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Past Programs 2012
DECEMBER 29, 2012
From the Archives - Show 990
Happy Holidays! Enjoy a very special broadcast from Saturday December 3rd, 2005, when SEDGE welcomed:
Historian
DORIS KEARNS GOODWIN
with her book Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, on which the popular new movie Lincoln is based.
Poet
GUY JOHNSON
author of such acclaimed works as Standing at the Scratch Line and Echoes of a Distant Summer, the West Coast Live poet laureate of 2005.
Historian
KEVIN STARR
the American historian best known for his multi-volume series on the history of California, collectively called Americans and the California Dream.
Activist
CINDY SHEEHAN
Anti-war activist whose son Casey was killed in Iraq, with her book Not One More Mother's Child.
Singer
MARY WILSON
founding member of the world's most famous female trio, the Supremes, who has gone on to have a successful career as a solo singer and humanitarian.
Musician
PEPPINO D'AGOSTINO
with STEF BURNS; the audacious guitar duo. Also on the show: JUANITA ULLOA with her Latin-Mexican salsa and MIKE GREENSILL as house pianist.
DECEMBER 22, 2012
Live from 142 Throckmorton Theatre - Show 989
Live from 142 Throckmorton Theatre in Mill Valley! Tickets here. SEDGE welcomes:
Comedian
WILL DURST
San Francisco's beloved comedian stops by to share his Top Ten Comedic News Stories of the Year, from his 20th annual Big Fat Year End Kiss Off Comedy Show, December 26th at the Freight & Salvage.
Naturalist
CLAIRE PEASLEE
our favorite naturalist/comedian brings us some wildlife wisdom for the season, this week focusing on her adventures with the Snowy Owl.
Author
MARISSA MOSS
the award winning children's book author best known for her Amelia's Notebook series.
Musicians
MUSICAL ART QUINTET
performing original chamber music, Combining Tango, jazz, Afro-Cuban and African rhythms with improvisation.
Singer
WESLA WHITFIELD
the Bay Area's premier cabaret singer, performing with the Mike Greensill Trio at Silo's in Napa on Dec 24 and Yoshi's Oakland Jan 9.
The Wassailing
MIKE GREENSILL
our Saint Nick-like house pianist. And more, including your audience true stories...we hope you'll join us!
DECEMBER 15, 2012
Live from 142 Throckmorton Theatre - Show 988
Live from 142 Throckmorton Theatre in Mill Valley! Tickets here
SEDGE welcomes:
Author
ANNE LAMOTT
the beloved author of such bestsellers as Bird by Bird and Operating Instructions brings us her latest, Help Thanks Wow: The Three Essential Prayers.
Journalist
PAOLA GIANTURCO
who's new book Grandmother Power profiles 120 activist grandmothers throughout the world who are working to create a better world for their grandchildren.
Comedians
KARL & CARL
comedians Geoff Bolt & Michael O'Brien bring us their hilarious Tips On Travel for the Holiday Season.
Musicians
CONSPIRACY OF VENUS
San Francisco's premier Women's a'cappella choir that sings original arrangements of contemporary music, from Joni Mitchell to Leonard Cohen to Bjork.
Musicians
NELL ROBINSON & JIM NUNALLY
the world-class musicians bring their fantastic, folky Down Home Christmas show to the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley.
DECEMBER 8, 2012
Live from 142 Throckmorton Theatre - Show 987
We're excited that 142 Throckmorton Theatre in Mill Valley will welcome us to their stage for the first time! Tickets here
Musician
PETER ROWAN
the Grammy-award winning bluegrass singer-songwriter whose legendary career spans over five decades. Truly one of the finest musicians of our time!
Actor
PETER GALLAGHER
the actor who starred in Steven Soderbergh's Sex, Lies, and Videotape, the TV drama series The O.C. and many others, in town with his new show of song and story How'd All You People Get in My Room?
Author
DAVID NASAW
the celebrated historian brings us The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy, the first biography authorized by the Kennedy family.
Musician
VICTORIA GEORGE
the country-rock singer who is back in the Bay after a three-year stint in Nashville. You can hear the spirit of both places in her newest collection of songs, Lately I.
Comedian
MARK PITTA
San Francisco's nationally headlining stand-up comedian who hosts the hilarious Tuesday night comedy showcase at 142 Throckmorton.
DECEMBER 1, 2012
Live from Yoshi's Oakland - Show 986
From the legendary Yoshi's Jazz Club in Oakland at 510 Embarcadero West in the heart of Jack London Square, SEDGE welcomes:
Author
SIMON WINCHESTER
OBE and author of such bestselling titles as Krakatoa and The Professor and the Madman brings us his latest, SKULLS: An Exploration of Alan Dudley's Curious Collection.
Author
ROBIN SLOAN
the media inventor who divides his time between San Francisco and the internet with his groundbreaking debut novel Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore.
Publisher
CHRIS YING
former chef and now SF editor-in-chief of the quarterly food journal Lucky Peach, offering innovative perspectives on food from some of the industry’s biggest players, via essays, recipes, and art.
Musicians
BILL PAYNE & GABE FORD
founding keyboardist and bandmate/drummer from the legendary band Little Feat, known for their eclectic blend of rock and roll, blues, country, funk & more!
Musician
MATTHEW STEWART
San Francisco's internationally touring guitarist and singer-songwriter will mesmerize you with his elegant melodies and stunning guitar work.
House Pianist
MIKE GREENSILL
the Bay Area's favorite accompanist. And more! Sign up for our weekly Newsletter or find us on Facebook.
NOVEMBER 24, 2012
Live from Freight & Savlage - Show 985
Bring the whole family to our Thanksgiving Special from the Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse at 2020 Addison Street in Downtown Berkeley.
Musicians
CANADIAN BRASS
established in 1970, the world's leading brass ensemble continues to evolve, performing a wide variety of musical styles, including baroque, classical, medieval, jazz and pop.
Musicians
GEORGE COLE & EUROCANA
the guitarist, vocalist and composer brings his talented friends to our stage to get us swinging in that good old Django spirit.
Author
FRED SETTERBERG
author of Lunch Bucket Paradise, a funny and poignant fictional account of growing in a blue-collar family in the East Bay in the 1950s and 60s.
Start-up
DELIRADIO
Wayne Skeen and Mathew "Smitty" Smith will stop by to tell us about DeliRadio, the innovative new website that creates custom internet radio stations of bands touring in your area.
NOVEMBER 17, 2012
Special Prerecorded Program - Show 984
From the afternoon of October 13, when SEDGE THOMSON welcomed:
Actor/Author
CHRIS ELLIOTT
the comic actor who has appeared in countless TV shows and films, including Cabin Boy, Groundhog Day and Late Night with David Letterman, now on tour with his new book The Guy Under the Sheets, the "Unauthorized Autobiography".
Author
SUSAN STRAIGHT
author of eight books including her latest from McSweeny's, Between Heaven and Here. Joyce Carol Oates calls her "A writer of exceptional gifts and grace".
Chef
ERICA HOLLAND-TOLL
from The Prather Ranch Meat Company's American Eatery at the Ferry Building.
Musician
KELLY McFARLING
whose homegrown and haunting voice spirals powerfully, and progressively over a bed of oldtimey instrumentation.
NOVEMBER 9, 2012
Ashland, Oregon - Show 983
We're excited to return to Ashland, Oregon! Friday November 9, 7:30-9:30 pm, at the Bowmer Theater at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, to be aired the following morning. In partnership with Jefferson Public Radio. Get your tickets at ijpr.org, at Paddington Station in downtown Ashland, or at 1-877-646-4TIX.
SEDGE THOMSON welcomes:
Author
JONATHAN EVISON
author of the bestselling novel West of Here, brings us his latest, The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving, a bighearted novel that ponders life's terrible surprises as well as the heart's uncanny capacity to mend.
Natural Builder
ROBERT LAPORTE
natural building pioneer and teacher, specializing in earth, cob and timber frame construction. He is a founder of EcoNest home design company and co-author of EcoNest: Creating Sustainable Sanctuaries of Clay, Straw and Timber.
Musicians
EIGHT DOLLAR MOUNTAIN
the Southern Oregon Bluegrass band brings us some of the brilliant harmony arrangements and whitewater-fast rhythms from their new album Riverboat Gambler.
Musicians
HAMFIST
We'll talk with and hear from this unique Ashland Americana band composed entirely of Oregon Shakespeare Festival technicians and artisans.
Maestro
MIKE GREENSILL
San Francisco's premier Jazz and Cabaret piano player has assembled a local house band, featuring Joe Cohoon on bass and Ed Dunsavage on guitar.
Performance Artist
CANDACE YOUNGHANS
joins us immediately after emerging from living in the window of the Antiquarium Bookstore for 7 days and nights, blindfolded and fasting, posing the question "Without the images, who am I?"
NOVEMBER 3, 2012
Live from Yoshi's Oakland - Show 982
From the legendary Yoshi's Jazz Club in Oakland at 510 Embarcadero West in the heart of Jack London Square, SEDGE welcomes:
Author
ANDREW HUGILL
explains the unexplainable in his new book 'Pataphysics: A Useless Guide, about the science of imaginary solutions and the laws governing exceptions. In from London for Carnivàle Pataphysique at City Lights Bookstore.
Author
THAISA FRANK
author of the widely translated novel Heidegger's Glasses brings us her latest, Enchantment, a collection of magical short stories about contortionists, circus masters, angel channelers and more.
Proprietors
JAMES & CAITLIN FREEMAN
of Oakland's Blue Bottle Coffee, shed some light on growing, roasting and drinking coffee in their new book The Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee.
Musicians
MELODY WALKER & JACOB GROOPMAN
the Bay Area's beloved singer-songwriters bring us the Appalachain / Californian style they've come to call Americali. Appearing at the Freight & Salvage November 16th.
Musicians
RUPA & THE APRIL FISHES
the playful and diverse group featuring a mixture of international musical styles and lyrics sung in multiple languages. Appearing at the Great American Music Hall November 9th.
The Tantalizing
MIKE GREENSILL & WESLA WHITFIELD
our beloved piano man, joined by the Bay Area's premier cabaret singer. Appearing at the Razz Room November 11-21st.
OCTOBER 27, 2012
Live from the SF Ferry Building - Show 981
SEDGE welcomes:
Author
RANDALL STROSS
Historian and Business Professor with The Launch Pad: Inside Y Combinator, Silicon Valley's Most Executive School For Startups.
Author
GREG BARDSLEY
Silicon Valley speechwriter and newspaper reporter with his hilarious new novel Cash Out.
Comedians
KARL & CARL
West Coast Live's resident comedians, offer their hilarious Tips on Travel for the Autumn Season.
Farmer
JANET BROWN
from Allstar Organics, will bring us a farmer's perspective on Prop 37, which requires labeling of genetically engineered foods.
OCTOBER 20, 2012
Live from the SF Ferry Building - Show 980
SEDGE welcomes:
Author
SYLVIE SIMMONS
the award-winning music journalist brings us her new biography I'm Your Man: The Life of Leonard Cohen.
Author
RICHARD SCHWARTZ
the California historian will shed some light on the massive October 21, 1868 Hayward Fault Earthquake.
Chef
CHARLES PHAN
from SF's legendary Slanted Door restaurant brings us his eagerly awaited first cookbook, Vietnamese Home Cooking.
Musicians
THE PACIFIC GUITAR ENSEMBLE
classical guitarist David Tanenbaum, steel-string guitarist Peppino D’Agostino and six other guitar legends join forces to perform a wide variety of repertoire.
Musicians
KATHY KALLICK BAND
the Grammy-award winning bluegrass troubadour who has toured internationally for over 30 years brings us her soulful, inter-generational band.
OCTOBER 13, 2012
Live from the SF Ferry Building - Show 979
SEDGE THOMSON welcomes:
Author
A.M. HOMES
the author known for her controversial novels and unusual stories such as The End of Alice and now May We Be Forgiven.
Author
JOANNE HARRIS
the bestselling author of Chocolat travels from Yorkshire, England to bring us her latest novel Peaches for Father Francis.
Comedian
WILL DURST
San Francisco's favorite political satirist stops by to shed some humorous light on election season.
Author
KATHLEEN ALCOTT
brings us her engrossing debut novel that's getting rave reviews -- The Dangers of Proximal Alphabets.
OCTOBER 6, 2012
A Special from the Archives - Show 978
This week, we present two outstanding interviews that have never before been broadcast. SEDGE THOMSON with:
Author
SALMAN RUSHDIE
the British Indian novelist who combines magical realism with historical fiction, much of it dealing with relationships between East and West. His novels include Midnight's Children, winner of the Booker Prize in 1981, The Satanic Verses, center of a major controversy, and The Moor's Last Sigh, published before this interview from January 20, 1996.
SEPTEMBER 29, 2012
Taped at the Upstage in Port Townsend, WA - Show 977
Taped on September 22nd from the Upstage at the Port Townsend Film Festival in Washington, SEDGE welcomed:
Author
IVAN DOIG
the bestselling author hailed as the dean of Western literature brings us his latest novel, A Bartender's Tale.
Actor
FRANK BUXTON
the television actor and founding member of Seattle's Improv Toupe The Edge who has also written two volumes on the history of radio.
Journalist
SIDNEY RITTENBERG
the American journalist, scholar, and Chinese linguist who lived in China from 1944 to 1979, working closely with People's Republic of China -- now the subject of a documentary called The Revolutionary.
Musician
SIMON LYNGE
the Inuit–Scandinavian troubadour who was raised in the steppes of Greenland brings us songs from his latest album The Future, which Rolling Stone calls "one of the most memorable and melodic debut albums in years"
Musicians
SOLVENTS
the indie rock group from the Olympic Peninsula bring us their strange and intriguing sonic landscape.
SEPTEMBER 22, 2012
Live from the Upstage in Port Townsend, WA - Show 976
MORNING SHOW: 10am-noon from the Upstage at the Port Townsend Film Festival in Washington, SEDGE welcomes:
Actor
BRUCE DERN
the award-winning actor who has appeared in over 80 feature films, best known playing unstable and villainous characters. He is the guest of honor at this year's Film Festival.
Author
MARIA SEMPLE
the screenwriter for such shows as Arrested Development and Mad About You, who has reinvented herself as a novelist. She published one of the hottest books of the summer, Where'd You Go, Bernadette, a hilarious look at life in Seattle.
Project Manager
SONYA SENKOWSKY
of Day in Our Bay, a community-based digital storytelling project, giving voice to Native people living in the beautiful and remote Bristol Bay region of Alaska -- such as PETLA NODEN, who will also be joining us.
Musicians
CROW QUILL NIGHT OWLS
will wake up mighty early to bring us their fine jug band, jazz, and string band music of the 1920's and 1930's.
SEPTEMBER 15, 2012
Live from the SF Ferry Building - Show 975
SEDGE welcomes:
Author
JAMES FALLOWS
national correspondent for The Atlantic, former speechwriter for President Carter and editor of U.S. News & World Report, and author of ten books including his latest, China Airborne.
Author
JUNOT DIAZ
Pulitzer Prize winning author with his new collection This Is How You Lose Her, which explores the culture of toughness and masculinity that inhibits actual intimacy and love in Latin American cultures.
Author
DOUGLAS FOSTER
author of After Mandela: The Struggle for Freedom in Post Apartheid South Africa, the most important portrait to date of a teetering nation whose destiny will determine the fate of a continent.
Musician
JOHN SCOFIELD
the influential jazz-rock guitarist and composer known for his stylistic diversity and masterful improvisation.
Musician
BEN TAYLOR
Son of James Taylor and Carly Simon and an accomplished musician in his own right stops by to play a few tunes from his new album Listening.
CUESA's
DAVE STOCKDALE
Executive director of Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture will look back at 20 years of Ferry Building Farmers Markets.
SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
Live from the SF Ferry Building - Show 974
SEDGE invites MIKE GREENSILL and producer CASE CONOVER to be guest hosts for this week's West Coast Live, featuring:
Authors
BILL WASIK & MONICA MURPHY
he is a senior editor at Wired and she is a veterinarian. They have combined their cultural and scientific wits to bring us Rabid: A Cultural History of the World's Most Diabolical Virus.
Author
BOB SPITZ
the journalist who has published major biographies on The Beatles and Dylan stops by with his latest bestseller, Dearie, on the life of Julia Child.
Artist
PHILIP ROSS
whose work looks at interrelationships between human beings, technology and the greater living environment. His latest project: growing furniture out of mushrooms!
Vocalists
THE BOBS
dubbed the first New Wave a cappella group in history for their 1980's covers of Talking Heads and Beatles tunes, bring us their ever-evolving vocal harmony and humor..
SEPTEMBER 1, 2012
A Favorite from the Archives - Show 973
From January 19, 2008, when SEDGE welcomed:
Author
MICHAEL POLLAN
activist, professor and author of such bestsellers as The Botany of Desire and The Omnivore's Dilemma with his newest book In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto.
Actor
RICKI LAKE
the actor, talk show host and filmmaker stops by with ABBY EPSTEIN to discuss their landmark documentary The Business of Being Born.
Naturalist
CLAIRE PEASLEE
Our favorite naturalist/comedian brings us some wildlife wisdom for the season.
Farmer
JESSE KUHN
founder of Marin Roots Farm, growing organic produce for the restaurants and farmers markets of the San Francisco Bay Area.
AUGUST 25, 2012
A Favorite from the Archives - Show 972
A very special show from June 10, 2000 at SF MOMA, when SEDGE welcomed:
Comedian
EDDIE IZZARD
beloved British stand-up comedian, actor, and writer, known for his rambling, whimsical monologues and self-referential pantomime.
Author
EDMUND WHITE
acclaimed novelist, memoirist and essayist on literary and social topics, with The Married Man.
Director
DAVID ROSS
SF MOMA's (former) director, who has played a large role in championing digital art, and is no stranger to controversy.
AUGUST 18, 2012
Live from the Freight & Salvage - Show 971
SEDGE welcomes:
Poet
ROBERT HASS
the former Poet Laureate of the United States and winner of both the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize with his new book, What Light Can Do: Essays on Art, Imagination and the Natural World..
Author
SETH ROSENFELD
with Subversives, which brings us back to UC Berkeley in the 60s, tracing the FBI’s secret involvement with three iconic figures: the ambitious neophyte politician Ronald Reagan, the fierce but fragile radical Mario Savio, and the liberal university president Clark Kerr.
Author
RUBEN MARTINEZ
Emmy award winning journalist on tour with his latest book, Desert America: Boom and Bust in the New Old West -- chronicling the iconic West, with its "outrageous wealth and devastating poverty, sublime beauty and ecological ruin."
Musicians
DAROL ANGER & THE FURIES
the fiddle guru who has spent the past three decades reinventing American string music, on tour with all-stars Rushad Eggleston (cellist, Crooked Still), Sharon Gilchrist (mandolin, Peter Rowan & Tony Rice quartet), harpist Maeve Gilchrist and vocalist Emy Phelps.
Musician
RAMANA VIEIRA
will bring us Fado, a form of traditional Portuguese folk music that she bridges into the 21st century with her haunting melodies and sultry tonality.
The Poetic
MIKE GREENSILL
one of San Francisco's premier Jazz and Cabaret piano players, and our house pianist.
AUGUST 11, 2012
A Favorite from the Archives - Show 970
A favorite from October 16th, 2004, when SEDGE THOMSON welcomed:
Renaissance Woman
MAYA ANGELOU
poet, educator, historian, civil-rights activist and best-selling author shares some of the wisdom that has made her one of the great voices of contemporary literature.
Author
GUY JOHNSON
Maya's son and an acclaimed author in his own right, having published such works as Standing at the Scratch Line and Echoes of a Distant Summer.
Author
BLUE BALLIETT
whose Chasing Vermeer for kids (and adults) tells of two sixth graders who team up to solve the theft of a painting by 17th century painter Johannes Vermeer.
AUGUST 4, 2012
Live from the Freight & Salvage - Show 969
SEDGE welcomes:
Author
GAIL TSUKIYAMA
the bestselling author brings us her latest, A Hundred Flowers, and shares stories from her Books and Water program, which brings cross-cultural books and clean water to struggling village schools in places like India, Haiti and Native American reservations.
Author
EDIE MEIDAV
the author of Lola, California, the brilliantly told story of two old friends who find each other while a father awaits his end on Death Row.
Musicians
MISNER & SMITH
this Americana duo will impress you with their masterful harmonies and lyrical vitality.
Musicians
TRIO GARUFA
the international ensemble dedicated to performing authentic Argentine music, mixing a deep respect for the golden era of Tango with their passion for dancing and performing.
JULY 28, 2012
Live from the Freight & Salvage - Show 968
From the Freight & Salvage at 2020 Addison St. in downtown Berkeley, SEDGE welcomes:
Author
JIM LYNCH
the bestselling author of The Highest Tide brings us his latest work, Truth Like the Sun, a wildly entertaining yet serious novel about American politics and corruption.
Author
KAY LARSON
author of Where the Heart Beats: John Cage, Zen Buddhism, and the Inner Life of Artists, an intimate look at Cage's relationship to Buddhism and the visual arts.
Author
ROB REID
the digital music pioneer who founded Listen.com brings us his debut novel Year Zero, an entertaining look at the intersection of the music industry, Washington,D.C., and Internet culture.
Musician
DOUG PAISLEY
the Toronto country/folksinger whose latest LP was called one of the year's "best singer-songwriter albums" by Rolling Stone.
Musicians
MELKIT HADERO & QUINN DEVEAUX
these two soulful San Francisco musicians have come together to form a beautiful and optimistic global musical tapestry.
JULY 21, 2012
Live from the Freight & Salvage - Show 967
From the Freight & Salvage at 2020 Addison Street in downtown Berkeley, SEDGE THOMSON presents a very special Food Justice themed show, featuring:
Chef, Author
ALICE WATERS
the proprietor of Chez Panisse; an American pioneer of a culinary philosophy that cooking should be based on the finest and freshest seasonal ingredients that are produced sustainably and locally.
Author
RAJ PATEL
the activist and author best known for his book Stuffed and Starved: Markets, Power and the Hidden Battle for the World’s Food System.
Humanitarian
RAYMOND OFFENHEISER
who has been the President of Oxfam America for over 15 years, positioning the organization as a leader in the field of corporate social responsibility.
Musicians
ARANN HARRIS & THE FARM BAND
will put down their hammers and hoes and pick up their instruments to bring us some farm-fresh Americana.
JULY 14, 2012
Live from the Freight & Salvage - Show 966
From the Freight & Salvage at 2020 Addison St. in downtown Berkeley, SEDGE welcomes:
Author
CARLOS RUIZ ZAFON
one of the world’s most read and best-loved writers, returning this summer with the third book in his cycle of novels set in “the literary universe of the Cemetery of the Forgotten Books” - The Prisoner of Heaven.
Author
JULIE OTSUKA
the bestselling author of When the Emperor Was Divine brings us her much anticipated novel The Buddha in the Attic, the story of a group of young Japanese ‘picture brides’ who sailed to America in the early 1900s.
Author
JOSHUA HENKIN
director the MFA program in Fiction Writing at Brooklyn College and author of such notable novels as Matrimony and Swimming Across the The Hudson with his latest, The World Without You.
Performers
WOODY GUTHRIE'S AMERICAN SONG
This is the day of Woody Guthrie's 100th birthday, and we're pleased to have the cast of this fine play on to celebrate Woody's song and story.
Musicians
DEEP CHATHAM
the relentlessly touring trio from North Carolina brings us their unique Americana sound, complete with driving rhythms, intricate harmonies, and haunting melodies. In California for BASK Music Festival.
JULY 7, 2012
The Forge in London, England - Show 965
Only partially broadcast due to satellite transmission failure on May 5th, we are now pleased to bring you this fine show in its entirety. The final chapter of our London season - enjoy!
From April 24th at The Forge in LONDON, ENGLAND! These shows benefited the UK charity Fine Cell Work.
SEDGE THOMSON welcomed:
Author
JAY RAYNER
food critic for The Observer and author of such influential books as The Man Who Ate The World joins us with wisdom and music -- here with his trio.
Author
SIMON SINGH
author, journalist and TV producer specializing in science and mathematics, with his latest book is Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial.
JUNE 16, 2012
Live from Yoshi's Oakland - Show 962
SEDGE THOMSON welcomes:
Author
HOWARD RHEINGOLD
author of Net Smart: How to Thrive Online will share his wisdom on how to use social media intelligently, humanely and mindfully.
Comedian
DHAYA LAKSHMINARAYANAN
who, after graduating with a double degree from MIT and working as a venture capitalist, decided to pursue storytelling and stand-up comedy, with great success!.
Naturalist
CLAIRE PEASLEE
our favorite comedian-naturalist, with her latest field report for the new season.
Singer
DENISE PERRIER
will sing some numbers in promotion of her Ray Charles tribute with the Junius Courtney Big Band at Yoshi's later this month.
Musicians
ANGELO PIANO DUO
Anthony and Catherine Angelo will sit together at the grand piano and bring us the diverse sounds that have gained them international acclaim.
Musicians
HOWELL DEVINE
bring us the kind of gritty, rural blues that you just don't hear anymore...
JUNE 9, 2012
Live from Yoshi's Oakland - Show 961
SEDGE THOMSON welcomes:
Author
ANTHONY SWOFFORD
the former United States Marine and author of the bestseller Jarhead brings us his latest - a memoir called Hotels, Hospitals and Jails.
Author
FLORENCE WILLIAMS
author of Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History, an engaging expose about an incredible, life-giving organ and its imperiled modern fate.
Author
NANCY PACKER
the former director of the Stanford creative writing program, with Old Ladies, a collection of stories about aging that is full of wisdom and laced with humor.
Musicians
SHOOK TWINS
identical twins Laurie and Katelyn Shook, bring us their unique style of joyous northwest Folk.
Musician
RICK BRAUN
the richly melodic jazz trumpet player who has unveiled his love of vocals on his newest album Sings with Strings.
JUNE 2, 2012
Live from the San Francisco Ferry Building - Show 960
SEDGE THOMSON welcomes:
Actor
LARRY HANKIN
founding member of the legendary SF improv troupe The Committee, who went on to act in Friends, Seinfeld, Home Alone, and 80 other sitcoms and 40 movies. Now sharing his Street Stories at the Marsh.
Author
ENRICO MORETTI
the UC Berkeley Economics Professor brings us The New Geography of Jobs, an examination of innovation and success, and where to find them in America.
Author
ERIC BERKOWITZ
with his acclaimed new work Sex and Punishment: Four Thousand Years of Judging Desire -- from the bedroom to the courtroom, it's a riveting history of sex and the law.
Artist
PAUL MADONNA
the artist and writer whose books explore the relationship between image and text. All Over Coffee won him a Northern California Book Award as one of the best works published in 2011.
Musicians
AUSTIN LOUNGE LIZARDS
the most laughable band in show business stops by to play a few songs from their tenth album, The Drugs I Need.
MAY 26, 2012
Live from the San Francisco Ferry Building - show 959
SEDGE THOMSON welcomes:
Actor
BILL IRWIN
Tony award-winning actor and clown noted for his contribution to the renaissance of American circus during the 1970s. Currently at the American Conservatory Theater, starring in Samuel Beckett's Endgame.
Actors
CUTTING BALL THEATER
sends over director Annie Elias and the cast of TENDERLOIN, a docu-theater production about the people and places in CBT's neighborhood.
Actors
WE PLAYERS
who transform public spaces into realms of participatory theater, will give us a glimpse of their current production -- The Odyssey on Angel Island State Park.
Musician
PIERRE BENSUSAN
French-Algerian guitarist, singer and composer, recognized as one of the most eloquent and diverse world musicians of our time.
A Tribute To
KATHI KAMEN GOLDMARK
beloved friend, mother, author, musician and our producer for many years. You are missed!.
MAY 19, 2012
Live from the San Francisco Ferry Building - show 958
SEDGE THOMSON welcomes:
Author
AUGUSTEN BURROUGHS
the author known for his bestselling and controversial memoir Running with Scissors brings us his latest, a hilarious self-help book called This is How.
Author
DANIEL DUANE
the surfer & memoirist bring us How To Cook Like A Man: A Memoir of Cookbook Obsession. One critic raves "If Hunter S. Thompson had hit the kitchen instead of Las Vegas, he would have been hard pressed to come up with half of what Daniel Duane delivers."
Poet
ZACH HOUSTON
the Oakland-based visual artist and poet, best known for his pop-up poemstore, an ongoing project in which he composes spontaneous custom poetry on a manual typewriter in public spaces, in exchange for donations.
Musician
JONATHAN RICHMAN
who founded the influential proto-punk band The Modern Lovers, and has since had a successful solo career, gaining fans around the world with his honest lyrics and playfully catchy compositions..jpg)
Clown
WAVY GRAVY
the clown-activist hippie-icon who was once Master of Ceremonies at Woodstock and has gone on to form the Seva Foundation and Camp Winnarainbow.
Musician
MITCHELL HOLMAN
from the 60's rock band It's a Beautiful Day will sit in for Mike Greensill as our House Pianist.
MAY 12, 2012
Live from the San Francisco Ferry Building - show 957
From the Port Commission Hearing Room upstairs at the SF Ferry Building,
SEDGE THOMSON welcomes:
Author
JULIET BELL
(who may be "closely related" to Sylvia Brownrigg) brings us her debut children's novel Kepler's Dream, about eleven-year-old Ella's summer with her eccentric Grandmother and all that she learns through trying to track down a stolen book.
Author
SONIA FALEIRO
author of BEAUTIFUL THING: Inside the Secret World of Bombay's Dance Bars, the harrowing, heartbreaking, and yet inspirational account of those forced to turn to the hidden world of Bombay's notorious sex industry for food and shelter.
Author
VICTORIA SWEET
author of God's Hotel: A Doctor, A Hospital and a Pilgrimage to the Heart of Medicine, about her time as a physician at San Francisco's Laguna Honda Hospital, while pursuing a degree in the history of medicine.
Musicians
TRIO GARUFA
the international ensemble dedicated to performing authentic Argentine music, mixing a deep respect for the golden era of Tango with their passion for dancing and performing.
Urban Farmer
RAUL HERNANDEZ
CUESA's Schoolyard to Market Garden Educator from Urban Sprouts, a local nonprofit growing healthy schools and communities through garden-based education.
JUNE 30, 2012
The Forge in London, England - Show 964
Recorded April 29th at The Forge in LONDON, ENGLAND! A benefit for Fine Cell Work, the UK charity that teaches prisoners paid, skilled, creative needlework.
SEDGE THOMSON welcomed:
Explorer
BRADLEY GARRETT
the "Place Hacker" who has completed a PhD in Urban Exploration, and who recently gained fame for scaling The Shard, the tallest building in the European Union.
Comedian
SHAZIA MIRZA
award winning comedian and Guardian columnist, featured on NBC's Last Comic Standing.
Comedians
SCOTT CAPURRO & DAVID MILLS
the hilarious California comedians who have made a splash in London with their provocative take on gay culture, pop culture, politics and race..
Musician
AYANNA WITTER-JOHNSON
vocalist, cellist and composer, she was the first non-American to win the legendary Amateur Night Live at the Apollo Theater competition in Harlem.
Pianist
MIKE GREENSILL
originally trained at Leeds College of Music in England, Mike is now one of San Francisco's premier Jazz and Cabaret piano players.
Playwright
HANNAH MULDER
writer and director of The Girl with the Iron Claws, which, after a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Festival 2011, is now touring the UK and Ireland.
JUNE 23, 2012
The Forge in London, England - Show 963
Recorded April 30th at The Forge in LONDON, ENGLAND! A benefit for Fine Cell Work, the UK charity that teaches prisoners paid, skilled, creative needlework.
SEDGE THOMSON welcomed:
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Author
A.S. BYATT
the internationally renowned author of such novels as The Children's Book, Angels & Insects and the Booker Prize-winning Possession.
Author
FRANCES OSBORNE
author of The Bolter, the acclaimed biography of her great-great grandmother Idina Sackville, and the forthcoming novel Park Lane.
Composer
IAIN BURNSIDE
he award winning BBC radio broadcaster, pianist and composer, whose first play, A Soldier and a Maker, has just premiered at the Barbican Centre.
MAY 5, 2012
The Forge in London, England - Show 956
To our dismay, the public radio uplink service in Chicago started our 4/28 London show instead of today's 5/05 program in error. During the first half-hour, the uplink staff switched over to the correct show. Then during the broadcast, some sections were repeated, when their software began looping certain sections. This does not make for graceful listening, and we apologize. KALW's listen again feature will carry the complete and whole version, perhaps by Sunday, certainly by Monday. Is it the full moon?
From April 24th at The Forge in LONDON, ENGLAND! These shows benefited the UK charity Fine Cell Work.
SEDGE THOMSON welcomed:
Author
JAY RAYNER
food critic for The Observer and author of such influential books as The Man Who Ate The World joins us with wisdom and music -- here with his trio.
Author
SIMON SINGH
author, journalist and TV producer specializing in science and mathematics, with his latest book is Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial.
APRIL 28, 2012
The Forge in London, England - Show 955
From April 23rd at The Forge in LONDON, ENGLAND! These shows benefited Fine Cell Work, the UK charity that teaches prisoners paid, skilled, creative needlework.
SEDGE THOMSON welcomed:
Author
TOM MCCARTHY
the artist, philosopher and author of such experimental novels as Remainder, Men In Space and C.
Author
RAYMOND BONNER
New York Times journalist and author of Anatomy of Injustice: A Murder Case Gone Wrong, the book that helped free an innocent man who had spend 27 years on death row.
APRIL 21, 2012
A Favorite from the Archives - Show 954
From April 10, 1999, at the Theater on the Square, when SEDGE THOMSON welcomed:
Actors
Fireside Theater
this rerun is dedicated to the late great Peter Bergman, founding member of the Fireside Theater and the driving force behind Radio Free Oz.
Musicians
The Nields Sisters
Nerissa and Katryna Nields bring us some folky goodness from the hills of Western Massachusetts.
Musician
Luis Bravo
creator and director of "Forever Tango" with musicians and dancers from the show.
APRIL 14, 2012
Live from Yoshi's Oakland - Show 953
Live from Yoshi's Oakland at 510 Embarcadero West, Jack London Square, SEDGE THOMSON welcomes:
Authors
ANNE LAMOTT & SAM LAMOTT
the beloved author brings her latest, Some Assembly Required: The Journal of My Son's First Son, the follow-up to her best-selling memoir Operating Instructions. Her son Sam contributed to the book and will also join the interview.
Doctor
DR MARCEY SHAPIRO
he integrative medicine physician will share wisdom from her new book Transforming the Nature of Health.
Musicians
THE BAD PLUS
the trio who have broken down the walls of jazz convention and stepped into the forefront of a new instrumental music movement. Rolling Stone says they're "about as badass as highbrow gets.”
Tea Man
GUISEPI SPADAFORA
of the Free Tea Party, a mobile free tea house whose mission is to cultivate community by connecting strangers and encouraging dialogue about peace, health and the environment.
APRIL 7, 2012
Live from Yoshi's Oakland - Show 952
Live from Yoshi's Oakland at 510 Embarcadero West, Jack London Square, SEDGE THOMSON welcomes:
Musician
MCCOY TYNER
the extraordinary Jazz pianist known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet and a long solo career.
Musician
HIROMI
Pianist and composer Hiromi Uehara, whose passionate and incendiary keyboard work has been a shining light on the jazz landscape since her 2003 debut.
Author
CAROLINA DE ROBERTIS
international bestselling author of Perla, the coming of age story about an Argentine woman who makes a devastating discovery about her origins with the help of a mysterious houseguest.
Inventors
DAVID & CHRIS STEINRUECK
of Wood Thumb, a startup based in San Francisco that manufactures wooden neckties from reclaimed wood.
MARCH 31, 2012
Live from Yoshi's Oakland - Show 951
Live from Yoshi's Oakland at 510 Embarcadero West, Jack London Square, SEDGE THOMSON welcomes:
Author
DIANE ACKERMAN
the author of two dozen highly acclaimed works of nonfiction and poetry brings us her latest, a memoir, One Hundred Names For Love: A Stroke, A Marriage, And the Language of Healing.
Author
CHRISTOPHER MOORE
the author of twelve hilarious novels, including the international bestsellers Lamb, Fool and Bite Me, brings us his latest, Sacré Blue.
Typographer
CAROLINA DE BARTOLO
typography and design history educator and the author of Explorations in Typography: Mastering the Art of Fine Typesetting.
Musicians
SF JAZZ COLLECTIVE
an all-star jazz ensemble comprising eight of the finest performer/composers at work in jazz today.
MARCH 24, 2012
Live from Yoshi's Oakland - Show 950
Live from Yoshi's Oakland at 510 Embarcadero West, Jack London Square, SEDGE THOMSON welcomes:
Author
JACQUELINE WINSPEAR
acclaimed mystery writer brings us the newest in her Maisie Dobbs series, Elegy for Eddie.
Filmmaker
KEVIN BROWNLOW
filmmaker, film historian, author, and Academy Award recipient, best known for his work documenting the history of the silent era.
Musician
ZAKIR HUSSAIN
the legendary Indian tabla player himself, accompanied by Sabir Khan on sarangi and Navin Sharma dholak.
MARCH 17, 2012
Live from Yoshi's Oakland - Show 949
Live from Yoshi's Oakland at 510 Embarcadero West, Jack London Square, SEDGE THOMSON welcomes:
Author
JEANETTE WINTERSON
the acclaimed novelist brings us her new memoir Why Be Happy When You Can Be Normal?, a shocking, heartbreaking, unconventional and often funny look back at a lifelong search for happiness in all its guises.
Author
NINA LACOUR
with her second novel, The Disenchantments, the captivating story of a band on tour in the Pacific Northwest, and the coming of age story of the friends involved.
Author
JENNIFER DUBOIS
stops in to talk about her debut novel A Partial History of Lost Causes, the story of a long-lost letter that links two characters, each searching for meaning against long odds.
Musicians
ELVIN BISHOP BAND
legendary blues guitarist who achieved fame as a founding member of the Butterfield Blues Band and with his own 1976 classic "Fooled Around and Fell in Love."
MARCH 10, 2012
Live from Yoshi's Oakland - Show 948
Live from Yoshi's Oakland at 510 Embarcadero West, Jack London Square, SEDGE THOMSON welcomes:
Author
CALVIN TRILLIN
the novelist, poet and humorist will stop by with some wisdom from his latest book Quite Enough of Calvin Trillin.
Author
THOMAS CHRISTENSEN
brings us 1616: The World in Motion, illuminating an extravagant age by focusing on a single riotous year.
Architect
ERIC J CESAL
author of Down Detour Road: An Architect in Search of Practice. He wrote this account of a young architect's search for new architectural values in a time of economic crisis before finding work helping rebuild Haiti with Architecture for Humanity.
MARCH 3, 2012
Live from Yoshi's Oakland - Show 947
Live from Yoshi's Oakland at 510 Embarcadero West, Jack London Square, SEDGE THOMSON welcomes:
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Author
ELLEN ULLMAN
the computer programmer and author brings us her new novel By Blood, a captivating thriller set in 1970's San Francisco.
Author
IRVIN D. YALOM
with The Spinoza Problem, exploring the inner life of a man who changed the course of history by paving the way for the Enlightenment.
Author
PEGGY ORENSTEIN
and her groundbreaking bestseller Cinderella Ate My Daughter, revealing that the pink and pretty girlie girl is not so innocent.
FEBRUARY 25, 2012
Live from Yoshi's Oakland - Show 946
Live from Yoshi's Oakland at 510 Embarcadero West, Jack London Square, SEDGE THOMSON welcomes:
Author
BEN MARCUS
the acclaimed experimental writer brings us his latest novel, The Flame Alphabet, a work of heartbreak and horror about how far we will go to protect our families.
Authors
ELIZABETH WEIL & DANIEL DUANE
husband and wife, both acclaimed authors, talk candidly about her new memoir on marraige No Cheating, No Dying: I Had A Good Marriage And Tried To Make It Better.
Artists
JONN HERSCHEND & WILL ROGAN
publishers of The Thing Quarterly, an object-based publication, each issue conceived of by a different contributor. This issue - a monologue by Dave Eggers published on a shower curtain.
Musician
JOLIE HOLLAND
the Texas-born singer and founding member of The Be Good Tanyas, who combines elements of folk, country, rock, jazz and blues.
Musician
PATRICK LANDEZA
The Hawaiian slack key player will stop by with some of his friends to bring the aloha spirit to our west coast winter.
FEBRUARY 18, 2012
A Favorite from the Archives - Show 945
A classic from October 2nd, 2004 from the Empire Plush Room in San Francisco, when SEDGE welcomed:
FEBRUARY 11, 2012
Live from the San Francisco Ferry Building - show 944
SEDGE THOMSON welcomes:
Musicians
TOMMY EMMANUEL
legendary Austrailian guitarist best known for his complex fingerpicking style, along with renowned guitarists FRANK VIGNOLA and VINNY RANIOLO.
FEBRUARY 4, 2012
Live from the San Francisco Ferry Building - Show 943
SEDGE THOMSON welcomes:
Author
EDMUND WHITE
acclaimed author of City Boy and others, brings us his latest novel, Jack Holmes & His Friend.
Illustrator
MAIRA KALMAN
children's book author and illustrator who has collaborated with Michael Pollan on Food Rules, Lemony Snicket on 13 WORDS, and most recently Daniel Handler on Why We Broke Up.
Author
BARBARA BABCOCK
the first woman appointed to the regular faculty, the first to hold an endowed chair and the first emerita at Stanford Law School, with her new book Woman Lawyer: The Trials of Clara Foltz.
Musician
AYLA NEREO
lays down her infectious melodies woven into complex electro-acoustic compositions.
JANUARY 28, 2012
A Favorite from the Archives - show 942
A Gem from Saturday March 21, 2009 - at the sublime CAVALLO POINT - The Lodge at the Golden Gate.
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Author
JENNIFER WOODLIEF
whose book A Wall of White, recounts the events and people swept up in a 1980s Sierra avalanche.
Author
CHRISTINA SUNLEY
whose novel The Tricking of Freya, melds a tale of American family secrets with the myths and landscape of Iceland.
Comedians
KARL and CARL
who know their Condé from their Nast, with their Tips on Travel, as channeled by Michael O'Brien and Geoff Bolt.
JANUARY 21, 2012
A Favorite From the Archives - show 941
Enjoy a classic from March 14, 2009 at the sublime CAVALLO POINT - The Lodge at the Golden Gate, when SEDGE THOMSON welcomed:
Musicians
TUCK & PATTI
the renowned duo whose latest, I Remember You, celebrates the Great American Songbook.
Astronomer
ALAN BOSS
his new book details the search for other life in the universe and the Kepler Mission.
JANUARY 14, 2012
- Live from the David Brower Center, Berkeley - show 940
10am to noon from the Goldman Theater in the David Brower Center, 2150 Allston Way, Berkeley, SEDGE THOMSON welcomes:
Author
ELLIS AVERY
named "The Best Writer You've Never Heard of But Should Go Read Right Now" by New York Press, stops by with her second novel, The Last Nude, inspired by the Art Deco painter Tamara de Lempicka.
Author
NICHOLAS DE MONCHAUX
brings us Spacesuit: Fashioning Apollo, an architectural history of the Apollo AL7 Pressure Garment, manufactured by the industrial division of the Playtex Bra and Girdle company. Adam Gopnik of the New Yorker calls it "The most delightful and memorable new book I read last year."
Clarity Films
CONNIE FIELD & GREGORY SCHARPEN
Director and Editor of the new PBS series Have You Heard From Johannesburg, five stories from the global anti-apartheid movement.
Musicians
VETIVER
San Francisco's own Andy Cabic leads this popular indie folk group, on tour with their latest album The Errant Charm.
JANUARY 7, 2012
Live from the David Brower Center, Berkeley - show 939
Join SEDGE THOMSON for a Special Anniversary Show celebrating 18 years of West Coast Live on the airwaves! 10am to noon from the Goldman Theater in the David Brower Center, 2150 Allston Way, Berkeley.
Musician
RAMBLIN' JACK ELLIOTT
One of the last true links to the great folk traditions of this country, with over 40 albums under his belt, Ramblin' Jack Elliott is considered one of the country's legendary foundations of folk music.
Author
JULIA FLYNN SILER
the bestselling author brings us her fascinating new account of Hawaii's turbulent history in Lost Kingdom: Hawaii's Last Queen, the Sugar Kings, and America's First Imperial Adventure.
Environmentalist
JASON RAINEY
Executive Director of International Rivers, a water rights advocacy group working to support river protection and economic justice movements throughout the global South.
Musicians
BUXTER HOOT'N
the San Francisco-based band whose Americana roots, Rolling Stones swagger, pop sensibilities and truthful lyricism are all on display.
Bicycle Builders
CRAIG CALFEE & LARS JACOBSEN
Craig is the founder of Calfee Design, specializing in carbon fiber bicycle frames, and Bamboosero, training and supporting bike building in developing countries using local bamboo. Lars is co-founder and lead fabricator for Stalk Bicycles, Oakland's sustainable bamboo bike company.