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World Cafe (World)

  • Next available on WNCW 99.7
  • in 10 hours 19 minutes
  • Find another station or time for this show on one of 450 other stations & times
  • Host: David Dye
  • Since 1991, host David Dye has been exploring the frontiers of contemporary music for his listeners on a daily basis. Featuring live performance and interviews with established and emerging artists from across the musical spectrum, World Café is public radio's most popular program of popular music.
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  • Genres: World
  • Location: Philadelphia, PA
  • Language: English
  • Networks: NPR, WXPN
Last updated 137 days ago Update show info

Harper Simon: Folk-Rock Royalty

Wed, Dec 9
The musically gifted son of Paul Simon, Harper was on stage by the age of 12 as a guest on his father's famous '80s tour in support of Graceland. This fall, the younger Simon's solo debut finally surfaced. Earning comparisons to the work of Bob Dylan and Elliott Smith, the album showcases traditional gospel influences, Americana, rock and, of course, folk.

Mason Jennings: The Rise Of A Storyteller

Tue, Dec 8
Jennings' newest album is the moving and political Blood of Man. In this session, he discusses how he came to write the songs for the new record, and describes how it relates to his previous work.

Sunset: The Sounds Of Shoegazer Folk

Mon, Dec 7
This captivating group, spawned from the ashes of the band Sound Team, mixes nostalgic '60s and '70s music with refreshing modern sounds. Combining subtle folk with electronics, keyboards and Brian Wilson-esque harmonies, Sunset has created a deeply compelling sound.

Regina Spektor: Refreshingly Candid

Fri, Dec 4
Ever since the release of her hit 2006 album Begin to Hope, singer-songwriter Regina Spektor has become a left-field star. On her fifth studio album, this summer's Far, she makes her classical training work with her love of hip-hop, rock and jazz. In the process, she's again crafted an album full of intricate arrangements and witty lyricism.

Os Mutantes: A Trippy Return

Thu, Dec 3
One of the most influential Brazilian psychedelic rock bands of the Tropicalia movement, Os Mutantes recently released its first album in 35 years, Haih or Amortecedor. Formed by brothers Sergio and Arnaldo Dias, the group drew inspiration from the likes of Jimi Hendrix, English rock and traditional Brazilian music.

Cory Chisel: The Sacred And The Secular

Wed, Dec 2
Growing up in Appleton, Wis., folk-rock singer Cory Chisel first connected with music through the songs he heard in church. He learned about music and performance from his father, a Baptist minister. But it was his uncle's record collection that introduced him to the secular worlds of blues and soul.

The Lovell Sisters: Virtuoso Bluegrass

Tue, Dec 1
Listening to the tightly knit harmonies, soaring fiddle and complex string arrangements of The Lovell Sisters, it might surprise some people to learn that these siblings are each well under 30. With the much-anticipated release of their second studio album this past April, enthusiasm for the trio is growing internationally.

Phoenix: Jagged Pop For Francophiles

Mon, Nov 30
The four friends in Phoenix started out playing Hank Williams and Prince covers in area bars, but eventually landed a slot as a backing band for Air. Nearly a decade later, Phoenix has propelled itself into international renown. Its latest album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, blends catchy pop songwriting with a heavier rock sound.

Bobby Long: Bard Of The Teen Vampires

Mon, Nov 30
After British singer-songwriter Bobby Long moved to London to pursue his music career, he didn't realize that his burgeoning friendship with actor Robert Pattinson (of the Twilight films) would result in one of today's most popular soundtrack hits. In 2008, the 22-year-old's gravelly "Let Me Sign" was featured on the Twilight soundtrack. Sung by Pattinson, the song put Long on the map.

Rodrigo y Gabriela's Flamenco Metal

Fri, Nov 27
The music of Rodrigo y Gabriela combines delicate flamenco and metal-influenced lead guitar with stunningly percussive rhythmic strumming. Their covers of Metallica and Led Zepplin showcase their melding of hard rock and classical Spanish styles. But most of their music is original, and all of it instrumental.

One eskimO's Animated Life

Wed, Nov 25
The group One eskimO is an audio-visual endeavor, and its self-titled debut album includes a full animation. But while the band's idiosyncratic, self-produced videos are a notable component of its work, its expressive music is the heart and soul of the enterprise.

Steve Martin: Wild And Crazy Banjo

Tue, Nov 24
With his first bluegrass album, The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo, comedic genius Steve Martin reveals another side of his talent. One of the most successful stand-up comedians of the '70s, Martin is quite familiar with fame and sold-out performances. These days, though, he's capturing the crowd not with his jokes, but with his banjo.

Dawn Landes: Love Is A Rodeo

Mon, Nov 23
A sophisticated songwriter with a knack for wordplay, Landes has also worked as a recording engineer on several movie soundtracks. When she isn't behind the boards in the studio, she's singing her own indie-rock tunes. Her third studio album, Sweet Heart Rodeo, ties together classic tales of love and loss with the metaphorical device of the rodeo.

Tori Amos: From 'Sin' To Holiday Joy

Mon, Nov 23
For the first time in her career, Amos plans to release a collection of holiday standards. Following the release of Abnormally Attracted to Sin, released this past May, Amos makes a surprising shift to holiday gaiety on her 11th album, Midwinter Graces. Hear her perform a session from World Cafe.

Brandi Carlile: 'Ghost' Stories

Fri, Nov 20
At times, Carlile's most recent album, Give Up the Ghost, explores a surprising amount of raw, stripped-down territory. At others, she uses heavy layers of rich harmonies, awash in piano, guitar and strings.

Fanfarlo: Indie-Pop That Soars

Thu, Nov 19
Fanfarlo's spiky brand of rock feels both fresh and familiar. In addition to the usual lineup of drums, bass and guitars, the group employs an array of instruments ranging from keyboards and mandolin to horns. The result is a sound that's ambitious yet emotionally engaging.

Jack Penate: Dark But Danceable

Wed, Nov 18
On his sophomore album, Everything Is New, Penate exudes a refreshing sense of insight and experimentation. While the music has a gloomy undercurrent, each track is still fun and dance-floor-friendly, colorfully blending classic soul and pop with hints of Afrobeat.

OMG! The Cast Of 'Glee'!

Wed, Nov 18
Lea Michele (Rachel), Cory Monteith (Finn) and Amber Riley (Mercedes) from the cast of Glee join David Dye to chat about the runaway hit show and its music in this session from World Cafe.

John Forte: Free Body, Free Spirit

Tue, Nov 17
Since his release from prison following a presidential commutation last year, Forte has released a new EP and been actively engaged in humanitarian work. Hear his reggae-influenced hip-hop in this session from World Cafe.

Girls: Songs Of Sunny California

Mon, Nov 16
Born into the Children of God cult, Girls' Christopher Owens escaped a life of spiritual hardship only to end up on the streets. Upon meeting Chet "JR" White, the two created their widely hyped debut, Girls: Album. The record is an attempt by Owens to make peace with his past and pave a clean road ahead but the album isn't all serious. Lots of its songs are about hanging out with friends and, of course, girls.

Norah Jones: A Star Is Reborn

Fri, Nov 13
Combining pop, jazz, soul and country, Jones sold more than 20 million copies of her debut album, Come Away With Me, which won six Grammy Awards. Hear Jones play songs from her new album, The Fall, in a session from World Cafe.

BLK JKS: The Avant Garde In Africa

Thu, Nov 12
The buzz around BLK JKS started about two years ago, when the band released an eponymous EP; many called it avant-garde, in part because there's no other name for what BLK JKS does. Psychedelic rock, jazz, Afrobeat, blues, metal and reggae: The group crams all of these styles into an undeniably African rock sound.

Hear Music Where '7 Worlds Collide'

Wed, Nov 11
Working under the name 7 Worlds Collide, Crowded House's Neil Finn brought together a wide variety of popular artists to record The Sun Came Out, including Sharon and Liam Finn, KT Tunstall, Jeff Tweedy and Glenn Kotche of Wilco, and Ed O'Brien and Phil Selway of Radiohead. The result is overflowing with energy.

Langhorne Slim: Cinematic Folk

Wed, Nov 11
Slim's recent success is due to his simple yet eccentric lyrics and subtle melodies. On his new record, Be Set Free he demonstrates the savvy of a true professional and the excitement and optimism of the most energetic of newcomers. Slim's music combines folk and country elements with a cinematic feel.

Erin McKeown: Joyful, Playful Pop

Tue, Nov 10
Hundreds of Lions, released last month, is a hopeful and inventive album that showcases McKeown's bright soprano vocals and inventive folk-pop arrangements. Hear her in this joyful session from World Cafe.

Doveman: Soft-Spoken But Upbeat

Mon, Nov 9
With the release of the 2005's The Acrobat, 2007's With My Left Hand I Raise the Dead and an album in which he covers the soundtrack to the '80s movie Footloose, Thomas Bartlett established Doveman as a true sleeper. His third album of original material with Doveman, The Conformist, is a testament to his soft-spoken style. This time around, though, he adds flourishes of upbeat synths, drums and catchy choruses.

White Rabbits: Adventurous Pop

Mon, Nov 9
After abandoning their Missouri roots to start anew in Brookyln, White Rabbits' members established themselves in the indie music scene, touring with the likes of Spoon and The Walkmen. Their sophomore album, It's Frightening, was produced by Spoon frontman Britt Daniel.

Phoenix: Jagged Pop For Francophiles

Fri, Nov 6
The four friends in Phoenix started out playing Hank Williams and Prince covers in area bars, but eventually landed a slot as a backing band for Air. Nearly a decade later, Phoenix has propelled itself into international renown. Its latest album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, blends catchy pop songwriting with a heavier rock sound.

Mayer Hawthorne: The New Old School

Thu, Nov 5
Hawthorne's work is heavily indebted to the '60s and '70s soul music of Memphis and particularly Detroit; it's hard not to think of the Detroit-born singer-producer's work as an overt homage to the Motown label. Hear Hawthorne perform in a session on World Cafe.

Hugh Cornwell: U.K. Punk, Yours For Free

Wed, Nov 4
A onetime frontman for The Stranglers and part of the first wave of British punk, Cornwell has long been known as a top songwriter and performer in the U.K. His seventh and latest album, Hoover Dam, is a garage-rock homage. Hear him in a session on World Cafe.

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