Rick Mathews

Rick Mathews, host of Freedom Jazz Dance, has been hosting jazz and radio programs on KCBX since 1978, when the founding managers of the station allowed Rick to begin producing ‘Jazz Toward The One’, a late-night eclectic jazz show (running 1978-1999). That show, like Freedom Jazz Dance, did not show much respect for arbitrary genre barriers.  Rick is more interested in the spirit that good music shares, rather than the exclusion of particular styles or cultural backgrounds. In addition to ‘Toward The One’ and 'Freedom Jazz Dance', Rick began producing ’Night Train’, KCBX's Saturday night R&B show in 1983, with several KCBX DJs, at a time when R&B, Soul and Funk Music was sadly absent from the airwaves.

"Producing Freedom Jazz Dance is a privilege and a highlight for me every week”, says Mathews, adding, "Let’s all keep public radio relevant, strong and healthy."