As ‘All Night Jazz’ ends, WMNF announces a new jazz radio show

Local music fans around Tampa Bay were devastated when WUSF 89.7-FM announced the sudden ending of its 56-year-running radio show, “All Night Jazz.”

Now, a longtime host of the radio show is hopping over to WMNF 88.5-FM to bring the jazz back.

Bob Seymour spent 35 years at WUSF before retiring as jazz director in 2016. On Monday, he will become the host of WMNF’s new program, “Jazz in the Night.” It will air at 9 p.m. on Monday nights, replacing “The Beauty Salon and Barbershop Blues Show.”

“Suddenly, it seems there’s a need for jazz on the airwaves, and it brings me back together with 88.5,” Seymour said in a news release Monday. “I’ve been happy maintaining a presence in the area’s music scene in recent years, but I’ve missed the immediacy that comes with radio.”

Seymour has a history at WMNF. He volunteered at the station in 1979 and 1980 as one of its first on-air programmers every Sunday evening. Seymour stepped down in 1980 and joined WUSF as a full-time employee in 1981.

The news may help soothe local jazz fans who are still reeling from the changes to WUSF’s “All Night Jazz.” While 24-hour programming will continue on a new, all-digital platform at artsaxisfl.org, many of the show’s fans have been working to bring it back to the radio. Nearly 4,000 people signed a petition on Change.org — 255 of whom donated a collective $5,659.78 to promote the petition. Others staged a rally in front of WUSF Public Media’s studio last Thursday.

According to WMNF program director Samantha Hval, talks about bringing Seymour to her station were already in the works before “All Night Jazz” was canceled.

“The timing is fortunate for the Tampa Bay community,” Hval said in a release. “WMNF will now air back-to-back evening jazz shows, with ‘Colors of Jazz’ airing from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sundays and ‘Jazz in the Night’ at 9 p.m. on Mondays. With his expertise, Bob will provide the music that our community is craving, not only by playing jazz in its many iterations, but also to champion the local artists and bands that keep Tampa Bay vibrant.”

Seymour knows his stuff. Under his guidance, WUSF gained national recognition in the jazz world as Seymour hosted music programs and grew the station’s nightly jazz programming to 60 hours a week. He met his wife, Marian, when she was a volunteer host and producer of a WMNF show. The pair went on to help found the Tampa Jazz Club, a nonprofit organization that gives scholarships to jazz students.

“I can’t wait to connect with listeners at 88.5, and to join the lineup of dedicated volunteers making great radio,” he said. “I really appreciate the opportunity.”