Sound Ideas (Jazz & Blues)

Series produced by Clay Ryder

Series image

Sound Ideas explores the artistry of jazz, blues, and the spoken word. Hosted by Clay Ryder, each episode explores a different theme or genre of the jazz idiom through recorded performances pulled from more than eighty years of recorded art. The music is the focus. It is complemented by a few minutes of intelligent commentary to set the context and make the music understandable and personal for both the jazz aficionado and those who listen on the jazz periphery.

Each episode can air as a stand-alone or run in a series.

What is Sound Ideas?
More than just a jazz show, each episode presents some great story telling by jazz and blues musicians and spoken word artists. By exploring the many different genres within the Jazz idiom, the show appeals both to the jazz aficionado and those who listen on the jazz periphery. In both cases, listeners enjoy exposure to a broad cross-section of this creative art without the limitations of stylistic labels. Spoken word features reflect jazz sensitivities or the life of the jazz musician and offer a unique twist on the many colors and hues painted with a brush called jazz.

One aspect of Jazz that distinguishes the art form is its ability to engage the listener on different levels (intellectual, emotional, spiritual, etc.) simultaneously. Jazz is a musical oxymoron. Jazz is a classical music, a high art form that demands much from its performers and at times from its audience; yet jazz is as down home as fried chicken, baked beans, cornbread, and your favorite glass or beer or soda.

Jazz comes from toil in the fields reassured by the gospel on Sunday morning. Jazz oozes out from under the door frame at the late night rent party. Jazz emanates from a student practicing with his or her Jamey Aebersold play-along records. Jazz is created at the university in an advanced composition class. Jazz is created by tales spun by the stand-up comic. Jazz is about learning; it's about life experience.

Listening to jazz on the melodic level reveals one experience, listening on the harmonic, another. Listening to the stories that are embedded in the melodic and harmonic levels takes the listener to another plane of communication.

Jazz is a language, and as with all languages, if one doesn't know the vocabulary and the grammar, there isn't much to gain from the interaction. With practice, however, picking up a language enables communication; and with time, the subtle nuances, the play on words (or notes), and inclusion in the greater discussion can lead to a rich and very satisfying experience. Sound Ideas seeks to engage the listener and broaden his or her musical horizons.

When should Sound Ideas be aired?
While this program would fit well within any jazz formatted day part, its intention is to engage the listener and offer a path for musical exploration and deep understanding. It works equally well as a stand-alone program within a block format or as a lead-in to locally programmed music.

What is the format?
Sound Ideas is just under an hour. It features a cold opening so it can easily transition from top of the hour news segments or from other programming. It is self-contained without local cutaways; however, there is ample space for local promotions or other transitions at the beginning and end of the show.

What’s the show’s vibe? How does it sound?
Sound Ideas is conversational and informative with a laid-back vibe. While the performances are the focus of the program, details about musicians and where to find the music are key components of the programming. Each episode has a playlist plus additional information about its theme available on the jazzstreams.org web site.

What is the cost?
Sound Ideas is free of charge. Customized promotions for stations are available for a nominal fee.

Does the series have to run in order?
No. Each episode can stand alone or run in a series. Since each program is thematic, you may run them in any order at any pace you choose (limited only by the number of available shows). An obvious exception would be holiday-themed shows, which would make sense to run during the holiday season in question.

Does the show have its own web site?
Yes. Additional information about each episode and its theme is available at http://jazzstreams.org/soundideas Hide full description

What is Sound Ideas?More than just a jazz show, each episode presents some great story telling by jazz and blues musicians and spoken word artists. By exploring the many different genres within the Jazz idiom, the show appeals both to the jazz aficionado and those who listen on the jazz periphery. In both cases, listeners enjoy exposure to a broad cross-section of this creative art without the limitations of stylistic labels. Spoken word features reflect jazz sensitivities or the life of the jazz musician and offer a unique twist on the many colors and hues painted with a brush called jazz.One aspect of Jazz that distinguishes the art form is its ability to engage the listener on different levels (intellectual, emotional, spiritual, etc.) simultaneously. Jazz is a musical oxymoron. Jazz... Show full description


508 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Piece image
From the perspective of the ground, the sky and stars seem out of reach. Although the ability to fly has so often closed this gap in the mind of th...

Bought by WMOT, GCR (Global Community Radio), WLPR , KHNS, WOUB and more


  • Added: Oct 20, 2018
  • Length: 57:40
  • Purchases: 6
Piece image
Daily life can be busy affair, or worse, a dead-end grind. Yet there are so many beautiful things in life that can help us realize our existence as...

Bought by WMOT, WLPR , GCR (Global Community Radio), KHNS, WOUB and more


  • Added: Oct 14, 2018
  • Length: 57:41
  • Purchases: 6
Piece image
It's time for another hour of the blues, plain and simple. Let's take a trip from the past through the present of this endearing musical underpinni...

Bought by WMOT, GCR (Global Community Radio), WLPR , KHNS, and WOUB


  • Added: Oct 07, 2018
  • Length: 57:29
  • Purchases: 5
Piece image
It takes time to tell a good story while exploring everything around you past, present, and future. In this hour we'll let some master artists lay ...

Bought by WMOT, KHNS, WLPR , Delmarva Public Media, and WOUB


  • Added: Sep 30, 2018
  • Length: 56:13
  • Purchases: 5
Piece image
In this hour we will explore some of the many feelings that you might have experienced over the past few days as expressed by the ever clever jazz ...

Bought by WMOT, GCR (Global Community Radio), WLPR , WOUB, KHNS and more


  • Added: Sep 23, 2018
  • Length: 57:00
  • Purchases: 6
Piece image
Although it can manifest itself in many ways, there is a distinctive feeling associated with any cool groove. While the sense of cool has changed o...

Bought by RadioStPete Florida, WSLR, GCR (Global Community Radio), WMOT, WLPR and more


  • Added: Sep 15, 2018
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 8
Piece image
Soul Jazz rose to prominence during the 1960s and remained an influence in Jazz Fusion and other idioms to certain degree thereafter. We'll take a ...

Bought by GCR (Global Community Radio), WMOT, WLPR , WSLR, KHNS and more


  • Added: Sep 09, 2018
  • Length: 55:58
  • Purchases: 7
Piece image
Jazz can be loud or soft, brash or subtle. This time around we take a laid back vibe that won't rock you out of your easy chair, but will still del...

Bought by GCR (Global Community Radio), WSLR, Delmarva Public Media, WLPR , WMOT and more


  • Added: Aug 31, 2018
  • Length: 57:36
  • Purchases: 6
Piece image
Welcome to an hour focused on the music commonly associated with Charlie Parker. The impact of the Bird remains steadfast in today's jazz artists a...

Bought by WMOT, Delmarva Public Media, WLPR , GCR (Global Community Radio), KHNS and more


  • Added: Aug 25, 2018
  • Length: 56:00
  • Purchases: 6
Piece image
Sometimes a particular tune is intriguing just because it is. It's catchy, fits the mood or something else but most importantly it catches a feelin...

Bought by WMOT, GCR (Global Community Radio), WLPR , KHNS, WOUB and more


  • Added: Aug 19, 2018
  • Length: 56:11
  • Purchases: 6
Piece image
The jazz trio, quartet or quintet is with few exceptions the largest ensemble you'll find in modern jazz, as economics can seriously impact the fea...

Bought by RadioStPete Florida, WSLR, WMOT, WLPR , GCR (Global Community Radio) and more


  • Added: Aug 12, 2018
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 7
Piece image
Despite a 5 decade plus run, the Hard Bop idiom remains one of the most classic and vibrant of all jazz sub-genres. Its immense contemporary freshn...

Bought by WSLR, GCR (Global Community Radio), WLPR , KHNS, WMOT and more


  • Added: Aug 05, 2018
  • Length: 57:38
  • Purchases: 7
Piece image
Any jazz performance involves a search of some sort. Whether it's a destination, journey, or fulfillment of a musical promise, creative artists are...

Bought by RadioStPete Florida, WLPR , GCR (Global Community Radio), KHNS, WOUB and more


  • Added: Jul 29, 2018
  • Length: 57:45
  • Purchases: 7
Piece image
Welcome to an hour of piano players, the weather, and Donald Fagen. Thanks for listening in.

Bought by WLPR , GCR (Global Community Radio), KHNS, KSRQ, WOUB and more


  • Added: Jul 22, 2018
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 7
Piece image
As easily as they creep upon us and almost as quickly their departure, the summer months afford us long, often quite hot days, leading many us in s...

Bought by WNMU-FM, WLPR , GCR (Global Community Radio), WMOT, KHNS and more


  • Added: Jul 15, 2018
  • Length: 57:59
  • Purchases: 8
Piece image
At the core of jazz is a diverse collection of polyrhythms. In many of the classic sounds, this manifests as an infectious case of swing. In this ...

Bought by WLPR , GCR (Global Community Radio), KHNS, WOUB, WMOT and more


  • Added: Jul 08, 2018
  • Length: 57:34
  • Purchases: 7
Piece image
Welcome to an hour of exploration, i.e. trying something new. We'll hear musicians explore the edges and just a little beyond in an hour of creativ...

Bought by WLPR , GCR (Global Community Radio), WMOT, WOUB, KHNS and more


  • Added: Jun 30, 2018
  • Length: 57:27
  • Purchases: 7
Piece image
Welcome to an hour of some the best female vocal musicians. We hope you will dig the sounds.

Bought by WLPR , WMOT, GCR (Global Community Radio), KHNS, WOUB and more


  • Added: Jun 24, 2018
  • Length: 57:50
  • Purchases: 6
Piece image
In this hour we will explore music with a groove that you can't shake, ignore or expect to erase from your memory. Whether the symptoms are finger ...

Bought by Delmarva Public Media, GCR (Global Community Radio), WMOT, WLPR , KHNS and more


  • Added: Jun 17, 2018
  • Length: 57:46
  • Purchases: 6
Piece image
Sometimes it feels good just to chill and let your mind meander. It's a time to reflect on what has taken place around you and let the insistence o...

Bought by WMOT, WLPR , Delmarva Public Media, GCR (Global Community Radio), and WOUB


  • Added: Jun 12, 2018
  • Length: 57:53
  • Purchases: 5