The Essence
Explore The World Of Jazz Vocal Music
From timeless swing to haunting ballads, sultry Brazilian rhythms to fresh originals, jazz vocal music is a world of surprise and sophistication. Hear the classics reimagined, new songs beautifully written and sung, and voices that carry the tradition forward with style and heart.
Our Passion
Celebrating Jazz Vocal Music as a Living, Evolving Art Form
Our programming philosophy treats jazz vocal music not as a museum piece, but as a vibrant, ongoing conversation. While most jazz vocal radio programs focus almost exclusively on the genre’s rich past, we aim to illuminate its bright and unfolding future—introducing new singers, fresh songs, and the stories that give them life.
Recently Featured Artists
Jack Frieden, host
An avid music fan since his teens, Jack has written numerous articles about music, contributing to “Metro Magazine” and for many years serving as a rock, pop, and jazz writer for The Virginian-Pilot newspaper. He has also contributed liner notes to albums by Maxine Sullivan and Sir Roland Hanna.
Over the years, people have often asked how The Vocal Sound of Jazz came to be. In many ways, it traces back to my January 1979 monthly column for Metro Magazine, where I wrote about the growing homogenization of local radio — and especially called out our public radio station WHRO for its lack of programming diversity.
Founded in 2001 by Jack Frieden, led with creative support from bassist Jimmy Masters, VSOJAZ Records was born out of a singular mission: to explore and elevate the multi-faceted world of jazz vocal music. VSOJAZ Records.
