On Air · January 2026
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WKCR 89.9 FM Executive Board Station Manager Casey Lamb stationmanager@wkcr.org Program Director Rachel Smith programming@wkcr.org Director of Operations Teddy Wyche operations@wkcr.org Student Life Director Sara Carson studentlife@wkcr.org Publicity Director Ella Presiado publicity@wkcr.org Business Manager Solène Millsap business@wkcr.org Department Directors Jazz Emma Lacy & Hadassah Weinmartin jazz@wkcr.org New Music Phi Deng newmusic@wkcr.org
Dear Listeners, Happy New Year! After another wonderful year of Bachfest, we are gearing up for a new year of great programming, with some exciting broadcasts this January. Of course, as always, our Max Roach birthday broadcast returns on Saturday, January 10th. Antonio Carlos Jobim and Roy Eldridge broadcasts will be on the 25th and 30th, respectively. We also have an exciting new broadcast this year, which will be a joint birthday broadcast between two great—but very different—composers, Phillip Glass and Franz Schubert, both with birthdays on January 31st. In this month’s edition of the On Air Guide, you’ll find some great reviews! Including a review of De La Soul’s new record, the recent Met Opera production of Carmen, and a retrospective on The Rolling Thunder Revue. Additionally, see an exciting annual list of WKCR’s collective Top 50 albums of 2025 as selected by dozens of different hosts and people around WKCR. This will be an exciting month for the station, I hope you can tune in! Thanks again for a fantastic 2025, another year of great programming and music here on WKCR begins now! Radio On,
Classical Charlie Kusiel King classical@wkcr.org
Casey Lamb Station Manager
American Ben Rothman american@wkcr.org In All Languages Jayin Sihm ial@wkcr.org Latin Merielen Espino latin@wkcr.org News & Arts Ian Pumphrey news@wkcr.org Sports Mason Lau & CJ Gamble sports@wkcr.org
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Mailing Address
CONTACT US
2920 Broadway General Inquiries: board@wkcr.org New York, NY 10027 Listener Line: 212-854-9920 USA ©Copyright 2025 WKCR FM NYC
THIS MONTH ON AIR The Met's Carmen
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De La Soul's Cabin in the Sky
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50 Years of Rolling Thunder Revue Weekly Schedule
. . . page 8
Special Broadcasts & Themed Shows
. . . page 10
Show Listings for WKCR Listeners
. . . page 11
50 Years of Rolling Thunder Revue
. . . page 14
Around the Station
. . . page 17
WKCR's Favorite Albums of 2025
. . . page 18
YOUARE LISTENING TO
Cover by McCartney Garb
On Air · January 2026
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CLASSICAL
The Met’s Carmen Carmen:: Tradition Meets Contemporary Grit
A
by Hadassah Weinmartin
great privilege that comes with being a New York city resident is the proximity to and access to the Metropolitan opera. Anyone can momentarily leave behind the stress of daily life and lose themselves in three and a half hours of masterfully executed art. The Met’s 2025-2026 season is full of classic operas: Don Giovanni, La Boheme, Arabella, but none more classic than George Bizet’s Carmen, which I had the pleasure of attending at 7:30 pm on November 17th. This is far from the first time Carmen has been performed at the Met. It premiered in 1884 and became a Met staple in 1893, with a generation-defining performance by Emma Calvé, who went on to perform the role 138 times at the Met before 1904. Being the Met’s 1,047th performance of Carmen, it could be imagined that there would be a staleness or unavoidable cliche that would start to overcome even the most technically perfect performances. This was not the case thanks to the imagination of the production team including director Carrie Cracknell, set designer Michael Levine, costume designer Tom Scutt, and many others. This Carmen is set in a contemporary, industrial American town, (rather than Seville, Spain). The costumes, set design, and lighting were glaringly modern, but if the goal was keeping Carmen bold and relevant, this was achieved. The opera begins with the ensemble gathered outside an arms factory. There is a chain link fence and a life-sized semi truck docked in the background. The physical constraints of the large trucks in this production significantly influenced the blocking and choreography, dictating the positional relationships and
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movement of performers on stage. There is a party dance sequence in the semi truck in Act II, and it is set on fire in Act III. An actual pickup truck accompanies Escamillo and his entourage, with characters frequently climbing in and out of it. It is a bold choice that does not detract from the drama, even as it emerges as the visual focal point of the scene. The industrial set design was engaging and extremely effective, if not slightly distracting from the musical essence of the opera. For someone who expects the stereotypical extravagant gowns of an opera, it can be a striking change when the audience is dressed more formally than the performers. Carmen’s short jean shorts and cowboy boots accompanied by Escamillo’s flashy bolo tie certainly match the essence of their characters. The soldiers all sport patches donning the American flag—I could practically feel myself sweating from the southwestern desert heat. Carmen is a production that lends itself to modern reinterpretation, the English National Opera also put on a production set in 1970s Spain. The American shift in setting gives the production a particular relevance to its audience, reminding us how the issues of class and gender that define Carmen also persist today. The final standout aspect of the production, stark and impossible to ignore, was the lighting. Guy Hoare’s bold lighting design sells Carmen’s industrial reimagining with hundreds of fluorescent LEDs surrounding the rotating stage. In Act II, the LEDs blink, creating an illusion of movement around the semi truck, as if it were speeding along a highway. The lights in the final act glow red, foreshadowing the tragic
death in the final scene. These lights are a glaring playing into Don Jose’s descent from love into modern addition, and can at times distract the obsession. A sure highlight of the evening was audience, especially if you are predisposed to the incredible voice of Kristina Mkhitaryan eye issues. The LEDs are successful in making who shined in her portrayal of Micaëla. Her the production more intense, a technological acting was natural and moving, her voice was boost to the opera’s drama, perhaps appealing pure and expressive, and she received a well to a younger audience deserved standing ovation who is accustomed after the iconic aria, “Je to more saturated dis que rien m’epouvante.” entertainment. Each act The larger-than-life began behind a large set design and bright opaque screen with a LED lights are the focus shadowy vignette of of this show, arguably Carmen and her lover, above the performance giving a hint to the of the singers. It may take upcoming act’s plot. I more energy to follow thought this was a nice the plot and character touch and creative use development amidst all of lighting design to of the moving pieces ground the audience and wild-west costumes. back into the plot. Still, the singers deliver As expected, the confident, committed musical performance performances that at the Met was superb. ground the production Under the expert baton and sustain the dramatic of Fabien Gable, the weight of Bizet’s score. orchestra masterfully This may not be the Work Projects Administration Poster Collection production of Carmen to executed Carmen’s classic score. The see if you are unfamiliar Playbill aptly states how “[t]he score of Carmen with the opera, but it is an excellent production contains so many instantly recognizable to keep Bizet’s dramatic energy and creativity melodies that it can be easy to overlook how alive. well constructed it is. The orchestra brings to This production of Carmen will be running life a wide palette of sound. The major solos are at the Met Opera until January 23, 2025, now excellent combinations of arresting melody and with Aigul Akhmetshina as Carmen, Michael dramatic purpose…” With an opera as iconic Fabiano as Don José, and Janai Brigger as as Carmen, audiences are acutely aware of Micaëla. In the final month of this season’s run, how the melodies are traditionally performed, the Met’s Carmen invites audiences to step into which places slightly more pressure on the the new year with a fresh sense of curiosity and singers than usual. appreciation for opera’s enduring power. Fortunately for expectant attendees, the overall vocal performance was very strong. I witnessed the surprise Met Opera debut of Hadassah Weinmartin is a Jazz Oksana Volkova in the role of Carmen. She Department Director and programmer of approached the role with evident enthusiasm Out to Lunch every other Friday from 12PM and presence. Distinguished tenor Matthew to 3PM. Polenzani commanded the role of Don Jose with his rich voice. His acting was compelling,
On Air · January 2026
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AMERICAN
The Brilliance of De La Soul’s Cabin in the Sky
A
by Gwynn Schliesser
fter a nine-year hiatus, De La Soul Because that magic is simply De La” returns to the hip-hop scene with their Amid the atmospheric production, the tenth studio album Cabin in the Sky. The surviving members affirm that De La Soul will original members—Vincent “Maseo” Mason always be a trio. Acknowledging the void left Jr., Kelvin “Posdnous” Mercer, and Dave Jude by Trugoy’s death shapes the album’s pensive “Trugoy the Dove” Jolicoeur—first gained undertones while simultaneously keeping a acclaim in the late 80s withtheir absurdist, danceable front. playful intelligence and eclectic sampling Cabin in the Sky also features several hipso distinctive it sent listeners straight to the hop legends, including Q-Tip of A Tribe Called liner notes. Their 1989 debut, 3 Feet High and Quest, appearing on “Day in the Sun.” The Rising, carved a parallel collaboration recalls their path compared to their shared history, beginning contemporaries. Their in the 90s, when both alternative take focused on groups were members wit and reflection rather of the Native Tongue than ultramasculine collective, a New Yorkconfrontation—all based movement known while sounding like for advancing a bohemian, they were having more Afrocentric approach to fun doing it, too. Their hip-hop. “Run It Back!!,” unique, groove-oriented, featuring Nas, positions ‘make you listen twice’ De La Soul and Nas as dedication to rap lives artists who remember on in their new album, the past through a lens inviting the audience of perspective rather into their imaginative than nostalgia. Instead of Cover Art by Hebru Brantley, chasing ephemeral trends contemplations of the Cabin in the Sky afterlife. or positioning themselves It would be impossible to review Cabin in the in competition with younger artists, the track Sky, a key album in Mass Appeal’s “Legend Has reflects on what endures—craft and cultural It” series, without acknowledging the absence impact—affirming their status as icons whose of Trugoy, who died in 2023. The album work continues to resonate. Other notable posthumously includes his unreleased vocal collaborators on the album include Slick Rick, tracks and explicitly honors him on the first Killer Mike, Common, and Black Thought of track, “YUHDONTSTOP.” The Roots, along with Bilal, Yummy Bingham, “And remember and Yukimi. When It’s Pos and Maseo you see The final song, “Don’t Push Me,” is the The magic will always remain three haunting, unreleased track of Trugoy. Opening
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De La Soul
with Giancarlo Esposito’s booming, Godlike voice, Trugoy’s fragile vocals float over a minimalist production. Built on punchy reflections of Black life in America, the track now serves as a tribute, with its minimalistic arrangement becoming a rhythmic pondering on legacy and the enduring presence of Trugoy’s voice in De La Soul. While Cabin in the Sky’s length may test listener patience, it stands as a classic by classics. The record is as much a meditation on what endures beyond life as it is a celebration of De La Soul’s continued impact on hip-hop.
Photo by Mika Väisänen
This is not an album to just throw on in the background. Instead, sit back, relax, and be transported by De La Soul’s enduring artistry and playful ingenuity.
Gwynn Schliesser frequently programs Night Train on Wednesday mornings from 1AM to 3AM.
On Air · January 2026
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5:00 am 6:00 am 7:00 am
SUNDAY
MONDAY
WEDNE
TUESDAY
Jazz ‘til Dawn (cont’d)
Daybreak
Field Trip
8:00 am 9:00 am
Amazing Grace
Monday Morningside
Bird F
10:00 am 11:00 am
Cereal Music
The Moonshine Show
12:00 pm 1:00 pm The Tennessee Border Show
Out to Lunch
2:00 pm
Sin Fro
3:00 pm 4:00 pm 5:00 pm
Sunday Profiles
Afternoon New Music
6:00 pm 7:00 pm 8:00 pm
Jazz Alte
Raag Aur Taal
9:00 pm 10:00 pm 11:00 pm 12:00 am 1:00 am 2:00 am
News + Arts Programming Live Constructions Back in the USSR The Celtic Show
Urbano Latinx
Honky Tonkin’
Nueva C
Tuesday’s Just as Bad
Som do
Night Train
Transfigur
Coordinated Universal Time
3:00 am 4:00 am
Caribe Latino
Phil Lives
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Transfigured Night
ESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY Transfigured Night (cont’d) Sounds of Asia/Couleurs Antillaises
k Express
5:00 am 6:00 am 7:00 am 8:00 am
Flight
9:00 am
Now's The Time Eastern Standard Time Early Music
10:00 am 11:00 am 12:00 pm
Across 110th Street
Out to Lunch
onteras
2:00 pm
Something Inside of Me
Bach Hour
Canción
o Brasil
red Night
Hobo’s Lullaby
Middle Eastern Influences
Sonidos Colombianos
Saturday Night at the Opera 11:00 pm 12:00 am
The Mambo Machine
Transfigured Night
8:00 pm
10:00 pm
Notes From Underground Offbeat
7:00 pm
9:00 pm
Workaround The African Show
5:00 pm 6:00 pm
Traditions in Swing
ernatives
3:00 pm 4:00 pm
Afternoon Classical
Extended Technique
1:00 pm
El Sonido de la Calle
1:00 am 2:00 am 3:00 am 4:00 am
Jazz ‘til Dawn
On Air · January 2026
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Special Broadcasts SPECIAL BROADCASTS
Max Roach Birthday Broadcast Saturday, January 10, all day
The first special broadcast of each new year pays tribute to the legendary drummer Max Roach. From his iconic quintet with Clifford Brown in the 1950s, to his collaboration with Abbey Lincoln in the 1960 We Insist! Freedom Now Suite, to the 1970s percussion ensemble M’Boom, Roach constantly carried the music forward. This special broadcast will feature commercially released recordings as well as newly unearthed content from the WKCR archives.
Franz Schubert & Philip Glass
Saturday, January 31, all day Two great composers, one birthday: such is the setup for this special 24-hour broadcast. Taking a page from our own Bird/Prez playbook, WKCR produces a combined celebration of Austrian classical composer Franz Schubert and American classical and new music composer Philip Glass. In each program, the works and worlds of Schubert and Glass will come together. This broadcast promises to change, challenge, and deepen the way you listen to and understand both Schubert and Glass.
THEMED SHOWS
Columbia Men's Basketball v. SUNDAY PROFILES Dartmouth Sundays 2:00-7:00 PM Saturday, January 24, 2PM start The WKCR Sports Department offers live Labeled commentary as the Columbia Men’s Basketball January 4 Host: Jack Cohn and Steve Mandel team faces off against The Dartmouth Big Green.
Antonio Carlos Jobim
Sunday, January 25, all day WKCR’s only yearly Latin Department birthday broadcast honors Brazilian legend Antonio Carlos Jobim. Father of the bossa nova tradition, Jobim left an indelible mark on the sound of the ‘60s. But his impact withstood the test of time: the best-known testament to his career as a songwriter, his beloved composition “The Girl from Ipanema” remains one of the most recorded tunes in music history
Roy Eldridge Broadcast
Birthday
Friday, January 30, all day Ella Fitzgerald once said of Roy Eldridge, “He’s got more soul in one note than a whole lot of people could get into the whole song.” WKCR celebrates this defining trumpeter of the swing era, who set the stage for bebop, with our usual 24-hour birthday broadcast. Little Jazz lives!
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Steve and Jake are back on WKCR with another episode of Labeled––a five-hour deep dive into the musical output of one record label.
TBD
January 11
Host: TBD Please check our website and social media for updates regarding the subject and host of this week’s Sunday Profile
TBD
January 18
Host: Sid Gribetz WKCR’s iconic Sunday Profile host, Sid Gribetz, returns with a five-hour broadcast diving into the life and work of a jazz great.
ON AIR
Show Listings
JAZZ
Daybreak Express, Mon.-Fri. 5-8:20am Out to Lunch, Mon./Tues./Thurs./Fri. 12-3pm Jazz Alternatives, Mon.-Fri. 6-9pm The core of our jazz offerings, these three programs span the entire range of recorded jazz: everything from New Orleans jazz, jazz age, swing era, bebop, hard-bop, modal, free, and avant-garde. Hosts rotate daily, offering an exciting variety of approaches, some of which include thematic presentation, artist interviews, or artist profiles. On the first Wednesday of every month, Jazz Alternatives becomes “The Musician’s Show” and is hosted by a professional working musician. Birdflight, Tues.-Thurs. 8:20-9:30am Archival programs from the late Phil Schaap, one of the world’s leading jazz historians, producers, and an NEA Jazz Master, who hosted this daily forum on the music of Charlie Parker for about 40 years. Now's The Time*, Fri. 8:20-9:30am The newest show from WKCR Jazz is dedicated to jazz as a living art form and features the music of young, upand-coming musicians pushing the genre forward. Traditions in Swing, Sat. 6-9pm Archival programs from the late Phil Schaap. This awardwinning Saturday night staple presents focused thematic programs on jazz until World War II. Schaap presents the music, much of it incredibly rare, from the best sound source—often the original 78 issue. Phil Lives*, Mon. 3-5am Selections of archival programs from late Phil Schaap. This show features interviews, tributes, and portions of longform programs. Jazz ‘til Dawn, Sun. 4-6 AM An early Sunday morning jazz program, limitless in era and style.
CLASSICAL
The Early Music Show, Fri. 9:30am-12pm Dedicated primarily to European medieval, Renaissance, and baroque music before c. 1800. Extended Technique*, Wed. & Thurs. 3-6pm WKCR’s first interdepartmental show (in the New Music and Classical departments) dedicated to contemporary classical music. Under the direction of the New Music and Classical departments, this program is dedicated to experimental classical music. Afternoon Classical, Fri. 3-6pm. Two hours of unrestricted classical music selections followed by one hour dedicated entirely to the music of J.S. Bach. Saturday Night at the Opera, Sat. 9pm-12:30am. One of NYC’s longest running opera shows, Saturday Night at the Opera features one opera in its entirety, with time for history and commentary, each week.
NEW MUSIC Afternoon New Music, Mon. & Tues. 3-6pm Our daytime new music program features a wide variety of music that challenges boundaries and subverts categorizations. Shows include everything from seminal new music compositions to the most challenging of obscure deep cuts and new releases. Transfigured Night, Tues./Thurs. 1-5am and Sat. 2-6am Our overnight explorations into the world of new music, Transfigured Night rewards our late night listeners with a wide range of sounds and experimental music. Workaround*, Fri. 9-10pm WKCR presents live sets from local professional and student DJs. Live Constructions, Sun. 10-11pm This weekly program features a live in-studio performance or a previous performance recorded at WKCR.
Cereal Music, Mon.-Thurs. 9:30am-12pm An entirely open-ended classical show to start your weekdays. * Indicates show was created after January 2022
On Air · January 2026 11
LISTINGS FOR LISTENERS Honky Tonkin’, Tues. 10-11pm One of WKCR’s longest-running American music programs, Honky Tonkin’ focuses on country music from the 1930s through the 1950s.
The Moonshine Show, Sun. 10am-12pm On the air for nearly 60 years, The Moonshine Show showcases the American Bluegrass tradition, from the earliest roots in vernacular string-band music, the genre’s pioneers in the 1940s and 50s and advancements in the 60s and 70s, through the leading innovators of today.
Tuesday’s Just as Bad, Tues. 11:30pm - Wed. 1am For the first hour, Tuesday’s Just as Bad explores the world of blues prior to World War II. In the final half hour, hosts turn to the post-war years.
The Tennessee Border Show, Sun. 12-2pm The Tennessee Border Show highlights the singersongwriter tradition, from Hank Williams and Townes Van Zandt to Lucinda Williams.
AMERICAN
Night Train, Wed. 1-5am All aboard! One of two overnight programs in the American Department, Night Train rolls through the post-war R&B and soul tradition, from the genre’s emergence in the 1940s and ‘50s through the funk revolution in the ‘70s. Shows often feature extended live recordings and concerts. Offbeat, Fri. 1-5am Offbeat exposes undiscovered, underplayed, or up-andcoming new hip hop artists, including experimental instrumental artists not typically played on mainstream hip hop radio. Across 110th Street, Sat. 12-2pm Across 110th Street airs soul, funk, and dance music from the 1960s through the ‘80s and ‘90s. Something Inside of Me, Sat. 2-4pm WKCR’s Saturday afternoon blues show, Something Inside of Me focuses on electric and post-war styles. Hobo’s Lullaby, Sat. 4-6pm Rooted in the folk revival of the 1950s and ‘60s, Hobo’s Lullaby airs American folk and traditional music styles from the early 20th century through the present day. Shows feature old staples like Leadbelly, Elizabeth Cotton, and Woody Guthrie through contemporary stalwarts like the Carolina Chocolate Drops. Notes from the Underground, Sun. 12:30-2am Notes from the Underground showcases contemporary hip hop and rap music with an emphasis on emerging and experimental artists. The program also hosts local and visiting artists for interviews, freestyles, and guest curation. Amazing Grace, Sun. 8-10am Greeting listeners on Sunday morning, Amazing Grace shares the African-American gospel tradition.
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LATIN Caribe Latino, Mon. 10pm-12am Caribe Latino features the diverse, upbeat music from Latin communities in the Caribbean. Popular Latin rhythms such as Salsa, Merengue, Bachata and Latin Jazz take center stage throughout the program. Urbano Latinx, Tues. 12-1am From salsa and merengue to Latin punk rock, Urbano Latinx airs contemporary sounds from Latin America, the Caribbean, and the diaspora. Sin Fronteras*, Wed. 12-3pm Occupying the time slot of Out to Lunch on Wednesday afternoons, Sin Fronteras explores the tremendous and growing tradition of Latin Jazz. Nueva Canción, Wed. 10-11pm Nueva Canción explores protest music created throughout Latin America during the 1960s and ‘70s, on its own and in the context of protest music from other countries and during time periods. Som do Brasil, Wed. 11pm - Thurs. 1am From samba and bossa nova to MPB, Som do Brazil features the enchanting sounds and rhythms of Brazil. Sonidos Colombianos, Fri. 10-11pm Sonidos Colombianos presents music from Colombia. The bilingual musical tour includes not only cumbia, but also the guitar-based bambuco from the Andean region, the harp llanero music from the Eastern Plains, the marimba-infused currulao from the Pacific Region, and the accordion-driven vallenato of the North Atlantic Coast. * indicates show was created after January 2022
LISTINGS FOR LISTENERS The Mambo Machine, Fri. 11pm - Sat. 2am The Mambo Machine is the longest running salsa show in New York City. The program plays a wide spectrum of Afro-Latin rhythms perfect for dancing. El Sonido de la Calle*, Sun. 2-4am The Latin companion to Sunday morning’s Notes from Underground, El Sonido de la Calle highlights the diverse world of contemporary Spanish-language hip hop and dance music.
IN ALL LANGUAGES The Celtic Show, Mon. 12-1am Music from across the island of Ireland throughout the era of recorded music, particularly focusing on traditional folk and vernacular music forms. Coordinated Universal Time, Mon. 1-3am Coordinated Universal Time brings listeners the latest cut of music from across the globe, especially highlighting music that does not get attention in America. The African Show, Thurs. 10pm-12am The longest running African music radio show in the United States, The African Show brings listeners a variety of music from the entire continent of Africwa. Middle Eastern Influences, Fri. 12-1am Middle Eastern Influences features selections from the Middle East and North Africa, with particular attention on traditional forms. Sounds of Asia and Couleurs Antillaises, Sat. 6-8am Previously Sounds of China, Sounds of Asia explores the recorded musical traditions and innovations of Asia and the Pacific Islands. Couleurs Antillaises features music from Haiti and the French-speaking Carribean. These shows alternate in the Saturday morning timeslot so each airs every two weeks.
Raag Aur Taal, Sun. 7-9pm Raag Aur Taal (which means “melody and rhythm”) explores the classical musical heritage of South Asia. Back in the USSR, Sun. 11pm-12am Back in the USSR features music from Eastern Europe, East Asia, and Central Asia, from the mid-20th century through the present.
NEWS & ARTS Monday Morningside*, Mon. 8:30-9:30am WKCR’s morning news broadcast, Monday Morningside features segments on events around Morningside Heights and upper Manhattan. All episodes are available as podcasts on Spotify. News and Arts Program, Sun.-Thurs. 9-10pm These programs form the core of our News and Arts programming. On Sundays, “Soundstage” features a live reading of a play; on Mondays, “Late City” offers retrospective coverage on local cultural happenings; on Thursdays, “Playlist Profiles” characterize a person through music. As news is constantly evolving, note that these programs are subject to change and preemption.
SPECIAL BROADCASTS Sunday Profile, Sun. 2-7pm* This five-hour program dedicated to a longform, researched profiles of a pioneering artist, label, or musical movement. Originally known as “Jazz Profiles,” this show has expanded its scope; today, it may feature any of the musical traditions represented by WKCR’s programs.
Eastern Standard Time, Sat. 8am-12pm One of New York’s most popular Reggae programs, Eastern Standard Time captures listeners with the hypnotic sounds of Reggae and Jamaican dance music. Field Trip, Sun. 6-8am Field Trip focuses on the music and practice of field recordings: music recorded outside of a studio. This definition is expansive and includes everything from released recordings to street music documented by WKCR.
* indicates show was created after January 2022
On Air · January 2026 13
AMERICAN
50 Years of Rolling Thunder Revue: Revue: Why the live compilation might be Bob Dylan’s best album
I
by Ben Rothman
n 2025, I listened to every Bob Dylan album, an exercise that gave me a great appreciation for his songwriting and sonic diversity. I came away with my fav=orite album not being Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde on Blonde, Blood on the Tracks, or any of the other studio albums he is famous for—rather, I became enamored with Bob Dylan Live 1975, The Rolling Thunder Revue, a record that technically celebrates its 50th anniversary this month. It was recorded from the tour of the same name between his heartwrenching ‘comeback’ album Blood on the Tracks and its follow-up, Desire (my personal favorite studio album from Dylan), and it was released as Volume 5 of the “Bootleg Series” of outtakes and live performances in 2002. While Dylan is known today for mutating his songs into nearly unrecognizable forms to perform live, Rolling Thunder is the only one of his three “Bootleg Series” live albums to feature this change on a large scale. Some tracks are fairly similar, but where it counts—whether it be turning folk songs into rock bangers or something else entirely—the changes to these songs perfectly complement the aesthetics of Blood on the Tracks and Desire and show Dylan at the height of his powers of instrumental arrangement. Rolling Thunder does not start with any one of Dylan’s big rock hits, but rather a song that, originally, closed out his country record from 1969, Nashville Skyline. “Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You” is a love song that features a cozy and nocturnal vibe in its original form. However, played live in 1975, it is functionally unrecognizable. Take the opening line, for instance: in the original, Dylan croons “throw my ticket out the window / throw my suitcase
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out there, too,” but in the live version, he all but belts, “throw my ticket in the wind / throw my mattress out there, too.” It might be the way he sings it, or it might be the less specific lyric change, but he makes the opening line feel more carefree. The lyrics are bolstered more by the instant applause after this opening line—it could be that the audience would cheer no matter what Dylan played, but the cheers to him ‘throwing his ticket in the wind’ are an excellent way to open the live compilation, showing that no song is structurally sacred, and anything is up to interpretation. “Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You” is not the only song in Dylan’s catalog to be reshaped for its live version. Take “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall,” the sprawling ballad from Freewheelin’ which foretells the coming of intense happenings in the world—it’s transformed into a rock song more reminiscent of the singer’s mid-60s albums, like Highway 61 Revisited or Blonde on Blonde. The more electric sound almost masks the dark and dense lyrical content, helping it become more enjoyable for a live audience. In contrast, “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll”—a topical ballad from 1963’s The Times They Are A-Changin’—gets a sonic facelift with prominent drums and a playful bassline, but the lyrics feel as central to the recording as the studio version. The track, chronicling the murder of a black barmaid by a wealthy white man, feels just as resonant sixty years later as it must have felt twelve years later in 1975. Also included in the opening leg of the first disc, Rolling Thunder’s “It Ain’t Me Babe” is perhaps the most fascinating version of the Dylan classic that the singer-songwriter has ever released. Almost punk-like in its
Illustration of Bob Dylan by Jonah Stockwell
On Air · January 2026 15
execution, it features stuttering drums and glittering guitars, as well as a totally different melody from the studio version. If one wants to hear versions of classic folk Dylan songs that will knock them off balance and leave them wanting more, they should look no further than Rolling Thunder Revue. The first disc of the Rolling Thunder Revue live set ends with three stunning duets with Joan Baez, and the two singers breathe life into legendary 60s songs. First up is “Blowin’ in the Wind,” which, instrumentally, is relatively unchanged from the studio version. It is almost odd to hear an additional voice accompany Dylan on this recording, but without Baez’s shimmering vocals in the mix, the listener might think more about how much older he sounds compared to the youthful energy of the Freewheelin’ version. Secondly, “Mama, You Been on My Mind,” a tune not associated with any album but notable in Dylan’s ‘60s catalog, gets a country makeover with a prominent funky bassline. I’m not usually a fan of ‘pronoun-swapping’ in covers of male songs by female artists (and vice-versa), but I quite like the duet version of this song, where Baez and Dylan overlap on the line “As someone who has had you on [his/her] mind”—it reminds us that the song is, in fact, a duet between artists with a complicated relationship. Finally, “I Shall Be Released” (another non-album classic and one of my favorite Dylan compositions) is performed by Dylan and Baez as a breezy folkrock number. The vocals aren’t the best they’ve ever sounded, and I might prefer the more classic covers of this track by The Band or Nina Simone, but the track’s appearance emphasizes how good this live album is as a ‘greatest hits’ catalog. The final part of what makes Rolling Thunder Revue my favorite Dylan record has to do with the setlist’s selections from some of the singer’s finest studio albums. 1964’s Bringing It All Back Home is represented by acoustic renditions of “Mr. Tambourine Man,” “Love Minus Zero,” and “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue,” all of which are sung with passion and some melancholy. From Highway 61 Revisited (1965), we get “It
16 On Air · January 2026
Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry.” From 1966’s Blonde on Blonde, we get “Just Like a Woman,” which humorously starts with a clip of an audience member requesting the song and Dylan replying, “Alright, we’ll try it.” Blood on the Tracks, Dylan’s 1975 release, is underrepresented here (perhaps due to the personal lyrical content), but nonetheless makes a mark with stunning versions of “Tangled Up in Blue” and “Simple Twist of Fate.” On the other hand, plenty of 1976’s Desire—which had yet to be released during this tour—is performed, and it spotlights the musical diversity and lyrical brilliance of the record. Look to violinist Scarlet Rivera’s soothing contribution to many tracks, including “Romance in Durango” and “Sara,” or to the spellbinding instrumentation and vocals of “One More Cup of Coffee.” “Hurricane,” an 8-minute monolith protesting the conviction of boxer Rubin Carter, would go on to become one of Dylan’s biggest hits, and it sounds just as great as ever here, situated alongside the revamped versions of ‘60s protest tracks like “Hattie Carroll” and “Hard Rain,” almost creating a continuity of his topical songwriting. Whether you’re looking for straightforward performances of Dylan’s classics, magical duets with Joan Baez, or fascinating reimaginations of his older folk songs, Rolling Thunder Revue is sure to please you, and on its technical 50th anniversary, I feel especially compelled to spotlight its genius. Throw your ticket in the wind and give it a listen.
Ben Rothman is the American Department Director and a regular host of Hobo's Lullaby every other Saturday 4PM to 6PM.
Kurt Gottschalk, Programmer: In 1987, Prince was at the beginning of a period of turmoil that would leave many of his fans confused. His Black Album had been pressed and then pulled from distribution, the beginning of his fight with Warner Bros. that would lead him to change his name to a symbol. I saw him twice in 1988. The program for that tour laid out (in his obscure, fairytale kind of way) the battle between good (LoveSexy) and bad (Spooky Electric) and introduced his alter ego Camille. If the Prince Estate would get around to doing a deluxe reissue of the LoveSexy album, maybe they’d include that program so people could see it. I still have mine.`
Sam Seliger, Former Program Director: I got a ring at the merch stand of a TAKAAT show, the rhythm section for Mdou Moctar, and it's now one of my most used pieces of jewelry. Ted Schmiedeler, Head Archivist: I got a Slowdive slipmat for going to a pre-release party for their most recent album (Everything Is Alive) that I really like. Maxim Koretsky, Programmer: Got this post from a show at Brooklyn Steel, Joy O's (Joy Orbison) manager was passing these out after the show. I grabbed one right before someone else did, and there’s a rip from them grabbing it. Now, it hangs on my wall. Also got a signed Overmono Good Lies poster when living in Tokyo with a limited 7 inch. Found out about Overmono while living there. Big memory associated with living there.
AROUND THE STATION
F r a n c i s c o Javier Reyes, Programmer: A yellow The Mars Volta shirt, original color intact, with a graphic worn down into a subtle psychedelic patina from years of washing.
What is your favorite piece of music merch or memorabilia?
Ale Díaz-Pizarro, Former Station Manager: For the 25th anniversary tour of their album 69 Love Songs, The Magnetic Fields were selling a tea towel with many little doodles, each one relating to a lyric in a specific song. It felt like a little inside joke with the band, while also a fitting homage not only to the record, but also to all the fans who have loved it over the years. Plus, I didn't need another t-shirt…
On Air · January 2026 17
OF 2025
WKCR's Favorite Albums compiled by Sam Seliger
I
n a tradition we have come to look forward to every single year, here are the top 50 albums released in 2025 that WKCR staff members loved and listened to over and over again. 2025 was full of amazing music. We hope you can find something new to discover in 2026 or something to revisit as you reflect on this past year. Enjoy!
1. Geese Getting Killed
New Wave
5.
4.
Cécile McLorin Salvant Oh Snap
Bad Bunny DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS
Wednesday Bleeds
Vocal Jazz
Reggeton
Indie Rock
Rimas Entertainment
8.
Joanne Robertson Thomas Morgan Around You is a Forest Blurrr AD 93
Escho
Art Rock
3.
7.
Art Rock
Smerz Big City Life
Partisan Records
Nonesuch Records
6.
2.
Loveland Music
New Music, Jazz
18 On Air · January 2026
9.
Dead Oceans
10.
Mary Halvorson About Ghosts
Blood Orange Essex Honey
Cate le Bon Michaelangelo Dying
Modern Jazz
Alternative R&B
Art Rock
Nonesuch Records
RCA Records
Mexican Summer
11.
Dijon • Baby • R&R/Warner Music
12.
Earl Sweatshirt • Live Laugh Love • Tan Cressida/Warner Records
13.
Big Thief • Double Infinity • 4AD
14.
Oklou • choke enough • True Panther Sounds
Electronic Pop
15.
Clipse • Let God Sort 'Em Out • Self-released
Hardcore Rap
16.
Jane Remover • Revengeseekerz • deadAir
Hyperpop
17.
Tyreek McDole • Open Up Your Senses • Artwork Records
Vocal Jazz
18.
Candelabro • Deseo, Carne, y Voluntad • Registro Móvil Discográfica
Art Rock
19.
FKA Twigs • EUSEXUA • Young/Atlantic Records
20.
Orcutt Shelley Miller • Orcutt Shelley Miller • Silver Curren
21.
Sullivan Fortner • Southern Nights • Artwork Records
22.
Rosalía • Lux • Columbia Records
Latin Pop
23.
Horsegirl • Phonetics On and On • Matador
Indie Rock
24.
Swans • Birthing • Mute/Young God
Noise Rock
25.
Burnover • Greg Freeman • Transgressive Records/Canvasback Records
Indie Rock
26.
Erika de Casier • Lifetime • Independent Jeep Trip
27.
Vox Clamantis • Arvo Pärt: And I Heard A Voice… • ECM
28.
Not for Radio • Melt • Nice Life/Atlantic Records
29.
Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band • New Threats From the Soul • Tough Love
30.
SML • How You Been • International Anthem
31.
Water from Your Eyes • It's a Beautiful Place • Matador
32.
Way Dynamic • Massive Shoe • Soilsport Records
33.
james K • Friend • AD 93
Soul-Pop Underground Hip-Hop Indie Rock
Electronic Pop Avant-Rock Bebop
Hop Contemporary Choral Dream Pop Country Rock Jazz Fusion Indie Pop Bedroom Pop Dream Pop
On Air · January 2026 19
34.
WEED420 • amor de encava • Self-released
Sound Collage
35.
Sasha Berliner • Fantôme • Outside in Music
Contemporary Jazz
36.
Dove Ellis • Blizzard • Black Butter/AMF
37.
Djrum • Under Tangled Silence • Houndstooth
38.
Mavis Staples• Sad and Beautiful World • ANTI-
39.
Laura Cahen • De l'autre côté • PIAS
French Pop
40.
Nourished by Time• The Passionate Ones • XL Recordings
Indie R&B
41.
Tortoise • Touch • International Anthem/Nonesuch
Jazz Fusion
42.
Bon Iver • Sable, Fable • Jagjaguwar
Soul-Pop
43.
Maria Somerville • Luster • 4AD
Dream Pop
44.
Alex Paxton • Delicious • New Amsterdam Records
45.
Little Simz • Lotus • Self-released
46.
Worldpeace DMT & Rowan • The Velvet Underground & Rowan • Self-released
47.
Oneohtrix Point Never • Tranquilizer • Warp Records
Ambient
48.
Maruja• Pain to Power • Music For Nations
Jazz Punk
49.
Dylan Day • The Unanswered Prayer • Far Cry Records
50.
Hayley Williams • Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party • Post Atlantic
Irish Folk IDM Rhythm & Blues
Large Ensemble Contemporary Hip-Hop Indie Rock
Singer-Songwriter Pop Punk
With contributions from Casey Lamb, Rachel Smith, Sara Carson, Solène Millsap, Ella Presiado, Teddy Wyche, June Frankel, Ted Schmiedeler, Ben Rothman, Charlie Kusiel King, Jayin Sihm, Emma Lacy, Hadassah Weinmartin, Damaris Lindsay, Phi Deng, Ian Pumphrey, Caroline Nieto, CJ Gamble, Mason Lau, McKenna Roberts, Alma Avgar Shohamy, Anika Strite, Brendan Sarpong, Cora Selzer, Emet Vitale-Penniman, Ethan Draughon Thacker, Francisco Javier Reyes, Grant Parris, Ime Ekpo, Jude Fairchild, Katie Salmon, Maddie Gibson, Maxim Koretsky, Megan Marostica, Merielen Espino, Natalie Lahr, Naz Yetis, Nicholas Clarke, Noa Omessi, Noel Siegert, Perry Wakatsuki, Simon Reich, Sofia Polar, Stella Lucine Manyan, Ben Erdmann, Georgia Dillane, Tanvi Krishnamurthy, Ale Díaz Pizarro, Maria Shaughnessy, Zachary Vanderslice, Sam Seliger, Benny Magid, Schuyler Rabbin-Birnbaum, Mac Waters, Sofia Rivera, Courtney Eileen Fulcher, Stefan Z, Kurt Gottschalk, Stephen Park, David E, Melissa Nehrozoglu, Stephen Dames, David Gonzalez, & Satch Peterson.
20 On Air · January 2026
SUPPORT WKCR TOP 5 REASONS TO DONATE TO WKCR 1. You’d be helping a student-run, listener-funded, and volunteer-based radio station continue to bring you the absolute best in what radio has to offer. Music, arts, news, and sports— we’ve got the works! 2. You wouldn’t be a free-rider anymore. 3. WKCR donations are tax-deductible (so make sure you donate before tax season). For more info on that, or anything else business-related, email business@wkcr.org 4. Being “the Original FM,” our equipment is getting a bit old. Thanks to your donations, we were able to retire Buzz, the hamster that ran the wheel powering us. But our new hamster, Roach, needs to start saving for retirement... can you blame him? 5. Isn’t On Air cool? Without proper funding, projects like this can’t come to fruition and, if they do, don’t make it very long. Donate to allow the little On Air minions to stay in the job.
HOW TO DONATE TO WKCR IN 4 STEPS BY MAIL Step 1: Locate your nearest checkbook
ONLINE Step 1: head to www.wkcr.org
Step 2: Indicate “WKCR” as payee and fill out as usual
Step 2: Click the yellow “DONATE TO WKCR” banner at the top of the page
Step 3: Mail check to CU Gift Systems, 622 West 113th Street, MC 4524, New York, NY 10025
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WKCR also accepts checks to our direct address. Just follow the same steps listed above but mail the check to: 2920 Broadway, New York, NY 10027
Step 4: ...and VOILÀ! Just like that, you have become a WKCR supporter!
Did you know you can make recurring donations to WKCR when you donate online? Just indicate your frequency preferences on the giving portal when prompted!
On Air · January 2026 21
T h e e d i to r i a l tea m fo r t h i s i s sue wa s Emma Lacy, Charlie Kusiel King, CJ Gamble, Kit ty Spe er, & Sylvia Lipsy te Sp e c i a l t ha n ks to Ale D Í az-Pizarro, Francisco Javier Reyes, Kur t Got tschalk, Maxim Koretsky, Sam Seliger, & Ted Schmiedeler 22 On Air · January 2026
WKCR 89.9 FM
2920 Broadway New York, NY 10027
O n Ai r 's e d i to r i a l b oa rd i s McCar tney Garb, Ella Werstler, Jem Hanan, & Olivia Callanan