Year Joined: 1985
Main Genre: Jazz
About me: Bill McCann has been the Host of "The Saturday Morning Edition of Jazz" on WCDB since April of 1985. This weekly jazz program airs on Saturday mornings from 8 am until Noon. It is also rebroadcast on Sundays from 10 am until 2 pm. April 2022 will mark the 37th Anniversary of Bill's hosting of this award-winning program. To mark the occasion of his 35th Anniversary back in 2020, and to celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month, Bill organized a "Day of Jazz" which was supposed to be be held on April 18, 2020, at the Alumni House at the University at Albany, featuring many of the finest jazz bands and jazz musicians from the Capital District. The program had a schedule of 10 bands in total!!!. Unfortunately, due to the onset of the Covid-19 Pandemic, the program was put on hold. The event was to include the UAlbany Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of David Hosley; followed by Michael Benedict Jazz Vibes; The Teresa Broadwell Trio; Cliff Brucker and Full Circle; Colleen Pratt with the Peg Delaney Trio; Skip Parsons Riverboat Jazz Band; The Joe Finn Trio; The Brian Patneaude Quartet; Joe Barna and Sketches of Influence; and the Dylan Perrillo Orchestra. The event was to be free and open to the public through the generous support of Sponsors: The UAlbany Alumni Association; The UAlbany Foundation; University Auxiliary Services (UAS); WCDB and Student Association; A Place For Jazz; and Canon Kay C. Hotaling. There are plans for holding a similar celebration at a date to be determined. Bill received the prestigious "Jazz Hero" Award from the Jazz Journalists Association in 2012(the JJA) https://www.jjajazzawards.org/p/jazz-heroes.html. He was also named "Best Jazz D.J." on several occasions by "The Metroland" - the former long-time premiere weekly arts publication in the Capital District of New York. In recognition of his radio efforts, Bill was nominated for an "Eddies" Award in 2019, in the "Radio DJ of the Year" category, as well as in 2020 and 2021. He was recently nominated in the same category. In addition to his serving as Host and Jazz Director at WCDB, Bill has been very active in the Jazz Community in the Capital District. He is presently Vice-President and a member of the Board of Directors of "A Place for Jazz" and has served as a Board Member for many years. A Place for Jazz is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation dedicated to promoting Jazz in the Capital District, and beyond. (aplaceforjazz.org) Bill is also a member of the Swingtime Jazz Society, a membership based organization having as it's sole purpose the promotion of good music by sponsoring open-to-the-public concerts that feature regional jazz artists. (swingtimejazz.org)