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WICN Artist of the Month, November 2024: Billy Strayhorn

By Doug Hall, WICN Contributing Writer In the history of jazz, there are relationships between two musicians as performers, composers, or arrangers, or all combined. Seminal examples include George and Ira Gershwin, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, Harold Land and Bobby Hutcherson, and Alice Coltrane and Pharoah Saunders. Yet, there is a distinct level of […]

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WICN Artist of the Month, October ’24: Illinois Jacquet

Given the transitory lifestyle and traveling nature of jazz musicians in the ‘40s and ‘50s particularly, as a regular circuit of cities throughout the US offered venues reached mostly by long, often overnight bus rides—the equivalent of today’s red-eye flights–sidemen of this era often led a nomadic life. These many remarkable musicians, some more in […]

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WICN Host Al Vuona on The Chamber Exchange

WICN  host of The Public Eye–Al Vuona joined Worcester Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Tim Murray recently to discuss Underwriting and local Central MA business insights. Check out the full segment here:

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WICN Artist of the Month, September 2024: Bud Powell

Names like Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Dizzy Gillespie often dominate jazz-world conversations about the trailblazers who revolutionized their respective instruments. Yet the equally transcendent talent of jazz pianist Bud Powell deserves to stand tall with these icons. Renowned for his innovative approach to piano playing, Powell’s music helped shape the bebop era, profoundly influencing […]

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WICN Artist of the Month, August 2024: Organ Fairchild

Anytime a local band in the New York and New England area finds itself voted #1 out of 64 up-and-coming bands in NYS Music’s statewide March Madness competition (in 2021), it is significant. Buffalo-based band Organ Fairchild has been described as “a musical party that won’t quit.” As referenced in the biography category on AllAboutJazz.com, […]


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Jazz Overnight

Great music never sleeps

12:00 am 6:00 am


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Jazz Overnight

12:00amSunday

12:00amSunday

Great music never sleeps. Jazz Overnight. 7 days a week, midnight to 6 am.

Learn more

Sunday Jazz Brunch

8:00amSunday

8:00amSunday

Sunday mornings are special at WICN--it's when you'll hear the latest in contemporary, straight-ahead, and Brazilian Jazz. Explore the lighter side of Jazz with artists like Jane Monheit, Claudio Roditi and others. It's the perfect soundtrack to your Sunday morning!

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Colors of Jazz

12:00pmSunday

12:00pmSunday

Colors of Jazz provides a diverse mix of smooth jazz, rhythm & blues and show tunes that groove. While highlighting the jazz masters and their influence on the music, the show features a spectrum of the smoothest of jazz standards, neo-soul, and contemporary R&B. A selection of Broadway and other musical soundtracks complement the tempo of the show.

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Radio Deluxe

4:00pmSunday

Radio Deluxe

4:00pmSunday

Radio Deluxe with John Pizzarelli is radio that is indeed deluxe! Every weekend John and his wife and co-host, singer Jessica Molaskey, play music and entertain guests in their "deluxe living room." The stories, the laughs, the artists and their songs make the party a must for listeners week after week.  

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World Rhythms

6:00pmSunday

Rhythms of the World

6:00pmSunday

Take a journey around the world without packing your bags! Enjoy a wealth of global music as explore World Rhythms, every Sunday at 6 PM on WICN with rotating hosts Jim Benitez and Nick DiBiasio. A splendid way to end your weekend!

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Mediterranean Music

8:00pmSunday

8:00pmSunday

Join host Rafeef Al Faris every Sunday at 8pm for a fascinating musical journey through North Africa and the Middle East! Rafeef is an award-winning poet, journalist, educator, and translator sharing her passion for these intoxicating sounds with the WICN audience.

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Inquiry

9:00pmSunday

9:00pmSunday

On Inquiry, we'll bring you thought-provoking, informative, and often wild discussions with some of the most interesting people in art, history, science, finance, medicine, and more. You'll hear everything from Magellan to Mars landings, from Cole Porter to punk rock aerobics, from comics to the Venus de Milo...always expect something different on Inquiry.

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Business Beat

10:00pmSunday

10:00pmSunday

"Business Beat" is an in-depth interview show that highlights the world of Central New England's business and economic development leaders, hosted by WICN GM David Ginsburg and local entrepreneur Giselle Rivera-Flores. You'll learn about successes and failures as well as their hopes and dreams as Worcester's ongoing renaissance continues to attract a new generation of entrepreneurs. Click "read more" to listen to episodes on-demand!

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Public Eye

10:30pmSunday

10:30pmSunday

Insightful guests and stimulating conversation are what you can expect on "Public Eye." Keep your eye on 90.5 FM for “The Public Eye,” Sunday evenings at 10:30.

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Public Hearing

11:00pmSunday

11:00pmSunday

Queer for Cities Hosted by Joshua Croke, founder of Action! by Design.

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Sunday Classical

6:00amSunday

6:00amSunday

Classical music is back on 90.5! Join host Eric Gratton every Sunday morning from 6 to 8 am for two hours of the best classical music ever recorded, with [...]

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Jazz Overnight

12:00amMonday

12:00amMonday

Great music never sleeps. Jazz Overnight. 7 days a week, midnight to 6 am.

Learn more

Morning Vibe Time

6:00amMonday

6:00amMonday

Start your morning off right! Get all jazzed up each weekday by listening to Morning Vibe Time with Michelle Willson, 6-9 am on 90.5 WICN.

Learn more

Jazz Highways

9:00amMonday

9:00amMonday

Breaking the boundaries between Jazz, pop and funk music. Jazz has taken many roads over the last 100 years and we travel many of them along the Jazz Highways. Mainstream Jazz, swing and blues side by side with Jazz-inspired artists like Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon and more!

Learn more

The Blend

12:00pmMonday

12:00pmMonday

Join hosts Rick McCarthy (M-W) and Steve Miller (Th-F) for a new and refreshing take on Jazz classics as well as a curated exploration of the best new releases in the Jazz world!

Learn more

Standard Time

3:00pmMonday

3:00pmMonday

The Great American Songbook and Jazz Standards, as performed by a diverse mix of artists from the world of jazz and beyond!  You'll hear everything from Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Count Basie and Ella to Madelaine Peyroux, Willie Nelson and David Sanborn. Featuring: Tom Lucci, Monday Tom Nutile, Tuesday Al Dean, Wednesday Howard Caplan, Thursday Ed Gardella, Friday (from 2 PM)

Learn more

Business Beat

6:00pmMonday

6:00pmMonday

"Business Beat" is an in-depth interview show that highlights the world of Central New England's business and economic development leaders, hosted by WICN GM David Ginsburg and local entrepreneur Giselle Rivera-Flores. You'll learn about successes and failures as well as their hopes and dreams as Worcester's ongoing renaissance continues to attract a new generation of entrepreneurs. Click "read more" to listen to episodes on-demand!

Learn more

Public Eye

6:30pmMonday

6:30pmMonday

Insightful guests and stimulating conversation are what you can expect on "Public Eye." Keep your eye on 90.5 FM for “The Public Eye,” Sunday evenings at 10:30.

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Soul Serenade

7:00pmMonday

7:00pmMonday

Tune in every Monday night to listen to the best in current and vintage soul music. Enjoy the classic sounds of Motown, the gritty sounds of Stax and the sweet sounds of Philly soul mixed in with a touch of gospel, jazz, blues, and even country! Soul music is an American original, songs that sing of love, hate, church and family. It’s about a time, a place and most certainly, a dance.

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Positive Noise

10:00pmMonday

10:00pmMonday

Uncle Mark takes to the WICN airways the first and third Monday of each month to spin his unique brand of alternative rock from all eras, a.k.a. POSITIVE NOISE.

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Blues Hit Big Town

10:00pmMonday

10:00pmMonday

  Blues Hit Big Town hosted by Marty Ayotte, features two hours of the best blues music. You'll hear new blues, vintage blues, traditional blues, a sprinkling of zydeco, and soul too! The show airs on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month following The Soul Serenade.

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Jazz Overnight

12:00amTuesday

12:00amTuesday

Great music never sleeps. Jazz Overnight. 7 days a week, midnight to 6 am.

Learn more

Morning Vibe Time

6:00amTuesday

6:00amTuesday

Start your morning off right! Get all jazzed up each weekday by listening to Morning Vibe Time with Michelle Willson, 6-9 am on 90.5 WICN.

Learn more

Jazz Highways

9:00amTuesday

9:00amTuesday

Breaking the boundaries between Jazz, pop and funk music. Jazz has taken many roads over the last 100 years and we travel many of them along the Jazz Highways. Mainstream Jazz, swing and blues side by side with Jazz-inspired artists like Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon and more!

Learn more

The Blend

12:00pmTuesday

12:00pmTuesday

Join hosts Rick McCarthy (M-W) and Steve Miller (Th-F) for a new and refreshing take on Jazz classics as well as a curated exploration of the best new releases in the Jazz world!

Learn more

Standard Time

3:00pmTuesday

3:00pmTuesday

The Great American Songbook and Jazz Standards, as performed by a diverse mix of artists from the world of jazz and beyond!  You'll hear everything from Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Count Basie and Ella to Madelaine Peyroux, Willie Nelson and David Sanborn. Featuring: Tom Lucci, Monday Tom Nutile, Tuesday Al Dean, Wednesday Howard Caplan, Thursday Ed Gardella, Friday (from 2 PM)

Learn more

Inquiry

6:00pmTuesday

6:00pmTuesday

On Inquiry, we'll bring you thought-provoking, informative, and often wild discussions with some of the most interesting people in art, history, science, finance, medicine, and more. You'll hear everything from Magellan to Mars landings, from Cole Porter to punk rock aerobics, from comics to the Venus de Milo...always expect something different on Inquiry.

Learn more

Bluegrass Junction

7:00pmTuesday

7:00pmTuesday

From Bill Monroe & The Blue Grass Boys and Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs & the Foggy Mountain Boys to today's hot pickers like Alison Krauss & Rickie Skaggs, Bluegrass Junction is the place where the music is the star, every Tuesday night from 7-10pm.

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Return to the Source

10:00pmTuesday

10:00pmTuesday

"Return to the Source" provides the polished presentation and insightful selections that you would expect from a straight-ahead Jazz show -- and more.

Learn more

Jazz Overnight

12:00amWednesday

12:00amWednesday

Great music never sleeps. Jazz Overnight. 7 days a week, midnight to 6 am.

Learn more

Morning Vibe Time

6:00amWednesday

6:00amWednesday

Start your morning off right! Get all jazzed up each weekday by listening to Morning Vibe Time with Michelle Willson, 6-9 am on 90.5 WICN.

Learn more

Jazz Highways

9:00amWednesday

9:00amWednesday

Breaking the boundaries between Jazz, pop and funk music. Jazz has taken many roads over the last 100 years and we travel many of them along the Jazz Highways. Mainstream Jazz, swing and blues side by side with Jazz-inspired artists like Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon and more!

Learn more

The Blend

12:00pmWednesday

12:00pmWednesday

Join hosts Rick McCarthy (M-W) and Steve Miller (Th-F) for a new and refreshing take on Jazz classics as well as a curated exploration of the best new releases in the Jazz world!

Learn more

Standard Time

3:00pmWednesday

3:00pmWednesday

The Great American Songbook and Jazz Standards, as performed by a diverse mix of artists from the world of jazz and beyond!  You'll hear everything from Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Count Basie and Ella to Madelaine Peyroux, Willie Nelson and David Sanborn. Featuring: Tom Lucci, Monday Tom Nutile, Tuesday Al Dean, Wednesday Howard Caplan, Thursday Ed Gardella, Friday (from 2 PM)

Learn more

Public Hearing

6:00pmWednesday

6:00pmWednesday

Queer for Cities Hosted by Joshua Croke, founder of Action! by Design.

Learn more

Against The Grain

7:00pmWednesday

7:00pmWednesday

Against The Grain features a wide variety of music reminiscent of the days when FM radio wasn't categorized - classic folk, contemporary folk, folk-rock, bluegrass, classic country, alt-country, and roots rock, from old favorites to brand new releases by local and international artists.

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Cruisin’ The Decades

10:00pmWednesday

10:00pmWednesday

Jazz Overnight

12:00amThursday

Current show

12:00amThursday

Great music never sleeps. Jazz Overnight. 7 days a week, midnight to 6 am.

Learn more

Morning Vibe Time

6:00amThursday

6:00amThursday

Start your morning off right! Get all jazzed up each weekday by listening to Morning Vibe Time with Michelle Willson, 6-9 am on 90.5 WICN.

Learn more

Jazz Highways

9:00amThursday

9:00amThursday

Breaking the boundaries between Jazz, pop and funk music. Jazz has taken many roads over the last 100 years and we travel many of them along the Jazz Highways. Mainstream Jazz, swing and blues side by side with Jazz-inspired artists like Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon and more!

Learn more

The Blend

12:00pmThursday

12:00pmThursday

Join hosts Rick McCarthy (M-W) and Steve Miller (Th-F) for a new and refreshing take on Jazz classics as well as a curated exploration of the best new releases in the Jazz world!

Learn more

Standard Time

3:00pmThursday

3:00pmThursday

The Great American Songbook and Jazz Standards, as performed by a diverse mix of artists from the world of jazz and beyond!  You'll hear everything from Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Count Basie and Ella to Madelaine Peyroux, Willie Nelson and David Sanborn. Featuring: Tom Lucci, Monday Tom Nutile, Tuesday Al Dean, Wednesday Howard Caplan, Thursday Ed Gardella, Friday (from 2 PM)

Learn more

Infused Influence

6:00pmThursday

6:00pmThursday

Infused Influence is a public affairs show dedicated to informing, educating, and entertaining WICN listeners with content detailing the regulatory cannabis environment, benefits of various strains and methods of consumption, health benefits of cannabis use for pain management, etc., through interviews with local cultivators, vendors, leaders in the space, politicians, and students from Clark University studying for a degree and certificate programs in the cannabis industry. The show is a serious look at a booming industry and economic driver in our community. Infused Influence is hosted by Ulysses Youngblood, Founder & Co-President, and Harry Danso, of Major Bloom in Worcester

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Culture Beat

6:30pmThursday

6:30pmThursday

Arts and culture are vital to civic life, and Worcester is fortunate to be rich in arts and cultural organizations. WICN's Culture Beat shines a light on the cultural happenings throughout our region, as co-hosts Nikki Erskine and David Ginsburg share insights on all of the ways you can participate, support, and enjoy the incredible fabric of artists, organizations, and institutions throughout Greater Worcester. Tune in for a lively and often very funny conversation on this engaging program. Listen to every episode on demand here!

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Folk Revival

7:00pmThursday

7:00pmThursday

The Folk Revival features the “folk of the folk renaissance” from the second half of the last century right into the millennium. Focusing on the folk boom of the 1950s and the 1960s, this four-hour show also visits recordings from both before and well after that period,  highlighting folk music as a living and ever-changing tradition, connecting listeners and music through an eclectic mix of traditional songs, topical and  protest music, singer-songwriter creations, the blues, folk rock, and more. The Folk Revival takes listeners on a journey through our musical roots, from Lomax to the latest. Themed shows are particular favorites (traditional songs, old songs by new artists, folk love songs, folk songs of the Spirit, a history of folk groups, humorous/satirical folk songs, protest songs, Top 40 folk, western songs, women of the Folk Revival, etc.). Do you want to suggest a theme? Request a song? Talk about the music? React to the show? Correct the host (nicely, of course)? Share and/or find out more about the folk music tradition? Feel free to contact the host: nicknoble@wicn.org.

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Artistry of Jazz

10:00pmThursday

10:00pmThursday

Join host Ben Young for a deep exploration of Jazz music and the artists bringing it to life!

Learn more

Jazz Overnight

12:00amFriday

12:00amFriday

Great music never sleeps. Jazz Overnight. 7 days a week, midnight to 6 am.

Learn more

Morning Vibe Time

6:00amFriday

6:00amFriday

Start your morning off right! Get all jazzed up each weekday by listening to Morning Vibe Time with Michelle Willson, 6-9 am on 90.5 WICN.

Learn more

Jazz Highways

9:00amFriday

9:00amFriday

Breaking the boundaries between Jazz, pop and funk music. Jazz has taken many roads over the last 100 years and we travel many of them along the Jazz Highways. Mainstream Jazz, swing and blues side by side with Jazz-inspired artists like Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon and more!

Learn more

The Friday Blend

12:00pmFriday

12:00pmFriday

  Tune in to The Friday Blend with Steve Miller every Friday from 12-2 pm.  

Learn more

Standard Time

2:00pmFriday

2:00pmFriday

The Great American Songbook and Jazz Standards, as performed by a diverse mix of artists from the world of jazz and beyond!  You'll hear everything from Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Count Basie and Ella to Madelaine Peyroux, Willie Nelson and David Sanborn. Featuring: Tom Lucci, Monday Tom Nutile, Tuesday Al Dean, Wednesday Howard Caplan, Thursday Ed Gardella, Friday (from 2 PM)

Learn more

Jazz Night in America

6:00pmFriday

6:00pmFriday

Every Monday, Jazz Night in America presents some of the best live jazz performances happening around the country and the stories behind them. With multiple Grammy Award-winning musician Christian McBride as host, this one-hour show features hand-picked performances from across the country, woven with the colorful stories of the artists behind them.    

Learn more

Latin Jazz Now!

7:00pmFriday

Latin Jazz Now!

7:00pmFriday

Join host Jim Benitez as he launches your weekend in the company of the finest and most powerful Latin Jazz musicians in the world! Pioneering bandleaders who infused the Latin element into their bands were Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Kenton. Other musicians who incorporate Latin elements into their music include drummers Airto Moreira, Antonio Sanchez, and Horacio Hernandez,  percussionists Alex Acuña, Richie Flores, Giovanni Hidalgo, Paoli Mejias, Mongo Santamaria, Tito Puente and Poncho Sanchez,  trumpeters Arturo Sandoval, Brian Lynch, and Humberto Ramirez, pianists Eddie Palmieri, Rebeca Mauleon, and Tony Perez, bandleader Mario Bauza, trombonist Steve Turré, Juan Pablo Torres, and Papo Vazquez, and saxophonists Paquito D'Rivera, David Sanchez, and Miguel Zenon. All of which and many others you’ll enjoy on “Latin Jazz Now”.

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Jazz 360

10:00pmFriday

Jazz 360

10:00pmFriday

Surround yourself in syncopation on Friday nights, as we navigate through various styles of jazz. Expect the unexpected as your host Dana Robbins brings you full-circle with an engaging playlist for late night.

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6:00amSaturday

Host Dick Robinson plays all American Standards every Saturday morning from 6 - 8 a.m.

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8:00amSaturday

Can’t get enough of Ella, Ellington, Sinatra, and Basie?  On The Saturday Swing Session, we can’t either! From the great Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Buddy Rich, to legendary crooners like Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra, to today’s stars like Harry Connick, Jr., Gordon Goodwin, Diana Krall and Michael Bublé, host Howard Caplan brings you the best of yesterday’s and today’s swing, big band, and jazz standards.  You’ll have a “swinging good” time!

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Jazz Matinee

12:00pmSaturday

Jazz Matinee

12:00pmSaturday

What better way to wind down from a hard week at work or relax on a weekend afternoon than with Jazz Matinee? Explore all the great jazz standards along with the very best of the American Songbook. You'll hear music from legendary artists like Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Williams, and Stan Getz as well as today's local and national stars, with host Pamela Hines.

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Crooked Road Songs

4:00pmSaturday

4:00pmSaturday

Crooked Road Songs is a wild, unpredictable journey through roots music. Join Michael Dinallo every Saturday at 4pm on WICN![...]

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The Retro Cocktail Hour

5:00pmSaturday

5:00pmSaturday

The Retro Cocktail Hour serves up space age bachelor pad music, tiki tunes, private eye jazz and more every week on WICN!

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New Orleans Grooves

7:00pmSaturday

7:00pmSaturday

Tony Baglio combines his decades-long experience as a radio broadcaster and professional musician with his indelible passion for music, to host New Orleans Grooves, a show featuring the music and artists that reflect the rich culture of New Orleans and Southwest Louisiana. Join him every Saturday, 6-7 pm on 90.5 WICN!

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9:00pmSaturday

<iframe src="//wicn.cachefly.net/content/player/playlist24052118461913.html" width="800" height="400"> </iframe> Crocodile River Radio: Heart of Africa with host Thierno Camara and special guests from Crocodile River Music,  features some of the best music from Africa and the Diaspora. You'll hear new artists, traditional music, and varied styles from all around the continent.  The show airs every Saturday night from 9-11 pm. You can email the show at CrocodileRiverRadio@WICN.org. On social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrocodileRiverMusic Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crocodilerivermusic/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CrocodileRiverMusic

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Beale St. Caravan

11:00pmSaturday

Beale Street Caravan

11:00pmSaturday

Beale Street Caravan brings the authentic, soulful sounds of Memphis to your radio. Live, in-concert performances from contemporary masters of blues, soul, gospel, and rock n roll traditions. The program is hosted by Pat Mitchell-Worley and Kevin Cubbins, with feature segments from industry insiders such as Jerry Wexler, Bob Porter, and Robert Gordon. 

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Jazz Overnight

12:00amSaturday

12:00amSaturday

Great music never sleeps. Jazz Overnight. 7 days a week, midnight to 6 am.

Learn more