My friend and special guest for episode 01 of season 03 is Rusty Hassan - Kick back and listen in on the story of this fascinating Jazz radio/educator...known both on WPFW 89.3 FM in the Washington DC area, and worldwide on the popular streaming service at WPFWFM.org ~ on Thursday nights from 10 pm to Midnight.

Rusty Hassan talks about falling in love with Jazz music as a teenager, especially the music of John Coltrane and how the music gave him an education about race in America. He then speaks about moving to Washington, D.C. to attend Georgetown University where he continues his interest in Jazz, eventually getting involved in labor and community organizing while attending D.C.’s legendary jazz clubs including Blues Alley and the Cellar Door. He continues to stay involved in the jazz world by DJing for WAMU and WPFW, while he develops his career in labor. Finally, he speaks about how he continues to cultivate more enthusiasm for jazz through teaching courses on jazz at universities around D.C. Rusty Hassan, born in Bound Brook, NJ November 26, 1945, and raised in Greenwich, CT, has been the producer and host for weekly jazz radio programs for the past fifty years, starting as a student at Georgetown University on WGTB. Since then he has hosted shows on WAMU, WD.C.U and WPFW. He currently hosts Thursday Night Jazz on WPFW 89.3FM. Among the prominent jazz artists he has interviewed include Dexter Gordon, Art Blakey, Mary Lou Williams, Ramsey Lewis, Jimmy Heath, and numerous others. He was a union representative with the American Federation of Government Employees for thirty-four years. He has taught jazz history courses at American University, Georgetown University, University of Maryland University College and the Smithsonian Institution. He currently teaches at the University of the District of Columbia. The D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities recognized him with a special award for his contribution to the community with his years of broadcasting in Washington, D.C.

Until next time - 'Keep on Swinging, and thanks for keeping Jazz alive!

Until next time - 'Keep on Swinging, and thanks for keeping Jazz alive!