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Bob Parlocha

Nationally known jazz expert and former program director/ host of KJAZ of San Francisco, Bob Parlocha's rich, elegant voice is familiar to jazz audiences as host of the highly rated "Dinner Jazz Show" at the former KJAZ. Born and reared in Vallejo, California, Bob learned about jazz from his mother's Count Basie and Duke Ellington records. He grew up listening to former KJAZ owner Pat Henry, broadcasting at that time on KROW, and to Jerry Dean, who used to do a weekly KJAZ show from Vallejo. In high school Bob played tenor and soprano saxophones, the flute, and sang in road bands. For 10 years jazz remained a hobby while he worked in psychiatric nursing at UCSF, developing interpersonal skills that would serve him well in the music business. After one routine day at the hospital, he heard Pat Henry inviting prospective deejays to submit audition tapes to KJAZ. Bob sent in his tape and Henry ultimately hired him to program Saturday evenings, which eventually led to the Dinner Jazz shift. A sensitive programmer, articulate spokesman for Jazz, and astute analyst of the music scene, Bob's master of ceremonies style has enhanced many jazz concerts and fund-raises. His credits include the Gil Evans Orchestra's concert at the Pacific Coast Collegiate Jazz Festival, the UC Berkeley Jazz Festival, Oakland Arts Explosion, Jazz at the Palace, Bay Area Jazz Awards, the San Francisco International KJAZ Festival, and KJAZ host on the SS Norway Jazz Cruises. Bob's gourmet cooking hobby has also benefited KJAZ audiences. His "Cooking With Bob" column appeared in the bimonthly KJAZ newsletters, and he has done several live remotes from Bay Area restaurants on Dinner Jazz. When he's not recording segments for broadcast, he can be found in the kitchen improvising dishes to satisfy his gourmet-cooking hobby. Besides his on-air duties at KJAZ, Bob was music director, auditioning new releases and determining which albums and cuts fit the KJAZ mold. Because KJAZ was one of only a handful of jazz stations nationally reporting air play to the prestigious "Radio and Records" publication, which influences programming at hundreds of smaller stations and, ultimately, record sales, he performed an extremely important function. A highly creative producer, he has developed many interesting specialty shows. His catalog includes the "Black Masters" series, "Latin Jazz," "On The Scene," spotlighting Bay Area musicians in live performance, and "What's New," reviewing album releases with a Bay Area panel of experts. Parlocha has also produced a number of albums for artists. His first was for singer Laurie Antonioli's "Soul Eyes" on Catero Records. He engineered the late Martha Young's "Live at Bajone's" album on the Carnelian label and an album for pianist Steve Cohn. Bob generously donates his time to jazz causes, especially those aiding Bay Area musicians. He also delights in identifying and developing younger air talent. Bob still enjoys playing the saxophone and sharing his talents with Bay Area audiences.