2025

KSDS/Jazz 88.3's 2026 Winter Membership Drive has concluded! We welcomed many new and renewing members and the music will continue to thrive because of it. If you would like to donate towards the campaign you can do so by clicking here. Here is the Top Ten Artist Poll we conducted for the drive.

Here's the Top Ten:

1. Sonny Rollins
2. Oscar Peterson
3. Wes Montgomery
4. Kenny Washington
5. Johnny Hartman
6. B.B. King
7. Gerry Mulligan
8. Buddy Rich
9. Paul Desmond
10. Chick Corea

On March 21st it’s a tribute to the original ladies of jazz in “Flying High: Big Band Canaries who soared” at California Center for the Arts Escondido. Jazz canaries – Ella, Billie, Dinah, and even Rosemary Clooney and Doris Day – started off in the great big bands and went on to their own even greater solo careers. Now Champian Fulton shares the stage with Count Basie vocalist Carmen Bradford and the Hot Sardines Elizabeth Bougerol to swing the memorable tunes of the jazz canaries. Tickets and information are found here.

Davis famously informed his musicians they’d be playing the gig for free just minutes before downbeat. What followed was one of the most celebrated live jazz performances of all time.

Black History Month 2025 continues with week 2 of “Freedom Now! Jazz and the Fight for Civil Rights.” 

• Long before the 1619 Project, there was Ellington’s Black, Brown, and Beige, a sprawling jazz symphony meant to communicate a comprehensive picture of African American history through music. 

• Long before Wynton Marsalis became the first jazz musician to win a Pulitzer, Norman Granz treated jazz as high art, imploring audiences to listen with the same reverence they might reserve for Bach or Brahms.

Tune in every weekday this Black History Month from noon to 1 p.m. Pacific.

*Note: All programs to air from noon to 1 p.m. Pacific. If you’re unable to catch a program live, each day’s program will be made available for on-demand listening the next day here. 

Week 1

February 3

Black and Blue: Louis Armstrong and Civil Rights

Hosted by Will Friedwald with special guest Ricky Riccardi

February 4

Breaking Barriers: Benny Goodman, Teddy Wilson and Lionel Hampton

Hosted by Loren Schoenberg

February 5

Billie Holiday's Strange Fruit: Protest in Song

Hosted by Will Friedwald

KSDS apologizes about our broadcast signal and stream being down. We are currently working on the issue and hope to have it resolved as soon as possible. Thank you all for reaching out to let us know. It is always reassuring to hear from so many people. We are grateful for your understanding and patience. Tuesday, 12:32pm