Celebrating My One Year at Jazz88
It’s hard to believe that just a year ago I came into the studios of Jazz88 to start hosting the Afternoon Cruise and being the Music Director. It’s been a really rewarding year, I’ve really dug into the work. That work includes trying to be a really engaging, curious and gracious host every afternoon. I also have been trying to make connections with Minnesota musicians and celebrate the incredible work that is happening here already. I also want to make authentic connections with national artists, both well-known artists and up-and-comers. From my years as a professional musician, I know what it means for a radio station to stick their neck out and get behind a young artist. I know what it means for audience connection, ticket sales, record sales. It can lay down the foundation for a metro area to be an important part of your strategy. Also, as a listener I know what it’s like when you hear a radio station just lean into an artist, support ‘em, develop ‘em, believe in ‘em. It’s all magical and I want to be a part of that. This year I’m going to give myself the letter grade of an A. That’s certainly not because I’ve done everything perfectly, far from it. There was a day where we played Stacey Kent pretty much every hour cause I didn’t know how to program music. I’ve struggled left and right, but across the year I can hear improvements in my own DJing and in the programming of the station. There are plenty of metrics to measure success in any profession, and in radio ratings are certainly part of that equation. Ratings are fickle, and ratings are often too blunt of a measurement to give a station vital information for what is working. BUT, all that aside, WE HAD AN ABSOLUTELY BANNER MONTH AT JAZZ88. Our station is at a record high 2.9. You can read more about it here from our Program Director, Travis Ryder. You can check the public ratings here. It’s really inspiring. More people are listening. People who do listen are listening for longer. And the feedback I get from listeners, from musicians, from randos at the grocery store: it’s positive, it’s enthusiastic, it drives me to keep going. Great radio makes a difference, busting your ass to make a cool sounding afternoon can make a difference. It’s awesome. I’m really happy to be here, and I’m really happy we’re thriving. I’m going to raise a glass tonight and smile with my friends. It’s a good night. Happy Friday.
The sexy author, March 24, 2022.
The sexier author, now the Music Director of the highest rated Jazz Station in America, March 24, 2023.