jazz89 KUVO has a rich and celebrated history that began in 1982 with a handful of volunteers and their dream of founding a Hispanic-controlled public radio station.  In 1985 that idea became a reality when KUVO signed on the air for its first broadcast, with one full-time person and three full-time volunteers.  Volunteer djs, using donated records from personal collections and local record shops, went on the air with a format of jazz/fusion mixed with blues; to put a Latino signature on the music, they threw in a dash of Salsa!

The programming continues to be the cornerstone of jazz89 KUVO, one that has earned the station national recognition for playing the entire spectrum of recorded jazz - from the Louis Armstrong Red Hot Fives & Sevens recordings of the 1920s, to the latest recordings by Wynton and Branford Marsalis, with everything in between.  You can hear traditional, swing era, big band, bebop, trios, vocals, instrumentals, Latin and free style "progressive" and contemporary jazz.  jazz89 KUVO is also one of the few stations in the country that has an emphasis on local Denver and Colorado musicians such as Dianne Reeves, Javon Jackson, Phil Urso, Ellyn Rucker, Ken Walker, Joe Bonner, Purnell Steen and Professor Ron Miles.

In the past 24 years, jazz89 KUVO has been located at four different addresses.  In 1994, KUVO moved to 2900 Welton Street in Denver's historic Five Points neighborhood, also known as the "Harlem of the Rockies".  Five Points has been host to jazz and blues legends such as Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basis, Billie Holiday, Cab Calloway and others at its Roxy Theatre, Casino Caberet and Rossonian Hotel.  It was a natural fit for a jazz station to be located here, surrounded by jazz history.  jazz89 KUVO now owns the building from which it broadcasts.

In 2005, an influential quartet co-chaired KUVO's 20th Anniversary Celebration: Senator Ken Salazar (the first Hispanic elected to represent Colorado in the United States Senate and to serve as Attorney General of Colorado), former Denver mayor Federico Pena (Denver's first Hispanic mayor and former United States Secretary of Labor and Secretary of Transportation), former Denver mayor Wellington E. Webb (Denver's first African-American Mayor) and current Denver mayor John Hickenlooper, who is also a huge jazz fan and a current member of jazz89 KUVO. 

Today jazz89 KUVO broadcasts live 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  There are currently over 10,000 listener-members and an average of 120,000 tuning in weekly, either on the air or streaming live on the Internet. 

jazz89 KUVO has garnered national recognition for its diverse, quality programming.  One program in particular is the groundbreaking "Caliente! Latin Jazz with Eddie Palmieri" that aired in the fall of 2006 during Hispanic Heritage Month.  The program was ultimately carried on over 100 stations across the country.

The links below highlight the historical timelineand accomplishments, as well as the awards and achievements for jazz89 KUVO.