(Jae Sinnett opened for Echo & The Bunnymen at The NorVa in June Photo by Aria Maisey.
By Jeff Maisey
Seventy
Seven zero.
You’d never know by listening to Jae Sinnett he turned 70 at the end of June. Nor, by gazing at his fit physique, in-demand schedule and creative output this year, would it seem like he’s ready to hang up his drum sticks and turn off the microphone anytime soon.
In many ways, 2026 has been a season of rejuvenation, transition, reflection, success, and opportunity for Sinnett.
Leading up to his 70th, Jae posted more frequently on social media, and he continues to write “morning reads” bestowing wisdom, his take on life, observational commentary on social issues, benefits of travel, cooking tips, flashes of satire, and expert opinion on all things music.
Jae Sinnett knows a thing or two about a thing or two.
What friends, colleagues and longtime fans know is Jae Sinnett walks the walk and talks the talk when it comes to jazz and R&B music. His vast knowledge, dedication to his art, professionalism, and insights are inspiring.
Having been raised in Donora, Pennsylvania before serving in the US Navy in the mid-1970s, Sinnett found himself stationed in Norfolk. He attended Norfolk State University as a Music Education major after serving his country in the military.
As a musician, composer, performer, and recording artist, Jae Sinnett’s career is one to marvel — over 250 compositions, 20+ studio jazz albums and a couple funk-based side projects as heard on “Old School Loyalty” as released by House & Sinnett and as well as his Americana Groove Project.
Sinnett’s jazz recordings received national airplay and consistently charted at the top on independent radio stations. Among his most critically acclaimed records: “The Sinnett Hearings” (2005), “It’s Telling…A Drummer’s Perspective” (2008), “Zero to 60” (2016), “Just When You Thought…” (2020), “Commitment” (2022), and his newly released “Parallel 49.”
As a band leader, Sinnett has performed with some of the finest contemporary jazz musicians including Cyrus Chesnut, Randy Brecker, and Eric Marienthal as well as his own trios and quartets.
As an educator, Sinnett has taught and worked with jazz players of all ages, whether at the Jewish Museum and Cultural Center in Portsmouth, Christopher Newport University, or each August at the JazzWorks Canada JazzCamp location outside of Montreal.
On the radio, Jae has singlehandedly extended jazz education like no one else in this part of the country with the 36 years and counting he’s provided on WHRV/WHRO-FM as the programmer and host of Sinnett in Session. Where Sinnett does spin some of the great jazz recordings of the past, he’s keen to play many of the newly released recordings by today’s up-and-coming artists who listeners should be aware of.
For music lovers missing the days of old school soul and funk, his Friday evening R&B Chronicles bring both a historical explanation of the times and bands as well as the sounds of everyone from Earth, Wind & Fire, Kool & The Gang, and Isley Brothers to Al Green, Stevie Wonder, and Sly and the Family Stone.
In early July, Jae Sinnett had me over to his home studio to talk about his career and immediate plans for the future.
As you might imagine, Jae’s wealth of experiences are worthy of a biography, something he just might have up his sleeve As me expressed an interest in writing more in semi-retirement.
The following are topical excerpts from our lengthy conversation.
The Big 7–0
As he was approaching his 70th birthday, Jae Sinnett announced he would going part-time beginning July 1; significantly cutting back on some of his daily duties at WHRO/WHRV, but continuing to program and host his longtime, popular jazz and R&B shows.
To the listener, nothing really has changed.
Earlier in the year, Sinnett also announced a new studio recording — “Parallel 49” — while insisting it was to be his last as a band leader.
On a social media post regarding the age of 70, Jae share some intriguing historical references of the inevitabilities for those lucky enough to reach the age milestone.
One such reference was a biblical verse from Psalm 90: “The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.”
In other words, if you live beyond the natural life expectancy of age 70, perhaps you’ve got another decade, but those 10 years are gonna be a bitch.
It is reasonable to assume Jae Sinnett will be one of the exceptions, but he does feel the need to shift gears now at 70.
Here are some of his thoughts:
“It’s a complex thing when you spend almost four decades at your job.
“There are things you get tired of doing; there are things you just don’t want to do anymore. I was getting tired of the daily grind; the driving into work.
“There are other things in my life that I want to have time to do.
“I think a lot of people make an intellectual decision about when they want to retire. They may say, ‘I want to retire on December 1.” Then February, March roll around and they may think, ‘I made a financial miscalculation’ or they feel incomplete, or now they might be bored.
“It’s an interesting balance.”
Continuing, Sinnett said, “I have plenty to do outside of WHRO. Boredom is not going to be a problem.
“In many ways I feel like I’ve produced. I’ve made a difference. That was always important to me, you know?
“I feel like I’ve brought a lot of joy into thousands of people’s lives over 36 years. And longer than that with my performances.
“I feel pretty complete. Like, yeah, I made a difference.
“I think I was ready for a lifestyle change. I wanted more space in my life.”
Turn The Radio Dial to 70 FM
Just kidding.
As mentioned above, longtime listeners and fans of Sinnett’s radio show won’t notice any changes. Jae may be cutting back on other unrelated duties, but remains committed to his beloved programs.
“I wasn’t 100% ready to make an official retirement. In going part-time I’m really buying time.”
With his new schedule, Jae Sinnett listens to all the new jazz releases at home. He goes into the radio station studio to program his shows, which are electronically recorded and produced in advance.
“Being a musician myself I try to give the musicians as much help as I can by playing their new releases.”
Career Highlights on the Radio
Continuing with Sinnett’s feeling his career has been a complete experience, Jae shared these reflections:
“My show is one of the highest revenue producing shows on WHRV. I’m proud of that.
“That means listenership.
“In my opinion, the ultimate gauge, if you have a locally produced show that you fundraise for, and if that show is able to sustain itself for all these years that’s a tremendous success, man.
“I’m not getting grants to help my show. We don’t get government underwriting support for our locally produced shows. So if we can sustain our show without all that other funding, that’s pretty remarkable.
“Since its inception I’ve had people say, ‘Jae, it’s jazz. It’s not going to make any money.’ Well, I’ve proved that theory wrong.
“So that’s one thing I’m proud of. The music has created a loyal following.
I had an interesting conversation with Ellis Marsalis — Wynton’s father.
He said, ‘Man, you don’t realize the power you have in that position and how you affect people’s lives.
“I had an 86-year-old gentleman call me one night. He said, ‘Jae, I don’t have any family left.’
“He said, ‘You’re my family. I listen to you every night when your Sinnett in Session is on the radio.’
“A lot of people don’t think about what we do in that context. It’s amazing how much radio means to a lot of people.
“Another part that I’m really proud of is that I’ve introduced a lot of people to these new musicians playing this music today.
“If you pull 10 people off the streets that say they like jazz, changes are they’re going to say, ‘Oh, I love Miles Davis. I love John Coltrane; I love Stan Getz.’
“We’ll they’ve all been dead for decades, right? Who do you like that’s alive, breathing, and playing today?
“People struggle with that and I’ve always talk about it — it’s a problem with jazz.
“I take a lot of pride in trying to introduce who’s playing today to a lot of people.”
Jae Sinnett’s also had an opportunity to interview a long list of jazz performers over his career. He lists Herbie Hancock, Dave Brubeck, Wynton Marsalis, and James Williams as some of his most memorable.
“To talk to these great masters and have them share their stories with our listeners…that’s been profoundly important to me.”
“Parallel 49” — Final Sinnett Album?
As a music instructor at the JazzWorks Canada JazzCamp, Jae has developed good relationships with other participating jazz teachers. He called upon six of these players to perform in the studio for what Jae calls his final jazz record as a band leader.
The 49th Parallel, of course, is the border zone dividing most of Canada and the United States.
The album is quite different that Sinnett’s previous studio records in that it has a really big sound.
“I developed these relationships with these great players and they so inspired me. I wasn’t really interested in recording as a leader of a jazz project again, but working with these guys over and over again…Adrian, the bass player, was the driving factor for me to reconsider.”
The album has an almost big band sound due to the horn arrangements, and it swings.
“Because of the way the horns are arranged it makes the ensemble sound bigger than it is,” said Sinnett.
Among the songs included are re-arranged originals of some of Sinnett’s previously recorded tracks like “Palpitations” and “Just When You Thought.” There’s also a snappy version of The Spiral Staircase’s 1969 pop song “More Today Than Yesterday.”
“When I first heard the original vocal version of it, I heard it swinging,” said Sinnett. “It’s a silly little pop tune, but it lends itself to swinging. And that melody has never left my head.”
Standup Comedy
Just recently, Jae Sinnett has been performing short standup comedy skits at PUSH Comedy Theater in Norfolk. It’s an outlet he says he will continue to explore.
Like jazz music, comedy often requires improvisation.
“I’ve always written comedies but more from the context of stories, not standup.
“When I would tell my stories there would always be comedy material in the story.
“I have been on stage 40 years of my life with my music. I also know how to speak in a microphone. These are things that parallel comedy.
“I have the material so I’m just continuously refining my delivery and physical comedy. I’m kind of a conversationalist in how I deliver my comedy.
“In comedy you have to be fearless. You have to read an audience too. It’s being able to adjust in the moment.
“It’s all connected: radio, music performance, comedy…it comes from the same place.”
Phoebus Jazz Festival
Jae Sinnett will continue with the foundation he created Hampton Roads Jazz Inc.
HR Jazz produces an educational lecture series and promotes live concerts such as the Ella Fitzgerald Celebration and the upcoming Phoebus Jazz Festival, scheduled September 25-26 at The American Theater.
This year’s festival will feature The Latin Jazz Conspiracy, Ada Rovatti Quartet, Lori Williams, Billy Williams Quartet, Justin Kauflin, Eric Marienthal, and Jae Sinnett.
Tickets are $25/day or $40 for both combined.
In Closing
“I’ll leave you with this note,” said Jae Sinnett, “In turning 70, we think about the Bible. In the Book of Psalms it talks about three score and ten — 70 years old, you’re up. After that there are no more software upgrades for your device. It’s a life of labor and sorrow after 70.”
Jae concluded with a big laugh.
Perhaps he’ll rename his group the Zero to 70 Quartet.