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A bonus drop celebrating our two Signal Awards nominations! Vote for The Late Set in two categories: Arts & Culture: Vote for us here Interview or Talk Show: And here Sound and spirit are inseparable in the music of Kenny Garrett. A saxophonist who served a series of heavyweight apprenticeships, most notably with Miles Davis, Garrett now stands as a jazz elder himself — one who continues his search for knowledge. Several years ago, around the time of his album Sounds from the Ancestors, Garrett performed on the campus of Temple University. He sat down with Josh Jackson for a conversation about musical lineage, mentorship, and the lessons that keep the music moving forward. We’re thrilled to bring you that conversation as a bonus episode. Watch the full interview: Kenny Garrett at Temple University Chapters 00:00 — We're Signal Awards finalists 01:35 — Bonus episode: Kenny Garrett at Temple 05:10 — Coltrane's Philadelphia & playing soprano saxophone 07:45 — Roy Hargrove & Sounds from the Ancestors 10:10 — Feeling the ancestors on the bandstand 15:05 — Lessons from Miles Davis 17:35 — Mentors, monuments & honoring elders 25:00 — The pandemic: how to stop the train 27:40 — Passing it on beyond the academy 35:40 — What does it mean to live with music? 37:20 — “This I Dig” 42:20 — Credits 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]

The Myth We Chose, the entrancing new album by South African pianist Nduduzo Makhathini, foregrounds hope and healing, and a conviction in the redemptive power of connection. It’s a song-forward statement for Makhathini, who is also a composer, vocalist, philosopher, and ambassador for the Global South. This summer, he brought his trio to Solar Myth ahead of an appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival. On the first of two nights, he joined Josh Jackson for an onstage conversation about ritual, responsibility, and why he prefers the term “encounter” to “discovery” when describing a person’s formative contact with improvised music. Chapters 00:00 — Intro: South African jazz 05:00 — Zulu language, myth & musicality 11:30 — Music education, colonialism & Indigenous knowledge 15:30 — Growing up during apartheid 21:00 — Encountering John Coltrane & the roots of jazz 23:30 — The identity and sound of South African jazz 28:45 — Collective memory & the African diaspora 35:15 — Myth, ancestral memory & sonic creation 38:15 — Ndu cosmology, time & musical continuity 41:00 — Artificial intelligence, knowledge & human experience 45:15 — Nate and Josh on music, healing & ancestral knowledge 49:30 — “This I Dig” 53:15 — South African music, cultural boycotts & current debates 56:15 — Closing credits 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]

John Coltrane’s centennial has brought a flurry of tributes and testimonials, along with archival discoveries. At WRTI, we’re gearing up for “A Love Park Supreme,” a weeklong celebration in the city that Coltrane called home. And here at The Late Set, we’re doing what we do best: digging into an enlightened conversation. Our guest is Peabody Award-winning oral historian and producer Steve Rowland, creator of the five-hour audio documentary Tell Me How Long Trane's Been Gone, which is rebroadcasting on WRTI the week of Sept. 21, one hour at a time. Rowland, an alumnus of Temple University and WRTI, has incisive things to say about Coltrane’s spiritual quest and creative legacy, and how we can best remember him today. Chapters 00:00 — Intro: Coltrane 100 Philly 06:30 — Steve Rowland joins the show 10:30 — Philadelphia roots & building the documentary 13:00 — Early life, faith & the August Bloom tape 24:30 — Bebop, addiction & the road to A Love Supreme 27:30 — A Love Supreme: Psalm, poetry & the saxophone-as-voice 34:00 — Alabama, civil rights & the Black Arts Movement 46:00 — Material world, spirit world & art as the bridge 49:30 — The Coltrane houses & life with Alice 1:02:00 — Legacy & takeaways The Late Set is a production of WRTI and made possible by WRTI members. wrti.org Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wrtimusic Subscribe to our YouTube: youtube.com/@WRTImusic Write us an email: [email protected]

Jazz radio has never had a better friend than Rhonda Hamilton. During a broadcasting career spanning nearly 50 years, she’s brought the music to a worldwide audience with her trademark warmth, integrity and composure. This year she received a fitting honor: the A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship for Jazz Advocacy, which she’ll formally receive on Sept. 15 during a gala concert at Walt Disney Hall in Los Angeles. She’ll be in fine company there: the 2026 class of honorees also includes drummer and percussionist Airto Moreira; keyboardist, vocalist and producer Patrice Rushen; and singer, songwriter and bandleader Carmen Lundy. Rhonda is now on the air at KKJZ-FM in Southern California, but during her longtime tenure at Newark Public Radio, she worked with Josh Jackson, Nate Chinen and our producer, Alex Ariff. We were all delighted to reconnect with her in a conversation brimming with insights from one of our very best. Chapters 00:00 — Coltrane 100 Philly kickoff 02:00 — NEA Jazz Masters & this year's honorees 10:00 — Interview with Rhonda Hamilton 49:00 — Key records & jazz recommendations 55:30 — Dizzy Gillespie dinner story 1:02:30 — “This I Dig” Learn more about WRTI’s John Coltrane @100 celebration: wrti.org 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]

When SML dropped its 2024 debut, the group’s admixture of loopy groove, staticky texture and shifting timbre came on like a transmission from the outer reaches. Behind the music was a method: rangy collective improv whittled down to size, based on a trove of live tape. SML has released two more albums since, the latest of which, Spontaneous Music Live, consists of two unedited long performances rooted in real-time interplay. For this episode, three of SML’s five members — bassist Anna Butterss, saxophonist Josh Johnson and synthesist Jeremiah Chiu — joined Julian Booker, WRTI’s Associate Program Director for Jazz, to talk about their commitment to shared discovery. (The others are guitarist Gregory Uhlmann and percussionist Booker Stardrum.) Listen in to learn more about one of our moment’s most beguiling bands. Chapters 00:00 — Intro & welcome 01:51 — SML at Big Ears 05:49 — SML’s process: turning live tape into records 10:55 — The band, lineup & modular synths 13:01 — Interview with SML 50:15 — Back with Nate & Julian: is this jazz? 55:13 — “This I Dig” 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]

The gayageum is a plucked Korean zither with a history that stretches to the sixth century. Its first and finest exponent in avant-garde jazz is DoYeon Kim, whose spellbinding debut, Wellspring, reveals a fiercely original voice (in more than one sense). Before a recent show presented by Ars Nova Workshop and the Doris Duke Foundation, Kim joined us to talk about tradition, translation, and the power of self-expression. She even graced us with a solo improvisation on her instrument, which has fast become a vital part of the experimental scene. Chapters: 00:00 – Intro: South Korean jazz and the gayageum 02:15 – Meet DoYeon Kim and her groundbreaking approach 05:12 – Live from Solar Myth: Welcome and birthday surprise 06:25 – The success of Wellspring and finding a larger purpose 09:10 – Discovering the gayageum and falling in love with its sound 13:05 – Dance, movement, and Korean concepts of rhythm 16:25 – Growing up in Korea and discovering cultural identity in Canada 20:00 – Joe Morris and finding her artistic voice 23:45 – Beyond "exotic": Becoming DoYeon Kim, not just a gayageum player 27:15 – Finding her voice—literally—through improvisation 31:05 – Building Wellspring with Tyshawn Sorey, Matt Maneri & Henry Fraser 34:05 – The symbolism and history of the gayageum 36:45 – Exclusive live solo improvisation 38:35 – Post-interview reflections on Wellspring and the Solar Myth performance 41:15 – This I Dig: Josh's Provence wine recommendation 44:05 – This I Dig: Ben Goldberg's ambitious "8 by 8" album project 47:15 – Closing credits Want to support The Late Set? Become a WRTI member: wrti.org/donate Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wrtimusic Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@WRTImusic Write us an email: [email protected]

Steven Bernstein is a known wildcard in the modern jazz game. He's a wily slide trumpeter, and the whip-smart bandleader behind both Millennial Territory Orchestra, a pugnacious little big band, and Sexmob, a go-anywhere four-piece band. So in some respects, Bernstein's latest is striking for its directness. ResoNation Trio finds him strictly on valve trumpet and flugelhorn, with a lean-and-limber rhythm team of Scott Colley on bass and Nasheet Waits on drums. True to form, Bernstein added a further twist — inviting maverick producer Scotty Hard to reconstitute the trio's recordings for the companion album Ultra Resonance, a kaleidoscopic refraction evoking both dub and electronic collage. Bernstein dropped by our studio before a recent show to talk about the jazz tradition, his drive for connection, and why this project had to happen now. Watch the full conversation on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/n3IwFJe5AiE Chapters: 00:00 – Intro: Josh & Nate catch up, remember Steven during the pandemic 03:42 – Introducing the new records: ResoNation Trio & Ultra Resonance 06:08 – Interview begins: welcoming Steven Bernstein 07:02 – Steven as "the ultimate band guy" — why it had to be Colley & Waits 08:30 – Bay Area roots: coming up around Andrew Hill, Rahsaan, the AACM 11:00 – "Spontaneous composition" and the making of ResoNation Trio 14:04 – Why now: readiness, aging, and finding his own voice 20:48 – Sequencing the album & introducing Ultra Resonance 22:33 – Dub roots: Garvey's Ghost, Scotty Hard's remix process 29:41 – Magical realism as the concept linking both albums 31:25 – Live performance: Steven plays flugelhorn ("Rotary") + the horn's history 38:55 – Learning from Levon Helm — melody, blues, and "spiritual jazz" 42:21 – Jazz education, rhythm, and drummers as the root of the music 50:20 – On legacy, influence, and Sex Mob's lasting impact 1:00:07 – Debrief + "This I Dig" 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

Mana, the new album by Kalia Vandever, takes its name from a Native Hawaiian term for spiritual energy or sacred power. It’s an intentional gesture from an artist who has long possessed the instinct of a shape-shifter. In addition to trombone, Vandever works with electronics and synthesizers on the album, as well as vocals — a first, inspired in part by their experiences with Haley Heynderickx, Japanese Breakfast and Harry Styles. Before a mesmerizing solo performance at Solar Myth, Vandever joined Nate Chinen for a conversation about myth and mystique, collaboration and solitude, and what it means to open up in new ways as an improvising artist. Chapters 00:00 — Intro: Entering the World of Mana 05:11 — Interview Begins: Hawaiian Ancestry, Spirituality & Inspiration 13:20 — Touring with Harry Styles and Finding a Performance Voice 20:21 — Singing, Songwriting & Emotional Honesty on Mana 29:07 — International Anthem, Genre and the Evolution of Kalia's Music 35:43 — Interview Wrap-Up 37:09 — “This I Dig”: Micah Thomas's Lucid & Emily Wilson's The Odyssey 42:20 — Producer's Picks: Henry Solomon, Louis Armstrong & Laurent Benedict 49:06 — Credits 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]

Emmet Cohen makes music for the people. That isn’t to say he panders or dumbs it down. Cohen is simply a pianist who puts connection at the center of his performance ethic, whether he’s burning down the bandstand, lighting up a livestream or laying it down in the studio. He has also made a point of seeking out his jazz elders and welcoming younger fans into the fold, all with a spirit of upbeat discovery. There’s a reason DownBeat’s July cover story bears the headline “Emmet Cohen: Messenger of Joy.” Cohen recently came through Philadelphia with his tour Miles and Coltrane at 100 and stopped by WRTI for a lively chat. Along with saxophonist Tivon Pennicott, he also performed the title suite from his new album, Universal Truth. Watch the performance of the “Universal Truth” suite: youtu.be/3O-9LYjxj88 Watch our interview with Emmet Cohen: youtu.be/N-Cps3TDKvI Chapters 00:00 — Intro 02:05 — Miles & Coltrane at 100 05:12 — The Rise of Emmet's Place 12:10 — Building a Worldwide Jazz Community 16:25 — Reaching New Audiences 22:08 — Emmet Cohen on AI 24:22 — Why Young People Are Finding Jazz 29:50 — The Meaning of Universal Truth 33:00 — Live Piano Performance: “Eternal Glimpse” 34:10 — Writing Music Inspired by Miles & Coltrane 37:40 — Legacy, Mentorship and What Lasts 40:35 — Becoming the “Vibe Provider” 42:42 — Josh & Nate React 44:44 — “This I Dig” 50:47 — Credits 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]

When Chris Speed formed Yeah No in the late 1990s, there was no lane for its hybrid style, which drew from both post-punk and post-bop, with shoegaze and Balkan klezmer folded into the mix. Speed, a multi-reedist, had intrepid partners in trumpeter Cuong Vu, bassist Skúli Sverrisson and drummer Jim Black — each a sonic visionary, and all committed to a shared band ideal. Since then, the musicians have pursued other projects in far-flung locales. So it felt momentous this spring when Yeah No kicked off a reunion tour at Solar Myth under the auspices of Ars Nova Workshop, whose inaugural show the band played more than 25 years ago. Before the performance, Speed and Black sat down for an onstage interview with Nate Chinen, whose history with the band stretches back to that era. Chapters 00:00 — Intro 07:00 — Interview with Chris Speed and Jim Black 42:30 — “This I Dig” Special thanks to Beau Gordon, Mark Christman and the folks at Ars Nova Workshop and Solar Myth. 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]

We’ve rarely seen a centennial celebration like the one that coalesced around Miles Davis: cover stories, deluxe reissues, luxury brand partnerships and tributes of every imaginable form. Then again, we’ve rarely seen an artist like Miles — who once credibly claimed to have “changed music four or five times.” His body of work remains a source of endless fascination. In this episode, Josh Jackson and Nate Chinen sit down to compare notes and highlights, including some of the less celebrated turns and pivots in a famously forward-thinking career. 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]

For more than 25 years, bassist Carlos Henriquez has been the beating heart of the rhythm section in the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, as well as other bands led by Wynton Marsalis. He’s done more than his share of swinging in those settings. But as a product of the Nuyorican community, Henriquez has also remained deeply rooted in clave — the pulse at the center of folkloric Afro-Latin music. In this episode, he joins Josh Jackson to discuss Monk con Clave, his dynamite new album with the JALC Orchestra, featuring special guests including pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba and percussionist Pedrito Martínez. Henriquez also reflects on his formative path through jazz education, and weighs in on a timely question of succession. Chapters 00:00 — Intro 03:05 — Interview with Carlos Henriquez 40:36 — Carlos Henriquez performs “I Mean You” (solo bass) and discusses his bass inspirations 1:00:28 — “This I Dig” 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]

When we declare music a “universal language,” what space do we leave for regional dialects and local customs? How has jazz evolved from a uniquely American export into a music that truly knows no borders? These and other questions hang in the air as we prepare to celebrate International Jazz Day at a moment of roiling global tensions. It feels like the right time to connect with Kresten Osgood — a Danish drummer, composer and commentator, and host of the podcast Dangerous Sounds. He joins Josh Jackson for a far-ranging conversation, sharing his perspective on the music and the mission. Following the interview, Osgood performed a solo drum improvisation. Watch here: youtu.be/arjCn6U4QRU Chapters 00:00 — Intro 04:30 — Interview with Kresten Osgood 43:22 — “This I Dig” 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]

Irreversible Entanglements can always be trusted to push revolutionary concerns to the fore. But the band puts just as much stock in community, as we’ll hear in this provocative and lively episode. Four of the group’s five members — vocalist Camae Ayewa (aka Moor Mother), trumpeter Aquiles Navarro, saxophonist Keir Neuringer, and bassist Luke Stewart — joined Josh Jackson at The Fabric Workshop and Museum for a listening session and public discussion of Don Cherry’s 1972 album Organic Music Society, as a tie-in to the exhibition The Living Temple: The World of Moki Cherry, presented by Ars Nova Workshop. The band also talked about Future Present Past, its knockout fifth release, and the imperative of speaking truth to power, now as ever. The band also discusses Future Present Past, its knockout fifth release, along with the enduring imperative of speaking truth to power — now as ever. Chapters 00:00 — Intro 04:30 — Interview with Irreversible Entanglements 46:47 — “This I Dig” 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]

Tomeka Reid finds authority in flexibility on the cello, taking full advantage of an instrument that can be earthy or ethereal, growly or sweetly serene. Her irresistible new album — dance! skip! hop! — finds her in all of these modes and more, at the helm of her long-running quartet. During a recent visit to our studio, Reid spoke about how the album grew out of an impulse to dance. In a far-ranging conversation with Nate Chinen, she also reflects on her early cello inspirations, he impact of AACM mentors like Anthony Braxton, and her work as an educator and advocate. Chapters 00:00 — Intro 02:35 — Interview with Tomeka Reid 40:15 — “This I Dig” 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]