The WICN Blog
Stretching across genres has never been much of a stretch for July’s Artist of the Month, Nate Smith. The Grammy Award-winning drummer, composer, and producer just began his tenure as the third artistic director for the Newport Jazz Festival, which described him as an overall “musical connector.” In part of that role as connector, Smith’s […]
WICN is more than a radio station—it’s a home for music, culture, education, and community. For nearly 60 years, your support has helped us bring you jazz+, free concerts, youth programs, and opportunities for local artists to shine. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has contributed to this year’s Summer in the City Fund […]
Planned Website Maintenance Notice WICN.org will undergo scheduled maintenance on Friday, July 3, from 10:00 PM to 11:30 PM. During this time, you may experience longer-than-normal load times, and the website may be temporarily unavailable. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we complete some much-needed updates to improve your experience on WICN.org.
Occasionally, the WICN broadcast signal may experience reduced clarity, resulting in increased static or interference from distant radio stations broadcasting on the same frequency. While we take every possible step to minimize these occurrences, they are often caused by a natural atmospheric phenomenon known as tropospheric ducting. Tropospheric ducting is most common during warm summer […]
THT, 90.5 WICN Public Radio & the Downtown Worcester Business Improvement District present the 9th Annual Jazz+ Live featuring The Love Dogs Approximately 2 hrs. Join us for a fabulous evening of music on August 21! The 9th Annual Jazz+ Live (formerly Jazz at Sunset) featuring The Love Dogs. About The Love Dogs Get ready for a night […]
WICN’s 6th Annual Newport Jazz Festival Bus Trip is happening on Saturday, August 1! Don’t miss your chance to join us once again for a smooth, comfortable round-trip ride and an unforgettable day of world-class jazz at Newport! Travel in comfort aboard the WICN Public Radio Jazz Bus and skip the hassle of driving and parking. 🕘 […]
The acoustic jazz trio The Bad Plus, the WICN Artist of the Month for June 2026, burst on the music scene at the beginning of the new millennium, releasing their first album in the year 2001 and creating a bit of a stir because, well, they did things a little bit differently. They began as […]
It was the late 1970s, and jazz icon Miles Davis had been invited to attend a musical event at the Carter White House. The trumpeter found himself seated next to the First Lady at a dinner immediately following the concert. And what had he done to merit such an invitation, the First Lady inquired, apparently […]
This National Jazz Month, we also celebrate a very special birthday, that of the Queen of Jazz. Ella Jane Fitzgerald, also known as the First Lady of Song, was born in Newport News, Virginia, on April 25, 1917. Known for her pure tone, wide vocal range, perfect timing and improvisational scat singing, Ella performed all […]
Known for her captivating stage presence and blues-infused jazz style, Cranston, R.I. native Shawnn Monteiro has been enchanting audiences for decades. Her warm, expressive phrasing and bursts of scat are reminiscent of two of her greatest influences, Carmen McRae and Sarah Vaughan, yet her voice is unmistakably her own. Music runs in her blood; her […]