bentley ascends*

Jason Bentley, public radio's longtime stalwart of electronic dance music and one of American club-land's most influential DJs, has been named as the music director of National Public Radio's flagship station, KCRW (89.9 FM Santa Monica, Calif./Los Angeles). The coveted slot means that Bentley will be in charge of the station's vaunted music policy and that he will have to drop his beloved weeknight dance show in order to host "Morning Becomes Eclectic," the outlet's weekday morning showcase.

"This is a wonderful KCRW story," says KCRW General Manager Ruth Seymour. "Jason began as a phone volunteer in the front office when he was still in high school. He grew up on KCRW because his parents were listeners. When he returned from college he reconnected with the station and debuted on the air here 16 years ago. He has a passion for the music and a deep connection to the local music scene. Moreover KCRW is in his DNA."

States Bentley: "I'm immensely grateful for the opportunity and humbled by the task, which is to open a new chapter for the station. It's a reinvention of myself to match the gold standards set by previous music directors. It’s no longer the hypnotic pulse of the city at night – it’s the ever-evolving optimism of weekday mornings. My show has always reflected the continual evolution of music and emerging artists. And while I built my foundation as a champion of dance and electronic music, this is a great opportunity for me to grow, a challenge I will take very seriously."

*Bentley will start in the position Dec. 1. I believe he's the the station's third music director after Chris Douridas and Nic Harcourt, but I could be wrong. *(CORRECTION: I'm told by the station he's number four, with world-music guru Tom Schnabel having held down the job first, before Douridas). As we told you previously, music director Nic Harcourt is stepping down.