J. Michael Harrison’s first radio show, WPEB’s, “Is That Jazz” launched in June of 1993. In 1994 he began volunteering with WRTI as a production assistant. In 1996 J. Michael debuted his own program, The Bridge, which continues to air Friday nights on WRTI to this day.
The Bridge was selected as Philadelphia Magazine’s “Best Radio Program” in 2002, and in 2007, the Philadelphia City Paper called it the “Best On-Air Reminder That Jazz Didn’t Die in 1965.” The Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and the Performing Arts made him a Stakeholder in 2016 and recently invited him to participate on their Advisory Board
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J. Michael Harrison’s first radio show, WPEB’s, “Is That Jazz” launched in June of 1993. In 1994 he began volunteering with WRTI as a production assistant. In 1996 J. Michael debuted his own program, The Bridge, which continues to air Friday nights on WRTI to this day.
The Bridge was selected as Philadelphia Magazine’s “Best Radio Program” in 2002, and in 2007, the Philadelphia City Paper called it the “Best On-Air Reminder That Jazz Didn’t Die in 1965.” The Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and the Performing Arts made him a Stakeholder in 2016 and recently invited him to participate on their Advisory Board. J. Michael also recently joined the Rosenbach Museum’s Programing Committee. He was presented the Above & Beyond award for Outstanding Contributions to Arts & Culture by the People’s Emergency Center in 2017, that same year the Jazz Journalist Association named him a “Jazz Hero.”
Since 2008 he has taught a master music journalism class at the University of the Arts and recently developed and premiered a new class, Philadelphia’s Musical Sound as an undergraduate offering. He’s presented lectures to students in the Philadelphia school system, Temple University, Pennsylvania State University, and the University of Pennsylvania. He has written liner notes, has sat on and moderated panels, has curated series, produced events, and hosted concerts in Philadelphia, NJ, New York City, and New Orleans. He was executive producer on Jamaaladeen Tacuma’s 1999 CD BrotherZone. He’s worked closely with the Philadelphia Jazz Project, Jazz Philadelphia, Jazz Bridge, Jazz Near You, The Painted Bride Art Center, The Producers Guild, The Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, The Rosenbach Museum, and other organizations. “Music is truly my sanctuary, a reason to live, and a bright moment” he says.
Recently he has contributed to NPR’s Station Breaks series, NPR’s City Scenes, Slingshot Artist to Watch and Jazz Night in America series and serves as producer for WRTI’s jazz video content on NPR’s Live Sessions. Since 2018, he’s been dedicated to nurturing and cultivating a growing WRTI community engagement initiative in partnership with the Rainey Family of the POV documentary film Quest, directed by Jonathan Olshefski and the Intellectual Heritage Program at Temple University. J. Michael is currently collaborating with bassist Anthony Tidd and several organizations including Reuben Jones’ Frontline Dads to help introduce youth in the Philadelphia area to music without boundaries.
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