Do you have a world-class radio station in your town?

[markr]

Just giving it a try: Is there a broadcaster in your area that kicks butt? - do they have an audio streaming website?

 

[markr]

For me, the best things in life always include a great soundtrack. Where I live, that soundtrack is, of course, supplied by me - but always is supplemented by others. Here are a couple of alternatives to "me" (Thank GOD! - anon):

 

KUT - National Public Radio, but they tend to ignore that and program 'tha dang thing' themselves a lot of the time. Here in Austin, the frequency is 90.5 FM. On the web, you can listen at www.kut.org

 

KGSR - another 'outside the normal programming' station. The local frequency is 107.1 FM . On the web, you can listen at www.kgsr.com

 

While I realize that internet streaming audio isn't among the best of available sounds in the universe, what I am trying to identify here is original material, not audio quality. Please post up what you still find interesting on the radio & help that station and help me at the same time (OK -- you'd be helping others...) ......

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

I haven't listened to local FM or AM radio in five years. I am addicted to XM Radio. I highly suggest channel 70 Real Jazz. There are so many choices compared to traditional terrestrial radio. I also stream XM on my computer when I am looking for something I don't own or want to find a new artists or two.

 

Once in a while I browse through the stations listed in iTunes. Sometimes it isn't bad, but since XM is commercial free I spend more time there. iTunes does have a decent selection of international stations that I enjoy once in a while.

 

Note: While the sound quality is certainly lacking, I do love the exposure to new music. I am willing to make the trade-off for now.

 

[musicfirst]

from Toronto Canada is one of those good stations. 100% jazz progamming. They have live streaming and also two all music audio streams which have rather small catalogs but are still growing. From 10 pm to 6 am E.S.T. they have Bob Parlocha's sindicated Jazz show, which is among the very best. I want to record this show and listen to it during the day, but I haven't figured out how to do this sucessfully yet.

 

Apart from two programs hosted by somewhat onbnoxious radio personalities who's names will go unmentioned (you'll figure it out), this is a great station.

 

Kerry

 

[flatmap]

are both stations in the Seattle area that I listen to every day. KPLU -- I think they have two internet streams -- is mainstream jazz with a weekend blues show. KEXP does alternative/rock and has a live studio where a number of the big names drop in to play. I like the Morning Show quite a bit. KEXP definitely streams.

 

Both of these are well worth the time to listen. And so gratifying to be able to pick them up on my vintage receivers from the 60's and 70's. Ahhh.

 

[airdronian]

I've listened to KPLU for a number of years now. Decent blend of artists and the weekend blues is kickin'.

 

I lived near Seattle for many years and tuned in on FM. Since I moved away it is internet only for me.

 

They do stream - as I understand it the regular programming is at kplu.org whereas they also have jazz24.org which is music only.

 

Only downside is the best stream you can get is 64k using Internet Explorer only with an Abacast plugin. If you choose not to use IE then the only stream you can get is 32k, which is what you see on iTunes. Initially they offered a better AAC Plus stream which I listened to exclusively but that was discontinued due to lack of use. I was choked when they discontinued that, so much so that I let my subscription lapse. Been looking for better quality streams that don't mandate the use of IE.

 

I still listen occasionally - enjoy the hosts and the programming, but the stream quality needs to improve.

 

 

 

[gmgraves]

It's not in my town (in fact it's 3000 miles away) but WCRB Boston is the best classical radio station I've ever heard. They do lots of live performances: BSO, Boston Pops, concerts from Tanglewood, small ensembles and soloists from their performance studios at the radio station and because they are part of NPR, no commercials. In second place there's WQXR in NYC. Not as much live stuff (not as much as they used to do, anyway), but still good. Luckily, anyone on earth with a computer and a broad-band Internet connection can enjoy these stations.

 

[Paul R]

You might want to give KMFA a shot, they are at 89.9. Great programming, and their pledge drives are much less annoying than KUT! I do agree that KUT is one heck of a great Public Radio station. They even get the traffic right in the morning...

 

-Paul

 

 

[firedog]

http://bebopnation.com/

 

Good jazz station, internet only. He does go offline sometimes, apparently doesn't always have the money to keep the station going.

 

Make a donation if you like the station

 

[kumakuma]

Not local but I've been enjoying Jazz Wyoming (256 kbs) and the LINN stations (320 kbs) on my SBT lately.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

It is the sad deterioration of programming on WQXR (NYC) that drove me to Internet radio.

 

Kal

 

[gmgraves]

That's very true. I find QXR to be a mere shadow of it's former self, but it's still better than most classical FM stations. Frankly I prefer WCRB in Boston. But sometimes, when they are playing something in which I'm not interested, I switch to WQXR.

 

[AudioDoctor]

I think I have to remind you, and the thread as a whole, that Minnesota Public Radio has some great stations.

 

99.5 KSJN play Classical

 

91.1 KNOW News

 

and 89.3 The Current

 

all can be found at www.minnesotapublicradio.org and streamed online.

 

[driven -- by sound]

Long-time local listener, now internet listener of kjazz.org (Jazz & Blues)

Southern California...

 

[nwjg]

KRCL in Salt Lake is really good imho.

 

Each DJ seem to handle their own programming so listen at different times.

 

http://streamctl.krcl.org/krcl-high-ogg.m3u

[beetlemania]

KRCL in Salt Lake is really good imho.

 

 

KRCL is excellent (except for when they're not). Weekdays 5-8 AM has one of their best programmers, John Florence. A great mix of '60s and '70 rock (Beatles, Traffic, etc.), newer stuff (Ben Harper, Neko Case, Josh Ritter, etc.), plus occasional folk.

 

I mostly listen on weekends. Saturday mornings have new and classic rock, reggae on the afternoons. Sunday is probably my favorite. It starts with Native American, works into folk/Americana, then bluegrass, finishing with "Fret 'n Fiddle" which has Celtic and folk.

 

Full disclosure: I am a former board member.

 

Wyoming public radio has a great morning music program, slotted between news and talk from 9-12. It's usually locally produced but I've also heard it with syndicated programming.

[Speedskater]

WCLV - Classical - Cleveland

 

Welcome to WCLV 104.9, now in its 51st year of broadcasting classical music for northeast Ohio

 

http://www.wclv.com/

[Jud]

WXPN in Philly. Rock with an alternative bent. Not surprising, as they're the University of Pennsylvania's station.

 

WFMT in Chicago has had quite a reputation, especially for classical. They famously built a studio suspended within a larger room for live performances. But I've actually never listened myself.

 

Back when I was using FreeBSD a lot and listening to ICEcast online radio, the Czech national classical station was a favorite.

[HIFI]

I do have a kick but station and they do stream . . .

 

91.7 KXT Public Radio, Denton TX

 

KXT 91.7

[burnspbesq]

+1 for KEXP. I have their app on my iPhone.

 

In SoCal, we have good jazz (KKJZ) and classical (KUSC), plus the amazing KCRW.

 

If there's a better jazz station than WBGO, I wish someone would tell me what it is.

[Audio_ELF]

Not local as in town based; but I'm one of those who supports and champions BBC Radio in the UK especially Radio 3 (classical) and Radio 6 ("alternative" contemporary).

[Musicophile]

If you don't mind the occasional talk in French (and some very funny French pronunciation of artist's names) I can strongly recommend FIP, a French station. You can find it on ITunes. It does e.g. Bach Cello suites followed by an Argentinian singer songwriter followed by a recently discovered Jazz singer from

Norway. One thing is sure, it never leaves you bored.

[wkhanna]

Hardly ‘World Class’ by any stretch of the imagination, but worth noting nonetheless, IMHO…

 

...from December 1949 until September 2011, WDUQ,owned by & broadcasting from the Duquesne University campus in Pittsburgh,PA, was a public radio station with a 24 hr jazz format aside from NPR news & a few weekend shows such as ‘Car Talk’& the like.

 

Pittsburgh has been a breeding ground for jazz since its early beginnings, producing such artists as:

George Benson, Harold Betters, Art Blakey, Bobby Boswell, Ray Brown, Paul Chambers, Sonny Clark, Kenny Clarke, Johnny Costa, Frank Cunimondo, Billy Eckstine, Roy Eldridge, Erroll Garner, Slide Hampton, Walt Harper, Joe Harris, Earl Hines, Roger Humphries, Ahmad Jamal, Horace Parlan, JimmyPonder, Billy Strayhorn, Maxine Sullivan, Stanley Turrentine, Tommy Turrentine, Mary Lou Williams & Nancy Wilson to name just a few.

 

Jazz music, performance, recording & education are deeply rooted & passionately supported in this community. So two years ago, when Duquesne University sold the station license & rights to a consortium who promptly changed the format to ‘All Talk’, it was no big surprise that within 4 weeks former employees, who had already raised money to out-bid the consortium but were not awarded the sale, were on the internet with a Jazz-only station broadcasting live, 24-7.

 

With community support, the station has since raised enough in private donations to purchase another radio station & plan to be back on the local airwaves by fall pending the standard FCC red tape bureaucracy.

 

Should you care to sample the program, it can be found at The Pittsburgh Jazz Channel