Dan Bindert

Dan Bindert is WDCB’s Station Manager and oversees our programming and operations. His passion for jazz, blues and our local music scene is expressed through his support of WDCB’s music hosts as they produce programs that provide musical depth along with insightful commentary for our listeners.

A veteran radio broadcaster with more than 35 years of experience behind the mic, Dan ushered in a new era for WDCB when he began leading the station in 2013. He expanded the flagship 'DCB Jazz programming and added new locally produced music shows, while also prioritizing live on-location music broadcasts that present our excellent Chicago musicians in action at clubs, festivals and other local venues.

In addition to his occasional on-air work as a substitute host at WDCB, Dan hosts Voice of America’s “Jazz from the Heart of America,” which is produced in WDCB's studios and heard worldwide on the VOA network.

Before coming to WDCB, Dan served as vice president of radio operations for Lakeshore Public Media in Merrillville, Indiana after spending more than a decade as a jazz host, news anchor and producer at WBEZ Chicago.

Dan grew up in the Rochester, NY area and started out in college radio as a host of jazz, blues and sports programming at WBSU while majoring in Communications at SUNY Brockport. His career in public radio began in 1989 with a nine-year stint as a late-night jazz & blues host at Rochester's NPR-affiliate WXXI in Rochester and a concurrent three-year run as afternoon drive jazz host at WGMC. Dan also spent three years as a jazz host at WCPN/Ideastream in Cleveland, OH. Dan has written extensively as a music journalist, most notably serving as “Music Editor” for three years at Rochester's alt-newsweekly, City Newspaper.

Dan moved to Chicago in 2000 and has called west suburban Hillside home since 2003.