About Russ Davis

I began my career in jazz radio by creating a special program called “Jazz Flavours” in 1978 at WQXI-FM in Atlanta. The Program was a combination of acoustic and electric jazz with modern jazzy vocals. The format later morphed into a softer form that became known as the NAC format which became popular on radio stations all around the world.

In 1988, the Coca Cola Company contacted me to create a three-hour version of the program “Jazz Flavours” for syndication to be sponsored by their brand Fresca. The show aired for over two years in 13 markets including New York, Boston, Atlanta and Houston. I also created another syndicated product, which was offered at the same time, titled “Conversations,” a one-hour interview show with various jazz artists.

The popularity of "Jazz Flavours" allowed me to move to New York in 1988 to work as music director and on air presenter for the start up of contemporary jazz station WQCD-FM (CD 101.9). I worked there until 1998 and during those ten years I developed and produced a syndicated version of the “Jazz Flavours” show as well as an interview program titled “Conversations.” From 1989 to 1991, I programmed and voiced a nightly jazz program for WSTR-FM in Atlanta, shipping all materials from New York City.

My work with international jazz programming began in the 1990’s and continues today. In 1990, the Tokyo radio station Bay FM 78 contracted with me to program, produce and ship a customized version of the weekly program “Cool Cuts” for them, which I did for over three years. In addition to the “Cool Cuts” program for Japan’s BAY-FM 78 I also voiced programs for J-WAVE and INTER-FM in Tokyo in the late 1990’s.

From October 1996 to April 1997 I programmed, produced and shipped a five-hour weekly original jazz show to WJZF-FM in Atlanta.

In May 1997 I began programming, producing and shipping a one-hour weekly show titled “New York Jazz Week” to JAZZ-FM in London, England which aired all over England on the JAZZ-FM Network of stations. During my two plus years of involvement with JAZZ-FM I also created special holiday programs such as “Christmas In New York” and via ISDN from my personal studio performed the weekly day Breakfast Show (Morning drive show) for a month until their new Morning personality could be hired.

Through the New York-based Global Interface Organization, a Japanese company that provides radio programs for Japan, I was contracted in 1999 to create, produce and present the weekly jazz program “Smooth Style” for the 14-station Japanese FM Network (JFN). These shows were delivered via ISDN from my personal studio. This program was produced for one year.

In 1998 I was employed by the American radio syndication company MediaAmerica to write the scripts and conduct interviews with jazz artists for the weekly show “Personal Notes” hosted by contemporary jazz artist Boney James. I did this for over a year.

In addition to the programs for Japan and England, I have gained further international experience by attending the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, the North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland, The Barcelona Jazz Festival in Spain and the Aruba Jazz Festival in the Caribbean. I have created special programs featuring interviews with artists from these festivals.).
From early 1998 through 2008 I worked in satellite radio as a programmer and presenter for both U.S.-based satellite radio companies, Sirius and XM Satellite Radio, creating various channels including the world’s only complete modern jazz channel, XM 72 Beyond Jazz, covering all aspects of jazz from the Fusion era of the 1960's through all its evolutionary phases up to today.
In early 2009 I established my own company and website, MOJA Radio (www.mojaradio.com), an online version of the modern jazz channel and accompanying modern jazz community site I developed on American satellite radio.

The crowning achievement of my jazz radio career is the two-hour, weekly program “Jazz America” for VOA’s Music Mix Network. Jazz America began on July 4th, 1999 and is heard worldwide each weekend by millions of listeners who tune in each weekend to hear the best of what America has to offer, and in my humble opinion there’s nothing better than what we offer…”The best of Jazz, past and present, and conversation with the music makers!”

Russ Davis joined the JazzTimes community on Jun 30, 2011