In the Wilderness

“For those who discovered her decades ago, she will remain part of the soundtrack of our lives; for those discovering her now, she will still sound like an artist speaking with extraordinary clarity and humanity,” so writes Thierry de Clemensat in Paris-Move. This hour of In the Wilderness likewise pays tribute to Cassandra Wilson, with

Warm September days were made for sipping PSLs whilst pretending you’re cocooned in Autumn comfort. KXRW’s Pumpkin Spice Latte playlist blends the sharp, pungent bite of ginger with the sweet, earthy warmth of nutmeg. Singers from Jane Birkin to Betty Carter, from Ethel Waters to Sarah Vaughan and Marianne Faithfull serenade your cinnamon-seeking senses with

Lo and behold, our eclectic music hour has a birthday this August, making “In the Wilderness” a Leo. To celebrate, we’re steppin’ out in ecstasies of jazz improv from Abbey Lincoln (Leo, August 6) and her entourage: Clark Terry, the Staple Singers, Stanley Turrentine. Sound sculptor Jeanne Lee makes 2 appearances ~ a cappella and

Hot weather got you down? Tossing & turning through another torpid night in your un-air-conditioned atelier? Glow up, then, with a playlist attuned to your sweat-sheathed vibe. Solo piano works by John Cage and Sir Arnold Bax infuse a bit of Arctic chill into the airless hours, while harpists Brandee Younger and Alice Giles conjure

Artemis orbits got you wishing on the moon? Us, too. Now, through the magic of radioland, we teleport you, dear listener, into the starry skies for a front row immersion into lunar-themed sounds by Bill Frisell, Renée Fleming, recorder virtuosa Michala Petri, koto master Elizabeth Falconer, and so much more. Prepare to launch! S O

“Rose petals seem to fall,” as Abbey Lincoln ushers in our homage to Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington, born 127 Aprils ago. Lean into the Maestro’s magic through orchestral as well as solo recordings. Plus: piano masters Ran Blake and Marian McPartland radically deconstruct Ellington classics. From a Dutch duet for harmonica & steel pan to

Carla Bley and Alice Coltrane, two American icons of improvised music, share our imaginary bandstand for Women’s History Month. We’ll plunge into the freewheeling joys of Bley’s jazz orchestra, then explore Coltrane’s reimagining of the harp as a spiritual instrument, including a classical chamber music arrangement of her Sanskrit-inspired “Prema.” Neil Molloy hosts. I C

Your voyage begins with water spiralling through the cosmos, via Japanese music for crotales, marimba, and vibes. Appealing percussive sounds from Scotland soon follow, then it’s off to France for full-throated chanting by a harmonic choir. Singaporean bassoonist Jo Anne Sukumaran jams with tabla master Sanjay Kansa Banik, and Mingus alum George Adams takes us

Greek guitarist Antigoni Goni once told an interviewer, “The guitar is capable of producing many colors and voices, but these colors do not originate from the instrument. They originate inside the mind of the artist, who must cultivate the ability to tap into this universe and create these colors through the guitar.” This month on

Oat Nog Alert! Mostly moody (and maybe a little bit merry) it’s an all-Yuletide hour for the holiday season.From fingerstyle guitar to choral to jazz to cabaret to gospel, here’s your chill soundtrack for snowfall, visions of sugar plums, and that crackling Yule log in your virtual fireplace…Neil Molloy hosts. ICYMI: Show archive: https://kxrw.fm/inthewilderness/ Meet