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Music Interviews Interviews with top musicians from jazz, blues, rock, pop, folk, classical, urban, and world music. Listen online to live studio sessions and musician interviews and watch video sessions.

Music Interviews

Friday

Revisiting the radical harmonies of Sweet Honey in the Rock

Sweet Honey in the Rock live at the Ravinia Festival in 2006. singitonline/Flickr hide caption

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World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

Revisiting the radical harmonies of Sweet Honey in the Rock

WXPN

In memory of Bernice Johnson Reagon, a founding member of the African American vocal ensemble, we share this 1996 episode of World Cafe with Sweet Honey in the Rock.

Sweet Honey in the Rock on World Cafe

Listen · 28:09
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Reyna Tropical on her debut album, 'Malegría'

Reyna Tropical Devyn Galindo/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Devyn Galindo/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

Reyna Tropical on her debut album, 'Malegría'

WXPN

In the wake of losing her creative partner, Reyna Tropical's Fabi Reyna channeled her grief into "the most beautiful thing" she's ever made.

Reyna Tropical on her debut album, 'Malegría'

Listen · 38:51
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Monday

Ani DiFranco on her latest album, 'Unprecedented S***'

Ani DiFranco Danny Clinch/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Danny Clinch/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

Ani DiFranco on her latest album, 'Unprecedented S***'

WXPN

The musician and activist makes a sonic pivot on her 23rd studio album, plus she talks about starring in Hadestown.

Ani DiFranco on World Cafe

Listen · 25:44
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Friday

Cosmo Sheldrake captures the essence of the natural world on 'Eye to the Ear'

Cosmo Sheldrake Jack Thompson-Roylance/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Jack Thompson-Roylance/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

Cosmo Sheldrake captures the essence of the natural world on 'Eye to the Ear'

WXPN

The English musician blends field recordings with his own musical improvisations to create something strange and deeply organic.

Cosmo Sheldrake on World Cafe

Listen · 33:06
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Tuesday

Mavis Staples on Prince, MLK and a life onstage

Grammy award-winning soul singer Mavis Staples Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images hide caption

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Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images

It's Been a Minute

Mavis Staples on Prince, MLK and a life onstage

This week, the legendary singer and civil rights figure Mavis Staples is turning 85 and there's no sign of her slowing down: She released a new song, "Worthy," and a children's book, Bridges Instead of Walls: The Story of Mavis Staples.

Mavis Staples on Prince, MLK and a life onstage

Listen · 23:21
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Camera Obscura make their return after a decade of uncertainty, grief

Camera Obscura Robert Perry/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Robert Perry/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

Camera Obscura make their return after a decade of uncertainty, grief

WXPN

Plus, the Scottish band performs songs from their latest album, Look to the East, Look to the West.

Camera Obscura on World Cafe

Listen · 33:51
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Monday

Bess Atwell on her latest album, 'Light Sleeper'

Bess Atwell Leo Sartain/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Leo Sartain/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

Bess Atwell on her latest album, 'Light Sleeper'

WXPN

The Brighton, U.K., singer embraces more vulnerability in her third studio album.

Bess Atwell on World Cafe

Listen · 34:31
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Friday

For David Byrne, Talking Heads was about making emotional sense — not literal sense

In November 2023, Byrne spoke about the 1984 concert film Stop Making Sense and described the band's hit song "Burning Down the House" as a compilation of "non-sequiturs" with an emotional impact.

For David Byrne, Talking Heads was about making emotional sense — not literal sense

Listen · 43:40
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Thursday

'I can only give the best': Jon Bon Jovi on vocal surgery and the road to recovery

A few years ago, Bon Jovi stopped performing due to a vocal cord injury. The Hulu docuseries Thank You, Goodnight highlights his surgery and return to stage. Originally broadcast April 24, 2024.

'I can only give the best': Jon Bon Jovi on vocal surgery and the road to recovery

Listen · 43:36
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Wednesday

On 'Roadrunner!', Kaitlin Butts reimagines a Rodgers and Hammerstein classic

Kaitlin Butts Thomas Crabtree/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Thomas Crabtree/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

On 'Roadrunner!', Kaitlin Butts reimagines a Rodgers and Hammerstein classic

WXPN

The Oklahoma native took inspiration from the movie musical named after her home state.

Kaitlin Butts on World Cafe

Listen · 30:35
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Tuesday

On their latest album, Chromeo gets serious ... but not that serious

Chromeo Alexander Gay/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Alexander Gay/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

On their latest album, Chromeo gets serious ... but not that serious

WXPN

On Adult Contemporary, the Canadian duo's subject matter may have matured, but their sense of humor hasn't changed.

Chromeo on World Cafe

Listen · 21:00
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'Born In The U.S.A.' at 40
Columbia Records

All Songs Considered

'Born In The U.S.A.' at 40

With the Fourth of July week here, we look at an album all about the messy, complicated and wonderful culture of America: Bruce Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A., which recently turned 40 years old.

'Born In The U.S.A.' at 40

Listen · 30:53
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Thursday

Fairport Convention band cofounder Richard Thompson looks back on his life in music

Fresh Air

The British singer/guitarist spoke to Fresh Air in 1994 and '22 about about his formative years and about pioneering a new musical genre that blended rock with traditional music of the British isles.

Fairport Convention band cofounder Richard Thompson looks back on his life in music

Listen · 37:02
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The Culture Corner: How Cibo Matto quietly influenced New York in the '90s

Cibo Matto's 1999 album, Stereo Type A Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

The Culture Corner: How Cibo Matto quietly influenced New York in the '90s

WXPN

World Cafe correspondent John Morrison explains how the alt rock band's 1999 record subverted stereotypes at the time.

The Culture Corner on World Cafe

Listen · 10:29
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