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I listen to Tom Morgan's "Jazz Roots" program 9AM/Central every Wednesday, streaming live from WWOZ.org, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage radio station (connected to the massive Jazzfest, but independent - and commercial free). Morgan's got one of the biggest and deepest collections in the world of 78 RPM records, and plays them in very interesting playlists, narrated briefly and enthusiastically to illustrate what they were when they were released in the first part of the 20th Century.

If you're interested in the era recorded on 78s, tune to Morgan's WWOZ.org stream for probably the best presentation of them available.

"The Greatest Station in the Universe", New Orleans' WWOZ, not only survived Hurricane Katrina, but has been a lifeline to New Orleanians in exile. The public radio branch of the NO Jazzfest is supported mostly by subscriptions from the public. And for years, subscribers outside New Orleans have paid much more than residents for their Crescent City Connection.

Of course, Katrina did a lot of damage to WWOZ, also - including blowing away (literally) their local FM transmission antenna and gear. And of course the unpaid volunteers who broadcast the best music ever recorded (and live realtime performances) mostly lost everything in the storm, including CD collections they have to replace. WWOZ needs subscribers and listeners now more than ever - at any level, even $1 (or E1 etc). They were succeeding in exactly the kind of Internet Radio project we want most for well over a decade - "transmitting" by FTP even before streaming software was available, in a city which still lived in the 18th and 19th Centuries.

"The Greatest Station in the Universe", New Orleans' WWOZ, not only survived Hurricane Katrina, but has been a lifeline to New Orleanians in exile. The public radio branch of the NO Jazzfest is supported mostly by subscriptions from the public. And for years, subscribers outside New Orleans have paid much more than residents for their Crescent City Connection.

Of course, Katrina did a lot of damage to WWOZ, also - including blowing away (literally) their local FM transmission antenna and gear. And of course the unpaid volunteers who broadcast the best music ever recorded (and live realtime performances) mostly lost everything in the storm, including CD collections they have to replace. WWOZ needs subscribers and listeners now more than ever - at any level, even $1 (or E1 etc). They were succeeding in exactly the kind of Internet Radio project we want most for well over a decade - "transmitting" by FTP even before streaming software was available, in a city which still lived in the 18th and 19th Centuries.

WWOZ, the greatest station in the Universe. Sure, it's WMA, but it ain't N'awlins 'til it's at least a little broke.

If you're interested in some of the modern Brass Band Jazz that New Orleans produces copious amounts of, check out Rebirth Brass Band (you can listen to some of their songs there). They are one of the best known of the Brass Jazz bands, but there are many others. Kermit Ruffins and the Barbeque Swingers, Los Hombres Calientes (heavy latin flavor), Irvin Mayfield, and Jason Marsalis (all on Basin Street Records) are also all very good, and very popular locally.

If you are ever in New Orleans, be sure to venture out of the French Quarter to see some of these guys. Kermit Ruffins plays every Wednesday for free at a place uptown called Le Bon Temps Roule, and most of the other bands I listed play regularly, usually for a very moderate cover price (especially if you are used to D.C., New York, or LA covers).

I'd say there are 3 main ways I discover music:

• WFUV is my real-world station of choice. It doesn't have to be that one (though I recommend it), but find a station that seems to play the stuff you like and see what they turn you on to. I find the public (usually university-affiliated) stations are the best. See also WXPN, or WWOZ if you want to hear jazz. The commercial stations are hopeless.
  
• I actually pay for a subscription to eMusic. Their selection is a little thin, but since everything past your initial monthly investment is free, you'll find that you'll give things a chance that you might pass over if it was going to cost you a purchase.
  
• Friends hipper than me: There's one guy in particular who always seems to hear about good bands before I do. I know he reads the Village Voice and Pitchfork, but I suspect he has other sources as well.
  

I just spent the last 2 weeks playing with OpenBSD on two 486's at home. I've posted a diary of sorts here. I really like OpenBSD. In fact I may switch my last linux box over to OpenBSD in the next week or two. Too bad, I was really enjoying being able to listen to WWOZ on RealPlayer. Does anyone know if the FreeBSD realplayer works with OpenBSD 2.5?

jim