Longtime jazz radio host Bob Parlocha, best known for his long run at Bay Area station KJAZ-FM and for his syndicated program Jazz With Bob Parlocha, died on March 15, of a heart attack. Parlocha was 76.
Born in Solano, Calif., on April 18, 1938, Parlocha listened to KJAZ (1959-1994) and also played jazz saxophone in his youth. He worked as a psychiatric nurse following his graduation from high school and became the host of KJAZ’s Dinner Jazz Show in 1978. He eventually became the station’s music director and developed several programs for the station. He also produced and engineered a number of jazz recordings.
In 1994, when KJAZ was sold, Parlocha developed his syndicated program, which was carried by numerous stations across the country and alternated between four- and six-hour shifts on different nights of the week.
