Our lives are composed of rhythms--from the beat of our pulses and breathing, to our weekly and yearly schedules, we are subdivided and intersected by rhythm. David Garland presents a range of rhythms from composers such as Dan Deacon, Moondog, Ennio Morricone, Tujiko Noriko & Takemura Nobukazu, Julia Kent, and Motion Sickness of Time Travel, and Villagers.

Sometimes diverse musical influences intersect in the orchestra, with exciting results. David Garland presents selections from Ravi Shankar's "Music Festival from India" from 1976, and highlights from a brand new recording, "Zvon," which features Czech singer/violinist/composer Iva Bittova with the Prague Philharmonic. Each musician's unique vision takes on majestic dimensions when presented with orchestra.

Sean Lennon returns to the WNYC Studio with Mystical Weapons, his improvisational collaboration with Deerhoof drummer Greg Saunier; artist, animator and projectionist Martha Colburn; and multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily. David Garland welcomes the group to the studio, they perform one short and one long set (look for the free music downloads available for a limited time), and they talk about the project.

Chilly Gonzales joins David Garland in the WNYC Studio to perform his piano music, and for a lively conversation about the ideas behind it.

David Garland presents some gentle and festive music for Christmas. The December darkness is illuminated with extended renditions of two seasonal songs that have been sung for centuries, a few familiar carols, and the elfin humor of the Christmas greetings The Beatles recorded for their fan club during the 1960s.

David Garland presents selections from a new 15-CD boxed set of every note of music composed for the original Star Trek, plus an interview with Jeff Bond, one of the collection's producers.

David Garland welcomes Judy Collins back to the show to perform new and old songs, accompanying herself on piano or guitar along with musician Russell Walden, and to speak movingly with Garland about memory, time, family, loss, and love.

During the 1950s Connie Converse lived in New York City writing and singing thoughtful, emotional, smart, witty, personal songs. She accompanied herself on guitar, a "singer/songwriter" before that term or style existed. The music industry of her day couldn't pigeonhole her, and didn't welcome her. Discouraged, Connie left New York in 1960, and in 1974 she wrote a series of farewell letters to her friends and family, packed up her Volkswagen Bug and disappeared. She has not been heard from since. This special edition of WNYC's Spinning On Air with David Garland, airs many of Connie's songs for the first time, and tells her story with interviews, commentary, and readings from her letters, journals, and poetry. 

The Hawaiian War Chant appears on nearly every album of Hawaiian and exotic music recorded in the 1950s and '60s. It's an up-tempo number, and so a lot of eccentric, excited arrangements of the tune were recorded. David Garland offers version after version of this ditty, which was actually inspired by an old love song.