Every Monday we’ll be spotlighting one of our DJs so that you, the listeners, can get to know the people behind the voices! Each of us here has a story that you may not know about and we want to change that.
This week we have Ben Eisenberg, the mind behind Jazz Junction that airs from 11 to 12 every Thursday night!
Ben is a great addition here at the station. He’s a double major, pursuing Music with a focus in Jazz Drum Set performance and English. A Thursday night isn’t complete without tuning in to him!
Here’s a quick Q & A with this weeks DJ –
Q: Tell us about your show! What inspired the idea behind it?
A: Jazz Junction is ultimately devoted to all music jazz oriented. This includes, bebop, swing, funk, afrobeat, and Latin music. I have a huge appreciation for older jazz greats like Miles Davis, John Coletrane, Cannonball Adderley, and Clifford Brown. However, there is so much modern jazz music being released every month that needs more recognition. Many of these modern jazz records are created by local jazz musicians and make the charts each month! There’s a new sound that is apparent in today’s jazz music that derives from hip-hop, afrobeat, funk, and gospel. This sound can be experienced through groups like Butcher Brown (RVA), Braxton Cook, Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, and many more. I really wanted to share this music, classic and modern, with listeners on my show!
Q: Who are your top five artists at the moment?
A: The Smiths, Khruangbin, Otis Redding, Vince Guaraldi, and D’Angelo
Q: What kinds of music do you listen to that you don’t necessarily put on the show, if any?
A: I’m into motown, soul, new wave, alternative rock, and indie pop.
Q: What drew you to WVCW?
A: My friend took the radio class at the studio a few semesters ago and ever since then I wanted to have my own show.
Q: What’s been your favorite moment on air?
A: For my most recent show, I made a tension and release themed playlist. Tension and release is a method used in music that creates an engaging listening experience through rising build ups and relaxing resolutions. In order to emulate this, I played couplets of songs that began with a tense and driving first song, followed by a smooth, easy listening song. This was probably my favorite moment on air because I was very passionate about the theme and a lot of my friends were tuning in.
Q: Tell us a fun fact about yourself!
A: I share a birthday with former Beatle Ringo Starr!
Ben was gracious enough to share with us a short playlist containing some of his favorite songs. Make sure to give it a listen at the link below.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0oil41ZUiqkoZSCLj1dg3Y?si=OJtAUVorR0GHs_AkwGqw1w
Thanks to Ben for giving us the chance to get to know him a bit better! Remember to check in next week for Meet A DJ Monday!
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