Mar 30, 2026 10:30 PM
Flea Finds His Jazz Thing
In the relatively small pantheon of certifiable rock stars venturing into the intersection of pop music and jazz, the…
A week of special programming beginning April 30 will help mark the launch of Berklee College of Music’s first radio station, The BIRN (Berklee Internet Radio Network).
The BIRN offers a diverse range of programming with its four channels—the BIRN, Special Events, Air Alumni, The Setlist.
The BIRN channel will feature more than 30 student-produced shows offering 60 plus hours of personality-rich shows covering indie rock, hip-hop, electronica, metal, classical, news and more. Special Events will broadcast a variety of recorded Berklee concerts, lectures and interviews with visiting artists and music industry leaders. Air Alumni will offer music, news and original programming from Berklee alumni around the world. The Setlist will act as a jukebox loaded with music by Berklee’s most prominent alumni.
The radio station began development in 2003 under the leadership of Stephen Croes, dean of Berklee’s Music Technology Division. It has grown into a credit-earning course and thriving, student-run organization, complete with DJs, producers, engineers and promoters.
Programming for the week of April 30 includes broadcasts of a Stevie Wonder tribute concert, and recorded features on Marcus Miller, Stanley Crouch, Greg Osby, Terri Lyne Carrington, Bruce Lundvall and more.
For more information or to listen to the BIRN, visit: www.thebirn.com
“Cerebral and academic thought is a different way to approach music,” Flea says of his continuing dive into jazz. “I’ve always relied on emotion and intuition and physicality.”
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