Ire over radio now water under ‘The Bridge’

For its first six months, J. Michael Harrison's Friday night show on WRTI (90.1 FM) went nameless. There were a number of ideas, concepts devised and rejected, friends consulted for their input. But Harrison kept coming back to "The Bridge."

There are, of course, the obvious musical connotations. And fittingly for a show that prides itself on an adventurous and eclectic mix of music, "The Bridge" is also the title of a 1962 album by iconoclastic saxophonist Sonny Rollins.

But most of all, the name encapsulates what Harrison set out to accomplish with his weekly program.

"One of the things that disappoints me is the fact that there's this disconnect between what younger people are listening to and what people like me now, older people, are listening to," explained Harrison over the din at Reading Terminal Market. "I wanted the show to be presented in a fashion that someone young might be interested in some of the things that we're playing, but someone a little more mature might be interested as well."

Tonight, Harrison will celebrate a decade of bridging musical tastes at the Painted Bride. The Bridge @ 10 features two local groups that the host believes exemplify the mission of his show: the 20-piece funk band Urban Guerrilla Orchestra and Jeff Bradshaw's Brass Heaven, a New Orleans-style brass band with a twist, as prone to playing modern R&B tunes as traditional New Orleans pieces.

Besides commemorating the radio show, the event will serve to inaugurate a Bridge @ 10 concert series curated by Harrison and happening throughout the fall.

For tonight, Harrison promises plenty of surprises, and encourages audiences to arrive early, as there may be some "breakout performances" before the announced 8 p.m. start time.

Born in North Philly in 1961, Harrison considers the times he grew up in as key to the importance of music in his life. "When you look historically at the late '50s/early '60s," he said, "with the turmoil that was going on in this country and in the world — the civil rights movement, the Vietnam war — I think a lot of incredible art was spawned."

Harrison's brother played guitar, often performing with their cousin, drummer Harry "Butch" Reed, who has gone on to be a virtual institution on the local jazz and funk scenes. But Harrison never wanted to follow in their footsteps.

"I could appreciate what they were doing, but I really didn't envision myself with an instrument in my hands," he said. "To date I haven't picked up an instrument. Someday I will, when time permits, but for now, the turntables, the CD player, MP3 players — those are my instruments."

At the same time, Harrison said, there was a wealth of diverse radio coming over the Philadelphia airwaves. Later, it was the lack of similarly innovative programming that led him to take the DJ's chair himself.

"You look at radio now," he said, "and you turn to one station to hear one type of music. That wasn't always the case. I could turn to a station and hear a diverse playlist of music. I was really frustrated that I couldn't get that on the radio anymore, and I decided either you could be frustrated or you could try to do something about it."

In late 1992, hearing a friend's brother-in-law on small Philly station WPEB and thinking he could do better, Harrison approached the station and took on his own show. Not long after, he began doing production work at WRTI and took on an overnight shift. Eventually, he moved into the Friday night slot that became "The Bridge," weekly from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Harrison can recall myriad highlights of "The Bridge." There was neo-soul singer Jill Scott performing live in the studio before recording her first CD. ("I haven't been fortunate to pick the Powerball numbers yet," Harrison said of that night, "but this was one of those things.") Free jazz pioneer Prince Lasha playing with Philly legends Odean Pope and Byard Lancaster. Actor Roger Guenveur Smith performing poetry and guest-hosting half the show.

"There's so many incredible moments, we could sit here for hours and I could dig them up," Harrison said.

"It's my therapy," Harrison said of the show. "When I come in on Friday night, I'm making a mixtape that a lot of people get a chance to listen to. And I get a chance to talk to some of the musicians whose music I know and love. To have an opportunity like that is priceless. I'm so immersed in this thing, that frustration factor isn't really there anymore." *

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Painted Bride, 230 Vine St., 8 tonight, $25, 215-925-9914,

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