The Third Story

Creed Taylor was an inspiration to generations of music lovers. He was behind some of the greatest records ever made. He passed away earlier this week at the age of 93.

Earlier this month Stephen Colbert made an announcement about his band. Jon Batiste would be leaving and Louis Cato would be the new musical director. For some, Louis Cato is not a familiar name.

We spoke recently about the healing power of music; what attracted him to music as a boy; his creative and professional development; and the moment in 1996 when MMW discovered their jam band audience.

On The Third Story, Israeli singer and producer Noga Erez talks about the fallacy of authenticity, the way personal stories can be seen as political, and what it means to make music with your heart instead of your head.

Pianist Emmet Cohen joins Leo Sidran on The Third Story to talk about balancing tradition and modernity, his community in Harlem, and the lessons imparted from his mentors.

Although the conditions that created jazz are distinctly American, without Europe it seems that it might not survive. Every summer hundreds of the greatest practitioners of the music and hundreds of thousands of fans gather across Europe at the major festivals to come together and celebrate it. These gatherings provide a much needed opportunity for what the musicians refer to as “the hang”. Produc...

Leo Sidran had attended the Montreal International Jazz Festival before as an artist. This time, he went to cover the fest for WBGO and The Third Story, diving into the deep end (and coming up with some treasure).

In this episode of The Third Story, guitarist Julian Lage talks with Leo Sidran about his relationship with the guitar, the path forward for a prodigy, and how music should feel like a conversation.

In this episode of The Third Story, recorded at Ronnie Scott's jazz club in London, Stacey Kent opens up about why she’s a fatalist; her escape from New Jersey, and from the bounds of category; and her latest release, Songs From Other Places.

In a conversation from 2019, Donald Fagen reveals a lot of things, including his conviction that Steely Dan had "more in common with punk than with the confessional California singer-songwriters" they were often compared to.

Best known as the cofounder of Scary Pockets, Ryan Lerman is also an accomplished singer-songwriter, bassist, arranger and producer. He joins Leo Sidran on The Third Story to talk about the music business, viral funk fame, what he learned by being a sideman, and what minor nine chords have to do with any of it.

Bob Power's records have a sound: it's in the depth and dimension of his mixes. Speaking about music and life with Leo Sidran for The Third Story, he brought a similar richness of detail.

Pianist and composer Jason Moran spoke with Leo Sidran for The Third Story in spring of 2020, when the idea of social distancing was just settling in. It shouldn't be a surprise that he had a lot to say.

The Third Story is a podcast with Leo Sidran that will be producing new episodes for WBGO Studios in June 2022. Keep an eye on WBGO.org/studios for "best of" episodes releasing each week in May.