On this episode of Visions, I expand how I usually think about jazz to include cuts I don’t typically play on the show. I venture into soul with artists like Tower of Power, Aretha Franklin, and Roberta Flack.

I also play a classic blues cut from Lightnin’ Hopkins, plus incredible organ players Charles Earlund and Richard “Groove” Holmes.

To me and many others, these artists are part of the same continuum that jazz falls on, which is Black Music. I’m hoping to continue expanding beyond just playing “jazz” and include Black Music more broadly!

On the more straight-ahead end of the jazz spectrum, I include cuts from Herbie Hancock, the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, Bobby Hutcherson, Oscar Peterson, Charlie Rouse, Miles Davis, Larry Young, and a few others.

I hope you like the twists and turns this episode takes!

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. 24, 2025

• “Biafra” – Nat Adderely
• “Beyond All Limits” – Larry Young
• “Hey Harold (feat. Billy Hart)” – Bobby Hutcherson
• “Soul Vaccination” – Tower of Power
• “Bitchin'” – Charlie Rouse
• “Rock Steady” – Aretha Franklin*
• “Ostinato (Suite for Angela)” – Herbie Hancock
• “Yes Lord” – The Detroit Jazz Composers Ltd.*
• “To Love Somebody” – Roberta Flack
• “The Shadow of Your Smile” – Oscar Peterson
• “Misty” – Richard “Groove” Holmes
• “More Today Than Yesterday” – Charles Earlund
• “Woke Up This Morning” – Lightnin’ Hopkins
• “Compensation (Live at the Village Vanguard)” – The Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra
• “Freedom Jazz Dance (Evolution of the Groove)” – Miles Davis

*indicates Detroit artists

This week on Visions, I dug through my personal record crates to inspire the episode. Now, I don’t have an extensive collection, but what I found was a lot of 70’s jazz records. This led me to a show of almost entirely selections from the 70’s.

I’ve got Alice Coltrane, Elvin Jones in a couple different contexts, Leon Thomas, Wendell Harrison, Cecil McBee, Lonnie Liston Smith, Armen Donelian, Miles Davis, and Pharoah Sanders. I also play a 2025 release from Chicago-based trio Hearts & Minds, and a brand new Blue Note release from Aaron Parks.

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. 17, 2025

• “Blues on the Bottom” – Cecil McBee
• “Illumination” – Hearts & Minds
• “Flys” – Jack DeJohnette’s Directions
• “One” – Leon Thomas
• “Peace” – Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes
• “Song of Happiness” – McCoy Tyner
• “Half and Half (feat. McCoy Tyner)” – Elvin Jones & Jimmy Garrison Sextet
• “My Ship (Live at the Lighthouse Café, CA.1972)” – Elvin Jones
• “Bob’s Blues” – Robert Hurst*
• “Parks Lope” – Aaron Parks
• “I Think It’s Going to Rain Today” – Kenny Burrell*
• “Monday” – Armen Donelian
• “My Favorite Things” – Alice Coltrane*
• “Little Church” – Miles Davis
• “Heavenese” – Wendell Harrison*
• “Astral Traveling” – Pharoah Sanders

* indicates Detroit artists

On this episode of Visions, I journey through the decades from the late 50’s through 2025.

I was really excited to receive an advance copy of a new Griot Galaxy release. Now, if you know Griot Galaxy, you may be wondering how could they release something new? The recording isn’t new, but the release is.

This album was recorded live on WUOM in 1979, but it was just released by a Detroit label, Two Rooms Records. I was also really excited to play another incredible live recording, this time from Jackie McLean, so I built this episode around those two anchors.

I also played classics from Eddie Harris, Grant Green, Toots Thielemans and Lee Morgan; music from Detroit’s Robert Hurst and Russ Macklem; newer releases from Nicole Glover, Kahil El’Zabar, and Kris Davis; and new music discovery from Milena Casado and Amaro Freitas. As I tend to say, this episode is a little bit of a lot of things.

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. 10, 2025

• “Cyclical” (Live) – Jackie McLean
• “Fundamental Frequency (with Art Taylor, Kenny Drew, Pepper Adams & Wilbur Ware)” – Toots Thielemans
• “Let the Music Take Your Mind” (Live) – Grant Green
• “Ill Wind” – Lee Morgan
• “Bird Feathers” – Nicole Glover
• “Eddie Harris” – The Kahil El’Zabar Quartet
• “South Side” – Eddie Harris
• “Circles (feat. Val Jeanty)” – Milena Casado
• “Heavy-footed (feat. Johnathan Blake & Robert Hurst)” – Kris Davis Trio
• “Dona Eni” – Amaro Freitas
• “Osiris” – Griot Galaxy*
• “Mr. Anderson” – Russ Macklem*
• “Spanning (Live)” – Charles Tolliver
• “Bob’s Blues” – Robert Hurst*

On this episode of Visions, I am thrilled, honored, and humbled to return to the Detroit airwaves. I wouldn’t have a home to return to if it wasn’t for Sam Beaubien, Liz Warner and W. Kim Heron who hosted the show, and I certainly wouldn’t be able to come back without the full support of WDET. Thank you to everyone working behind the scenes and behind the mic to ensure that Visions remained resonant.

On my homecoming episode, I cover almost every decade from the 1960’s to the 2020’s. I feature music made right here in Detroit by Kasan Belgrave, Louis Jones III and the Detroit Experiment; take it back to the 60’s with selections from Charles Mingus (solo piano, no less!), Duke Ellington, and a Jimmy Smith organ trio; celebrate the late greats Chick Corea and Jack DeJohnette; highlight Geri Allen as a pianist in a trio with Charlie Haden and Paul Motian and also as a composer with her song “Unconditional Love,” recently released by Nicholas Payton, esperanza spalding and Karriem Riggins‘ newest trio.

If that weren’t enough, I also have new music discovery that I’ve been dying to play on the airwaves. First from a group called SML whose second album will be released Friday November 7 on International Anthem. I follow that with Mauritanian Griot and singer, Noura Mint Seymali, whose newest record also comes out Nov. 7. 

I won’t give everything away, so check out the full episode and enjoy what I’ve selected for you as I celebrate my return to radio, Visions, and WDET. 

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. 3, 2025

• “Down 4 the Cause” – Kasan Belgrave
• “Caravan” – Duke Ellington
• “Citadel” – Tony Williams
• “Moon Dance” – Chick Corea
• “Lonely Woman” – Charlie Haden & Paul Motian feat. Geri Allen
• “Motions” – Louis Jones III
• “Spontaneous” – Makaya McCraven
• “People Puttin People Through Changes” – Shamek Farrah & Sonelius Smith
• “I Can’t Get Started” – Charles Mingus
• “Oh No, Babe (feat. Kenny Burrell & Grady Tate)” – Jimmy Smith
• “Unconditional Love (feat. esperanza spalding & Karriem Riggins)” – Nicholas Payton
• “Taking Out the Trash” – SML
• “Guérah” – Noura Mint Seymali
• “Space Odyssey” – The Detroit Experiment