All Of It

Though it had a relatively quiet 1955 release, the klezmer album Tanz!, from Dave Tarras and the Musiker Brothers, is now considered a landmark of the genre. On the new album, Michael Winograd Plays Tanz! Live In New York City, Michael Winograd celebrates its legacy. He and his band will perform a few pieces live and talk about the album's influence on him, and preview a show Thursday evening at the Center for New Jewish Culture.

Looking to give a book as a Christmas gift, but not sure what to get? All Of It and Get Lit producer Jordan Lauf provides a gift guide for every kind of reader, from history lovers to romance novels. Plus, listeners chime in with their own suggestions.

25 years ago this month, the Coen brothers' Americana Odyssey "O Brother, Where Art Thou" was released in theaters. While the movie saw a paucity of award recognition, its soundtrack managed to land a Grammy for Album of the Year, giving rise to a major revival of American roots and bluegrass music in the mainstream. Music writer Allison Hussey discusses the soundtrack and its legacy as part of our Silver Liner Notes series, and listeners share their feelings about the film, and the soundtrack.

Actor Tim Blake Nelson is known for his work in "O Brother Where Art Thou," "Watchmen" and most recently, "The Lowdown." In addition to his work as a playwright, photographer, director and filmmaker, his second novel, Superhero, a satire about the Hollywood industry of blockbuster films, is available now. Nelson discusses the book and his many other projects.

A new book about puzzles claims 36 million Americans solve crosswords once a week or more, and nearly 23 million solve them daily. Natan Last, a researcher, policy advisor, writer, and crossword constructor in New York City, joins us to discuss his book, Across the Universe: The Past, Present, and Future of the Crossword Puzzle.

Recently, vocalist Kate Kortum won NJPAC's Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, a prestigious award for Jazz vocalists that includes previous winners like Samara Joy. Kortum is originally from Houston, now embarking on her early career in New York. She discusses her emotions around winning the competition, and performs live from her latest album, Wild Woman. You can also see her perform at Big Band Holidays with The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra through December 21.

Actor Carol Kane, known for her roles in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, the Princess Bride and Taxi, lives with her 98 year old mother in Manhattan. A new documentary short called "Carol & Joy" spotlights a day in the life of two singular talents as well as touches on the demands of caregiving. Carol and Joy Kane discuss their lives together, along with director Nathan Silver.

Penn Station is one of the busiest transport hubs in NYC and has had its share of problems. New York Times architecture critic Michael Kimmelman and transit hub economics reporter Patrick McGeehan discuss ideal solutions, and practical ones, as well as the obstacles to getting them implemented. Plus, listeners call in with their questions.

Through her Instagram and TikTok account, ghostlyarchive, Rosie Grant documents recipes she finds on gravestones and her own process trying to recreate them. She talks about her recently published the book, To Die For: A Cookbook of Gravestone Recipes, and take calls from listeners who family recipes from their (deceased) loved ones.

The final season of the beloved sci-fi series "Stranger Things" is underway. Star Gaten Matarazzo, who has been playing Dustin on the show for a decade, discusses the final season and takes calls from listeners.

Cameron Crowe discusses his new memoir, The Uncool, which chronicles his time working for Rolling Stone, covering some of the biggest rock bands in the world, as a very young journalist.

"Tartuffe" is the classic Molière comedy and satire first performed in the 1660s. Matthew Broderick is currently starring in the lead role of a new off-Broadway production of the play at New York Theatre Workshop. Broderick discusses his process for taking on the role, along with Lisa Kron, who plays Dorine, and director Sarah Benson. "Tartuffe" is running through January 24.

The Americana band Old Crow Medicine Show has a new holiday album, OCMS XMAS. Band members Ketch Secor, Morgan Jahnig and Cory Younts join for a listening party to get listeners in the holiday spirit.

Local New Jersey poet and Princeton professor Patricia Smith has won the National Book Award for her poetry collection, The Intentions of Thunder: New and Selected Poems. The collection covers her poetry from 1991 to 2024, and includes poems about jazz, family, Black identity, Hurricane Katrina, and more. Smith discusses the collection, and read some poetry.

We are getting you set for the holiday season with local shop enthusiast Caroline Weaver, aka, The Locavore. Each week through the holiday season, she offers her insights to help explore each borough's local shopping options, for shoppers who want their holiday spending to support their communities. Today, the Locavore takes on the Bronx.

There's never a bad time for ramen, but with the temperatures dropping winter is the perfect time to warm up with a bowl. Chef, writer and self professed "ramen geek" Sho Spaeth talks about his favorite places to check out in the city, plus listeners call to shout out theirs.

As part of our Get Lit event, singer-songwriter Sarah Kinsley discussed her career, her album The Escaper, and for a special performance, which includes a unique rendition of her hit song "The King."

The November Get Lit with All Of It book club selection was the novel Flashlight by Susan Choi. It follows a family grappling with the aftermath of a father's mysterious disappearance one night on the shores of Japan. We air highlights from our Get Lit event with Choi. Missed the event? Watch it in full here!

The Queer Urban Orchestra is a local group and the first orchestra in the city specifically serving the LGBTQ community. Ahead of their Refuge-themed concert, members of the orchestra perform live, and David Bloom, Artistic Director and Conductor, Dave Lohman, Principal Bassoonist, and Brian Shaw, Principal Oboist and Orchestral Manager discuss the mission behind the Queer Urban Orchestra. The group's concert is at the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue on December 13.

All Of It Hostess with the Mostess Alison Stewart is looking forward to a nice long staycation. She and All Of It producer Luke Green, who took his own stretch of local R&R recently, invite suggestions from listeners for things to do and see in the area that might be missed in the bustle of daily life.

All throughout December, Criterion Channel subscribers can stream their new series "Black Debutantes: First Features by Black Women Directors." The series features films such as "Eve's Bayou," "Daughters of the Dust," "Just Another Girl on the I.R.T," and more. Rógan Graham, programmer and film critic, and Ashely Clarke, curatorial director at the Criterion Collection, discuss the series.

From "The Shining" to "Lost in Translation," so many great films have been set in hotels. And all throughout December, you can stream many of those films on the Criterion Channel, as part of their series "Hotels on Film." Aliza Ma, head of programming for the Criterion Channel, discusses the series, and listeners share their favorite movies set in a hotel.

Recently, "The Beatles Anthology" documentary series has been remastered and updated with a new episode for Disney Plus, and includes a new companion album of 191 songs. Rolling Stone contributing editor Rob Sheffield joins us to discuss the project, and also field calls from listeners looking to settle the age-old debate: which Beatles album is the best?

The penny is no more! As we look back at the history of the penny, economist and author David McWilliams provides some context, and examines the history of currency more broadly. He is the author of the new book, The History of Money: A Story of Humanity. Plus, listeners call in with their questions about money throughout the ages.

Golden Globe nominations were announced on Monday, and Kyle Buchanan, awards season columnist for The New York Times, discusses all the snubs and surprises from the world of film and television, and previews some of the other events and honors from awards season.

Jay Som is the solo project of singer-songwriter, producer, and engineer Melina Duterte. In the six years since her last solo record, she's worked with a number of different artists, including most notably boygenius; her work on their album earned her Grammy nominations for Album of the Year and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, plus a win for Best Alternative Music Album. Now, as Jay Som, she's released Belong, an album that boasts contributions from friends she's made in those years, including Hayley Williams. She and her band perform live in our studio.

In his new podcast "David Greene is Obsessed," former Morning Edition host David Greene speaks with guests about their obsessions, from a collector who has more than 13,000 Barbies to David Arquette's fascination with Bozo the Clown. Greene discusses the show, and takes calls from listeners who want to share their obsessions.

The third film in the Knives Out series is called "Wake Up Dead Man," in which Daniel Craig returns to the role of detective Benoit Blanc, trying to solve a Good Friday murder at a Catholic parish in upstate New York. The series' writer and director Rian Johnson talks about the latest installment of his series, which is available to stream on Netflix now.  

[REBROADCAST FROM Nov. 13, 2025] Actors Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter, one-time co-stars in "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure," have reunited on stage in Jamie Lloyd's production of "Waiting for Godot" on Broadway. They discuss the show, which is running now through January 4.

A new piece in T Magazine argues that Gen X has had some of the greatest contributions to American culture in history. Writer Amanda Fortini discusses her article, "Is Gen X Actually the Greatest Generation?" Plus, listeners share their favorite Gen X cultural contributions.

Comedian and "Saturday Night Live" veteran Leslie Jones has returned to the stage with a new comedy special, 'Leslie Jones: Life Part 2', with reflections on aging, fame, and events in her life. Leslie Jones discusses how she's finding the humor in life today. The comedy special is out now on Peacock.

Last week, it was announced that Netflix will acquire Warner Bros. in a $82.7 billion dollar deal with massive implications for the entertainment industry. The deal would leave the streaming service in charge of one of the biggest Hollywood film studios, HBO, and many famous pieces of intellectual property, including Harry Potter and DC Comics. But competitor Paramount is also vying for a deal. Georg Szalai, global business editor at The Hollywood Reporter, discusses what this deal would mean for Hollywood, responses from the industry, and the potential consequences for movie theaters and streaming services.

The holiday season is a time for giving, and in that spirit, WNYC is holding a blood drive throughout the day on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, in The Greene Space. We preview that event, share details about how to get involved, and speak with Sapreet Saluja, executive director at NY Cares about the many ways around NYC to volunteer your efforts for those who need help. Plus, listeners call in to share their experiences of how charity and community service play a role in their experience of the holidays.

We are getting you set for the holiday season with local shop enthusiast Caroline Weaver, aka, The Locavore. She will join us each week through the holiday season, to go to explore each borough's local shopping options, for shoppers who want their holiday spending to support their communities. Today, the Locavore takes on Brooklyn.

A new documentary chronicles the journey of Tim Johnson, a former Super Bowl Champion turned pastor whose faith inspired him to minister to incarcerated men on Rikers Island. Kayla Johnson, the film's director and Tim's daughter, joins us to discuss "Fatherless No More."

The New Yorker celebrates its centennial this year, and a new documentary, "The New Yorker at 100" takes audiences through the history of the storied publication. Director Marshall Curry talks about the film. Plus, listeners weigh in with their favorite New Yorker articles, covers, and memories.

The musician Cavetown is also founder of the This Is Home Project, which helps support access for LGBTQ+ youth to housing and healthcare. On December 14, he'll host a benefit concert at Music Hall of Williamsburg featuring performances from a number of local artists. He previews the event, and also his forthcoming album, Running With Scissors, out Jan. 16.

Musician and trained doula Domino Kirke will be hosting a concert on Dec. 17 with other 'mama musicians,' including Joan As Police Woman and Rachael Price of Lake Street Dive. She'll discuss the event, which benefits Carriage House Birth, an organization she founded which provides doula training and childbirth education. 

Comedian Ana Gasteyer discusses her live show "Ana Gasteyer: Sugar & Booze Holiday Spectacular," which will include performances of holiday classics and her own original holiday songs. Gasteyer will be at Town Hall on December 15 and at the Westport Country Playhouse on December 22.

A new exhibition at the Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD) honors generations of New York's mostly immigrant street food entrepreneurs and the dishes they have introduced as iconic parts of the city's cultural and culinary landscape. Museum president Nazli Parvizi and curatorial director Catherine Piccoli preview "STREET FOOD CITY," before it opens Saturday, Dec. 6.

Director and writer Chloé Zhao discusses her new film "Hamnet," an adaptation of the bestselling novel by Maggie O'Farrell. The film tells the story of William Shakespeare, his wife Agnes, and the tragic loss of their son Hamnet. "Hamnet" is in theaters now.

Sally Wainwright, the award-winning writer and director of the UK series "Happy Valley" and "Last Tango in Halifax," has a new show called "Riot Women," about a group of middle aged women in the north of England who form a rock band for a charity talent show. What starts out as a lark turns into something more meaningful. Wainwright discusses the show, which was recently greenlit for a second season. Riot Women premieres on BritBox January 14th.

Martini, anyone? Who doesn't love a nice cheeky cocktail for happy hour or date night? The New York Times has recently compiled a list of 25 must-try cocktails in the city. Becky Hughes, New York Times Cooking assistant editor and cocktail enthusiast, discusses which drinks made the list, and listeners share where they order their favorite cocktail in New York.

Tom Delgado is a comedian and history enthusiast. As a licensed New York City tour guide, Delgado takes viewers on neighborhood walking tours on his popular YouTube channel, and also hosts a monthly variety show, "Tom D's Big NY Show," which combines history and comedy. Delgado discusses his background and how he finds the funny in local history, and previews his next show, featuring author Jonathan Mahler, at Caveat on Saturday, December 6 at 7pm.