College on 88.3).

As a public radio station, it is funded by contributions from listener-members and other donors, with 75% of the station's funding coming from station memberships.

The station's antennae is located on the top of Signal Hill in the Long Beach area. The station is rebroadcast from the University of Redlands at KUOR 89.1 FM. KKJZ is also available through internet streaming audio and in Japan via direct broadcast satellite on MBCO (Mobile Broadcasting Corporation).

History

Originally with the call letters KLON, the station has been broadcasting jazz since 1981. The station changed to KKJZ in August 2002.

The station had been broadcasting at 6,500 watts ERP, but in December 2004 the station upgraded its transmitter to 30,000 watts as well as an HD Radio digital signal. The station began broadcasting at 30,000 watts full time on March 14, 2005.

Music Events

Besides the radio station itself, KKJZ also produces several well-known music events in the Greater Los Angeles area, including:

• Long Beach Blues Festival: Held on Saturday and Sunday of the Labor Day weekend on the athletic field of the Long Beach State campus, the 2006 festival will be the 27th. The line-up for the 2005 festival included: Etta James, Los Lobos, Howard Tate, Bobby Rush, Cafe R&B, The Black Crowes, Bobby Bland, Guitar Shorty, Johnny Rawls, Otis Clay.
• KKJZ's Jazz at the Bowl: Hollywood Bowl
• Latin Jazz Club Caravan: Several Los Angeles nightclubs feature local Latin jazz groups, with buses between each venue
• Long Beach Blues Club Caravan: Several Long Beach nightclubs feature local Blues groups, with buses between each venue
• the Twilight Dance Concerts on the Santa Monica Pier
• Kjazz Sunset Concerts at L.A.’s Skirball Cultural Center
• Grand Performances: free performing arts series at California Plaza in downtown L.A.
• Kjazz Live Jazz and Wine Tasting Series at the Hollywood and Highland shopping and entertainment center in L.A.
• live broadcast of the Playboy Jazz Festival from the Hollywood Bowl

Trivia

• Long-time jazz disc jockey Chuck Niles (aka "Bebop Charlie") is the only jazz disc jockey to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Horace Silver, Louie Bellson, and Bob Florence ("Nilestones"), and others have written tunes for “Carlitos Niles”. Chuck Niles was a DJ for KKJZ from 1990 until just before he died in 2004. Niles also appeared in small parts in several low budget films. [Chuck Niles at IMDB]

• KJAZZ is the official emergency broadcast station for the City of Long Beach.

External links

• [KKJZ official website]
• [live streaming audio of KKJZ] plus three other streaming audio channels: Mostly Bop, Bossa Nova Breakfast & 88 Greats (classic jazz as chosen by station members)
• [KKJZ/KUOR coverage map]
• [Query the FCC's FM station database for KKJZ]

 

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