“As a kid, I fell in love with jazz for its syncopation and rhythmic interest, as well as the rich harmony,” says Bernie. “As a practitioner, I love the sense of history and interconnectedness that is inherent in the music. It’s also very demanding in terms of musical understanding, knowing how all the various elements and permutations of melody, harmony, and rhythm fit together and interact. But the beauty is that this leads to a world of possibility on the bandstand and opens new modes of communication between musicians and listeners.”

Bernie is excited to share his understanding and passion with everyone at Jazz 93.5. He says, “I’m thrilled that Colorado Springs has a great jazz station now, Jazz 93.5 is among the best I’ve heard and they offer a great variety of music. It’s an excellent platform for listeners of all stripes to hook in and discover music that they love.”

You can listen to Bernie on Weekdays from 8-11am
Special Programs:
Sundays at 5pm: Off the Record
Mondays at 5pm: The Key Players
Tuesdays at 5pm: Happy Hour
Thursdays at 5pm: Colorado Jazz Connection

Influenced by the likes of Grover Washington, Jr., Sanborn, Najee, Bird, Dexter Gordon among others, Tony began his professional career at 18 while attending Denver University’s Lamont School of Music.

He has several singles including his 2016 single Dance Close which is #36 on the listener chart and his collaboration with David P Stevens was #1 on the most added song of the week on Oct 3rd.

Radio began for Tony with occasional co-hosting on Denver’s KDKOradio.com, and KUHS radio jazz shows now a beloved Jazz 93.5 host every day of the week for the past 3 years!

Listen for Tony on Jazz 93.5...
Every weekday from 8pm-1am
Saturdays from 2-4 pm
Sundays from 2-4pm: New Generation of Smooth Jazz

Jeff has his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and his Masters Degree in Voice Performance (with a secondary emphasis in Choral Conducting and Literature) from the University of Northern Colorado (Go Bears!!). He has been conducting choirs in the public schools for almost 34 years. Jeff is currently the Director of Choirs and Performing Arts Department Chair at William J Palmer High School in the heart of Colorado Springs.

Jeff has been fortunate enough to receive the Rotary Diamond Award, and the Colorado Springs Chorale Society Peak Educator of the Year award. His award-winning choirs have performed in Elitch's, California (Disneyland), New Orleans, and at Carnegie Hall in New York City. He sings and plays keyboard, guitar and bass. Jeff is also a published composer/arranger. He is currently chair of the Colorado High School All-State Jazz Choirs, and has worked with members of The Manhattan Transfer, New York Voices, True North, Kate Reid, and other nationally and internationally known vocal jazz singers/educators/clinicians.

Jeff is also on the board of the Colorado High School All-State Choirs, and the Colorado Music Educator’s Association.

Jeff is married to Kristi, and has two amazing children - Ethan and Mackenzie.

Listen for Jeff...
Weekdays from 2-5pm -Special Program Tuesdays at 3pm- Jump & Jive
Saturdays from 11am-2pm
Sundays at 7pm: Voices of Jazz
Saturdays at 10am: Big Band Bash

What's this jazz stuff all about? One thing lead to another; Coltrane, Miles, Mingus, Duke Ellington. The die was cast. A year on the road playing disco. Then a composition degree from Berklee in Boston, a Master's in Jazz Studies from New England Conservatory, an NEA Commission to write a jazz suite, other grants including a recording with Sam Rivers and Jon Medeski, An inveterate collector of music of many styles, especially, Jazz, Blues, Classical, 60s English Pop, New Wave, early Reggae and Rock Steady, and Soukous from the Congo. Music is a celebration of life. Always keep the flame burning.

BJ began studying jazz guitar on his own at the age of 12 until his elder brother introduced him to the blues via “Janis Joplin and The Holding Company”. So, it only made since that when you put jazz and country together you get the blues.

BJ met Kimberly Grant in his junior year of high school and they married in June of 1972.
They celebrated 50 years of marriage in 2022.
After a tour in the US Army, two years of college, raising two sons and a 28 year career in the construction trades (from a total of 37 years), Beej finally sold a song to friend and mentor, “Big Jim Adam”. "No Man At All" was first recorded by Jim on "Live at Jimbo's” in 2005.Later, in that same year, Beej formed his band, “BJ Estares and Route 61”. Since then, they have experienced steady growth in popularity in the Pikes Peak Region’s burgeoning music scene.
In 2015 BJ Estares and Route 61 earned honors for “Best Self-Produced CD” and “Best Blues Band” from the Pikes Peak Blues Community. They have performed openers for The Ronnie Baker Brooks Band, American Blues Music Award winner Tommy Castro and The Pain Killers, two time IBC winner Lionel Young Band and award winning Texas blues man, Mike Zito.
BJ and Route 61 performed original tunes from their first CD release “Full Time Student of the Blues” at the Pikes Peak Center’s Studio B Showcase in 2012 and were invited back in 2013 to perform the all original-award winning release, “Easy Street”. BJ and Route 61 also performed regularly as a house band at Bronco Billy’s in Cripple Creek from 2015 to 2018.

With a rich musical background that spans over two decades, Ricky has recorded ten solo albums, appeared as a sideman on over 40 albums, and performed with and led U.S. Air Force Bands. His performances have reached tens of millions of people worldwide, from the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York City to remote Arctic Circle villages in Alaska, ancient Kabuki theaters in Japan, and Muslim boarding schools in Indonesia. Ricky has showcased his musical talents across the United States and internationally in Australia, Japan, South Korea, China, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Mexico, and Canada. He currently serves on the music faculty at Colorado College, where he directs the Tiger Jazz Ensemble and teaches music business, jazz improvisation, jazz history and composition, and saxophone.
Ricky emphasizes the importance of supporting listener-supported radio stations like Jazz 93.5. He credits his local jazz station for playing a formative role in his development as an artist. Local stations offer a unique personality and support the local art scene, providing a sense of community that streaming services cannot replicate.

Catch Ricky Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 2pm-4pm on Jazz 93.5.

Beginning his forays into radio as a child, Simon would tape his own “radio shows” and play them during mealtimes to “delight” his family. He has a lifelong love of the medium, and is honored to present great jazz to the community on Jazz 93.5.

In addition to his work at the station, he is a Mentor at the Colorado Springs Conservatory, Director of Music at Manitou Community Church, and plays keys for an up and coming funk band. Simon lives in beautiful Manitou Springs with his wife Mira, three cats, a sweet dog, and a cranky green-cheeked parakeet. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, good food, history, and composing.

Special Programs:
Saturdays at 4pm: Latin Jazz Express
Saturdays at 6pm: Organic Vibes
Saturdays at 7pm: Analog Jams

Scott’s role at Jazz 93.5, and its sister station Classical KCME is twofold, as both radio host and corporate sales representative. Currently, Scott can be heard on-air weekday mornings from 6am-8am, Saturday evening 6pm-7pm as host of the jazz program Organic Vibes, and Sundays from 12-2pm for Mid-Century Modern.

To contact Scott about Corporate Sales, you can email him at sbradley@kcme.org or call 719-578-5263.

When not working on an endless list of projects around his home, Keith’s interests include amateur and shortwave radio, classic movies, and collectible cars. Keith arrived at KCME in 2007 and, aside from serving as Program Director and Traffic Manager, he now enjoys hosting classical music on Monday and Tuesday afternoons, plus the occasional stint on Jazz 93.5.

Keith Simon, KCME & Jazz 93.5 Operations Manager, joined the station in 2007. Here are his thoughts on working in public radio...

Radio has been in my blood almost since day one. As a seven-year-old monitoring the AM band for reports tracking the progress of Santa Claus, I stepped back and began to monitor the actual process of broadcasting instead of merely being a passive listener. That was 1972.

My first love was a “clear-channel” (back when that meant something different that today’s media mega-corporation) AM news station out of Houston, Texas. Although the actual transmitter and studios were probably a little over an hour’s drive from my hometown and my clock radio, it was totally another universe. I was hooked. In 1984, I walked into a tiny AM station in Beaumont, Texas with the line, “I’ve never worked in radio, but…”

It was then that I discovered how completely different it was to be on the other side of the microphone. Still, the love affair continued.
In the ensuing years, commercial broadcasting has become much more homogenized, losing much of the unique, local flavor it had in those days. More times than not, an announcer or host is not a local resident, not a member of the community, not a friend or neighbor, and not someone you would see at your grocery store. There are certainly exceptions, and we’re fortunate to have some very fine local outlets in this city, but there are not as many as you’d think.

That’s why I’ve been a fan and supporter of local public radio stations since my college days, when I first set foot inside the university radio station as a teenaged, Mass-Communication major. I liken it to buying local produce over something frozen or canned from the supermarket. You can taste the difference. In public radio, Classical KCME and Jazz 93.5, you can hear the difference.

That’s why I do what I do, and I hope to meet you soon on the airwaves.