WUSF Studio Sessions Podcast

Born and raised in the American Southwest, Eliana Joy is a jack of all trades (master of…some!). After a euphonium degree and a spell with the Santa Fe Opera, she moved to Brooklyn to explore The Great American Songbook. Eliana developed a tender, subtly comedic set of vocal standards - and promptly received the diagnosis of a jaw condition requiring major surgery. In 2024, she had the operation in St. Petersburg, FL, and passed the time playing piano and making ceramics. Now based in Santa Fe, NM, Eliana lives a conspicuously involved life, working as a music educator, production po...

Aliqua, “to some extent”, is a jazz fusion band formed in Tampa, Florida. With members originating from all walks of life and different corners of the world, they blend their cultures and passions into a musical dialogue that listeners can resonate, engage, and change their lives with.

Rafael "Ruffus" Silva is a Boston based Jazz piano player with nearly two decades of experiences. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston and majored in Performance. He plays about 15+ instruments and is proficient in Jazz piano, saxophone, flute, and bass. He specializes in Jazz music from the early to mid 20th century and performs with a repertoire of over 900+ songs.

Julián Pernett Castilla’s pronounced natural talents in music, specifically in Afro-Latin percussion instruments are the result of his valuable cultural heritage from the Colombian Caribbean Coast. These abilities have always provided him with an abundance of musical gifts to share with the world. He is a passionate instrumentalist, concert pianist, and educator. Trained in the Western European musical tradition and the discipline of Improvisation in the Jazz style, Julián possesses a rich skillset that has opened a door to freely explore musical thoughts. With all sonic options at hand, including beyond the realms of piano performance, he m...

Bela Souza is a seasoned singer living in St. Pete, FL. She has been performing in the Tampa Bay area since 2011. Bela studied Musical Theatre at the University of Tampa, which led her to pursue a career in music and vocal coaching. Her sultry, soulful sound and Brazilian roots have influenced her love for singing jazz and bossa nova.

USF Latin Jazztet

Meet Chuck Owen. He is a jazz composer, arranger, conductor, and educator. Best known as the leader of the big band The Jazz Surge, which he founded in 1995, Owen has earned five individual Grammy nominations for his evocative and genre-bending compositions. He is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus from the University of South Florida, where he taught for 40 years, and serves as the founding President of the International Society of Jazz Arrangers & Composers (ISJAC). I hope you enjoy this conversation.

Daniela Soledade is a rising star among legends in the Brazilian music scene. Downbeat Magazine calls Daniela a “master of classic samba and bossa nova.” An heir to the Bossa Nova legacy, Soledade is highly acclaimed for her poignantly expressive vocal style and intimate aesthetic.. With a tremendous talent for paying tribute to her musical heritage while staying true to her own artistry, Soledade is a mix of authentic bossa nova, samba, MPB, and American Popular Song.

"JazzTimes calls him a 'masterful guitarist,' Nate Najar has emerged as one of America's finest modern jazz exponents.  From his B...

The Nick Peters Quartet is a dynamic jazz ensemble led by pianist Nicholas Peters, who has been performing since age four and immersed in jazz since middle school. Based in the Tampa Bay area, Nicholas has performed at renowned venues such as the Straz Center, Ruth Eckerd Hall, the Clearwater Jazz Festival, the Mahaffey Theatre, Crowbar, and Sparkman Wharf. Alongside his quartet, he delivers vibrant, soulful jazz that captivates any audience.

Golden Flower is a progressive jazz quintet that’s pushing traditional genre boundaries. Their unique sound is rooted in a wide range of influences including Jazz, Funk, Afro-Latin, Indian Classical, Grunge, and Experimental Music. The ensemble consists of Shawn Villanueva on trumpet, Caitlin Pequignot on violin, Cameron Gholami on drums, Brandon Miller on bass, and Patrick Moreno on keys.

Personnel:
Warren Buchholz - video/editing
Jackson Harpe - sound

With The Palladium closed for renovations through 2027, local musicians are losing valuable performance space. Green Light Kitchen & Lounge in downtown St. Pete is helping fill the gap, hosting free jazz performances and weekly jam sessions featuring some of the area's top talent.⁠
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Owner Michael Hazlett hopes the venue can serve as a welcoming hub for artists, film lovers, and music fans while supporting the local jazz community during the Palladium's hiatus.⁠

Mutant Fusion Collective (MFC), the jazz/rock sonic conquistadors, have set sail from Dunedin, FL.

Fronted by guitarist and bandleader Kirk Yates, MFC has earned a reputation for its genre-blending prowess. Their signature sound seamlessly melds original compositions with classic jazz standards and ‘90s alt-rock anthems.

Known for their bold bond of jazz’s improvisational freedom and grunge rock’s raw energy, MFC delivers performances marked by intricate solos, tight rhythms, and a palpable passion.

Quin Killin' is a poet, advocate, educator, and performer reppin’ Liberty City, Miami on their back while residing in Volus...

Led by bassist and founder Holly Cordero, Steamin' Jazz is a dynamic ensemble hailing from Central Florida. Known for their versatile performances, they blend jazz standards, Brazilian rhythms, funk grooves, and jazz-infused renditions of pop tunes. With a rotating lineup that includes configurations like the Steamin' Quartet, Trio, or Duo, the group brings a fresh and engaging experience to every show.

Dennis Rodney (D-Rod the Poet) is a Tampa-based spoken word artist and poet known for performances featuring lyrical and rhythmic content. He is the host of "Poetry Is..." on WMNF 88.5. 

Video recorded by Suite E...

In the pursuit of finding a voice in his art, Jose Pineiro has grasped tightly the evocative and emotional genre of Jazz.

Burgeoning from a fertile music scene in Gainesville, FL honed his discovery of a true musical identity. Jumping the gap between peace and mania, the Jose Pineiro Trio means to reach the depths of human interactions to relay the beauty in life.  

Keshia Banks is a poet who has released Book of Rhymes :: Soulor System, the first book in a series, which is a self published concept of life's poetic perspectives. A book o...

As a collective of Tampa based musicians and songwriters that started as a jam band in an auto shop, Tha Banned are committed to spreading the spirit of live music and community. Tha Banned plays every genre of music and specializes in improvisational jazz. They play events at venues across the Tampa Bay area including Rock the Park at Curtis Hixon and the St. Pete Saturday Morning Market.

Tha Banned operates as a collective and often plays as a supporting band for its members' solo performances. 

Freemansound.org and the MINDSET Series strive to raise a...

Music is therapy. Live jazz offers a meaningful way to support well‑being by reducing stress, uplifting mood, and bringing people together through shared experience. In this episode, Warren talks about using music as therapy and speaks with different therapists and musicians on the topic.

In this episode, Warren Buchholz sits down with Eric Mullins and Jimmy Michaud, co‑founders of Swamp Sounds Florida, a Florida‑rooted vinyl collective dedicated to preserving music, history, and community through records. The conversation explores their journey into vinyl culture, the origins of Swamp Sounds Florida, and their commitment to education through workshops, events, and hands‑on experiences. Eric and Jimmy also share the story behind their annual Vinyl Record Crawl, held on Record Store Day, which blends music history, record grading education, and visits to independent record stores across the Tampa Bay region. Together, they discuss the power...

Host: Warren Buchholz, Jazz Brand Manager, WUSF

Guests:

Rita Batiste – Sommelier / Wine Attendant, Piccolo Buco

Alex – Brand Manager, The Zest

Location: Piccolo Buco, Tampa, FL

In this special on-location episode of Studio Sessions, WUSF Jazz Brand Manager Warren Buchholz sits down with Sommelier Rita Batiste at Piccolo Buco in Tampa to explore the sensory connection between classic jazz albums and carefully selected wines. Each pairing is designed to mirror the mood, texture, and emotional depth of iconic jazz recordings, blending music appreciation with wine education in a relaxed, conversational sett...

Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Gustavo Matamoros is a sound artist and composer who has lived and worked in Miami since 1979. His compositions have earned two Venezuelan music awards and have been performed by prestigious ensembles in his home country. His sound art installations have been commissioned and exhibited throughout the U.S. and Europe by notable institutions, including the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), Miami-Dade Art in Public Places, Atlantic Center for the Arts, the Polk Museum of Art, and the Deering Estate. Matamoros has performed at prominent venues such as t...

Led by founder Holly Cordero, Steamin’ Jazz is made up of players from the Central Florida area with a sense of New York Flair. Steamin’ Jazz plays tunes from jazz standards to brazilian to Funk to arrangements of pop tunes in a Jazz fashion. 

Holly received her Master’s in Jazz Performance from New York University playing with Jazz greats such as Kenny Werner, Chris Potter, Jean Michel-Pilc, Brad Shepik, Tony Moreno, among others. She learned under the tutelage of Mike Richmond who tours with the Mingus Big Band. She now resides in Florida continuing to compose and arr...

Consisting of Chris Kottke on trumpet, John Wheatley on tenor sax, Jim Lemli on guitar, Don Colladay on bass (Steve King on bass substituting on the Arts Axis Studio Session recording) and Pete Szujewski on drums. The SRQuintet is committed to carrying on the tradition of the great jazz quintets of the last 60 years. Playing everything from songbook standards to bebop classics, blue note gems, bossa nova favorites, and many new original tunes, the quintet is a can't-miss feature of the Sarasota jazz scene. 

Don Was has left his mark on music, producing the Rolling Stones, playing bass for Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Grateful Dead, and leading Blue Note Records. He joins us ahead of his Clearwater show with Don Was & The Pan-Detroit Ensemble to discuss new music, collaborations and stories from his career. This was originally broadcasted on WUSF 89.7fm as part of the Florida Matters episode dated February 9, 2026.

Established in 2022, Sokołowski Trombone Project is a Trombone Band made up of 4 trombonists and 3 rhythm section players. The band’s goals consist of promoting innovative arrangements for the trombone of popular jazz standards, while also aiming to contribute original and modern music in various styles. STP recently won the International Trombone Association’s "Kai Winding Jazz Trombone Ensemble Competition" as well, where the group was given a featured performance at the International Trombone Festival in Salt Lake City.

Meet Al Di Meola. He’s a GRAMMY® Award-Winning American jazz fusion and Latin jazz guitarist/composer, working as a solo artist on hit albums like Casino and Land of the Midnight Sun and performed with Chick Corea’s Return to Forever. He recently released a new album Twenty Four and is currently on tour where he’ll be performing at the Nancy & David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre in Clearwater on January 17 at 8pm.

Meet Laila Biali. She’s a Multi award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter, pianist and CBC Music national radio host of the program Saturday Night Jazz. She is a JUNO award winner and has recently released a new album Wintersongs. She will be performing at the Carrollwood Cultural Center in Tampa on January 16 at 7:30pm. I hope you enjoy.

Gumbi Ortiz a 30 year veteran of The Al Di Meola Group, was born and raised in The South Bronx, Gumbi has Recorded, performed, and/or Produced, some of today’s most diverse and acclaimed  musicians on the Planet  including : Phillippe Saisse, Jeff Berlin, Steve Vai, Nat Adderley, Joel Taylor, Cyril Neville, Irvin Mayfield, Bill Summers, Armand Sabal-Lecco, Senri Kawaguchi, Chick Corea, Gato Barbieri, Rick Ross, Young Jeezy, The J.U.S.T.I.C.E League,Jeff Lorber, Dave Weckl, Eric Marienthal, Brandon Field ,Jay Beckenstein, Barry Miles, Joel Rosenblatt ,The Black Honkeys, Nick Brignola, Jim Pepper, Ted Shumate, Fred...

Welcome to the Studio Sessions Holiday Special! I’m Warren Buchholz, jazz brand manager here at WUSF. It’s been a wild year, but now it’s time to slow down and celebrate the holidays—with friends, family, pets, that one uncle who comments on every Facebook post, and even your mail carrier. This season is full of joy, traditions, and of course… some incredible jazz. Listen to some music by local artists like Julián Pernett Castilla, The House Cats, Jeremy Carter, and Dan Bremer along with interviews and music from Dave Koz and Mindi Abair.

Meet Mindi Abair. She’s is a 2x GRAMMY nominated saxophonist, vocalist, author and wine entrepreneur. She’s recorded and toured with ensembles and musicians like Aerosmith, Gerald Albright, Gregg Allman, Dave Koz and Trombone Shorty. She’s currently touring with Peter White and Vincent Ingala for the 2025 Peter White Christmas show where they will be performing at the Capitol Theatre in Clearwater on December 11 at 8pm. You can find tickets for this wonderful holiday show at RuthEckerdHall.com

Meet jazz bassist Ron Carter. He is a performer, band leader, author, and educator with a prolific record of performing with some of the greats like Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Eric Dolphy, Cannonball Adderley, Dexter Gordon, Wes Montgomery, and so many more. He has recorded over 2,200 albums and has a Guinness world record to prove it! He is releasing a brand new album, Sweet, Sweet Spirit, which is a love letter to his mom. Pre-sales begin December 5. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Ron Carter.

Meet Dave Koz. He’s an American saxophonist, composer, and radio host. Over the past 30 years, he’s earned nine Grammy nominations and performed with artists like Celine Dion and Stevie Nicks–to say the very least. He recently released a new album with his friend Bob James and is currently on tour with his Dave Koz and Friends Christmas Tour, which stops at Ruth Eckerd Hall on November 29–the perfect start to the holiday season.

In the late ’60s, Robert Callender — then recording as Bobby Callender — was a young singer-songwriter with a vision that defied his era. On Rainbow (1968, MGM), he fused Eastern raga textures with Western psychedelic rock, crafting a concept-driven song cycle long before such albums became common. The sessions brought together some of New York’s finest: bassist Richard Davis (Astral Weeks), guitarists Eric Gale and Hugh McCracken, and sitarist Colin Walcott of Oregon. 50 years later, Callender finally performed and recorded the album live for the first time. Rainbow Live will be released on November 14, 2025. Rainbow: The Anniversary Concert is more than a r...

Rod Alnord is Haitian-born drummer with multiple musical influences including Jazz, Gospel/Worship, and Afro-Caribbean Music. He studied at the University of South Florida under Ric Craig and Bob McCormick. He has since developed his playing style, inspired by the explosive Elvin Jones and modern-day drummer Brian Blade.

Hayes Carll isn’t preaching or teaching. He’s not interested in telling the rest of us what to do or think. But he is charting out a personal guide for his life, quieting the noise, and sitting with his real voice – the one that’s candid, consistent, and often inconvenient.

We’re Only Human is Carll’s tenth album. Like his best lyrics, it is also an understated masterpiece, an honest snapshot of one man’s confrontation and delight with humanity’s biggest and most intimate questions. Where do we find forgiveness for ourselves and grace for others? How...

Meet Stanley Jordan, a jazz guitarist and composer who has performed in 70 countries on 6 continents. His Magic Touch album was an instant classic, and it stayed at #1 on Billboard’s jazz chart for 51 weeks. He is widely regarded as the foremost exponent of the touch, or tapping technique on guitar. To date Jordan has been nominated for four Grammys, and he’s performed in 70 countries. He made a cameo appearance in the movie Blind Date with Bruce Willis and Kim Basinger, and numerous TV appearances through the years, including Johnny Carson, Jay Leno, David Letterman and Jimmy Fallon. He has...

Singer, composer, and creator Ona K envelops you in a mist of beauty. Once you enter, you won’t want to escape. With the sensuality of her voice, the elegance of her compositions and arrangements, her powerful aesthetics, and the strong community of musicians she has created around her music, she moves the listener’s soul in a way that they will always remember.

Her music pushes stylistic boundaries. It is born in the roots of descriptive cinematic music, connected to poetry (in English and Spanish), with a voice and arranges that navigate between r&b, and jazz...

Jon Batiste is a five-time GRAMMY® and Academy Award®-winning singer, songwriter, and composer known for his time on Late Night with Stephen Colbert, his film scores on the Disney film Soul and Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night, and the Netflix documentary “American Symphony,” which explores a year of Jon’s life, his career, and his wife’s struggle with Leukemia. He’s currently released 9 solo albums and has collaborated with a plethora of musicians like Willie Nelson, Madonna, Prince, and many many more. He’s performing at Ruth Eckerd Hall on October 8. Be sure to see him live. Go to RuthEckerd...

Boogie-woogie, jazz, and blues pianist Craig Brenner is a performer, composer, teacher, and recipient of many arts grants. He leads Craig & The Crawdads, is a member of The Ragin' Texans, and has released seven albums. The founder of Bloomington Boogies: The Bloomington Blues & Boogie Woogie Piano Festival, Craig keeps boogie-woogie and similar non-classical styles alive through concerts, compositions, recordings, and hands-on music educational activities, including workshops, master classes, and in-school performances.

Meet Jeff Babko. He is a multifaceted musical talent renowned for his work as a composer, arranger, and keyboardist. Based in Los Angeles, Babko’s career spans live performances, studio recordings, television, and film. He is widely recognized as a member of the house band for Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where his dynamic and versatile keyboard stylings contribute to the show’s vibrant musical identity.

Babko has collaborated with a variety of artists, including Sting, Sheryl Crow, Frank Ocean, James Taylor, John Mayer, and Beck. Notably, he recorded and performed with Sheryl Crow in 2010 and contributed to Frank Ocea...

Led by founder Holly Cordero, Steamin’ Jazz is made up of players from the Central Florida area with a sense of New York Flair. Steamin’ Jazz plays tunes from jazz standards to Brazilian to Funk to arrangements of pop tunes in a Jazz fashion.

Critically-acclaimed singer, songwriter & artist  Julie Black  writes expansive music rooted in early blues & jazz. A kindred spirit of free and fiery souls, she’s a songwriter whose personal story is deep, complex, and inspiring. Her soulful voice, intuitive approach, and fiery emotional intensity conjure up live performances that are passionate and profound. Deeply-rooted influences like Solomon Burke and Etta James flavor her sound, as do elements of blues, jazz, soul, swing, and rock. Filled with emotional truth, clarity, and vision, Julie Black offers a musical experience that is one-of-a-kind.