Daily Schedule

Ken Griffey, Sr., reflects on his 19-year major league career as player, scout, coach, manager…and the father of two professional ballplayers. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Ayad Akhtar on his latest work, “The Who & the What.” He’ll be joined by Nadine Malouf and Bernard White, who star in it. We’ll discuss a new production of Jules Romains’ dark comedy “Donogoo” with the director and translator Gus Kaikkonen and scenic designer Roger Hanna. Investigative reporters Tim Elfrink and Gus Garcia-Roberts discuss the scandals, hearings, suspensions, and repercussions of the use of illegal performance enhancing drugs in baseball.

Your morning companion from NPR and the WNYC Newsroom, with world news, local features, and weather updates.

If you ever wanted an excuse to leave your excruciating meeting, now you have it. We want you to sneak out of your meeting for an "important phone call" — to Brian. Plus: Former Governor David Paterson on the 50th anniversary of the Harlem Riot of 1964; The New York Times uncovers systematic brutality against inmates in Rikers Island; debating whether the U.S. should adopt France's "anti-Amazon" law; and a blueprint for new jobs for New York City.

The Peabody Award-winning program features Terry Gross’ fearless and insightful interviews with big names in pop culture, politics and the arts.

A wrap-up of the day’s news, with features and interviews about the latest developments in New York City and around the world, from NPR and the WNYC newsroom.

A wrap-up of the day’s news, with features and interviews about the latest developments in New York City and around the world, from NPR and the WNYC newsroom.

In this episode: "Rock, Forrest, Rock!" Kristen Meinzer and Rafer Guzman from The Takeaway’s Movie Date podcast look back 20 years to a huge blockbuster from 1994, Forrest Gump, and its overstuffed soundtrack of classic rock hits. They explain where the movie does justice to the music, and where the soundtrack falls into the trap of cliche. 

Then: We're in the thick of summer now, which means there's no better time to find a reprieve from the heat with a cold drink and the breezy, intoxicating sounds of Bebel Gilberto. As part of the first family of Brazilian music (she's the daughter of the acclaimed and influential João Gilberto), Bebel Gilberto has taken on traditional bossa nova rhythms and infused it with her trademark alluring vocals to create a hypnotic new sound. Hear the world renowned, multi-Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter perform from her latest record, Tudo! in the Soundcheck studio.

And: You can call him an entrepreneur, a mogul and an actor. But Nasir Jones -- the hugely successful and influential rap emcee Nas -- is best known as one of the greatest musical voices to emerge from New York City. In a conversation with Soundcheck host John Schaefer, Nas reflects on his 1994 debut album Illmatic -- which now being reissued to commemorate its 20th anniversary -- and a documentary film.

Listen to a program full of music that actually employs birdsongs, in all sorts of human-avian collaborations. (With the exception of a human chorus and a chorus imitating the sound of birds on Eric Whitacre’s “Little Birds,” that is.) Hear a big band post-jazz, post-minimalist work by John Hollenbeck, featuring the voice of Theo Bleckmann, and birds. Then, there’s the concerto for orchestra and birds on tape, “Cantus Arcticus” by the Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara. Plus, hear music from producer Chris Hughes, his “Slow Motion Blackbird,” and music by trumpeter/composer/sound artist Chris Kallmyer for the Los Angeles-based new music ensemble wild Up, and more.