Jazz Break at Noon - April 2026

April 13 - 17

Since KRTU’s inception, education has been a key facet of our mission. Since day one, KRTU has been a hands-on lab for students of all ages and areas of study to learn about music, nonprofit management and technical production. In 2026 we celebrate KRTU’s 50th anniversary and though many things have changed, our dedication to education remains steadfast.

KRTU’s Content Director, Bria Woods, curates the second volume of Next Gen Jazz.  A special program that invites students to perform live on air and join Woods in conversation about what they are learning. The band directors will also take the mic to share their approach to music education and why access to music and arts education matters.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday San Antonio school jazz ensembles will perform during the Jazz Break at Noon. Tuesday and Thursday will be dedicated to exploring the recordings of Texas school bands.

• Monday – River City Jazz Collective* (Churchill High School)
• Tuesday – Tour of Texas School Bands
• Wednesday – Generations Jazz Combo*
• Thursday – Kashmere Stage Band (Kashmere High School)
• Friday – Taft Jazz Ensemble II* (Taft High School)

*live performances and interviews

Tune in this week Monday through Friday from 12pm to 1pm CST to hear the Next Gen learning and performing jazz. There are three ways to listen: on the dial at 91.7FM, online at krtu.org or on our free mobile app. 

April 27 - May 1

Joanne Brackeen
Excellence in Education Pt. 2 

This week on the Jazz Break at Noon, we conclude our Excellence in Education series with a celebration of the life and music of pianist, composer, and NEA Jazz Master Joanne Brackeen. Born July 26, 1938, in Ventura, California, Brackeen is widely recognized for her stylistically complex original technique. A self-taught prodigy, she broke significant ground in 1969 when she became the first (and only) woman to hold the piano chair in Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers.

Our retrospective listening session follows the narrative arc of a musician who transitioned from an elite supporting artist for legends like Stan Getz and Joe Henderson to one of the most prolific and complex leaders in jazz. Our survey spans her early leadership on the Choice and Timeless labels and her celebrated 1990s New York sessions. We conclude with a long-awaited archival landmark: the first-ever release of Consonance, capturing Brackeen and Joe Henderson live at Chicago's Jazz Showcase in 1978. 

Beyond the bandstand, Brackeen’s legacy is defined by her decades of stewardship at the Berklee College of Music. As an educator, she has mentored generations of pianists, instilling the same rigorous commitment to original composition and rhythmic "swing" that defined her own upbringing. Join us as we celebrate the mastery and pedagogical legacy of pianist extraordinaire, Joanne Brackeen.

This week's Jazz Break at Noon is sponsored by a longtime KRTU member in honor of Chuck Parrish and Dr. Bradley Kayser, hosts of Riffs, as part of our 50th Anniversary celebrations.