By Kim Carpenter, Special to KIOS
Omaha, NE – For those who lament the dearth of quality local jazz shows on the area's airwaves at night, KIOS 91.5, Omaha Public Radio, is featuring a program with one of the region's most acclaimed jazz experts. Beginning in November, Bruce Wallace will host "Jazz Showcase, a new program designed to bring the best in jazz to regional listeners. KIOS will air Jazz Showcase every Friday night, from 8p.m. until 12:00 midnight, and listeners can either tune in or stream live. This will complement the highly successful Jazz with Bob Parlocha that can be heard weeknights, 9pm - Midnight.
In terms of his professional background, Wallace boasts over three decades of experience in the music world, most notably performing with many opera companies in the United States and Europe such as Opera Omaha, the Chicago Lyric Opera, the Kansas City Lyric Opera, the Florentine Opera of Milwaukee and the Dallas Opera. He has also worked at numerous radio stations, including WNIB and WFMT, both in Chicago. Locally, Wallace's wide-ranging knowledge and eclectic jazz selections have garnered a loyal and large following among area listeners. Until recently, he served as the popular host of the program Jazzsource, which aired on Friday and Saturday evenings on KVNO 90.7 FM. With that station's format change to all classical music, KIOS - whose public radio programming features News, Jazz and So Much More - was pleased to bring Wallace on board with Jazz Showcase. In reflecting on his new role with at Omaha's NPR station, Wallace says: "I came to KIOS to continue with jazz. There is an audience in Omaha that loves jazz, and KIOS-FM is the home for great jazz: so, it was a natural fit. And at KIOS, I will also have the freedom to play 'straight-ahead, mainstream' jazz, which is very accessible to all age groups." In describing the program itself, Wallace adds, "On Jazz Showcase,' you will experience the very best from the jazz world. Whether vocals, piano jazz, combos or the like, listeners will hear it all on Jazz Showcase.'"