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Studio Sessions : World Cafe Artists in conversation and performance from the World Cafe studios in Philadelphia.

World Cafe

Essential and Emerging Artists

Studio Sessions

Grandaddy's Jason Lytle On 20 Years Of 'Sophtware Slump'

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Aaron Farley/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Grandaddy's Jason Lytle On 20 Years Of 'Sophtware Slump'

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The Grandaddy frontman and songwriter saw the anniversary as an opportunity to re-record one his band's most-loved albums from a lifetime away and with a vastly different arrangement.

Grandaddy on World Cafe

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Waylon Payne Considers His Experiences With Familial Fame, Addiction On 'Blue Eyes'

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Pooneh Ghana/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Waylon Payne Considers His Experiences With Familial Fame, Addiction On 'Blue Eyes'

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In this session, Payne perform songs from his record Blue Eyes, The Harlot, The Queer, The Pusher and Me – songs that touch on his famous parents, his struggles with addiction and journey to sobriety.

Waylon Payne on World Cafe

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Joy Oladokun's Music Uncovers New Ways Of Looking At The World

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Noah Tidmore/Courtesy of the arist

Studio Sessions

Joy Oladokun's Music Uncovers New Ways Of Looking At The World

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Oladokun performs songs from her forthcoming album, in defense of my own happiness (vol 2).

Joy Oladokun on World Cafe

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The Black Roots Of Rock And Roll: Part 4

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Camp Candle/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

The Black Roots Of Rock And Roll: Part 4

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Celebrating Black History Month, music journalist John Morrison brings us music from black musical innovators from the turn of the millennium to the present day.

The Back Roots of Rock and Roll: Part 4

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Bartees Strange Asks, What If The Idea Of Genres Limits Expression?

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Julia Leiby/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Bartees Strange Asks, What If The Idea Of Genres Limits Expression?

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Strange's new album, Live Forever, finds room for plenty of different sounds and tells the story of his life along the way.

Bartees Strange on World Cafe

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Bootsy Collins Shares Recordings From His Personal Archives

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Nick Presniakov/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Bootsy Collins Shares Recordings From His Personal Archives

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The funk legend visits the Cafe with songs from his new album, The Power of the One, old favorites from his own personal archives, and stories about James Brown and George Clinton.

Bootsy Collins On World Cafe

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The Black Roots Of Rock And Roll: Part 2

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Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Studio Sessions

The Black Roots Of Rock And Roll: Part 2

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John Morrison shines a spotlight on Black rock innovators from the '60s and '70s, including Sly & The Family Stone, George Clinton and more.

The Black Roots of Rock and Roll Part 2 on World Cafe

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Panamanian Songwriter Sofía Valdés Carries On A Family Tradition

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CJ Harvey/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Panamanian Songwriter Sofía Valdés Carries On A Family Tradition

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The 20-year-old musician joined us from her home in Panama City for this mini-concert.

Sofía Valdés on World Cafe

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A Name You Should Know: Dutch-Ghanian Songwriter Nana Adjoa

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Latoya van der Meeren /Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

A Name You Should Know: Dutch-Ghanian Songwriter Nana Adjoa

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The rising singer-songwriter combines her African heritage, jazz training and love of American rock into a sound unlike any other.

Nana Adjoa on World Cafe

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The Black Roots Of Rock And Roll: Part 1

Sister Rosetta Tharpe performs onstage with the Lucky Millinder Orchestra, circa 1938. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images hide caption

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Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Studio Sessions

The Black Roots Of Rock And Roll: Part 1

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Join us as we explore how black artists invented and influenced rock music – where it started, and where it's going.

The Black Roots of Rock and Roll: Part 1

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Why Laura Jane Grace Ditched Screens To Make 'Stay Alive'

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Alexa Viscius/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Why Laura Jane Grace Ditched Screens To Make 'Stay Alive'

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Laura Jane Grace joins World Cafe to talk about how she made her new album.

Laura Jane Grace on World Cafe

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Funk Veteran Steve Arrington Teams With Knxwledge, Mndsgn On New Album

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Alexis Chabala/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Funk Veteran Steve Arrington Teams With Knxwledge, Mndsgn On New Album

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After taking a multi-decade break to focus on his ministry, Arrington teams up with a new generation of producers for his second solo album.

Steve Arrington on World Cafe

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How Fontaines D.C. Avoided The Sophomore Slump On 'A Hero's Death'

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Valerian7000/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

How Fontaines D.C. Avoided The Sophomore Slump On 'A Hero's Death'

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Frontman Grian Chatten discusses heightened expectations with World Cafe host Raina Douris.

Fontaines D.C. on World Cafe

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Arlo Parks Reminds Us That We're Not Alone

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Alex Kurunis/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Arlo Parks Reminds Us That We're Not Alone

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'Black dog' is slang for depression. It's also the name of a breakout song from Arlo Parks, a song for the moment if there ever was one.

Arlo Parks On World Cafe

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BENEE, The Artist Behind A Viral TikTok Hit, Gets Serious And Weird

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Harry Were/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

BENEE, The Artist Behind A Viral TikTok Hit, Gets Serious And Weird

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What's it like to have a song go viral on TikTok and rack up a half a billion plays on Spotify? Host Stephen Kallao talks with up and coming New Zealand artist Benee in this session.

Benee On World Cafe

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Matt Berninger's First Solo Album Was Inspired By Willie Nelson's 'Stardust'

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Chantal Anderson/Courtesy of the artst

Studio Sessions

Matt Berninger's First Solo Album Was Inspired By Willie Nelson's 'Stardust'

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The National's lead singer set out to create something warm and welcoming on his new album, Serpentine Prison.

Matt Berninger On World Cafe

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Kurt Vile Makes A Country Record

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Taylor Battle/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Kurt Vile Makes A Country Record

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In this episode, Vile shares the story of how he got to work with his musical hero, John Prine.

Kurt Vile On World Cafe

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Bill Callahan Shares Home Recordings From His Latest Album

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Hanly Banks Callahan/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Bill Callahan Shares Home Recordings From His Latest Album

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Bill Callahan knows how to inhabit characters that make it easier to see yourself, or someone you know, in them. His latest album, Gold Record, is no exception.

Bill Callahan On World Cafe

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Chris Frantz's Memoir Explores Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club From The Inside

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Tina Weymouth/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Chris Frantz's Memoir Explores Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club From The Inside

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From Talking Heads' first gig opening for The Ramones at CBGB to their last at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Frantz's' book is filled with incredible stories.

Chris Frantz On World Cafe

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The Bee Gees' Barry Gibb And Producer Dave Cobb Talk New 'Songbook'

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Becky Fluke/Courtesy of the artst

Studio Sessions

The Bee Gees' Barry Gibb And Producer Dave Cobb Talk New 'Songbook'

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Gibb has released a new album that presents the songs of his Bee Gee brothers in a whole new way.

Barry Gibb and Dave Cobb On World Cafe

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The Avalanches Explain Their New Album, 'We Will Always Love You'

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Grant Spanier/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

The Avalanches Explain Their New Album, 'We Will Always Love You'

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The Avalanches' Robbie Chater and Tony Diblasi talk about their new approach, their love of sampling and why their new album arrived so quickly.

The Avalanches On World Cafe

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