Now playing:
First channel
Bing and Louis: A Pocketful of Dreams with Gary Giddins

Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong struck up a friendship in the 1920s that flourished for almost half a century—on stage, in movies, on radio and TV. Under their influence, pop music became infused with the rhythm and tonality of jazz and blues.

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Now playing:
Second channel
Come Rain or Come Shine: Johnny Mercer in His Own Words

Songwriter Johnny Mercer’s ability to pick just the right slangy phrase and combine it seamlessly with his signature romantic sensibility made Mercer's songs popular with jazz artists, from Billie Holiday to Duke Ellington.

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Tune in to Riverwalk Jazz

Now you can tune in around the clock to two continuous streams of Riverwalk Jazz radio shows from the archive. Enjoy one of two streams now in progress.

Due to copyright restrictions, we are unable to provide a jukebox-style program stream where the user selects individual radio shows. It’s like a box of chocolates. Drop in and discover what’s on the air.

You will find the radio broadcasts thematically programmed by category in sets of three shows on topics such as:  Harlem Renaissance, New Orleans, Paris in the 30s, Birth of Swing, Blues Queens, Tunesmiths, Jazz & Civil Rights, and so forth.

The incomparable Riverwalk Jazz archive of live recordings features performances by The Jim Cullum Jazz Band and outstanding guest artists. Singular musical arrangements created by band members, including leader Jim Cullum and pianist John Sheridan, enhance the classical forms of jazz the Band embraces. Co-host David Holt interviews guests and presents scene-setting narratives embedded with historical recordings and rare archival interviews. Original scripts based on oral histories illumine the stories behind the music and bring to life key figures in early jazz.  

Programs are enriched by associated materials: illustrated essays, profiles on guest artists and band members, complete listings of radio shows and songs, supplementary recordings and stories by Jim Cullum about his life in jazz.

The Riverwalk Jazz radio series has been telling the story of early jazz and blues as it evolved in the first half of the 20th century on public radio stations for more than two decades.