Leroy Downs by La Quetta Shamblee

Jazz Radio DJ

LEROY DOWNS

Every Sunday night, this Los Angeles Jazz Cat takes to the airwaves in Santa Monica, California, on KCRW 89.9, for a live broadcast of his radio show Just Jazz. This broadcast professional created an impressive portfolio of jazz radio and television shows with the goal of producing a masterpiece.

Leroy Downs started his radio career at 1580AM KDAY, one of the top R&B stations in the region. He was heard KUTE 102FM, playing contemporary music. Although he enjoyed the music, he “got tired of listening to the same songs in rotation over and over, so I started searching for new music.”

This led him to KKGO 105FM, a jazz station where he became intrigued with songs he had not heard before. He accumulated a jazz library from Aaron Brothers, a record store across the street from Fairfax High School. They sold 99 cents used albums with a notch in the cover from radio stations. So, Downs built his collection, slowly. “For only $20 bucks, I would come out with 20 albums.”

Besides being an avid listener, had was immersed in learning history of this music he had grown to love. Downs listened to Chuck Niles on KLON 88.1FM. His interest in being a jazz radio host was peaked, listening to some type of Rat Pack, Martini show. That show made him think that he could get a gig on the radio. He recorded cassette tapes to present to the station but all of their slots were filled.

Undaunted by this barrier, he was intent on finding his place in that environment. He volunteered until the night he substituted for Sam Fields on his five-hour show. The listeners liked him and the station management offered him a show one night a week, which expanded to five nights a week.

“The radio station’s music library gave me access to a treasure trove,” Janisse revealed. They provided a little box that held two rows of CDs that DJs could pull in preparation for each show. For five nights a week, Downs selected from the extensive collection that filled two rooms from floor to ceiling. He associated music labels with artists and jazz genres. “This helped me to establish a relationship with the music,” he said.

His dedication paid off in other ways, positioning him to MC jazz events like the Monterey Jazz Festival for 20 years, and the Monk Institute of Jazz at USC’s Winter Jazz Festival in NY. His job is blending jazz sounds of yesterday and today, for people to enjoy the entirely of the jazz experience. “I’m 100% the opposite of being stuck on nostalgia,” he declared. A seeker of the music, Leroy does not settle on what he already knows. He grows with the music, while expanding his playlist of new music by established artists and those new to the scene. As an industry professional, he knows that radio stations exist to make money and the focus is on popular tunes. But this broadcast professional is clear about what he brings to the party. He said, “I am not a safety guy, I like to take it way past the edge. The music is like a wave that needs to ebb and flow.”

Visit www.TheJazzCat.net to sample Leroy Downs gallery of talent, archives, and productions. Download JazzCat to ebb and flow with this jazz broadcasting professional.