WBGO | The Jazz Source

Hear Pianist Aaron Parks and 'Little Big,' Boldly Expanding Jazz's Sonic Palette, In Our Studio

Nancy Wilson, Legendary Vocalist And NPR 'Jazz Profiles' Host, Dies At 81

Jacob Collier Makes Staggering, Complex Music Feel Effortless

Have Yourself a Merry Heap of Christmas Jazz, Handpicked by Our Announcers, in Take Five

By editor • Dec 10, 2018

This week, WBGO announcers take over Take Five with 12 — wait, make that a baker’s dozen — favorite holiday tracks.

Hear Tessa Souter in Words and Song, with Guitarist David Gilmore, on Singers Unlimited

By Michael Bourne • Dec 9, 2018

Tessa Souter is a literally international singer. According to the analysis from a DNA-checking service, she’s made up of genes from an English mother, a Trinidadian father, and a variety of other peoples, including from eight countries around Africa.

Familiar Faces and a Few Surprises in the Jazz and Blues Nominees for the Grammy Awards

By Nate Chinen • Dec 7, 2018

Pianists Fred Hersch and Brad Mehldau, saxophonists Tia Fuller and Miguel Zenón, and vocalists Gregory Porter and Cécile McLorin Salvant are among the nominees for the 61st Grammy Awards.

WBGO News

Newark Public Schools Expands Girls Who Code Initiative

By Alexandra Hill • 26 minutes ago

A pilot program that teaches girls how to code is expanding across the Newark Public Schools in the hopes of engaging more girls in the fields of science and technology, which have largely and historically been dominated by males. WBGO's Alexandra Hill reports the district is enlisting the help of international non-profit organization Girls Who Code in order to do so.

Contemporary Take Puts a Gospel Spin On 'Handel's Messiah'

By Ang Santos • 3 hours ago

Ang Santos: This is an interesting program. We have a combination of music, gospel, jazz…bring us into this program a little bit. What should people expect when they come to see this?

Chris Whitaker: This is a version of ‘Handel’s Messiah’ like you’ve never heard before. It’s basically like Handel landed in the 21stcentury and crafted a modern oratorio for our time. It’s the original ideas, melodies, and lyrics from the Messiah, but it’s reimagined though a contemporary lens.

AS: A venue could really make or break this kind of show, am I correct?

Newark Today Year in Review 2018

By Alexandra Hill • 4 hours ago

On the next Newark Today, host Michael Hill of NJTV News will be joined by Mayor Ras Baraka and one ofthe highest ranking African-American state officials in the country, New Jersey Lietenant Governor Sheila Oliver. We'll take a look back at the role the Murphy Administration has played in moving Newark forward and what lies ahead for New Jersey's largest city. We'll be taking your calls LIVE at 1-844-677-9283 Thrusday December 20th at 8pm. Hear the program on WBGO 88.3Fm on WBGO.ORG or on the Newark Today Facebook Page.

Democratic plan to overhaul N.J. redistricting process met with landslide of opposition

By Joe Hernandez • 23 hours ago

A plan by New Jersey Democrats to reimagine the process of redrawing state legislative district lines is facing a growing outcry from good-government groups, progressives, nonpartisan voting experts, Republicans, and even some fellow Democrats. The critics say the plan would solidify Democrats’ political power for years.

The proposal — which critics have labeled partisan gerrymandering — would alter the membership of the state’s redistricting commission and force it to use a formula that would favor Democrats in the creation of new legislative districts.

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