Part 1: Reflections on Miles Davis: An Interview with Quincy Troupe
Like It Is: 30 Minutes of Good Conversation
Release Date: 06/26/2024
Like It Is: 30 Minutes of Good Conversation
Josephine Bolling McCall reflects upon her father’s lynching in Lowndes County, Alabama- The Lynching of Elmore McCall. For decades, Elmore Bolling’s family believed myths perpetuated by white people, and even by Rosa Parks, about why he was killed: that he was involved in a love triangle or that he had insulted his assailant’s wife. Though Josephine Bolling McCall’s father was killed when she was 5 years old, it was not until she was 60 that she discovered an article in the Chicago Defender describing the real reason for her father’s killing: “Enraged whites jealous over the...
info_outlineLike It Is: 30 Minutes of Good Conversation
Leon Von Brown is the uncle of the late and acclaimed jazz trumpeter, Clifford Brown. Leon shares memories of his uncle and efforts create a lasting legacy about him. Von Brown also talks about his amazing career. Brown has theater and dance credits to include singing, acting, dancing, and choreography. He has worked on set with Alfre Woodard, Laurence Fishburne and Malcolm Jamaal-Warner and co-starred with Samuel L. Jackson. He developed performances for the Atlanta Ballet, Agnes Scott College and Clark-Atlanta University. He recorded and toured with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir with shows...
info_outlineLike It Is: 30 Minutes of Good Conversation
KCSM radio’s own Sonny Buxton has been selected by the Jazz Journalists Association to receive the 2013 Jazz Hero Award for his contributions and dedication to broadcasting. Buxton, along with 25 other musicians and educators from the United States and Canada will be honored May 5 at the Jazz Heritage Center in San Francisco. Initially, Buxton never considered a future in radio or television as a career. In the early 1950s, he landed an internship in Los Angeles at a small radio station. Soon after, as a member of the U.S. Air Force, he became a disc jockey for the Armed Forces Radio while...
info_outlineLike It Is: 30 Minutes of Good Conversation
Sonny Buxton has met and worked with some of the greatest entertainers in history over the years, from Duke Ellington to Sarah Vaughn, Eartha Kitt, Ray Charles, Percy Sledge and Smokey Robinson. Buxton credits Leonard Russell in Seattle and Charles Sullivan for exposing him to the business side of radio and music by booking shows, clubs and concerts at the Fillmore and the Richmond Auditorium. Buxton proved his business worth again by co-owning several clubs in Seattle years later like The District, Checkmate and Anxious Asp. In San Francisco, Buxton also opened Milestones in 1984, and...
info_outlineLike It Is: 30 Minutes of Good Conversation
In this compelling two-part interview with renowned attorney Bryan Stevenson, founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative, we discuss the stark disparities within the criminal justice system. Stevenson shares his insights on how racial bias and economic status impact our U.S. justice system and create different realities for the "haves" and the "have-nots." He highlights the critical need for public defenders and the role lawyers play in creating hope and challenging injustice. He questions why, despite a surplus of lawyers, many people of color and the poor still lack...
info_outlineLike It Is: 30 Minutes of Good Conversation
In this compelling two-part interview with renowned attorney Bryan Stevenson, founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative, we discuss the stark disparities within the criminal justice system. Stevenson shares his insights on how racial bias and economic status impact our U.S. justice system and create different realities for the "haves" and the "have-nots." He highlights the critical need for public defenders and the role lawyers play in creating hope and challenging injustice. He questions why, despite a surplus of lawyers, many people of color and the poor still lack...
info_outlineLike It Is: 30 Minutes of Good Conversation
In this eye-opening episode, we explore the deep-seated and often unconscious biases that persist in the U.S. with Tim Wise, renowned author and anti-racism educator. Drawing from his book "White Like Me" and his recent speech, Wise sheds light on the pervasive racism that affects people of color and the collective denial that allows it to persist. Wise begins by addressing the crucial premise that combating racism is everyone's responsibility. He highlights the fundamental problem: White America, both corporately and collectively, has never truly been prepared to address the reality of the...
info_outlineLike It Is: 30 Minutes of Good Conversation
On this episode, we honor Ernest Green, a member of the historic Little Rock Nine, as he reflects on his experience as one of the first African-American students to attend Little Rock Central High School. Green shares his profound insights on the importance of Black History Month and the ongoing struggle for civil rights. Green delves into the critical moments of his journey, including the prejudice and bias that led to the erasure of African Americans from American history, depriving all Americans of a sound education. He discusses the significance of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the...
info_outlineLike It Is: 30 Minutes of Good Conversation
Richie Havens was known for having the most iconic voices in American music. Join this memorable conversation with the late and great Havens, opening the door to his remarkable life and musical legacy which left an indelible mark on the world. Born Richard Pierce Havens on January 21, 1941, in Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood surrounded by cultural diversity. His mother's roots in Barbados and his father's Blackfoot Native American heritage instilled in him a profound belief that "no one is any different than anyone else." Join us as we explore Havens' folk music circles of...
info_outlineLike It Is: 30 Minutes of Good Conversation
Richie Havens was known for having the most iconic voices in American music. Join this memorable conversation with the late and great Havens, opening the door to his remarkable life and musical legacy which left an indelible mark on the world. Born Richard Pierce Havens on January 21, 1941, in Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood surrounded by cultural diversity. His mother's roots in Barbados and his father's Blackfoot Native American heritage instilled in him a profound belief that "no one is any different than anyone else." Join us as we explore Havens' folk music circles of...
info_outlineHave you ever wished to sit down for an intimate conversation with Miles Davis? Dive deep into the life and legacy of jazz legend Miles Davis in this compelling two-part series featuring an exclusive interview with Quincy Troupe, the acclaimed author of "Miles: The Autobiography" and "Miles & Me." With 21 books to his name, including numerous award-winning volumes of poetry and memoirs, Troupe brings a wealth of insight and personal anecdotes to this intimate exploration of one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.
Join us as we explore the formative years of Miles Davis, born into an aristocratic African American family in St. Louis during the Great Depression. Learn about his upbringing in a household that valued black excellence and achievement, influenced by his father's no-nonsense attitude and his mother's cultural sophistication. Discover how a gift of a trumpet from his father's best friend sparked a lifelong passion for music, leading young Miles to study under a German teacher across the river and to find inspiration in the vibrant nightlife of East Saint Louis. Quincy Troupe shares personal reflections on Davis's early influences, his burgeoning confidence in high school, and the profound impact of a haunting voice he heard on a deserted road.
Quincy Troupe recounts his unique and tumultuous relationship with Miles Davis. From their unlikely first encounter, where Davis famously cursed him out on the street, to their marathon ten-hour interview that cemented their bond, Troupe provides a candid look at the man behind the music. Hear how Troupe's teenage admiration for Davis evolved into a professional partnership, culminating in the creation of Davis's autobiography and the memoir "Miles & Me." Gain insight into Davis's innovative contributions to jazz rock and roadhouse funk, and the deeply personal stories that Troupe reveals about their friendship, Davis's artistic vision, and his enduring influence on music and culture.
Tune in to this episode for an intimate portrait of a jazz icon and the extraordinary story of the writer who chronicled his life.