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frankalkyer

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1 reviews

Review for Newark Public Radio Inc, Newark, NJ, USA

Rating: 5 stars  

Long before I worked in Jazz, I was a fan of Jazz. I lived in New Jersey, just outside of Manhattan, and WBGO was my window into a world of music beyond the 3-minute pop song. DJs like Michael Bourne and Gary Walker introduced me to music that was daring, beautiful, different and fun. They're still there, along with a stable of thoughtful DJs that's as good as you'll find on radio. For the past 20 years, I've have the honor of working in the Jazz arena. We've worked with WBGO on a variety of joint projects, and you know what? The professionals managing the station are just as good as the folks behind the microphones. In our partnerships with WBGO, I've found that they set the bar high, then proceed to deliver well above it. For example, we recently worked with the station on its annual Champions Of Jazz Gala. We thought it would be a terrific evening for our staff and clients, considering it was WBGO's 30th anniversary and DownBeat's 75th. Terrific was an understatement. The program, from start to finish, was a complete success. Every detail was handled beautifully. And as a result, WBGO, DownBeat and, especially, jazz all received an unforgettable evening. Several years earlier, we worked together on a feature on the great pianist Dave Brubeck. Michael Bourne did the interview. It ran as a cover story in DownBeat and as a radio interview on WBGO. Each of our interviews promoted the other, which created a terrific platform to propel the work and legacy of one of our greatest jazz artists. Each example required a great deal of communication and teamwork from our organizations, or we stood to fail miserably. It was never a concern with a partner like WBGO. The station does amazing work in the jazz community. We're proud whenever we have an opportunity to work with the staff of WBGO to promote this great music called Jazz.

I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...

... seeing how well they run events. WBGO's Champions Of Jazz Gala is one of the best-run events in jazz, period.

What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...

The people. They are smart, on task, focused and fun. They get the job done with dedication and joy.

If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...

... get the word out about some of the greatest music and musicians on the planet. If they could take their recipe for community outreach and double or triple it, what a difference it would make in enriching the lives of Greater New York.

How frequently have you been involved with the organization?

About once a year

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

2009

Role:  Professional with expertise in this field & Publisher, DownBeat Magazine.