The Art of the Story

“You can only go as far forward as you go back.” Ahead of his Miles Davis tribute at Carnegie Hall, trumpeter Keyon Harrold talks about influences, collaboration, and honoring Miles by staying true to himself.

WBGO’s Dave Popkin recently spoke with Guy Davis about his new record “Fight On! True Blues Vol. 2” as well as his original play “Sugarbelly and Other Tales My Father Told Me.”

Pianist, educator, and longtime jazz advocate Eli Yamin got his first job in jazz at WBGO as an 18-year-old board operator. Now, nearly four decades later, Yamin’s Jazz Power Initiative is partnering with WBGO as the organization prepares for its annual Syncopated Celebration at Symphony Space, honoring WBGO CEO Steve Williams alongside Lakecia Benjamin and Council Member Carmen De La Rosa.

On this edition of The Art of the Story, WBGO's Doug Doyle previews the GSP production of "My Lord, What a Night"

To mark Keith Jarrett’s birthday, Leo Sidran revisits a rare 1980s conversation between Jarrett and his father, Ben Sidran - exploring the pianist’s deeply personal ideas about presence, improvisation, and the state of mind behind his music.

WBGO’s Ray Long chats with NYC-based trumpet player Jon Lampley about his forthcoming album Notes To Self, as well as a prolific career as a sideman, backing Jon Batiste, Lake Street Dive, Cory Wong, O.A.R. and many more - not to mention Lampley’s decade-long tenure as a member of the house band for The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

Carmen Lundy tells Janis Siegel and Lezlie Harrison about the moment when she realized she was going to move to New York from her Florida home.

Writer Larry Ratso Sloman was more than ready for his close-up when director Josh Safdie tapped him to make his Hollywood acting debut in Marty Supreme — and discovered that four days on a movie set can rival a lifetime at the typewriter.

Marcus Miller

Leo Sidran goes behind the scenes with his father, Ben at the Palm Springs Jazz Festival. Part personal narrative, part exploration of how natural phenomena like overtones, particles, and waves shape our ideas of beauty — and part look at how creative work actually gets made.

Before “fake news” had a name, writer Clifford Irving pulled off one of the most audacious literary hoaxes in history: a fake autobiography of Howard Hughes. In this Art of the Story, Leo Sidran revisits Irving’s remarkable tale—part scam, part self-mythology, and a strangely prophetic mirror of our media age.

Celebrating Bobby McFerrin on his birthday

Remembering Bob Power, the innovative recording engineer and producer who helped to redefine the sound of Hip Hop.

Clyde and Gracie Lawrence of the band Lawrence talk about their creative philosophy, their use of humor, their approach to honest songwriting, and how that sensibility brought them to All Out On Broadway.

For Women’s History Month, Leo Sidran reflects on the evolving role of women in jazz — from overlooked pioneers to contemporary innovators reshaping the music today. Featuring insights from Caroline Davis, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Melissa Aldana, the piece explores how representation, authorship, and canon-building continue to shape the sound of jazz.

John Pizzarelli celebrates Tony Bennett with Dear Mr. Bennett

Palladium Celebrates the Music of Wayne Shorter

On this edition of The Art of the Story, we preview MAM's African American Cultural Committee's "Art Meets Jazz" series which this year features the Brandee Younger Trio

On this episode of The Art of the Story, founder Deborah Belfatto and Newark's FIrst Lady Linda Baraka talk about the 4th annual Let's Talk Women's Health & Wellness Symposium at NJPAC

On this episode of The Art of the Story, bassist and singer-songwriter Antonio McLendon talks about his faith, the family's musical legacy and his amazing daughter Samara Joy

On this episode of The Art of the Story, jazz pianist, composer and bandleader Charu Suri talks about her 2026 Grammy-nominated album "Shayan"

On this episode of The Art of the Story, Nanny Assis and Bobby Sanabria talk about a special concert coming up at Dizzy's Club that celebrates the iconic sound of Antonio Carlos Jobim

On the episode of The Art of the Story, we preview HFAS18 with founder and CEO Dion Clarke

On this episode of The Art of the Story, Leo Sidran talks to trumpeter David Weiss of The Cookers

On this episode of The Art of the Story, we learn about the "Corona Collection" exhibit at the Louis Armstrong House Museum

On this episode of The Art of the Story, director Justin Emeka's world premiere adaptation of "A Doll's House" is set in 1950's New Jersey.

On this episode of The Art of the Story from the WBGO Archive, Catherine Russell chats with Monifa Brown at J&R music in 2008

On this episode of The Art of the Story, pianist Lafayette Harris, Jr. talks to WBGO's Gary Walker about his mentor Max Roach

On this episode of The Art of the Story from the WBGO Archive, Tony Bennett chats with WBGO's Michael Bourne about "Perfectly Frank"

On this episode of The Art of the Story, Video Music Box founder Ralph McDaniels talks about the similar beginnings of Jazz and Hip-Hop

On this episode of The Art of the Story, WBGO's Dave Popkin speaks with blues guitarist and singer Solomon Hicks

On this episode of The Art of the Story, we focus on a 2018 Audie Cornish interview with Ravi Coltrane and Christian McBride about the release of John Coltrane's Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album that year.

On this episode of The Art of the Story, legendary sportswriter Jerry Izenberg talks about his new novel "Damn You, Josh Gibson: A Ghost Story"

On this episode of The Art of the Story, WBGO's Gary Walker chats with saxophonist and composer Noah Preminger

On this episode of The Art of the Story, WBGO's Doug Doyle chats with Michael Dorf, producer of the Music Of concert series and the founder of City Winery

On this episode of The Art of the Story, we pay tribute to Ken Peplowski who died this week while of The Jazz Cruise

On this episode of The Art of the Story, host Doug Doyle runs down the jazz winners at the 68th Grammy Awards ceremony in LA

On this episode of The Art of the Story, Leo Sidran talks to Arturo Sandoval about his return to 92NY

On this episode of The Art of the Story, guitarist Julian Lage talks about how his parents have influenced his music

On this episode of The Art of the Story, WBGO's "Daybreak" host Gary Walker chats with Susan Brecker and Darryl Pitt about the 5th annual "Nearness of You Concert"

On this episode of The Art of the Story, WBGO's Brian Delp chats with Grammy-winning saxophonist Joe Lovano about his upcoming week at SMOKE Jazz Club

On this episode of The Art of the Story, trumpeter Joe Magnarelli talks with WBGO's Gary Walker about his new album "Decidedly So"

On this episode of The Art of the Story, internationally acclaimed singer N'Kenge talks about her new musical honoring Dorothy Dandridge

On this episode of The Art of the Story, Melba Moore talks about her new memoir "This Is It - Marvelous and Getting Better"

On this episode of The Art of the Story from the WBGO Archive, Diana Krall chats with Michael Bourne at the 2014 Montreal Jazz Festival

On this episode of The Art of the Story, WBGO's Doug Doyle chats with director Ryan Sarno and actress and co-producer Gabriella Piazza about "The Diner Anthologies"

On this episode of The Art of the Story, we honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

On this episode of The Art of the Story from the WBGO Archive (2002), Ashley Kahn gives his essay on John Coltrane

On this episode of The Art of the Story, we hear from Gary U.S. Bonds and Joe Grushecky about Light of Day WinterFest 2026

On this episode of The Art of the Story, WBGO's Doug Doyle chats with jazz pianist Aaron Parks