Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series, featuring Professor of Music and Author Aaron Johnson. His latest book, Jazz Radio America (2025), delves into the rise and decline of jazz on the airwaves.

Currently an associate professor of music at the University of Pittsburgh, Johnson traces jazz radio from its roots in Black radio (1948) to its disappearance from commercial stations after 1980. He explores jazz’s role in shaping American culture, its classification as Black classical music, and its impact as the soundtrack of African American resistance.

In this in-depth conversation, we discuss:
✅ The evolution of jazz on the radio
✅ The cultural and social significance of jazz broadcasting
✅ The challenges and future of jazz in media

📖 Get the book: Jazz Radio America (University of Illinois Press)

🎧 Listen to the full interview & stay tuned for more Neon Jazz content

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Aaron Johnson on Jazz Radio & His New Book Jazz Radio America 41:08 Share

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Aaron Johnson on Jazz Radio & His New Book Jazz Radio America