KAZZ-FM turns to ‘retro Top 40’

A longtime local station, KAZZ-FM (107.1), has flipped formats.

What used to be “The Oasis,” playing smooth jazz, is now “Z-107” with a format called “retro Top 40.”

Pro-Active Communications purchased the Deer Park-based station and performed an immediate makeover on Monday.

“We’re trying to recapture the vibe that the boomer generation had with radio,” said Mark Shands, the operations manager. “We play mostly ‘70s hits, but some ‘60s, too. We play just about every Beatles song.”

He said the mix might include “Get Down Tonight” by KC and the Sunshine Band, followed by “Get Off of My Cloud” by the Rolling Stones, followed by “Love to Love You Baby” by Donna Summer.

Expect to hear plenty of Eagles and Elton John as well.

Soon you might hear a familiar announcing voice as well. Shands said the station has hired Dean Jaxon to do the morning show. Jaxon was cut loose by KEYF-FM (Oldies 101.1) just before Christmas.

Pro-Active is operating the station out of the Deer Park studios but plans to move operations soon to its downtown Spokane studio at the old Rock City Grill location, 505 W. Riverside Ave.

It also owns the new KQQB-FM (“Spokane’s 104.5”) the market’s newest Top 40 station.

Home with the ‘Brave’

Yes, indeed, Samuel L. Jackson, 50 Cent and Brian Presley were in Spokane last week for the start of filming of “Home of the Brave,” the movie about soldiers returning from Iraq.

A funeral scene was shot Wednesday at Greenwood Cemetery. Other scenes were filmed at Browne’s Addition.

The stars will be in and out of town through the duration of the shoot, which continues through April.

‘Mozart and Whale’ benefit

The Spokane-filmed movie “Mozart and the Whale” is finally coming to the big screen here, and one of the first showings will be a benefit screening for the Northwest Autism Center on April 12, 7 p.m., at the AMC River Park Square.

This movie is about two characters with Asperger’s Syndrome, played by Josh Hartnett and Radha Mitchell. It is based on the true story of Jerry Newport, who will attend the Spokane screening and will speak at a reception in the Kress Gallery at 5:30 p.m. that same day.

Tickets to the reception are $50, including preferred seating for the movie. Tickets for the movie only are $10. Call the Northwest Autism Center, 328-1582.

“Mozart and the Whale” will officially open on April 14 in selected cities – of which Spokane will be one.

The Citadel-ABC connection

Citadel Communications, the big radio conglomerate, will soon be getting bigger.

Citadel has reached an agreement to merge with ABC Radio and the ABC Radio Networks. The merged company will be called Citadel Communications.

In Spokane, Citadel owns KEYF-FM, KEYF-AM, KBBD-FM, KDRK-FM, KGA-AM, KJRB-AM and KZBD-FM.

There are no ABC-owned radio stations in Spokane, so this merger should have no direct effect on the Spokane market, said local Citadel people.

However, the merger does raise one intriguing question: Will KXLY-AM (NewsTalk 920), owned by the competing KXLY Radio Group, be able to hold on to ABC news?

For that matter, will it be able to hold on to Sean Hannity, Paul Harvey, John Batchelor and Bob Brinker, all of whom are syndicated by ABC Radio Networks?

“We’ll see,” said Bud Nameck of KXLY. “I’m pretty confident that they will honor their contracts with us.”

Don’t expect anything to happen soon. The merger won’t even be completed until the end of the year.

A David Thompson trek

Here’s your chance to retrace the route of David Thompson, the early fur trader and explorer – but not the way he did it, by canoe and snowshoe.

You can do it in a motorcoach, on a guided four-day tour with author Jack Nisbet (“Sources of the River,” “The Mapmaker’s Eye”), sponsored by the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture (MAC).

The tour, titled “David Thompson’s Trails: From the Spokane House to the Rocky Mountain House,” runs May 23-26.

The trek will take you all the way to the sources of the Columbia River in Canada and on up to Banff and the upper Saskatchewan River.

For registration information, call the MAC at 363-5323. The deadline is April 5.

One World Taiko

The drums will be giant-sized and the flutes will be made of bamboo when One World Taiko, a professional Japanese drum ensemble, arrives at The Met on April 24, 7:30 p.m.

This group plays traditional taiko pieces as well as new, original compositions with jazz and world music influences.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors, through TicketsWest outlets (325-SEAT, 800-325-SEAT, www.ticketswest.com).