The Late Set

• Speak Up and Speak Out, with Johnathan Blake

  Johnathan Blake makes music as an extension of life. It’s one reason his alert and expressive drumming has lifted so many leading bands, from the Kenny Barron Quartet to the Maria Schneider Orchestra to the Kris Davis Trio. And it’s the animating principle behind his output as a solo artist, whether he’s honoring his late father on Passage or speaking out about injustice on My Life Matters, his latest release. Johnathan, born and raised in Philly, recently stopped by WRTI for a conversation with Josh Jackson about family legacy, musical priorities, and an artist’s obligation in trying times. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 04:51 Interview 38:32 Recap 41:45 This I Dig Want to support The Late Set? Become a WRTI member: wrti.org/donate Follow us on Instagram Subscribe on YouTube Write us an email: [email protected]

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• Radio Repost: Deep River with Gary Bartz

  To coincide with this Sunday’s Late Set Radio Hour (airing Sunday at 8 p.m. ET) we’re reposting our interview with Gary Bartz. More on The Late Set Radio Hour here: wrti.org/the-late-set-radio-hour Gary Bartz turned 85 this fall, and has shown no signs of slowing down. In fact, he released his first studio album in more than a decade: Damage Control, a riff on classic soul from Curtis Mayfield, Earth Wind & Fire and others, played by his band Ntu. Our interview was taped in Brooklyn during the 2024 Winter Jazzfest featuring the original Late Set hosts Nate Chinen and Greg Bryant. The conversation spans Bartz’s apprenticeship years (with everyone from Max to Mingus to Miles), his journeyman period (notably at the helm of Ntu Troop), and his master eminence as a 2024 NEA Jazz Master. The man who gave us “Music is My Sanctuary” is still out along the front line with insights to share. More to explore: NEA: arts.gov/honors/jazz/gary-bartz NPR: npr.org/2022/06/23/1106723714... KQED: kqed.org/arts/13935159/8-over-80-gary-bartz More on the 2026 Winter Jazz Fest: winterjazzfest.com Want to support The Late Set? Become a WRTI member: wrti.org/donate Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wrtimusic Subscribe to our YouTube: youtube.com/@WRTImusic Write us an email: [email protected]

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• Expand and Adapt, with Mary Halvorson

  About Ghosts is the latest album from Mary Halvorson's Amaryllis, and on our short list for Album of the Year. Before a recent show at Solar Myth, Halvorson sat down with Josh Jackson to talk about her approach to composing for the group, her inspirations, and her fondness for mixology.

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• [EXCLUSIVE] Mary Halvorson’s Amaryllis live at Solar Myth

  Before our chat with Mary Halvorson drops Tuesday, here’s a treat — a live recording from Solar Myth with her band Amaryllis, including a brand-new WRTI exclusive: “Florid Waning.”

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• Charm City, with Brandon Woody

  Growing up in the Ramblewood area of northeast Baltimore, Brandon Woody could hardly have envisioned a future as one of the most heralded young trumpeter-bandleaders in jazz. But he dared to dream beyond what he could see — even after dropping out of college in New York. His 2025 Blue Note debut, For the Love of It All, introduces a powerfully emotive artist and a committed working band, Upendo, primed to represent their hometown. Woody sat down with The Late Set just after a set at the Exit Zero Jazz Festival, ready to open up and dig in.

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