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NYC Radio Live: Daily Summaries Delivered
by David Ellenbogen, host
Live performances and in-depth conversations with extraordinary musicians, artists, writers, and thinkers from more than 40 countries. Hosted by David Ellenbogen and broadcast on WKCR 89.9 FM in New York City. Creator of the 24-hour Ragas Live Festival, which debuted as a broadcast on WKCR in 2012 and is now presented annually at Pioneer Works.
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- 5 days ago1h 16m
Mustafa Abu Muhammad on the birth and intention of Qawwali
Mustafa Abu Muhammad's family have been practitioners of the ecstatic, Sufi musical tradition of Qawwali for 800 years. His uncle and his father lead the most popular Qawwali party in Pakistan, Fareed Ayaz & Abu Muhammad Qawwal, of which Mustafa is a member and he is the leader of Mustafa Abu Muhammad Qawwal currently touring the United States. In this interview, Mustafa shares the fascinating oral history passed down within his family about the origin of the first Qawwali party in Dehli led by Amir Khusro in the 13th century. It's a riveting tale! This episode was expertly translated on the fly by guest host Bhaskar Ghosh, Executive Director of the Society of Arts and Culture of South Asia (Palo Alto), a major force behind the Ragas Live Festival and NYC Radio Live. Mustafa will be performing in the grand finale of 24 hours of music at the Ragas Live Festival October 17-18th at Pioneer Works in Red Hook Brooklyn. Tickets are extremely limited.
- 2 weeks ago1h 29m
Smokey Hormel and Charlie Burnham
Smokey Hormel and Charlie Burnham have played with countless legends of music, like Johnny Cash, James "Blood" Ulmer, Tom Waits, Norah Jones, Cassandra Wilson, Beck, Adele, Justin Timberlake, to name a few. They are also the nucleus of Smokey's Roundup, the eclectic Western Swing band that has been holding it down on Wednesdays at Sunny's Bar, in Red Hook, Brooklyn for over 2 decades. If you're looking for a soulful experience in New York City, this is the place to go. We chat about their shared history, the joyful music they create and celebrate, and many of the legends they've encountered along the way.
- 3 weeks ago52 min
Ehsan Matoori on beauty of the music and poetry of Iran
Born in Iran in 1979, Ehsan Matoori is one of the leading Santoor virtuosos of today. Ehsan discusses the long and deep history, dating back thousands of years, of Persian music and poetry, his own journey, and his exciting new project, The Rite of Strings, whose debut album, Dust and the Moon will be released August 28th by Bright Shiny Things. For a deeper dive into Persian Music, here are a few artists Ehsan recommends. Mohammad Reza Shajarian – widely considered the greatest master of Persian classical vocal music. Hossein Alizadeh – one of Iran's most influential composers and tar/setar virtuosos. Faramarz Payvar – the legendary master who shaped the modern tradition of the Persian santoor. Parviz Meshkatian – an extraordinary composer and Persian santoor virtuoso whose music continues to inspire many of us. Pashang Kamkar – one of the great masters of the Persian santoor. Ardavan Kamkar – one of today's greatest Persian santoor virtuosos. Kayhan Kalhor – a master of kamancheh who has introduced Persian music to audiences around the world. Photo: Jacob Carlson
- Aug 18, 20261h 24m
The Chitlin' Circuit: Preston Lauterbach on the Road to Rock and Roll
The roots of rock and roll began in the 1930s, when jazz musicians looked for venues to play beyond the reach of mob-controlled clubs in the North. A promoter laundering his numbers-running revenue expanded this network of jook joints, barns, taverns, and luxurious clubs across the South, creating the Chitlin' Circuit that would bring the world Little Richard, Louis Jordan, James Brown, B.B. King and even Jimi Hendrix. The story is as wild as the music, and no one tells it better than our guest, Preston Lauterbach, author of The Chitlin' Circuit and the Road to Rock and Roll.
- Aug 11, 202654 min
T.H. Vikku Vinayakram, Selvagenesh, Swaminathan Selvaganesh_438
A 2016 interview and live performance with one of the great families of rhythm led by Grammy Award winner and Shakti percussionist T.H. Vikku Vanyakram, his son Selvaganesh (who would also win a Grammy with Shakti) and grandson Swamnithan Selvaganesh. Recorded at the East Indian Music Academy, this is a legendary lineup: T.H. Vikku Vanyakram, ghatam; Uma Shankar, ghatam; Selva Ganesh, kanjira and konokol; Swaminathan Selvaganesh, kanjira and konnakol; A. Ganesan, morsing; Avirodh Sharma, tabla. We are rebroadcasting today to say happy 84th birthday to Vikkuji! TH Vikku Vanyakram Rhythm has always been a quintessential facet of Carnatic music, and in the modern generation of percussionists, perhaps no other individual has mastered the intricacies and the laya endowments of the ghatam to such a great degree as Sri Thetakudi Harihara Vinayakram. T.H. Vinayakram, affectionately known as Vikku, has transformed himself into an international celebrity with his imaginative and beautiful drumming on the ghatam. Well known as a Carnatic artiste, Vikku came to international prominence as part of the famous fusion group Shakti, and went on to participate in many other international fusion music projects. V. Selvaganesh Selvaganesh Vinyakaram is the world’s premiere performer on the kanjira, the South Indian frame drum. Like T.H. Vinayakram, he is also a veteran of the fusion group Shakti with John McLaughlin winning a Grammy with the ensemble. Swaminathan takes forward his father Selvaganesh's efforts in making the diminutive kanjira be heard across the globe through his cross-genre collaborations. Under his grandfathers guidance and training, he brings out the mysticism of bhakti music and the traditional charm of classical notes through the kanjira beats. Avirodh Sharma is one of the leading Tabla Players from the West Indies and the United States. He is featured on Zee TV, TV Asia, NPR radio on the leonard lopatte show, NY Daily News, and at the end of 2015 making an appearance on the Starz Network Season Premiere, "flesh and bone"..
- Aug 4, 20261h 3m
John Medeski
John Medeski is one of the most versatile pianists and keyboard player of our time. Already gigging with world class musicians like Jaco Pastorius in High School and connecting with greats like Billy Higgins, Dewey Redman and Bob Moses in college, he landed in the adventurous downtown New York scene of in the 1990. That fertile artistic environment is where he connected with and formed the the exploratory groove trio Medeski Martin and Wood We chat about the downtown scene, his projects with John Zorn, Julian Lage, Jack DeJohnette, John Scofield, and the inspiration of keeping it analog. Photo: Michael Bloom
- Jul 28, 202628 min
Anand Avirmed
This is Anand Avirmed and Mari Tanka's set performed live at the 2025 Ragas Live Festival on October 18–19, 2025, at Pioneer Works in Brooklyn, New York. Anand's set featured traditional Mongolian throat singing (Khoomei) and playing the Morin Khuur (horsehead fiddle), along with Mari Tanaka creating acoustic drones. Audio: Mixed and Mastered by Parag Deshpande
- Jul 21, 20261h 16m
Ra Kalam Bob Moses talks Jack De Johnette, Charles Mingus, Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Drummer and composer Ra Kalam Bob Moses has had an extraordinary career working with just about everybody. Here's a partial list: Pat Metheny, Charles Mingus, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Jim, Larry Coryell, Dave Liebman, Gary Burton, Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock, Jack DeJohnette, Jaco Pastorius, Michael Brecker, Sheila Jordan, Bobby McFerrin, Bill Frisell, John Scofield, Dave Holland, Charlie Haden, Hermeto Pascoal, Danilo Perez, David Sanchez, Chucho Valdes, Savion Glover, Nana Vasconcelos, Obo Addy, John Medeski, Vernon Reid, Pharoah Sanders. He's coming up to town to celebrate his longtime friend and collaborator Celebrating Jack DeJohnette: Sound Travels August 9th at UPAC, the Ulster Performing Arts Center. A prolific artist, you can discover his latest recordings at his website.
About NYC Radio Live
Live performances and in-depth conversations with extraordinary musicians, artists, writers, and thinkers from more than 40 countries. Hosted by David Ellenbogen and broadcast on WKCR 89.9 FM in New York City. Creator of the 24-hour Ragas Live Festival, which debuted as a broadcast on WKCR in 2012 and is now presented annually at Pioneer Works.
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