Strolling through the doors of the Radio DePaul studio, with coffee clutched in hand, Rick O’Dell takes in the scene. As a morning host for 95.5 FM WNUA for nearly 20 years, the sleek mic stands and glowing soundboard are nothing new for him. But something feels incredibly unique about this dreary Sunday morning-the air is electrified with sparks of excitement, the studio monitors are pulsing with a suave jazz melody and O’Dell will finally be back behind the microphone for Sunday morning brunch.

Guest hosting on Radio DePaul’s Cabochon Jazz Radio, Chicago radio legend O’Dell paid Radio DePaul a visit to discuss his beginnings as a college disk jockey, his varied career in broadcasting and why Chicago never fails to feel like home.

During the two-hour broadcast, O’Dell waltzed through his colorful career in radio, from his experiences in college radio to jumping from station-to-station following graduation. O’Dell studied speech communications at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and was heavily involved in the campus’ radio station, participating in every facet of the station from news anchoring to production to disk jockeying. But it was no straight-arrow journey for O’Dell-it wasn’t until 1987 when he fell into his niche in smooth jazz, all beginning with one with a song.

After hearing David Benoit’s “Kei’s Song,” O’Dell is still haunted by the refinement and magnetic energy of the elegant jazz cut. This discovery sparked a thirst for knowledge within O’Dell, one that he would quench with his listeners for nearly 20 years while hosting “Smooth Jazz Brunch” on Smooth 87.7.

“I’ve learned about the artists and the music at the same time the listeners have,” said O’Dell. “We have taken this journey of discovery in smooth jazz together.”

O’Dell broadcasted his final “Smooth Jazz Brunch” earlier this year, but his reminiscing over Sunday morning buffets scored by the smoky jazz hits fondly.

His passion for radio has all but cooled since his first college radiobroadcast. The smile spread across his beaming face never waned; it was obvious that behind a microphone-whether it is at a sophisticated jazz brunch or in the cozy confines of a college radio station-is where O’Dell belongs.

An archived recording of O’Dell’s interview is available on radio.depaul.edu.