Featured Videos
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Title Tracks Live At WAMU
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Thaylobleu Live At WAMU
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More Humans Live At WAMU 88.5
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Laney Jones And The Spirits Live At The Wilderness Bureau
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Mount Moriah Live At The Wilderness Bureau
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Sun Club Live At The Wilderness Bureau
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Watch: Two Inch Astronaut Detonates At WAMU 88.5
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Bayonne Live At The Wilderness Bureau
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Possessed By Paul James Live At WAMU
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Mellow Diamond Live At The Wilderness Bureau
Near and Far
The Other Guys: 5 Bands Missing From The British Invasion
The Beatles may have opened the gates for British acts to find success on the American charts — but Lenny Kaye, guitarist of the Patti Smith Group and curator of the legendary ’60s rock compilation Nuggets, says plenty of worthy groups simply never made the trip.
Art Laboe And His ‘Devil Music’ Made Radio Magic
Laboe, a radio icon in Los Angeles, built a broadcasting career as one of the first DJs to play rock ‘n’ roll and to take requests live on the air. At 88 years old, he’s still drawing listeners in, six nights a week, playing the “Oldies But Goodies” that made him famous.
The Beatles, As America First Loved Them
Later, they’d get weird, experimental, and rebellious, but when the Beatles made their U.S. television debut 50 years ago, they were still just a band — but a magically brilliant band.
‘When The Bus For The Record Label Comes By’: Behind Hot Tone Music
Facing no interest from record labels, jazz bassist Mimi Jones made two albums under her own imprint. Along the way, she signed two “amazing, bad-ass” musicians — who also happen to be black female instrumentalists.
How A Stressful Night For Miles Davis Spawned Two Classic Albums
On Feb. 12, 1964 a high-stakes gig and some backstage tension led to a singular performance caught on tape.
Fanfare Ciocarlia: Tiny Desk Concert
From wedding songs to American rock ‘n’ roll to the occasional James Bond theme, the joyous Balkan brass band plays at a pace that would make the Ramones burst into a sweat.
A Male Singer Shines In A Woman’s World
António Zambujo sings fado, the style of music often called Portugal’s blues — but his work owes more to João Gilberto and Chet Baker than to his contemporaries in the genre.
Long Exposures Of A Creepy Garage (Also, The Beatles!)
Now a humble parking lot, the Washington Coliseum has seen a lot in its day — including a historic night in music.
Ringing In Black History Month With Latin Music
It is impossible to separate Latin music from its African roots. And what would be the point in trying? Meet some artists who are mashing and mixing African and Latin musical traditions in new and unexpected ways.
The Beatles’ Yearlong Journey To ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’
Even as they reached the Top 10 in Britain, appeared on TV and had young women swooning by the thousands across the pond, their first singles in the U.S. were released on tiny independent labels and went nowhere. What went wrong, and finally right, in the leadup to the night of Feb. 7, 1964.
The Good Listener: What’s The Perfect Soundtrack To Teenage Flirtation?
You’re putting together a dance for teenagers. What kind of music best reflects their adolescence?
John Butler Trio On World Cafe
Don’t call the John Butler Trio a “jam band.” As Butler himself says on this episode of World Cafe, the jams are part of the songs, not a springboard to more improvising.
Fresh Air Celebrates The 50th Anniversary Of The Beatles’ Arrival
On Feb. 7, 1964, the Beatles touched down at JFK airport. To mark the day, we’ll listen back to a 1995 interview with Ringo Starr and a 2001 interview with Paul McCartney.
A Rational Conversation: Ambition Returns To The Music Video
A decade after the MTV era ended, music videos are enjoying an Internet-fueled rebirth. Racy, interactive and homemade videos now go viral regularly and corporate partnerships and industry recognition are boosting budgets.
Warpaint On World Cafe
The foursome learned a lot from touring, and stripping the songs to their essence was the big takeaway. Their most recent album, self-titled Warpaint, is the first on which their drummer, Stella Mozgawa, has been part of the creative process all the way through. Today, we will chat with her about the band’s artistic growth and what kind of effect listening to a lot of hip-hop has had on the band’s sound.
Before He Joined Congress, A South African Janitor’s Disco Past
Penny Penny put down his broom and picked up a mic for his 1994 debut, now reissued.
Playing SXSW 2014? Send Us Your Songs
If you’re in Austin come mid-March, we’re asking for one song (via MP3) to represent your sound.
Violin Worth $5 Million Makes A Safe Return Home
Police in Milwaukee have recovered a Stradivarius violin and arrested three suspects in its theft. The instrument, said to be worth approximately $5 million, was stolen in a brazen armed robbery from the concertmaster of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra late last month. Mitch Teich of WUWM in Milwaukee reports on the violin’s recovery.
Seen The ‘Brokeback Mountain’ Movie? Now Watch The Opera
The opera, by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Charles Wuorinen, is streaming for free for the next 90 days. Its libretto is by Annie Proulx, who wrote the original short story.
Jason Moran’s ‘Live: Time On The Quilts Of Gee’s Bend’ Suite On JazzSet
Composer and pianist Jason Moran ushers in his era as Artistic Advisor for Jazz at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., with this performance, captured by JazzSet in honor of Black History Month.