For the past two weeks, WDET Creative Producer Sam Beaubien has graciously stepped up as the fill-in host on Visions after Kaleigh Wilder announced she’ll be stepping away to attend to some personal health matters. (See her full statement here.)

We at WDET fully support Kaleigh and are committed to keeping her program rolling and ready for her eventual return. To that end, we have some exciting news about who will be standing in as temporary host going forward.

A familiar name to many WDET listeners, W. Kim Heron previously hosted the show Destination Out on Sunday nights during the 1990s and early aughts, going on later to host The Kim Heron Program, celebrating the vanguard tradition in jazz from Louis Armstrong to John Zorn.

He has been a newspaper editor, copy editor, writer and photographer for Detroit Metro Times, Detroit Sunday Journal, Detroit Free Press and Lansing State Journal; was inducted into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame; was a TV co-host on the former “Backstage Pass” on what is now Detroit PBS; and was named a Detroit Jazz Hero by the Jazz Journalists Association in 2017.

We’re excited to welcome him back into the WDET fold, and we think you’re going to love what he brings to the airwaves each Monday night.

“I’ve been a big fan of Kaleigh’s Visions show since its debut,” Heron said. “It’s an honor to be invited to keep her seat warm and her audience engaged until she returns.”

Heron’s first show will be on Monday, Dec. 23.

Tune in to Visions every Monday from 8-10 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET.

Kaleigh Wilder, host of WDET’s Visions, will be taking a temporary leave of absence from the show while she receives treatment for a functional neurological disorder (FND) affecting her speech.

The Detroit-based baritone saxophonist, improviser and Kresge Artist Fellow shared details about her ongoing health struggles in an Instagram post on Monday, calling them “debilitating.”

“FND is a disorder that causes involuntary muscle contractions which, for me, affect my jaw, tongue, and muscles in the neck,” Wilder said. “Back in August the muscle contractions in my tongue and around my throat literally made it so I couldn’t blow a steady stream of air into my instrument. I haven’t been able to play in months.”

As the disorder progressed, it began to affect her speech as well, leading her to make the decision to take a step back from Visions for the next 2-3 months to pursue treatment and focus on her health.

“The good news is that this is treatable. I will get better and return to the horn,” she said. “I couldn’t deal with this alone, so to my partner, family, friends, and colleagues who have been supporting me through this: THANK YOU. You’ve all kept me grounded and hopeful.”

Of course, we at WDET fully support Wilder’s sabbatical to focus on healing, and know that Visions fans will echo that sentiment.

We look forward to hearing Wilder back on WDET’s airwaves soon, and in the meantime, WDET Creative Producer and music aficionado Sam Beaubien will be keeping Wilder’s seat warm until a more permanent fill-in host is confirmed.

Read Wilder’s full statement here.

Visions explores the vanguard of postmodern jazz from 1969 to today. Listen every Monday from 8-10 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET.

On this episode of Visions, I explore rhythm with just a small slice of music that makes me want to get up and dance. This is by no means a comprehensive study on rhythm! But it’s a good variety of feel-good music.

I play a mix of classics from Miles Davis, Stanley Cowell, Sun Ra and Elvin Jones. I head to Detroit’s Club Mozambique for selections from Dr. Lonnie Smith and Grant Green. I also check out some of Brownswood Recordings’ new-ish releases from Kokoroko and Yussef Dayes. I’ve got a few other selections in there which tie this whole rhythm-based episode together.

Check out the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Visions Playlist for Nov. 11, 2024

• “Black Classical Music (feat. Venna & Charlie Stacey)” – Yussef Dayes
• “Ewà Inú” – Kokoroko
• “Dream Traveler” – Roy Hargrove
• “Blue Mist” – Joe Lovano
• “I Can’t Stand It (Live)” – Dr. Lonnie Smith
• “One More Chance (Live)” – Grant Green
• “Travellin’ Man” – Stanley Cowell
• “On Jupiter” – Sun Ra
• “Nem Um Talvez” – Miles Davis
• “Coalhada” – Hermeto Pascoal
• “Juicy (feat. Renee Neufville & Karl Denson)” – Roy Hargrove
• “Optimism” – Robert Hurst
• “Flight” – Ahmad Jamal
• “La Fiesta” – Elvin Jones
• “Jean Marie” – Woody Shaw
• “Samba del Sol” – Roy Brooks
• “Waltz for Zweetie” – Walter Bishop, Jr.
• “Conjuration” – Pepper Adams

This week on Visions, my playlist is all over the board. Between 1965 Sonny Rollins to 2024 Andy Milne, I cover some interesting ground.

Before I get into the music, definitely check out the interview I did during the first hour with Deanna Relyea, director of Edgefest, an annual avant-jazz festival happening this week in Ann Arbor. Deanna and I talk about how Edgefest started (it’s now in its 28th year!), which artists are performing at the festival, and what kind of music to expect. Happening this week, Oct. 16-19 in Ann Arbor, you won’t want to miss it.

I also give a preview of some artists coming to Ann Arbor, many of whom have already graced the airwaves through Visions!

The artists coming to Edgefest are Andy Milne, Myra Melford, Tomeka Reid, Detroit artist Kenji Lee, Sylvie Courvoisier, and William Parker. I also play selections from Sonny Rollins, Wynton Marsalis, Milton Nascimento & Esperanza Spalding, Sam Newsome, and the late Benny Golson.

Check out the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Visions Playlist for Oct. 14, 2024

• “Outubro” – Milton Nascimento  & Esperanza Spalding
• “Mr. Clean” – Roy Hargrove
• “Jaki” – William Parker
• “Freedom Jazz Dance” – Ethnic Heritage Ensemble
• “Black Codes” – Wynton Marsalis
• “Le Pavot Rouge” (feat. Wadada Leo Smith, Christian Fennesz, Nate Wooley, Drew Gress & Kenny Wollesen) – Sylvie Courvoisier
• “Papounet” – Andy Milne and Unison
• “B.K.” – Nicole Mitchell, Tomeka Reid & Mike Reed
• “The Strawberry” – Myra Melford
• “Three Little Words” – Sonny Rollins
• “In the Vein of Trane” – Sam Newsome Quintet
• “Empty Cup” – Kenji Lee’s Fortune Teller Trio
• “Voyage” – Benny Golson, Mulgrew Miller, Rufus Reid & Tony Reedus

I don’t know what it was about this episode, but it truly energized me! On this episode of Visions I play mostly new music that came out literally in the last few days, and releases that came out in just the last couple years.

I built this episode around a brand new record by pianist Kris Davis. Her newest trio with Robert Hurst and Johnathan Blake came out last Friday on her label, Pyroclastic Records. The album is called Run the Gauntlet and is dedicated to Geri Allen, Marilyn Crispell, Angelica Sanchez, Carla Bley, Renee Rosnes and Sylvie Courvoisier.

Davis asked me to share this record and spread the word about a free album release show happening on Saturday in Ann Arbor.

For the other brand new releases, I played music from a few upcoming Blue Note releases, including Immanuel Wilkins and Walter Smith III. You’ll also hear new tracks from Patricia Brennan via Pyroclastic Records release (yes, the same Pyroclastic as Kris Davis’ label), and Jason Stein’s Tao Forms release from last month.

I also had an accidental new music discovery when I looked up some music to play by Dave Holland. Hear his new single “Tranxit” with Lionel Loueke. So much brand new music hit the airwaves this episode!

I have a few selections that came out in the 2020s and 2010s, including Johnathan Blake, Kendrick Scott, Jesús Molina with this insane version of “A Night in Tunisia,” Nicholas Payton and Robert Hurst. I threw in some older releases for good measure featuring music from Dave Liebman, Detroit’s Wendell Harrison and Sam Rivers. I hope you enjoy this episode half as much as I enjoyed putting it together for you!

Check out the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Visions Playlist for Sept. 30, 2024

• “Tranxit” – Lionel Loueke & Dave Holland
• “A Brief Madness” – Walter Smith III
• “Bob’s Blues” – Robert Hurst
• “Helix” – Sam Rivers
• “Fall” – Nicholas Payton
• “Heavy-footed (feat. Johnathan Blake & Robert Hurst)” – Kris Davis Trio
• “Merciful”- Wendell Harrison
• “Holding Breath” – Jason Stein
• “Night in Tunisia” – Jesús Molina
• “Nutty” – Dave Liebman
• “DARK EYES SMILE (feat. Cécile McLorin Salvant)” – Immanuel Wilkins
• “What Day Is It? (feat. Reuben Rogers & Walter Smith III)” – Kendrick Scott
• “Five Suns” – Patricia Brennan
• “A Slight Taste” – Johnathan Blake
• “Congratulations and Condolences” – Myra Melford, Allison Miller & Lux Quartet

I return to my usual programming this week to bring a special Visions episode all about John Coltrane. It was Trane’s would-be 98th birthday on Monday, so I would be remiss if I didn’t do an entire episode dedicated to the visionary bandleader, composer and improviser.

Throughout this episode I play quintessential John Coltrane selections, but I also play songs where Coltrane is a band member. This includes selections from Thelonious Monk, Pepper Adams, Miles Davis, Gene Ammons (where Coltrane is on ALTO!), and Cannonball Adderley. I do a few selections where the song is about Trane: Alice Coltrane, Clifford Jordan and Elvin Jones’ tracks all fit that category. And finally, there’s a record that Trane produced which is the selection from Archie Shepp.

The last thing I want to highlight about this episode is the one song that doesn’t fit the Coltrane theme: Stablemates by Benny Golson. Golson — saxophonist, bandleader, composer and arranger — died on Sept. 21. He was 95 years old. He influenced many artists and left a legacy beyond just recordings of him: he composed many songs that are now standard jazz tunes. Rest in Power to Benny Golson!

Check out the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Visions Playlist for Sept. 9, 2024

• “Giant Steps” – John Coltrane
• “Dear John C.” – Elvin Jones*
• “Stablemates” – Benny Golson
• “Ruby My Dear” – Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane
• “Equinox” – John Coltrane
• “Mary’s Blues” – Pepper Adams*
• “Freddie Freeloader” – Miles Davis
• “Groove Blues” – Gene Ammons All Stars
• “My Favorite Things” – John Coltrane
• “John Coltrane” – Clifford Jordan Quartet
• “You’re a Weaver of Dreams” – Cannonball Adderley Quintet
• “Mr. Syms” – Archie Shepp
• “Chim Chim Cheree” – John Coltrane Quartet
• “Something About John Coltrane” – Alice Coltrane*

On this episode of Visions, I unintentionally do a blast from the ’70s past. When I started crafting this playlist, I had only a few things from the 1970s that I wanted to play, including Gene Harris, Charlie Rouse and Donald Byrd. But as I kept adding music to my list, I realized this theme was emerging — so I decided to run with it.

This isn’t the first time I’ve done an episode centered around jazz from the ’70s, and that episode garnered a lot of positive feedback. I think the ’70s is a time of great musical exploration, and clearly an era in people’s hearts and minds that reigns supreme to this day. So, why not provide a taste of what people want to hear?

I also play Elvin Jones (featuring my favorite baritone saxophonist of all time, and Detroiter, Pepper Adams), Lonnie Liston Smith, Mary Lou Williams, and Groove Holmes. I play some almost ’70s music with selections from Wes Montgomery, Detroit’s Yusef Lateef and Roy Ayers.

I also break up this episode with a new single from Walter Smith III, and more modern music from Grace Kelly, Dave Holland, and Diana Krall.

But, maybe my favorite selections on this episode are even older than my ’70s theme.

I’ve been wanting to play these influential women for awhile and this episode I finally worked them in — Jutta Hipp (with Zoot Sims), the incredible Detroit pianist and vibraphonist Terry Pollard, and a group of all women before that was even the norm — Vi Redd, Marian McPartland, Mary Osborne, Lynn Milano, and Dottie Dodgion. These selections go all the way back to the mid-1950s, but their sounds and playing styles are so forward-thinking so they fit seamlessly into this playlist.

I hope you enjoy what I selected for you this week!

Check out the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Visions Playlist for Sept. 9, 2024

• “Mr. Jones” – Elvin Jones
• “Losalamitoslatinfunklovesong” – Gene Harris
• “Cézanne” – Walter Smith III
• “Filosophical Flying Fish” – Grace Kelly
• “Hopscotch” – Charlie Rouse
• “Last Minute Man” – Dave Holland Big Band
• “Almost Blue” – Diana Krall
• “Scrapple from the Apple” – Terry Pollard
• “Soft Winds” – Dorothy Ashby
• “Woodward Avenue” – Yusef Lateef
• “Goin on to Detroit” – Wes Montgomery
• “Places & Spaces” – Donald Byrd
• “Devika (Goddess)” – Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes
• “Wee Dot” – Jutta Hipp & Zoot Sims
• “Now’s the Time” – Vi Redd, Marian McPartland, Mary Osborne, Lynn Milano, Dottie Dodgion
• “Praise the Lord” – Mary Lou Williams
• “The Ringer” – Roy Ayers
• “Red Onion” – Richard “Groove” Holmes

On this episode of Visions, I do my fifth and final preview of artists coming to the 45th annual Detroit Jazz Festival. I play three selections from Artist-in-Residence Brian Blade, plus music from Carmen Lundy, The Bad Plus and Nate Smith.

I piece things together with music from John Lee Hooker, Alice Coltrane (both of which have birthdays right around the time of this episode), Nadje Noordhuis, Helen Sung, Lionel Loueke, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Joni Mitchell, and Brandford Marsalis. I also play the late, great Wayne Shorter — who would have turned 91 last Sunday.

Check out the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Visions Playlist for Aug. 26, 2024

• “Ghana Nila” – Alice Coltrane
• “Bumble Bee Blues” – John Lee Hooker
• “The Robots” – The Bad Plus
• “Le Fin” – Nadje Noordhuis
• “Duality” – Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band
• “The Island, The Sea and You (feat. Patrice Rushen, Ben Williams, Kendrick Scott & Jeff Parker)” – Carmen Lundy
• “Feed the Fire (with Harlem Quartet)” – Helen Sung
• “Moon Song” – Cécile McLorin Salvant
• “Evinrude-Fifty (Trembling)” – Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band
• “Hejira” – Joni Mitchell
• “Footprints” – Lionel Loueke, Reuben Rogers & Eric Harland
• “Return of the Prodigal Son” – Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band
• “Spinning Down” – Nate Smith
• “Wild Flower” – Wayne Shorter
• “Friday the 13Th” – Branford Marsalis