Rivablue

For more than four decades, Gwen Redding—known to listeners as Rivablue—has been a trusted voice in jazz radio.

As the host of Midday Jazz on WCLK 91.9 FM, Rivablue curates the soundtrack of Atlanta’s Midday, blending classic jazz, contemporary sounds, and the voices of local artists, all with purpose and soul.

Her journey began in Washington, D.C. in the early nineteen‑eighties, where she helped shape the sound and storytelling of public jazz radio. Since arriving at WCLK in two‑thousand‑six, she has continued that legacy—introducing audiences to new music while honoring the giants of the genre.

Beyond the microphone, Rivablue is a journalist, producer, educator, host of The Tiny Stage on Kluster TV and jazz vocalist—bringing artistry, insight, and authenticity to everything she does.

For Rivablue, jazz isn’t just music—it’s culture, conversation, and community.

Color Me Out Loud: Adult Coloring Night, Live Music, & Drink Specials Get ready to vibe out to live music while experiencing an adult coloring night with a twist.

Tony Scott was a fine clarinet player. There are some live recordings of him playing with Bird. I used to have them on cassette years ago. Here's the only one I found online, having just done a very quick search: https://youtu.be/Bskv__n43eU?si=0SoFQrAWry1CVU2g

Pictured here is Tony Scott with and Charlie Parker in New York City (Carnegie Hall), November 1952.

Photo from the book "It Don't Mean A Thing" by Dutch jazz musician and producer Cees Schrama.

Jamal Ahmad host of The Soul of Jazz

Today, the Living Legends Foundation is celebrating the Heroes of Black Music & Culture. Join us in congratulating JAMAL AHMAD, syndicated radio host, our recognized “Hero Behind The Culture”.

Born and raised in Georgia, Jamal began his radio career in 1995 as a Morehouse College student Intern with Clark Atlanta University’s 91.9 WCLK. He took over the Groove Gumbo show which was renamed S.O.U.L. (Sounds of Universal Love) in 1997. Recognizing the importance of preserving and celebrating the culture of jazz and soul music, Jamal has built a rich legacy of serving the community through music and the arts.

Jamal’s award-winning show, The S.O.U.L. of Jazz is nationally syndicated through the African American Public Radio Consortium and he currently hosts the afternoon drive time show on WCLK 91.9FM. He is heard internationally on London’s Jazz FM on The Blueprint and with the U.K internet radio station Soul24/7.com.

He is a 30 year on-air DJ veteran, host & producer as well as music historian and curator. In 2014, he also became an artist and producer when he relaunched Paradigm World Productions, Inc. in honor of his mother, Dr. Rubye Byrd, who was a leader in education and had launched the original label in 1984. The first act featured was his own group, The Dangerfeel Newbies, who he formed with fellow radio figure, Mark Angel. They have released 2 full length albums, one EP and a slew of singles. They have also had their music featured on BET’s Being Mary Jane, licensed to Japanese record label Sweet Soul Records and legendary UK dance label Defected Records. They have produced radio documentaries celebrating the 50th anniversary of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" album and Nikki Giovanni's seminal album "Truth Is On Its Way".

Follow him on IG and on FB .

Jamal, the Living Legends Foundation recognizes your hard work and love for the culture. We see you and now others will too!

The Living Legends Foundation catch up on the 28 day series

Today, the Living Legends Foundation celebrates Atlanta, paying tribute to the Black radio stations that helped define & elevate the culture.

Atlanta currently holds the distinction of having the most Black stations in any market in the U.S. Atlanta’s Black-formatted radio history begins with WERD, the first Black-owned radio station in the U.S. Purchased in 1949 by accountant Jesse B. Blayton Sr. for roughly $50,000, WERD broadcast from the Prince Hall Masonic building, sharing space with offices tied to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The station’s announcers famously lowered a microphone out the studio window so King could address crowds gathered below, making WERD a live extension of the civil rights movement itself. “Jockey Jack” Gibson, a/k/a Jack the Rapper, emerged as one of the first widely recognized Black DJs. Programmer Ken Knight helped shape the station’s sound during its peak years.

As WERD faded from prominence, white-owned stations WAOK & WIGO dominated Black music listening. WAOK’s mix of R&B & gospel reached both Black & white audiences, while WIGO branded itself as the “Pulse of the City,” creating a two-station ecosystem that left Black listeners largely flipping between the two. That dynamic shifted in the mid ‘70s when FM became central to Black radio & WVEE/ V-103, flipped from country to urban contemporary in 1976, targeting Black Atlanta’s expanding middle class, led by Scotty Andrews & Mike Roberts.

WCLK, launched in 1974 from Clark College at just 54 watts, restored Black institutional ownership through jazz & community-focused programming tied to the Atlanta University Center. Ken Badie’s “Hot Ice” show fused Jazz & Funk creating a new sound. That legacy was later expanded through a variety of shows like Jamal Ahmad’s “The S.O.U.L. of Jazz,” which connects local culture, national artists & the educational mission under one Black controlled signal which today covers the Greater Atlanta Metro area.

Atlanta currently boasts stations owned by 2 Black-owned broadcast companies, Core Communications and Urban One.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Parker #:~:text=Charles%20Parker%20Jr.%20(August%2029%2C,jazz%20saxophonist%2C%20bandleader%2C%20and%20composer.

https://youtu.be/mg_D51nFtq0?si=8vY0I8jUiWZe_V6a

Max Roach Plays to MLK Speech Taken from on Instagram.I do not own or hold any rights to this video.

https://www.wclk.com/

WCLK | The Jazz of The City Jazz 91.9 WCLK, a 501(c)3 nonprofit radio station licensed to Clark Atlanta University, is committed to preserving the legacy of Jazz through dynamic Jazz musical selections, cultural programming and community-focused initiatives. Founded in 1974, Jazz 91.9 WCLK broadcasts a mix of Classic and Conte...

https://www.wclk.com/2025-11-13/november-15-16-unity-jazz-foundation-presents-wclk-brunch-and-sip-benefit-performances

November 15-16: Unity Jazz Foundation Presents WCLK Brunch and Sip Benefit Performances Weekend of WCLK benefit shows at The New Celebrity Lounge in Jonesboro features Tony Hightower, others.