Overproduced, too-slick radio wears on a person after a while. Perhaps it's the shouting DJ's, commercials with volume would up several thousand decibels beyond the earsplitting range, or the repetitive playlists. Or maybe it's just that they play crap.
On the other hand...there is a beautiful aural oasis located at a bit down the dial at 95.3. It's called WHRB and in today's radio world it seems to do everything wrong. It plays jazz in the morning - not commercial cool jazz but the real stuff, the Ramsey Lewis, Sonny Stitt and age-old Louis Armstrong material, along with some fun Maynard Ferguson for variety. It's on all morning without commercial interruptions or quick cuts from one segment to another. Late mornings and early afternoons have the kind of classical selections not found anywhere, except in a music library or fine record store. Later in the evenings there's alternative and new wave stuff that makes a listener just go 'wow.'
I'm a big fan of HRB on the weekends too. It serves the Harvard community well, with Crimson football in the fall and services from Memorial Church on Sundays. I'm a particular fan of Saturday morning's "Hillbilly at Harvard," show, featuring real country music, not the "hat show," tunes favored by commercial country stations. All the way around WHRB is a very different station, different in a very positive, listenable way. The DJ's are knowledgeable about what they're playing and cater to a deeper interest in music among their listeners - they know their subjects and never insult the mentality or taste of their audience.
One or two stations in the area might have a program that rivals one of HRB's presentations. However...top to bottom WHRB is the best listening experience in Boston. Professional, not slick. Not loud, but proud. read more
