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The Art of the Story
Hosted by Leo Sidran

WBGO's daily afternoon feature "The Art of the Story" is now a podcast. It's a unique peek into the world of arts and entertainment, featuring interviews with top performers and people making a difference in the arts, whether it be music, dance, books, and much more.

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Latest Episodes
  • Sonny Rollins, Corazón
    After traveling to Spain to accept a surprising jazz award, Leo Sidran finds himself wrestling with an old question: what is jazz, anyway? The answer arrives later that night at Madrid's Café Central, where musicians and fans gather to sing an impromptu tribute to the late Sonny Rollins.
  • The Rumble - from New Orleans to the world
    Dave Popkin talks with Big Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr. of The Rumble about his New Orleans roots, shepherding tradition into the future, and more.
  • Steve Schapiro’s Jazz: History hiding in plain sight for 60 years
    Leo Sidran explores the newly unearthed treasure trove from the archives of photographer Steve Schapiro, a photo book entitled "Jazz" offering a priceless look inside the happenings of jazz in 1960s New York City.
  • Jimmy Jam on his career of 'intentional longevity'
    Jimmy Jam of legendary producing duo Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis talks about his 50+ year career and legacy, and his new live storytelling event, Jamz & Conversation, happening June 4 at Sony Hall.
  • The Nth Power – Never Alone
    WBGO’s Dave Popkin catches up with The Nth Power to cover their new record “Never Alone” plus performing with Snarky Puppy and more.
  • Sonny Rollins
    WBGO and the jazz community mourn the loss of the great saxophonist Sonny Rollins
    On this episode of The Art of the Story, WBGO's Doug Doyle reports on the death of the great jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins
  • Miles Davis: “Geniuses are selfish”
    To mark what would have been Miles Davis’s 100th birthday, Leo Sidran revisits a rare 1986 conversation between Miles and Ben Sidran, recorded on the terrace of Miles’s Malibu home. As musicians around the world celebrate the centennial, Miles reflects on creativity, individuality, and the lifelong search for something new.
  • Emmet Cohen and the Search for Universal Truth
    In the centennial year of Miles Davis and John Coltrane, pianist Emmet Cohen says the greatest tribute to the masters isn’t imitation, it’s self-discovery. As his new album Universal Truth arrives the same week he turns 36, Cohen reflects on artistry, mentorship, and why jazz remains one of the last places where people fully inhabit the moment.
  • Crossroads Theatre's production of Sizwe Banzi is Dead runs through June 14 at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center
    Crossroads Theater Company presents the classic play "Sizwe Banzi is Dead" through June 14
    On this episode of The Art of the Story, WBGO's Doug Doyle previews Crossroads Theatre's production of "Sizwe Banzi is Dead"
  • Mike Harrison and the Art of Contentment
    At a moment when musicians are increasingly expected to market themselves as brands, Detroit pianist and songwriter Mike Harrison is connecting for almost the opposite reason: he seems perfectly content not trying to sell you anything at all. Leo Sidran talks with the unlikely internet favorite about songwriting, Detroit, jazz, and the freedom of low ambition.