WKCR 89.9FM NY

WKCR is pleased to announce the return of the annual Bach Festival 2024. For eight days, starting at midnight on December 24th, both 89.9 FM and wkcr.org will exclusively broadcast the works of composer and organist Johann Sebastian Bach.

Join us on December 9th, all day, as we celebrate the 92nd anniversary of the birth of Donald Byrd. Born Donaldson Toussaint L’Ouverture Byrd II in Detroit, Michigan, Byrd impacted the course of jazz significantly as a leader, sideman, and mentor. As a young musician in his early twenties, he came to New York and made his mark quickly, joining Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers within a year. His time in the Messengers was brief but important, as he stayed with Blakey through a transition period from the original band.

WKCR is excited to be broadcasting Talks & Tracks live from Press Play at Pioneer Works! From 12pm - 6pm on December 7th and 8th, tune in to hear a phenomenal lineup of speakers and tunes you will not want to miss! Check out the full line up here.

Press Play is a weekend-long fair of books, small presses, records, art, ephemera, and publications of all kinds, organized by Pioneer Works that is free and open to the public.

WKCR announces our annual celebration of the extraordinary Coleman Hawkins with a 24-hour birthday broadcast on November 21st, the 120th anniversary of his birth. Born on November 21st, 1904, Hawkins was a larger-than-life figure in the jazz world. It’s safe to say “Hawk” (who was also called “Bean”) influenced every saxophone player to come after him, directly or indirectly. With his signature sound and harmonic approach, he helped make the saxophone an essential instrument in jazz.

Unquestionably one of the greatest musicians of all-time, Roy Haynes generated an endlessly hip, dancing and undulating rhythmic current that powered innumerable bandstands and inspired countless listeners. Born in Boston on March 13, 1925, Haynes quickly established himself within the forefront of the music upon moving to New York in 1945 to join Luis Russell and remained the epitome of modern drumming for the rest of his career.

WKCR will honor the groundbreaker Lou Donaldson tomorrow, Tuesday Nov. 12th, with a memorial broadcast from 9:30am-9pm. As announced by his family, Donaldson passed away on November 9 at the age of 98.

WKCR is thrilled to announce the return of its highly anticipated Hip Hop Festival, an event that honors both the vibrant history of the genre and the station’s longstanding commitment to playing alternative and less-heard hip hop. The festival, preempting all regular programming on Friday November 15th, is a testament to WKCR's deep connection to hip hop's roots, its evolution, and its place in music history.

WKCR is very excited to announce the return of our fabled 48-hour Country Music Festival this upcoming weekend. Pre-empting all regular programming for Sunday and Monday, this festival will give listeners the opportunity to dive deep into the varied and rich traditions of country music. Being one of only a few tri-state area stations that honors traditional, eccentric, or less-heard country styles, we are more than proud to put this festival on and to have a bigger opportunity to play a variety of the music that the country genre has to offer.

WKCR is very excited to announce an eight-and-a-half-hour broadcast celebrating the 81st birthday of legendary musician Joni Mitchell. Known for her unique tunings, transcendent voice, and lyrical abilities, Mitchell has come to be seen as one of the defining singer-songwriters of the 20th century, with her albums Blue, Ladies of the Canyon, and Court and Spark all going platinum.

Tune into Sunday Profiles on WKCR 89.9FM this coming Sunday, November 3, to learn about Bauhaus! Pioneers of what came to be known as goth rock, Bauhaus’s experimental impulses and affinity for musicians like Eno and Bowie breathed life into an entire rock n’ roll subculture. Hosted by Ben Erdmann, the show will cover everything Bauhaus from the origins of the band’s name in the eponymous German design school to the band’s many breakups and reunions to its legacy in bands like Love and Rockets. Tune in from 2-7pm for some experimental goth rock!

Sid Gribetz presents the music of Houston Person this Sunday, October 27, 2024 from 2-7 PM.

WKCR announces our annual celebration of the great Clifford Brown with a 24-hour birthday broadcast on October 30th. Despite his tragic death at the early age of 25, Clifford Brown remains one of the most important and influential jazz musicians to have ever lived.

In addition to our 24 hours honoring the birthday of Fela Kuti, broadcast on FM and HD radio and online from 00:00 to 23:59 on Tuesday, October 15th, on Wednesday, October 16th, the day following Fela’s birthday, WKCR will celebrate the genre which Fela pioneered with a full additional day of afrobeat programming, extending the broadcast into a Fela Festival by honoring afrobeat more widely.

WKCR announces a 48-hour birthday celebration for Fela Kuti, broadcast on FM and HD radio and online from 00:00 on Tuesday, October 15th to 24:00 on Wednesday, October 16th. In addition to the annual Fela Kuti birthday broadcast, the day following Fela’s birthday will consist of additional afrobeat programming, extending the broadcast into a Fela Festival by celebrating afrobeat more widely.

WKCR is happy to announce a very special broadcast: our first full-day birthday broadcast in celebration of the life of American saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, who would have made 84 revolutions around the sun this year. Broadcast on FM and HD radio and online for 24 hours on Sunday, October 13, 2023, this broadcast will preempt all other regularly scheduled programs.

For our 10/6 Tennessee Border Show, WKCR will be celebrating the life and legacy of Kris Kristofferson who passed away this past week. Tune in to hear his music as well as covers of his songs and tracks from artists he inspired! Hosted from 12-2 by Ale Díaz-Pizarro

WKCR is very excited to announce a three-part birthday celebration for virtuoso Yusef Lateef. We will dedicate all three of our jazz shows (5-8:20 AM, 12-3 PM, 6-9 PM) to Yusef’s music. He was born William Emanuel Huddleton in Tennessee, but moved to Detroit at five years old. There, he discovered the sounds of jazz from the likes of Milt Jackson, Paul Chambers, Elvin Jones, and Kenny Burrell. He bought an alto saxophone for $80 when he was eighteen and started to play.

Tune in to WKCR on Thursday, October 10, for 24 hours of Thelonious Sphere Monk’s music in celebration of the 107th anniversary of his birth. Monk was born in North Carolina, but moved into the San Juan Hill (now Lincoln Center) neighborhood of Manhattan at 4 years old. He started playing piano at age 9, learning in the stride piano style. Monk dropped out of high school to pursue music. In 1941, Kenny Clarke hired Monk to be the house pianist at Minton’s Playhouse, the epicenter of “modern” music.

Tune into WKCR 89.9 FM or wkcr.org this Sunday, September 29th, 2-7 PM EST for a Sunday Profile featuring Cécile McLorin Salvant, praised by Angela Davis as "her generation's most accomplished jazz vocalist." Hosted by Ari, this Sunday Profile starts at the beginning of Salvant's career and features selected performances up through her newest studio album, Mélusine. Salvant's incredible storytelling shines through in each performance, particularly Mélusine, which illustrates the Euro

WKCR is excited to announce a special 48-hour salsa festival broadcast starting on Monday, September 30, in honor of Puerto Rican salsa legend Héctor Lavoe’s birthday. The festivities will continue on Tuesday, October 1, celebrating the greats of salsa. During this time, all regularly scheduled programs will be preempted. WKCR takes pride in being the first radio station to bring salsa music to the airwaves of New York City in 1971.

WKCR mourns the loss of Philly native jazz icon Benny Golson, after it was reported today that he has passed away at the age of 95. An incomparable musician, composer, and arranger, it is hard to imagine what the jazz world would be like today without his contributions over a near 70-year career.

Tune into WKCR 89.9 FM or wkcr.org on Sunday, September 22 from 2 - 7 PM (ET) to catch host Rachel Smith's five-hour profile of master musician, composer, and bandleader Charles Mingus. The interview will feature Mingus music, recorded from the '50s through today. The music will be enhanced with exclusive interviews with Charles's son Eric, a musician in his own right; Charles's friend and biographer Janet Coleman; and many members of the Mingus Big Band. Learn about the man and his music––only on WKCR!

WKCR is delighted to announce a unique 24-hour broadcast to celebrate the life and work of pioneering music historian, feminist, and record-label head Rosetta Reitz. This broadcast will truly be one of a kind, including both the entire catalog of Rosetta Records—a label founded by Rosetta Reitz that released often sidelined or underappreciated music of early women of the Blues and Jazz—and special interviews, recordings, and finds from the WKCR library and other archival collections.

WKCR announces a special 24-hour broadcast on Friday, September 27, in celebration of the centennial of Bud Powell’s birth. This celebration will preempt all regularly scheduled programs.

Join WKCR on Monday, September 23 as we conduct our annual all-day tribute to John Coltrane on the 98th anniversary of his birth.

On Monday, September 16th, Caribe Latino and Urbano Latinx will be pre-empted for a
3-hour Mexican Independence Day special, playing traditional and contemporary music from all over the country. Tune in from 10pm-12am to hear Ale Díaz-Pizarro, and then stay tuned 12am-1am to hear Natalie Najar.

Listen at 89.9 FM NY and stream at wkcr.org.

Tune in on Sunday, September 15th, 2 - 7 PM EST, for a deep dive into the work of one of hip hop’s most influential and transcendental artists: André 3000. From putting Southern hip hop on the map in Atlanta-based duo Outkast to his critically acclaimed features, and now to his solo venture into spiritual, ambient jazz, André 3000’s evolution as an artist and a visionary has continually ascended beyond the boundaries of genre.

Listen at 89.9 FM in NY & wkcr.org anywhere around the globe.

WKCR is deeply saddened by the passing of Brazilian musician Sérgio Mendes who was a catalyst in defining the sound of Latin pop and dance music and bringing Bossa Nova to the U.S in the 1960s. Mendes’ ensemble Brasil ‘66 hit single “Mais Que Nada” boosted his music career. The Band’s mix of light jazz, a bossa nova beat, and contemporary soft pop melodie perfectly captures why Bossa Nova is so incredibly.

Sid Gribetz presents Dinah Washington for five hours this Sunday September 1, 2024 from 2-7 PM on WKCR.Washington was born on August 29, 1924 and thus we celebrate her centennial this year. We’ll utilize the time on WKCR’s schedule on Sunday to pay a fitting tribute.

Dinah called herself "The Queen Of The Blues", and she was that, and then some, a larger than life character and a dynamic singer of great jazz, pop, rhythm and blues, and the American Popular Songbook.

WKCR is deeply saddened by the passing of the legendary jazz guitarist Russell Malone, who passed away yesterday. Malone was not only a brilliant musician but also a warm, generous soul who played a vital role in the New York jazz community. Known for his heartfelt playing, lightning-fast technique, and deep connection to the blues, he was also a mentor to many young musicians. His presence will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him and hearing his music.