Steve Tryell’s unique jazz voice may be known to most people from his rendition of “The Way You Look Tonight” from Steve Martin’s hit film “Father of the Bride.”
But that Oscar-winning tune is only a part of the reason Tyrell’s local fans are fanatic about the crooner who is often thought of along the same lines as Frank Sinatra and Mel Torme. While touring around the country, Tyrell’s a long-time regular on the stage at Hollywood’s Catalina Bar & Grill, especially holding forth on romance for Valentine’s Day each year.
Now Tyrell, who also has a furniture line named for him, is branching out again — he’s becoming a radio disc jockey.
Tyrell will have his own weeknight radio show starting Aug. 31 when he joins the on-air staff of station KKJZ 88.1.
Tyrell will host “The Steve Tyrell Show” on KJazz airing 6 to 9 p.m. on the public station based at California State University, Long Beach.
“He has distinguished himself as a singer of the Great American Songbook whose jazz interpretations have been greeted with acclaim by new generations of listeners,” the station said. “Tyrell is also a witty entertainer who will bring excitement to the KJazz audience with his showmanship and personality.”
Tyrell recently entertained the Royal Family of England, and his version of “On the Sunny Side of the Street” has been adopted as a morning wakeup song by many U.S. astronauts. He’s a regular at Southern California jazz clubs and surprised more than a few people when furniture maker Pennsylvania House introduced its Steve Tyrell Collection.
Following Tyrell at 9 p.m., KJazz adds a new show focused on bebop, hosted by Bubba Jackson. The program is dedicated to Chuck Niles, the foremost advocate of bebop on Jazz Radio for many decades. The non-profit jazz station licensed to Long Beach is operated by a contracting broadcaster that also has a commercial country station, KKGO or Go Country, in Los Angeles. KKGO has an HD second-channel classical station called K-Mozart, and that classical programming is simulcast on yet another station that’s on the AM dial at 1260.