Wichita jazz fans feeling the blues without jazz brunch, but there’s an alternative

April may be National Jazz Appreciation Month, but Wichita jazz fans know there’s a little less to appreciate about the jazz scene here since Steve “The Jazz Man” Bauer’s almost 20-year-old “Sunday Jazz Brunch” on B98 was canceled last fall.

Bauer, whom some may know as a past emcee at Bradley Fair concerts, said all is not lost. He wants fans to know they can find him from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays on KSGL, 900-AM and 105.7-FM with a show he calls “Smooth Jazz USA.” It’s a show he’s done on the internet for decades.

Saturdays aren’t ideal, though, Bauer said.

“People are busier with working and running errands and doing stuff,” he said. “It’s not as easy to listen to as a Sunday morning show.”

KSGL has religious programming on Sundays.

“Of course, I love doing the show, and I’m very glad to be back on the air somewhere,” Bauer said.

He still has Sunday hopes.

“I’m still hoping at some time somebody might realize there is some value to it.”

Bauer said the show had sponsors and good ratings.

“The sad thing was it didn’t have anything to do with ratings,” he said.

Still, he couldn’t find interest at any other stations.

“These corporations that own most of the radio stations, they all are tending to start programming nationally, and they are eliminating as much local programming as possible,” Bauer said. “I talked to everybody I could talk to.”

He said part of his success is that he’s “not some far-away announcer.”

Bauer said fans of the show would call in to talk music and ask questions.

“I’m still hearing from them.”

Bauer hopes another station hears that and finds another Sunday morning slot for him.

“Why not add a show that can generate revenue, bring listeners to a station and take some of that time on a Sunday morning and make it valuable?”