Cartoonist, radio show host and writer are just a few ways to describe Bob Cochran. This man wears many hats; check out his bowler!
Bob, can you share a little bit about yourself and how you got started?
I started cartooning in high school by putting out my own weekly zines when the school paper turned down my material. I continued them for a few years afterward until the postage got too expensive.
I started doing radio at the Wilkes University station, WCLH. I did a Reggae show, a Jazz show and an Avant Rock show that featured stuff like Captain Beefheart, John Cale, etc.
I also did some production work at WVIA-FM, the Wilkes-Barre-Scranton NPR station before moving to Maine in the late ’90′s.
What are your current projects?
I’m working on several things at the moment. Trying to put together a book of cartoons and short humorous stories similar to what’s posted on my MySpace pages.
I also do cartoons for a new sports humor site, sportsmansdaily.com, recently launched by Tom Alexander, a friend from my PA days. I provide illustrations for an Austrian magazine, “Concerto,” as well.
I’m always on the lookout for freelance cartooning and humorous illustration work, too. I recently did up a cartoon for the Teaologist’s MySpace page.
My weekly radio show features newer artists, many from small labels or self-releasers. I like to feature Jazz artists from outside the US that listeners may not get to hear otherwise as well.
I also do a occasional Women in Jazz shows that feature not only singers and pianists, but all-women big bands, bassists, baritone sax players, drummers, etc. I decided to do thing while talking to a young female Jazz fan who loved the baritone sax but was being discouraged from taking up the instrument because she was a girl. I don’t believe anyone’s dreams should be limited simply because they don’t have a Y chromosome.
Can you tell me more about your radio station and it’s audience?
I’m Jazz Director at WMPG. The station is a hybrid college/community station. We’re located on the University of Southern Maine’s Portland Campus. We receive some operation funds from them, but the bulk of the money comes from listeners in the community.
We have an incredible variety of programs from Vietnamese and Cambodian to Indie Rock, Celtic, Jazz, Rockabilly, Ska, Reggae and live sound collages.
Our listening audience is pretty diverse as well. The radio signal covers about a 30-mile radius. We also broadcast online at WMPG. org. We’ve received e-mails from New Zealand to Ireland.
What are your future plans?
More of the same to the point that I make enough of a living at it to give up day jobs.
Visit Bob Cochran on his MySpace page and www.wmpg.org. Portland, Maine
