KCSM Jazz 91.1FM

I like Lee Thomas and Michael Berman a lot… their tastes are excellent and their subtle, pleasant personas don’t drown out the music. They help me concentrate when I’m working. Melanie Berzon (afternoon) is okay unless there’s a fund drive underway, when she becomes a relentless nag. Alissa Clancy (in the morning) tends to play things that give me stomach acid. Greg Bridges on Thursday evenings plays weird, atonal noise that is not listenable, and Cathleen (?) Lawton on Friday evenings plays only the most dreadful, bellyaching blues one could possibly find. Clifford Brown sometimes plays interesting music, but his radio persona is irritating and I rarely listen in.
By far the worst aspect of this station is their tendency to play the same promotional spots ad nauseam, for months and months. I am so tired of hearing Clifford Brown’s cheesy spot for his show that I immediately turn off the radio when I hear it coming on.

Cookin’. Here from back east and KCSM is as advertised. Tempo changes smartly considered.

I’m sorry to say bt kcsm falls short. When they have a pledge drive they play all this great music.
Then after they seem to play not so good music sucks. i understand that they have to play different types of jazz but really after a pledge I never here any frank Sinatra or Dean Martin or count basie. Except on Sunday breakfast dance and bbq.

The best Jazz radio station in America.
Live streaming on the internet.
Met a friend in Bangkok who told me he listens to KCSM on live streaming.
Love the programming category and character defined by each host.
I listen mostly during morning and evening commute so I listen to
Morning cup of Jazz. Latin on weekend afternoons.
I am annual paying supporter of this public radio station and hope KCSM will be around for long long time.

Thank Goodness for KCSM, I grew up in the Bay Area getting my jazz from late nights at KDIA and KJAZ. Then in High School and College KJAZ and KRE. When I moved to the South Bay and KJAZ didn’t always come through it was pitiful college stations like Foothill College and Santa Clara University. Pitiful because their students didn’t really know Jazz (they were thankful for my request). Now KDIA is Catholic radio, The College Stations have all gone mainstream and mostly Rock. KJAZ is Spanish (though numerous pretenders have adopted the name). KRE went to KBLX and the «Quiet Storm» (which started the smooth jazz and «jazz lite» movement) and all we have left is KCSM.
For those who think KCSM could go public I invite you to look around the Country. New York, L.A., Chicago, Atlanta, etc., all are huge jazz markets like the Bay Area; all have plenty of clubs and Jazz festivals that do great business and lots of records sold. But all of their private jazz stations are gone, (NY left in the 80’s. Canada devotes about 4 hours a week.) Remember the fight to save KJAZ in the 90’s?
Modern Radio is ruled by Corporations and Marketers they need to know who’s listening, what their demographics are, so they sell to them. That’s why they have cut up the Rock genre up into many little specialties for specific little groups. They even offer pre-​made formats all in one little bundle.
KCSM’s jazz is taking care of the whole community. From Big Band, Swing and Dixieland for an «older (?)» crowd to Be-​Bop, Fusion, and Contemporary for a «younger (?)» crowd. Don’t forget «All Out», the Blues Show, Latin Jazz, or the 50’s vocalist like Billy Eckstine and Sinatra heard on Saturday Nights. Marketing people want to know how to sell to this audience.
Which is why they created «Smooth Jazz!» defined as «jazzy» anything with a sax, background music, relaxing music, which is the one type KCSM DOESN’T play.
There is also the satellite jazz stations those people you hear at the upper end of your cable channel. Their DJ’s (if they have any) rarely talk but if you notice they use like a rotating playlist, and after awhile you get used to what and when they’re going to play. Hopefully this is not the future of Jazz.
There is no news on KCSM and so it’s ²⁴⁄₇! The Pledging is a pain, but name a public station that doesn’t pledge, at least they’re consistent and do warn you, unlike KQED which just inserts them in as they please, puts on their best programming and then go into repeats until they do it again a few weeks later… Maybe.
They are on the internet and I think they are also on satellite (I think Parlocha’s show is). A lot for one little station to produce. I wish other NPR stations went full time, or that a private station could buck the trend and go solid Jazz (I believe there’s a great market for an All-​Blues station too). I will continue to support KCSM and be proud of (at the same time shake my head about) that the Bay Area has the only ²⁴⁄₇ Jazz station in the country.

Hey man, did I just never hear this man Harry Richard Hall on Sunday nights somewhere in the 8−11pm hour… he’s right on in his commentary and an entertaining DJ if I ever heard one. knows his stuff and knows how to dig and find the delightful things of jazz. I think anyway. I could drink a case. and still be on my feet… love KCSM always… Rayo

The most recent fund drive has ended, and the station has sadly fallen short of its goal yet again. Writing this review is like ripping off a bandage, I’ve been putting off for far too long, but it now has to be done.
Before I go on too much farther, I’ve been a supporter of this station both financially and with my own time for nearly a decade. I’ve come to know some of the people at this station personally. They’re by and large a great bunch of radio professionals, and people in general, but the station is slipping and is in need of some adjustment.
If you’re comfortably seated, I’ll get started!
Mr. Varela– I agree very much with David, Varela talks quite a bit, but says very little. He has a horrible habit of playing the same song under the jazz datebook and announcing it like he has never played it before. Now, I’m a fan of David ‘Fathead’ Newman, but if I have to hear Joel’s Domain again, I’ll lose my mind. He does the same thing with his Sunday show, at 5:50 pm, playing the same song every week. It gets me that most of the other hosts with specialty shows allow others to fill in for them, not Varela, no one is allowed into this particular kingdom. I should say that I have met him, pleasant fellow in person, but that doesn’t change my opinion that he should be relieved of his on-​air duties. It would be great to hear some fresher thinking for the Latin Jazz programming.
Clifford Brown, Jr.- Great jazz mind, but management needs to sit down with him and figure out what day he can be there consistently, hearing the phrase «filling for Clifford Brown Jr.» often grates on my nerves.
Michael Burman– Nice chap, needs to talk much less than he does though, I don’t need to know who the cleaning lady was at the recording studio in 1964.
Lee Thomas– This guy could put me to sleep even after two cups of coffee, fills in often for Brown.
Friday nights and Saturdays on this station are why I still listen and contribute, From Kathleen Lawton all the way through to Dick Conte, great stuff! I feel like Sonny Buxton is giving a college course on Jazz every Saturday morning, a true treasure! But then at 6pm Saturday the station falls asleep, when it should be shaking and swinging.
Evenings in general should be a little bit hotter, bring some new listeners and contributors to the station. I see some value to having more relaxing music in the evening, but playing Satin Doll over and over is aggrivating.
This station is afraid of alienating older listeners, but they’re fading away, and so is their money.
As I see it, this station has two options, make no changes, watch each pending fund drive become more difficult to the point where the SMCCD trustees put the station up for sale, or freshen things up and become a thriving beacon for Jazz.

I LOVE KCSM! I stream it over my internet radio bringing the Bay Area into my east coast home as often as possible. Nothing like your playlist out here and less commercials is always better!
This native San Franciscan supports you and thanks you!!!

I think this is an excellent jazz station. I appreciate not having to listen to traffic reports, news, weather and sports. (though I like sports). My only complaint is that occasionally they play jazz which is a little too soft for me. For example once I heard the theme from M.A.S.H. Generally however I love this station and the personalities.

This is my favorite West Coast jazz radio station — I always love listening to KCSM — it’s one of my favorites. The hosts always play shows that are as distinct and enjoyable as their personalities — I love Clifford Brown Jr — he has great taste in music and one of the most distinctive voices — Melanie Berzon is also fantastic. They have such great solid jazz offerings that I’m torn between listening to news on KQED or KCSM (or running home to WWOZ!)

91.1 Is a serious and very entertaining radio station for a jazz lover like myself. I give it 5 stars and deserves every one. My tastes are varied. But this has a super programing schedule. I listen to them at all different hours. My downloaded app works great, and was free to stream KCSM’s Jazz:) I like the personalities as well. I do have my radio in tune in the car, and these days radio is dare I say under a lot of competition. However through the thick and the thin I desire the ‘older’ fashioned styles of my turntable, collection of music in LP analog format, etc. and of course this station is definitely one of a kind!

Alicia Clancy is the singular most irritating jock I’ve ever heard on the radio. Unfortunately she is also the host of the morning cup of jazz (AM Drive) show. She mumbles and stumbles into long boring talk segments with her mix of wheezing & laughing like a drunk in need of a morning bracer.
She has a decent voice, a little husky, but its untrained and she has a bad habit of emphasizing the wrong words when reading copy or speaking off the cuff.
One morning without any fanfare she totally broke format & played the always annoying «Isn’t She Lovely» by Stevie Wonder, simply because it wasStevie’s birthday. Who cares? I like Merle Haggard, but the hell if I would salute him musically on a jazz station. She knows something about the music. but a lot of it seems to be backstage chat, that she knows something that the rest of us don’t. She has no clue in the art of communication. SF had Al Jazz Beaux Collins. and L.A. had Chuck Niles, now we have Alicia Clancy, snorting through our morning cup of jazz.
The station seems to be run by committee, with some interesting political dynamics I am sure. While I am at it what in the world is
«the Jazz Oasis»? Its flat musically, a lot of absolutely meaningless tracks, during a time of the early evening which should just be cooking. It’s the packaging as if it’s a smooth jazz station which is a mistake.
Who decided to giveaway Otis Redding CD’s (I love Otis… but wrong station) and feature his recently released live CD? That person should be terminated. You don’t break format because you scored a bunch of promo copies.
David D has some points I would concur with. However he is flat out wrong on Sonny Buxton. If only Sonny could do morning or afternoon drive the station would have some hope. Buxton has credibility, personality, and can tell a great story.
If you have a chance to listen to KJZZ-​Long Beach or KSDS San DIego, you’ll soon realize that KCSM isn’t in the same league as these fine stations. They «get it». They hold far fewer pledge drives, have better DJ’s, and overall respect the listener. KCSM needs some help which can’t be solved merely with a check book. I am glad they are on the air, but let’s fix it guys.

GREAT MUSIC INTERRUPTED BY TOO MUCH TALK!
Let me first say, that I listen to the station and support it financially. However, the station seems to operate without any management to restrain the announcers from indulging in excess chatter. The amount of music played has drifted downward as the announcer’s breaks grow longer. With the pledge drives expanding, the station now plays significantly less music than similar commercial stations.
This revision of the station’s format from it’s low-​key announcers with their focus on the music to radio announcers who focus too much on themselves has been creeping for years. In my opinion, it began with the choice of Mr. Varela as Program Director. A relentless self-​promoter, Mr. Varela would seem a dubious choice for that position since he often plays music which is not jazz… and worse, he is a chatterbox. So here is the list of announcers who need to restrain their speech, beginning with Mr. Varela;
Mr. Varela — His style is derivative of 1960’s top-​forty DJ’s. Mindless superlatives flow uncontrollably from his mouth, «the legendary», «the great» «the one and only». Repeatedly during the show, he compensates for his inability to say something meaningful by rapidly throwing out cliché’s. Varela plays about 20% less music than other announcers because he focuses the show on himself, and what he is doing. You know you are listening to Chuy Varela because he announces it about 30 times during a 4-​hour shift. If interviewing a musician, he always throws in «I play a little guitar myself.» Chuy, how little is your guitar?
Melanie Berzon — A serial repeater: «If you want more information about that free performance call 555‑1212. Once again that number is 555‑1212. So call them at 555−1212» Can’t anyone tell her not to repeat things? She has a voice that becomes increasingly raspy as she reaches for emphasis.
When she double-​teams with Varela for the pledge drive, the two seem absolutely ecstatic about their release from having to play music. At last they can focus solely on tormenting listeners with their seriously idiotic patter. Her raspy voiced «Show me the money, honey!» combined with Varela’s empty cliches is like toxic auditory gas.
Michael Burman — After playing an old RCA recording that didn’t list the musicians, MB said, «Now I’m going to tell you who I think played on that date, and also why I think they were on that date.» Burman delights in showing his knowledge of music by telling us what high school the players went to. Someone give him an egg timer.
Clifford Brown, Jr — If you don’t know it by now, the American Jazz Countdown is a figment of his imagination. His shift has too much self-​promotion.
There are those such as Jayne Sanchez, Greg Bridges and others who continue the tradition of understated, tasteful and efficient style that started at KJAZ. Dick Conte is sometimes criticized for his tendency to piano trios. Here’s the thing… Conte is so ‘ear friendly’ in his understated low-​key patter, that you don’t care. Sonny Buxton is a jewel. He is knowledgeable, funny, entertaining, and weaves his play selections into a cohesive show like no one else can do. He has only one shift a week… I make sure not to miss it.
As the pledge drives go on longer, they become a severe burden for listeners to KCSM. You can’t listen to this stuff for weeks on end!
Someone needs to take charge of this station and restructure it to assure it’s survival.
If you feel that the patter has gotten excessive, vote by hitting the USEFUL button below. Maybe management will pay attention.

My parents swear that they made sure the first music I heard was Jazz! Toes tappin and be-​boppin my way into this world, I was born and bred to be a 91.1 fan…
In the Bay Area, where many famous Jazz musicians have their roots or were part of the West Coast Jazz movement, KCSM is keeping the dream alive! When I was growing up, my father was a DJ at KJAZ. When that station sadly turned off its turntables to the local airwaves in 1994, their collection was transferred to KCSM… and thank goodness!
The announcers know their music – and well! They love sharing the history and stories (some personal) that bring the sounds of Jazz closer to its listeners. It sucks me into listening every time! With great DJs like Clifford Brown, Alisa Clancy, Dick Conte and Chuey Varela, it almost feels like KCSM is similar to NPR. Both are educational, feature discussions with musicians, and are member supported. I’m sure there are a lot of cross-​over listeners, like me.
If you’re at work, you can listen to KCSM through their website at:
. Check out their monthly «interactive» newsletter called, The Jazz Center. It features «page by page» descriptions of their programming and news on the Jazz front. From interviews to local jazz groups and where you can catch them, if you missed anything live, you can probably find out about it on their site.
KCSM fans will understand when I say, here’s my answer to the Desert Island Jazz question. I would bring:
1. A radio that plays non-​stop KCSM
2. Some bottles of Brother Thelonious (aka the one and only Mr. Thelonious Monk) Belgian Style Abbey Ale
3. Lastly, I would have to cheat a little and choose to bring along their yearly Christmas Show guest DJ, Herb Wong. (Ok, ok… he’s my Dad, but it still counts!)
DIG IT! JAZZ LIVES!

OK, it’s great and I listen to it a lot too. But criticisms can be made.
First, I have to wonder about its revenue model. Instead of all the (endless) pledge breaks every few weeks, wouldn’t it be better to just get one angel (or two), call it (for example) the Larry Ellison Jazz Station (can’t be THAT hard in Silicon Valley), and get on with it? They have had to resort to corporate sponsors anyway with their semi-​commercials, so «commercial-​free jazz» is a misnomer. I think they’ve been locked into the «jazz will disappear unless you contribute» mode for so long they can’t see the world has changed. We get jazz over the Internet from all over the world; there’s 24 hour jazz on Comcast with zero interruptions; there’s jazz to listen to on many artists’ websites There’s plenty of cost-​free, commercial-​free jazz without KCSM.
Second, I find Melanie Berzon’s program lame. Maybe it’s because I know it’s her, but if I’m listening to the station and hear completely conventional and uninspiring music, I know it’s Melanie in the Afternoon. Just because she’s program director doesn’t mean she knows jazz. But I have to admit I find her an annoying personality («show me the money, honey» — I want to vomit), so I’m certain that colors my thinking.
Finally, for a station that prides itself on its progressive sensibilities, I find it astonishing that it can’t find ONE black woman sufficiently qualified to be an announcer (see any on this page –
I don’t. Has the station EVER had a black woman as an announcer? I guess Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, et al all demonstrate that, when it comes to jazz, a black woman is incapable of spinning a few records and making a few appropriate comments to an audience of jazz lovers.

The only lady that never sleeps and she doesn’t need blow!
KCSM is always caressing ears, accompanying stiff drinks, and dancing with a great wine.
Nothing like a midnight drink with KCSM.
Nothing like drowning in your sorrows with KCSM.
Nothing like drunk kissing with KSCM.
Nothing like burning some incense with KCSM.
Nothing like reminiscing with KCSM.
Nothing like JAZZ on KCSM!

LOVE LOVE LOVE this station! Great music and great radio personalities!
KCSM keep it up!

With the demise of my favorite soothing station KKSF, I’ve had to find another spot on the dial to relax to. Though I listen regularly to KCSM, KKSF was my go to *mood* station for relaxation. I also loved to listen to KKSF or KDFC on rainy days.
Anyhooo…now it’s all on the shoulders of the wonderful station from my favorite city by the Bay, San Mateo. The music selections are fantastic, the jocks are knowledgeable and professional, and it always puts me in a relaxed state.
Considering the state of our economy, and the fact that funding for KCSM has been reduced significantly, I’ll have to pony up some money to support this local gem.

Best jazz station ever. Period.
Funny story: Recently my car antenna was stolen in front of my house (the youth of today people). Coincidentally, my cd player is extremely flaky.
But FORTUNATELY, I live in San Mateo, so I receive KCSM crystal clear (and no other stations)
Summary of the station: I still haven’t fixed my antenna.

OK, jazz fans. KCSM-​FM is having its fund drive. They have to raise more money than ever because the College of San Mateo is no longer able to contribute financially as they have in the past. So if you’re not a member, join. And if you are already a member give a little extra. Don’t let this incredible station go the way of KJAZ (92.7) and now, more recently, KRML (1410AM). And that’s just here in California.