I've mentioned the public radio program West Coast Live in passing, but have never really devoted an entry to it.
It's broadcast live each Saturday morning from 10:00 am until noon Pacific from KALW in San Francisco. It's on a number of public radio stations across the country, some of which broadcast it live, others of which broadcast it at a later time. You can also catch it via KALW's live stream, and well as the live stream from Jefferson Public Radio's News and Information service. (KALW's stream can be a bit flaky at times.)
It's hosted by Sedge Thomson, a sort of Saturday Morning Garrison Keillor who doesn't sing but who does do superb interviews.
The program consists of those interviews wrapped around an eclectic mix of live music. (Much of it surprisingly within the bluegrass-country spectrum, given the highbrow nature of many of the guests. But then you also have the house pianist, the magnificent jazz musician Mike Greensill.)
Here is an entirely random sampling of guests who have been on the program over the years:
- Steve Allen
- Roy Blount, Jr
- T.C. Boyle
- Susan Cheever
- Julia Child
- James Fallows
- Harvey Fierstein
- Mickey Hart
- Wavy Gravy
- Mariel Hemingway
- Tony Hillerman
Of course there's the occasional annoying guest, like the not funny-at-all comedy duo "travel experts" Karl and Karl, but that's the real exception.
For the overwhelming majority of the time, the show is well worth your time and very much worth listening to.
Check it out.
