The gracious Dick Smothers is still funny and poignant. We talked way back during the Bush administration regime about the escalation of the Iraqi war, Pete Seeger's performance of "The Big Muddy" and reminisced about just how funny and political these to Brothers were.
My guest on this segment is one of my favorite authors Walter Mosley creator of the Easy Rawlins Detective series . Some of you may only know of his work through the movie Devil with the Blue Dress, with Denzel Washington , but he is much more than that . Walter Mosley is here on the occasion of the publishing of his latest novel “Down to the river unto the sea” which features yet another new memorable fictional Detective “Joe King Oliver”.
Bar none, Loudon Wainwright lll is one of my favorite artists. A one of a kind chronicler of the American condition. Funny, serious, poignant and just plain great. Listen in to what I consider one of my best interviews ever.
Eric Bibbs music finds its way into my program more often than not. I love what he does. He speaks to my concerns about what's happening in the world today and does it with great songs. We'll talk about his follow-up to his multiple award-winning, critically acclaimed 2021 album, Dear America, Ridin' is a continuation of the vision that informs Bibb's artistry as a modern-day Blues troubadour.
I’m pleased to say that the multitalented Ben Harper of Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals is my guest. (That is if everything goes just right and we connect by phone via Scotland- it did!.) Ben is on tour with the renowned blues harpist Charlie Musselwhite in support of their new April release , “No Mercy in this land”. Join me on listener supported radio WPKN (and now as a PODCAST) when Bluesman Ben Harper comes aboard to talk music.
Chris Frantz, the drummer for two of the hottest bands of the 80's, Talking Heads and the Tom Tom Club, Joins Kevin Gallagher for a chat about his new memoir. He tells us about the inside story on the rise of these cutting edge bands and the story behind Remaining in Love with his band mate the legendary bassist Tina Weymouth, his wife for over 40 years.
My guest is musician Rod MacDonald. A veteran of the Greenwich Village folk scene, MacDonald was a constant presence at many of New York’s most prestigious folk clubs, including Gerdes Folk City and the Bottom Line, and he still tours extensively. Rod is currently living in Delray Florida. Rod teaches an ongoing series of master classes at Florida Atlantic U where he lectures on popular music. He has a fine new album out called Rants and Romance that WPKN’S own Robin Batteau turned me on too and I’m so glad he did. That’s why I invited Rod here today.
Loudon Wainwright III is an American songwriter, folk singer, humorist, and friend of WPKN. Over the years our listeners have gotten to know his talent for observing the human condition through song.
On the eve of an important election, I invited Loudon here to talk about his recent NY Times OP-Ed on his choices for 10 Great Protest songs. Join us while we listen too and talk about Loudon's favorites.
Join me for a thoughtful conversation with guitarist and composer Marc Ribot about the role of the artist in today's political climate. His work has touched on many styles, including no wave, free jazz, rock, and Cuban music. Ribot is also known for collaborating with other musicians, most notably Tom Waits and Elvis Costello to name a couple. Marc is the driving force behind a new project where he collaborates with many artists on a CD entitles Songs of resistance 1942 – 2018.
Tom Waits, Steve Earle, Meshell Ndegeocello, Justin Vivian Bond, Fay Victor, Sam Amidon, and Ohene Cornelius, Tift Merritt, Domenica Fossati, Syd Straw.
My guest is Elio Villafranca. Elio has graced our airwaves twice before on this show, and he's back on the occasion of the release of his new double CD entitled Cinquue, described as a magnificent sweeping work.
Cinque is a five movement suite inspired by the story of Joseph Cinque, who in 1839 led a successful revolt aboard the slave ship La Amistad, days after being sold and transported to a sugar plantation in Cuba. Elio Villafranca's most ambitious project today, showcases the cultural diversity of the five Caribbean islands of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, The Dominican Republic, and Jamaica; while simultaneously highlighting the Congolese musical heritage woven into the fabric of each of these diverse nations, and yet unified via the forced migration of Africans to the Americas.
Cinque is a body of work that encompasses narration, original composition and selections of Elio's own field recordings of different forms of rooted Congolese rhythms in the Caribbean, especially the traditions of Tambor Yuka, only practiced today in the region of Pinar Del Río, where Elio was born, and Gangá, a rare culture that came from Sierra Leon, Cinque's place of birth, to the region of Matanzas, Cuba. Both traditions are near to extinction today.
Kevin talks with Fahir about his upcoming performance at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, his new album "Live at Umbria Jazz" and another entirely different production entitled, Mucial reflections of the art of Banksy.
A native of Turkey, Fahir Atakoglu is an international award winning composer and pianist well known in the fields of large symphonic works and film music. His works have been performed in various music festivals in Europe and The United States to critical acclaim, and he is considered one of the most outstanding pianists and composers in the world today.
My guest is pianist Aaron Goldberg who will be performing a a benefit for Bethel arts at the Western Ct. state University Veronica Hagman concert in Danbury on February 8th at 7 PM. Joining Aaron will be John Patitucci on bass and Al Foster on drums.
Described by The New York Times as a "post-bop pianist of exemplary taste and range," Goldberg has released five albums as a solo artist and has performed and collaborated with the likes of Joshua Redman and Wynton Marsalis among others.
With the recent passing of Mike Brewer, I thought we'd revisit another timeless blast from my past archives. An aural look at one of my favorite folk duos. Definitely a big part of the soundtrack of my life. Brewer and Shipley. They are way more than "One toke over the line".
I’d like you all to welcome in my friend Bobby Sanabria. Bobby is a Multi-Grammy nominee, an American drummer, percussionist, composer, arranger, documentary film producer, educator, activist, radio show host, and all around wild man. When you see Bobby "live" you always get your monies worth. You can do just that soon, because Bobby and band are coming to Ct for a performance at Wesleyan University .
Bobby Sanabria and Ascensión
Wesleyan University
Saturday, April 26, 2025 at 7:00pm
Crowell Concert Hall
