Steve Bauer, our resident jazz guy, began his radio career in 1970 as a Senior in High School at the local College radio station. By 1974, while still completing his B.S. in speech, he went to work for KBUL, a country station and did mid-days and then afternoon drive. He left radio in 1977 to go to work for a bank holding company where he would remain for nearly 36 years.
But the radio bug had bit him and by 1989, he was back on the air on a group of stations in Wichita, Kansas doing severe weather coverage during evening and overnight hours. In 2000, Steve began broadcasting on ACB Radio Interactive doing both a country show and a smooth jazz show he called “Smooth Jazz USA.” In 2002, when his weather reporting job ended, he moved across town to KRBB-FM where he launched “The Sunday Jazz Brunch,” a 3 hour contemporary jazz program airing each sunday Morning from 9 a.m. until Noon.
That show continues to air today and enjoys very high ratings. “Smooth Jazz USA,” currently airs on four Internet stations including the Legend.” You can hear it Saturdays at Noon Eastern. Bauer says “when you really look at it, Rock ‘N Roll came out of jazz and it’s amazing how closely the two music styles are related.” He added, “The radio bug bit me as a kid and I’m still in love with radio and truly enjoy being on the air.”