KMHD 89.1 FM

It has been voted the best jazz station in the country, and it does not dissapoint. This station has the most eclectic mix of new groovy tunes and classic jams most of which you would never hear anywhere else. Turn off your z100 and your cookie cutter country and expand your mind with some new and important thoughts and connections.

Voted at the nation’s best Jazz radio station a couple of year’s ago by JazzTimes magazine, KMHD lives up to the hype, delivering some of the best Jazz programming around. Portland is lucky to have such a local broadcasting treasure, especially since Jazz radio formats are disappearing across the nation. Not to mention their support for local Jazz musicians, their association with the Portland Jazz Festival and the wide array of talented volunteers that cover every aspect of this wonderful American art form. I’ve lived in much larger cities that don’t have stations like KMHD or are as true to Jazz as they are. Another reason why Portland is such a wonderful place to live!

Susan, your program is the best. A great way to start a Saturday .
Thank you so much.
Ronnie balfe

This is by far the best radio station in pdx. Maybe I am bit biased but I have made some amazing musical discoveries from this station. Shout out to Derek Smith and The Morning Session, what a great way to start my day.
I take kmhd with me wherever I go, home; work; traveling. Needless to say I am a huge proponent for this radio station and a lover of jazz. Tune in Portland listeners, 89.1 is where it’s at.

Being the only Jazz station in Portland is sad since this town does have plenty of local talent in this genre. Thankfully KMHD is a true Jazz station that covers many eras of Jazz – not just what they think their listeners should hear. This station is head and shoulders above the rest in my book… long live Jazz!

I’m a longtime KMHD supporter and Jazz lover. My old analog tuner really doesn’t need any preset buttons, because it’s always tuned to KMHD.
When they were still located at Mt. Hood Community College, they offered 30 and 60 minutes of fame in exchange for cash donations, and one year my wife donated a pair of Sonny Rollins tickets, and they gave her an hour of airtime; which she gave to me.
I worked on my selection, cleaned my records, and at the appointed time, set off for the studio. KMHD’s Friday morning voice, Isaac, was there to greet me, and set me up with some headphones and a mic. Isaac is a great guy, and he was really helpful and encouraging. I gave him my playlist, he got the turntables cued up, and after the break at the top of the hour, the red light in the studio flashed on, and he pointed to me — I was on the air.
I spent and hour announcing and playing my favorite music. It was Friday, when they traditionally give a nod to the Blues, so I went with tradition and played T-​bone Walker, Willie Dixon, Eddie ‘Clean Head’ Vinson, Helen Humes, Jimmy Witherspoon, Dina Washington, and other favorites. I had an absolute blast. They recorded the show and took pictures and presented them to me afterwards, along with a big KMHD mug which I still use.
Things have changed and KMHD, and they are now partnered with OPB and have moved from Gresham to Portland. But the music is still great, and hopefully they will still offer people in the community the opportunity to experience the thrill of hosting their favorite music on air.

I was a bit worried for this excellent Jazz station when OPB came to it’s rescue. I was afraid their excellent and unusual jazz programing would suffer at the hand of public broadcasting. Not to worry, a few months into the new régime it still is the best place to tune your dial in Portland.