The days and weekends may be for jazz, but during the evenings it's all about the folk! WDCB plays more folk and acoustic roots music than any other station in Northern Illinois, including bluegrass, Americana, world (Celtic folk and reggae), blues, Cajun and zydeco.
American Backroads
Wednesday, 11 p.m.
Hosted by Greg Easterling, American Backroads combines folk, country, blues and roots-rock from the 50s through the 90s to create an aural portrait of American music.
American Routes
Thursdays, 7 p.m., repeated Tuesdays, 10 p.m.
Hosted by Nick Spitzer, American Routes covers the "vast American musical landscape," spanning genres and eras: From Aretha Franklin to George Jones, Los Lobos to Howlin' Wolf, Count Basie to Beck.
Visit: www.AmericanRoutes.com
Beale Street Caravan
Thursday, 9 p.m.
Produced by the Memphis-based Blues Foundation, BEALE STREET CARAVAN features blues performances recorded at festivals and clubs, as well as interviews of various blues musicians by well-known blues personalities. This one-hour program is cohosted by Daren Dortin and Pat Mitchell.
Visit: www.BealeStreetCaravan.com
Blarney on the Air
Monday, 7 p.m.
BLARNEY ON THE AIR features the best of Celtic music - old and new, contemporary and traditional. Hosted by native Dubliner Shay Clarke, Irish music writer & expert Bill Margeson, and Maryann Keifer; each two-hour program is full of music, fascinating facts about Celtic music and its host countries, as well as stories and inside information about Ireland. Shay, Bill, and Maryann discuss everything from Irish weather to the their favorite spots in Ireland to enjoy music. And always, there is lots of good music... so Failte! (Welcome!)
Bluegrass Breakdown
Wednesday, 9 p.m.
Dave Higgs is host of Bluegrass Breakdown on Nashville Public Radio. We’ve put together an emotionally-charged, heart-rending, paint-peeling, splinter-kicking one hour bluegrass show.
Thematically, we’re all over the bluegrassical map, boldly covering such hot topics as broken things in Bluegrassland, gospel train songs, and “ain’t” tunes. We also make frequent trips to the seldom seen new bluegrass CD bins, where the latest discs in bluegrassdom are examined. And, of course, being based in Nashville, we feature scintillating conversation and live music with some of the best in bluegrass. Recent guests have included The McLains, Lynn Morris & Marshall Wilborn, Crucial Smith, Tim O’Brien & Dirk Powell, and the Larry Stephenson Band. Our goal is to edify, educate, and entertain — and we leave no instrument unpicked, no song unsung, and no interview undone in our continuing effort to so.
Visit: www.wpln.org/?p=19
Bluegrass Review
Wednesday, 7 p.m.
The Bluegrass Review includes Bluegrass classics as well as the current wave. Commentary links the songs together by reflecting on artists’ styles, song lyrics, or Bluegrass history, as appropriate to the selections. The Bluegrass Review is a music show that includes produced segments and in-depth interviews that adds insiders’ knowledge about Bluegrass music. The Bluegrass Review provides rich contexts for Bluegrass because Bluegrass fans are passionate about key Bluegrass figures and knowing about the evolution of the style. The Bluegrass Review creates several narrative threads throughout a given broadcast. The focus shifts several times during a program, so that there is plenty of variety. Phil Nussbaum is your host.
Blues Before Sunrise
Sunday early morning, midnight to 5 a.m.
Blues Before Sunrise showcases blues as part of a cultural landscape that includes jump and jive, rhythm and blues, swing, doo wop, gospel, comedy, and recitation, and never is the music presented as kitsch or retro fashion in the way that some music has been exploited and trivialized. For host Steve Cushing, the blues is a living African-American tradition with deep roots.
Visit: www.BluesBeforeSunrise.com
Blues Edition
Saturday, 7 p.m.
Sometimes it's Greg Freerksen, other times it's Leslie Keros, and even sometimes its both... but no matter the host, BLUES EDITION is always a great time. You'll hear the latest blues releases intermingled with classic cuts and traditional blues tunes, and the weekly "Blues Calendar."
Blues From the Red Rooster Lounge
Saturday, 9 p.m.
Visit the Red Rooster Lounge for an hour of blues on this award-winning show.
eTown
Wednesday, 10 p.m.
Taped before a live studio audience in Boulder, CO and other places around the country, eTown delivers the perfect mix of music, information and interviews. This one-hour variety show features musicians from many genres of music along with stories of people doing good work in their communities. Host Nick Forster, formerly of the progressive bluegrass band Hot Rize, helps make for an entertaining and inspiring hour of radio. To find out what musical guests are coming up on eTown, click below.
Visit: www.eTown.org
Folk Festival
Tuesday, 7-9 p.m.
Join host Lilli Kuzma for a great mix of folk artists and styles, from traditional and contemporary folk, to doses of related and influenced styles, like folk-rock, bluegrass, country, blues, Celtic, world, Americana, and more. Folk Festival presents entertaining themed shows plus topical and historical segments, and regularly hosts outstanding live studio guests, both Chicago-based and national touring acts. There are frequent ticket and CD giveaways, and on each show listeners are informed about area/regional concerts, workshops, and events, with the "Chicagoland Folk Calendar."
Lilli presents the show live, affording a fresh and direct presence with the listeners.
Interview Podcasts
Click here to view WDCB's Artist Interviews podcast page, which includes some of Lilli's past interviews including:
Folk Sampler
Monday, 9 p.m.
Folk music touches people in many different ways, some emotionally and some cerebrally. FOLK SAMPLER does both with a nice mix of folk styles.
Visit: www.FolkSampler.com
Hambone's Blues Party
Thursday, 10 p.m.
Hambone's Blues Party is a lively two-hour program featuring blues with some rhythm, blues with some soul and blues with some jump. Broadcasting from the backseat of his black Cadillac parked on the corner of Jazz Avenue and Blues Boulevard, Hambone plays the best in contemporary blues and classic R&B recordings. Jump start your weekend with Hambone!
Putumayo World Music Hour
Sunday, 8 a.m.
Discover a world of music on the Putumayo World Music Hour, an internationally syndicated radio show that takes listeners on a global musical journey every week. Hosted by Putumayo's CEO and Founder Dan Storper and Rosalie Howarth, the Putumayo World Music Hour is a weekly journey through the music of many different cultures, featuring appealing and accessible songs that are "guaranteed to make you feel good!" Playlists include well-known names like Bob Marley, Sting, Loreena McKennitt, and Santana, along with exceptional, underexposed international artists. The one-hour radio program also features interviews with world-class music makers such as Los Lobos, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Joan Osborne, and Taj Mahal who eagerly support and have been influenced by world music. Putumayo World Music Hour is sponsored by Ten Thousand Villages in Glen Ellyn.
Visit: www.Putumayo.com
Reggae Explosion
Saturday, 10 p.m.
The music of Jamaica is featured with your musical travel agent, Dave Castro.
River City Folk
Tuesday, 9 p.m.
This 60-minute show features interviews and folk music. RIVER CITY FOLK is hosted by Tom May, a well-known singer, songwriter and guitarist.
Visit: www.TomMayFolk.com
Tent Show Radio
Monday, 10 p.m.
Tent Show Radio is a weekly variety series showcasing live performances from Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua. Featuring Big Top's Artistic Director, Warren Nelson, the Blue Canvas Orchestra, and nationally and regionally renowned performers.
Visit: www.BigTop.org/tsr
