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World Cafe WXPN in Philadelphia and host Talia Schlanger present interviews and performances with today's essential and emerging artists.

World Cafe

Essential and Emerging Artists
LA's Paisley Underground Scene Reunites With New Album

The Paisley Underground scene included (from top left clockwise) The Bangles (Autumn de Wilde), Dream Syndicate (Chris Sikich), Rain Parade (Stephanie Beltran), and The Three O'Clock (Chris Haston) Courtesy of the artists hide caption

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Courtesy of the artists

Studio Sessions

LA's Paisley Underground Scene Reunites With New Album

XPN

Dream Syndicate's Steve Wynn, The Three O'Clock's Danny Benair and The Bangles' Vicki Peterson share stories and songs from their new collab album, 3 x 4.

The Paisley Underground On World Cafe

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Macy Gray Has An Honest Optimism

Macy Gray outside the World Cafe Performance Studio at WXPN in Philadelphia. Taylor Johnson/WXPN hide caption

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Taylor Johnson/WXPN

Studio Sessions

Macy Gray Has An Honest Optimism

XPN

Ruby, Macy Gray's latest album, brings many similarities to her last, The Id. It's funny and funky, never saccharine, always uplifting.

Macy Gray On World Cafe

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Adia Victoria Captures The Spirits Of The Blues In A Simple Phrase: Black Genius

Adia Victoria Joshua Asante/Courtesy of the aritst hide caption

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Joshua Asante/Courtesy of the aritst

Nashville Sessions

Adia Victoria Captures The Spirits Of The Blues In A Simple Phrase: Black Genius

XPN

Her songs are poetic and political, steeped in both punk and cabaret, and sung in a voice that blends Eartha Kitt's cool with Nina Simone's fury.

Adia Victoria On World Cafe

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Listening For The Future During Black History Month

Left to right: Briana Younger, music editor and writer for The New Yorker; Jon Batiste, jazz artist and bandleader for The Late Show; Rodney Carmichael, staff hip-hop writer for NPR Music. Courtesy of Briana Younger / Abby Ross / Lauren Zillinger/Courtesy of the contributors / NPR hide caption

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Courtesy of Briana Younger / Abby Ross / Lauren Zillinger/Courtesy of the contributors / NPR

Studio Sessions

Listening For The Future During Black History Month

XPN

Late Show bandleader Jon Batiste, New Yorker writer Briana Younger and NPR Music's Rodney Carmichael join World Cafe for a spirited conversation on the black creators shaping the future of music.

Listening For The Future During Black History Month

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Tales From Glasgow's Most Storied Music Venues

Nicola Meighan plays tour guide this episode of World Cafe's Sense of Place. Alan Braidwood/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Alan Braidwood/Courtesy of the artist

Sense Of Place

Tales From Glasgow's Most Storied Music Venues

XPN

BBC Radio Scotland presenter, music journalist and author Nicola Meighan takes us around the city during our Sense Of Place visit.

Nicola Meighan On World Cafe

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J.S. Ondara's Sound Is Extraordinary And His Story Is Even Better

J.S. Ondara performs inside the World Cafe Performance Studio Galea McGregor/WXPN hide caption

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Galea McGregor/WXPN

Studio Sessions

J.S. Ondara's Sound Is Extraordinary And His Story Is Even Better

XPN

Ondara grew up in Nairobi, Kenya with big dreams of becoming a musician in the U.S. Hear a studio performance of songs from his debut album, Tales Of America.

J.S. Ondara On World Cafe

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Kacey, Margo And More: The Grammy-Nominated Acts That Visited World Cafe In 2018

Brandi Carlile performs a live World Cafe Session at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia. Liz Waldie/WXPN hide caption

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Liz Waldie/WXPN

Studio Sessions

Kacey, Margo And More: The Grammy-Nominated Acts That Visited World Cafe In 2018

XPN

Listen back to sessions from 2019 Grammy nominees who have come through our doors this past year.

Brandi Carlile On World Cafe

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Julia Jacklin Shares A Sneak Peek Of Her Upcoming Album, 'Crushing'

Julia Jacklin Nick McKinlay/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Nick McKinlay/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Julia Jacklin Shares A Sneak Peek Of Her Upcoming Album, 'Crushing'

XPN

Get a sampler of the Melbourne-based singer's forthcoming record that is personal, intimate and beautiful.

Julia Jacklin on World Cafe

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Steve Forbert's Story Spans 2 Media

Steve Forbert Jay Blakesberg/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Jay Blakesberg/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Steve Forbert's Story Spans 2 Media

XPN

It's been 40 years since Steve Forbert released his debut album, Alive on Arrival, and he's marked the occasion with a new album and a new memoir.

Steve Forbert On World Cafe

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How The Band Out Lines Turns True Tales Into Music

Out Lines' Kathryn Joseph, Marcus Mackay (Producer) and James Graham. Colin Campbell/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Colin Campbell/Courtesy of the artist

Sense Of Place

How The Band Out Lines Turns True Tales Into Music

XPN

World Cafe takes a trip to Glasgow to hear about Kathryn Joseph and James Graham's life-changing act of taking other people's stories and turning them into songs.

Out Lines On World Cafe

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Oh Pep! Makes Unpredictable Pop

Oh Pep! Ebru Yildiz/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Ebru Yildiz/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Next

Oh Pep! Makes Unpredictable Pop

XPN

The Melbourne-based band has always got a bent note or quirky chord progression up its proverbial sleeve.

Oh Pep! On World Cafe

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Gregory Alan Isakov On Barn Tunes And Sand Dunes

Gregory Alan Isakov Rebecca Caridad/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Rebecca Caridad/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Gregory Alan Isakov On Barn Tunes And Sand Dunes

XPN

Take a trip to the farm in Colorado where Isakov created his latest album, Evening Machines.

Gregory Alan Isakov On World Cafe

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Jim James: The Musical Magic Of Tidying Up

Jim James Justin Tyler/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Justin Tyler/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Jim James: The Musical Magic Of Tidying Up

XPN

The My Morning Jacket frontman reflects on some of the truths he's found in his own lyrics, including his thoughts on drinking and struggles to stay in the moment.

Jim James On World Cafe

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Nothing Deconstructs Songs In Studio

Nothing Ryan Lowry/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Ryan Lowry/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Nothing Deconstructs Songs In Studio

XPN

Hear a stripped-down set of songs from the band's latest album, Dance on the Blacktop, and Dominic Palermo's journey through life and the industry.

Nothing On World Cafe

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When In Glasgow, See Martha Ffion!

Martha Ffion performing live for World Cafe at The Hug and Pint in Glasgow, Scotland. Joe Malachi Silberstein/WXPN hide caption

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Joe Malachi Silberstein/WXPN

Sense Of Place

When In Glasgow, See Martha Ffion!

XPN

Recommended by locals, Martha Ffion treated World Cafe to songs from her debut album, Sunday Best.

Martha Ffion On World Cafe

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David Crosby Keeps The Harmonies Coming

David Crosby Anna Webber/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Anna Webber/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

David Crosby Keeps The Harmonies Coming

XPN

Even in his 70s, Crosby's stretching sounds in ways that seem to surprise and delight even the musician himself.

David Crosby On World Cafe

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