The Home of Jonathan Schwartz and The American Songbook
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Since 1958, Jonathan Schwartz has been somewhere on your radio dial. In fact, even at a very young age, he was the master of the Victrola, back announcing the records of the day to his neighbors via a baby monitor.
Maybe you listened to him in Boston or in the late 50s at 99.5 WBAI? Many heard him on 102.7 WNEW-FM or WNEW 1130 or later at WQEW. Perhaps you subscribed to Sirius/XM or pledged money to public radio to listen to the great music and the stories that only Jonathan can tell.
Bottom line? You’ve missed hearing Jonathan on your radio or digital device playing and discussing The American Songbook not to mention the artists.
Well, we’ve heard you and are happy to say: Jonno is back.
Joe Brancatelli, long time WNEW and JS fan, added a new post to his blog for business travelers about his experiences and the return of Jonathan Schwartz entitled A Stowaway in the Sky Returns to the Air.
SHOW SCHEDULE: UPDATE
Jonathan decided to retire after 56 years on various broadcasting platforms on February 20th. The station went dark on 3/23/2021. Trivia fans might enjoy the fact that the stream began on 3/23/2018.
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Speaking of Simple Radio/Streema, you can use their app to listen on your phone or digital device. https://streema.com/radios
This is an archive of past live shows as heard on The Jonathan Station.
Sunday Show 02-28-2021 – Today’s show is an aircheck of Jonathan’s “final” show on 102.7 WNEW-FM from May 1, 1976. After nine years on the station, he left to travel to Palm Springs and write books.
Part 1 (Hour 1 & 2):
Part 2 (Hour 3):
Saturday Show 02-27-2021 – A repeat of the live show from February 23, 2019. It’s a wonderful three hours of Jonathan and the Great American Songbook.
Saturday Show 02-20-2021 – After 56 years on various broadcast platforms, Jonathan decided to hang up his headphones. Here is his final show.
(We will fill in the live shows soon.)
Sunday Show 12-27-2020 – Wrapping up the year and presenting the 3rd Hour with Jonathan, Ann Hampton Callaway, Kenny Rankin, Weslia Whitfield remembering Ella Fitzgerald in July 1996 on WQEW.
Saturday Show 12-26-2020 – It’s the day after Christmas and the 3rd Hour presents a bonus hour of holiday music.
Sunday Show 12-13-2020 – We remember a very sad anniversary – 25 years to the day – of the passing of Nancy LaMott. Included in the show – Nancy final full show at NYC’s Tavern On The Green recorded two short months before her cancer caught up to her.
Saturday Show 12-12-2020 – It’s the 105th anniversary of the birth of Frank Sinatra and we present three hours of…(mostly) Sinatra.
Sunday Show 11-22-2020 – A super Sunday show plus Andre’ Previn talks with Arthur Schwartz.
Saturday Show 11-14-2020 – Somewhere in the middle of the show, Jonathan starts talking baseball.
Sunday Show 10-25-2020 – Great music and Bob surprises Jonathan with the story of The Lucy Letter!
Saturday Show 10-24-2020 – It starts out as a normal Saturday and then Tierney Sutton stops in!
Sunday Show 10-18-2020 – Jonathan sat down with Adam Gopnik of The New Yorker magazine back in 2017. It was a great interview and we replay it here.
Saturday Show 10-17-2020 – We reached back into the library for a magic moment with America’s Sweetheart, Doris Day. In 2010, she called him out of the blue to talk. A Secret Love? OK, we’ll stop now.
Sunday Show 10-11-2020 – The show starts off with a star-studded salute to Broadway!
Saturday Show 10-10-2020 – A music-packed show with Jonathan and Bob.
Sunday Show 09-27-2020 – Lots of Sinatra including Jonathan interviewing author James Kaplan in November 2015 regarding his second bio on the legendary singer.
Saturday Show 09-26-2020 – We spend the first Saturday of the Fall with a library of great music.
Sunday Show 09-20-2020 – Jonno answers a question from the Facebook group – Jonathan’s Roundtable that wonders if he likes Bob Dylan and if so, what is his favorite song?
Saturday Show 09-19-2020 – It’s a beautiful Saturday in New York and we start the show off with John Pizzarelli, Nancy LaMott and Nelson Riddle!
Sunday Show 09-13-2020 – Double shots from top artists and a visit back to the 10th annual Salute To Baseball as heard on WNEW1130 in 1981!
Saturday Show 09-12-2020 – The show starts with Oscar Levant and Philadelphia Orchestra performing Rhapsody in Blue, a double play by Ella Fitzgerald and Sinatra with “Where Or When” through the years…and goes from there!
Sunday Show 09-06-2020 – Labor Day Celebration.
Saturday Show 09-05-2020 – Repeat show from 03-14-2020. This program is of note as it was the last live Saturday show until 06-06-2020 due to the COVID-19 lockdown in New York.
Sunday Show 08-30-2020 – We rewind to August 25, 2019.
Saturday Show 08-29-2020 – It’s an encore of August 24, 2019.
Sunday Show 08-23-2020 – Two guys presenting three hours of great music!
Saturday Show 08-22-2020 – A wonderful music-filled afternoon!
Sunday Show 08-16-2020 – An afternoon of wonderful music and a listen to the BBC’s 1977 interview with Bing Crosby, which turned out to be his last.
Saturday Show 08-15-2020 – The spotlight is on MGM’s “The Band Wagon”!
Sunday Show 08-09-2020 – Arthur Schwartz performs at the American Embassy in London.
Saturday Show 08-08-2020 – Pete Hamill died on August 5th and Jonathan brings out his conversation with the writer and friend at the 92Y in 2005.
Saturday Show 07-25-2020 –
Sunday Show 07-05-2020 – A hot day in Manhattan and we present three hours of cool music plus a visit from the 2000 Year Old Man!
Saturday Show 07-04-2020 – It’s Independence Day in the U.S. and we present some special music to celebrate!
Sunday Show 06-28-2020 – It’s Richard Rodgers, Tierney Sutton…and Jonathan Schwartz’s birthday and you’re invited!
Saturday Show 06-27-2020 – New releases from Capitol Records: Sinatra’s ‘Nice ‘N’ Easy’ turns 60 and in honor of Peggy Lee’s 100th anniversary – ‘Ultimate Peggy Lee’ start off the show.
Sunday Show 06-21-2020 – It’s the beginning of the third year of Jonathan’s live shows on TJS and we start off the presentation with a few blasts from the past including the first few minutes of the first show from Father’s Day 2018.
Saturday Show 06-20-2020 – It’s Tony Bennett Day on TJS! Jonathan brings out 27 albums of Tony.
Sunday Show 06-07-2020 – Jonathan laments the lack of baseball.
Saturday Show 06-06-2020 – Finally, we return live in the studio and Jonathan digs in to the news and lots of music.
(We will fill-in the repeat shows as time permits)
Sunday Show 03-15-2020 –Since venues are closed here in New York, we take a time machine back to November 16, 1983for Jonathan’s early show at Michael’s Pub.
Saturday Show 03-14-2020 – Back from vacation and Jonathan’s got a stack of CDs to play.
Sunday Show 02-16-2020 – Jonathan follows up Saturday’s show with the CBC interview with Oscar Hammerstein II and brings out lots of his music, too.
Saturday Show 02-15-2020 – We discover a Canadian Broadcasting Interview with Richard Rodgers from 1960 and add lots of Rodgers music.
Saturday Show 02-08-2020 – A music-filled three hours with Jonno.
Sunday Show 02-02-2020 – It’s Jonathan Schwartz’s 48th Annual Salute to Baseball plus we flashback to 1981 for a listen to the show on WNEW 1130.
Saturday Show 02-01-2020 – Jonathan starts the show with the question: What radio show would start with a 1943 Dinah Shore record? I think we know the answer.
Sunday Show 01-26-2020 – A nice Sunday full of classic songs.
Saturday Show 01-25-2020 – A show just gushing with Gershwin! Thanks to Chuck Thegze in San Francisco for pointing out that we never posted the show…until now (six months later).
Sunday Show 01-12-2020 – A beautiful day in the City and we celebrate with a whole segment of Irving Berlin songs.
Saturday Show 01-11-2020 – Three great hours of music and the stories behind them.
Saturday Show 12-28-2019 – A wide-ranging three hours of music and more!
Sunday Show 12-22-2019 – We revisit Jonathan’s Christmas Show from Birdland in 2014. We have broken up the show into four one hour segments. Hour 1:
Hour 2:
Hour 3:
Hour 4:
Sunday Show 12-15-2019 – Jonathan starts the show even before his show starts! Some holiday hits and much more.
Saturday Show 12-14-2019 – What can be wrong with a show that starts with multiple Nancy LaMott songs? Nancy died on this date back in 1995. JS remembers.
Sunday Show 12-08-2019 – It’s just a few days before Frank’s 104th birthday and our spotlight is on vintage Sinatra.
Saturday Show 12-07-2019 – Three hours of great Songbook music including “All The Things You Are” from the musical ‘From Very Warm for May’ and a visit from Bob & Ray.
Sunday Show 12-01-2019 – We reveal a “hidden” Christmas record on Tony Bennett’s CD ‘The Playground’ and then launch into an afternoon of discussion with and music from Nelson Riddle.
Saturday Show 11-30-2019 – We spend the final day of November with live Sinatra recorded in Palm Springs in 1976, stir up some stormy weather and play some holiday hits, too.
Sunday Show 11-24-2019 – Day two of ArthurFest includes a presentation of Arthur Schwartz playing at The American Embassy in London in 1975.
Saturday Show 11-23-2019 – Composer Arthur Schwartz (a/k/a Jonno’s dad) was born on 11-25-1900, so this weekend turns into an ArthurFest of music to celebrate..
Sunday Show 11-17-2019 – We listen to music from WWII, lots of Sinatra and we revisit a live show at BAM in Brooklyn from 2014 with John Pizzarelli, Jessica Molaskey, Tierney Sutton and Tony DeSare hosted by Jonno.
Saturday Show 11-16-2019 – A cold day in New York starts with a warm song. Lots of Tony Bennett, some music from Sondheim’s “Anyone Can Whistle” and more!
Sunday Show 11-10-2019 – We start with a alternate take from Sinatra and segue into composers playing their own work with a sidebar of Johnny Mercer. Listen to some lost recordings from Margaret Whiting, too.
Saturday Show 11-09-2019 – Sinatra and Jobim, George Gershwin and more in the spotlight.
Sunday Show 11-03-2019 – Show did not record.
Saturday Show 11-02-2019 – Starting the show with a duet from Frank Sinatra & Luciano Pavarotti should give you a clue as to the quality of the show to come. Enjoy!
Sunday Show 10-27-2019 – Isn’t it a lovely show to be caught in the rain? A wet forecast sends Jonathan to the library.
Saturday Show 10-26-2019 – Three solid hours of great music from the American Songbook and the stories behind them from Jonathan Schwartz.
Saturday Show 10-19-2019 – Music from shows of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner & Lowe and lots more!
Sunday Show 10-13-2019 – First, we discover the master of jingles created by John Pizzarelli and Jessica Molaskey for Jonathan’s “Frank’s Place” channel on XM Satellite and we revisit a WNEW interview with Steven Sondheim. Add a lot of great music and you’ve got a super Sunday.
Saturday Show 10-12-2019 – A show that starts with Loudon Wainright III name dropping Jonno and includes a Sinatra concert “that I’ve never played on the air” is worth listening to.
Sunday Show 10-06-2019 – A great Sunday afternoon of music and Jonno.
Saturday Show 10-05-2019 – Jonathan welcomes in the new month with a solid three hours of Songbook music and stories.
Sunday Show 09-29-2019 – Jonno wraps up the month of September by reaching deep into the TJS library. We listen to young Frank Sinatra sending out wartime “V-Discs” of songs to the troops.
Saturday Show 09-28-2019 – We travel back to May 2019 for a repeat of Jonathan’s WNEW interview with Nelson Riddle.
Sunday Show 09-22-2019 – repeat show Saturday Show 09-21-2019 – repeat show
Sunday Show 09-15-2019 – Jonathan examines “Where Or When”, a show tune from the 1937 Rodgers and Hart musical Babes in Arms, that has been re-imagined numerous times.
Saturday Show 09-14-2019 – We musically prepare you for Fall.
Sunday Show 09-08-2019 – TJS presents three hours of songs with lyrics penned by Dorothy Fields. Included in the show is a flashback to 1972 when Dorothy told her story at the 92nd Street Y.
Saturday Show 09-07-2019 – Nancy LaMott starts off the show…and it’s a good one!
Sunday Show 09-01-2019 – It’s Labor Day in the USA and we present an encore of our 2018 celebration.
Saturday Show 08-31-2019 – Jonathan takes the long holiday weekend off and we present a repeat of the show from March 23, 2019.
Sunday Show 08-25-2019 – An afternoon spent listening to gems from the Songbook including Billie Holiday, Fred Astaire, Nat Cole and Sinatra.
Saturday Show 08-24-2019 – Jonathan reaches in the library for some rare recordings from the American Songbook.
Sunday Show 08-18-2019 – It’s a show all about Frank Sinatra. Pete Hamill discusses his best selling book ‘Why Sinatra Matters’.
Saturday Show 08-17-2019 – A wonderful three hours of music starting with Count Basie and some early Tierney Sutton.
Sunday Show 08-11-2019 – Jonno plays multiple artists performing a classic from the pens of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II: “All The Things You Are”.
Saturday Show 08-10-2019 – Jonathan plays two life-changing albums by Frank Sinatra (his first albums at Capitol) – Songs For Young Lovers and Swing Easy.
Sunday Show 08-04-2019 – Jonathan met up with John Pizzarelli and Ken Peplowski after they wrapped up their week together at Birdland.
Saturday Show 08-03-2019 – Jonathan starts the new month with three hours of great music from the Songbook. We celebrate Tony Bennett’s 93rd trip around the sun, too.
Sunday Show 07-28-2019 – Jonathan’s back live with stacks of CDs to play!
Saturday Show 07-27-2019 – Jonno takes a day off, so we revisit a show from the end of April that includes an interview with Stephen Sondheim.
Sunday Show 07-21-2019 – We revisit Arthur Schwartz’s 1975 performance at the American Embassy in London.
Saturday Show 07-20-2019 – A great show filled with music, stories and a visit from Bob & Ray.
Sunday Show 07-14-2019 – The day after the blackout in New York.
Saturday Show 07-13-2019 – A warm Summer day in New York, NY. Normally, the live show from Noon is repeated at 8pm, but this one sat on a hard drive in a computer that was off in a studio that was dark like so much of Manhattan.
Sunday Show 06-30-2019 – No live show. Repeated the show from 4-28-2019.
Saturday Show 06-29-2019 – The show starts with three outstanding songs from Fred Astaire and goes from there.
Sunday Show 06-23-2019 – Sondheim! Sinatra! Mel Torme’ cooling his heels! Music and stories for you.
Saturday Show 06-22-2019 – Jonathan celebrates the first full day of Spring.
Sunday Show 06-16-2019 – We listen to Jonathan’s return to the WNEW-FM microphone for the first time in eighteen months to tell Scott Muni what he’s been up to since he left in 1976.
Saturday Show 06-15-2019 – Jonathan shines the musical spotlight on arranger Marty Paich.
Sunday Show 06-09-2019 – This show features Jonathan’s last show…on WNEW-FM from May 1, 1976!
Saturday Show 06-08-2019 – After taking a week off, Jonno is back with three great hours of music and stories.
Sunday Show 05-26-2019 – It’s a holiday weekend and we bring out a rare May 2001 interview of Mel Brooks playing some of his favorites plus much more!
BONUS : Here’s just the interview with Mel Brooks! (Yes, it starts cold with Bing Crosby.)
Saturday Show 05-25-2019 – OK, it’s the beginning of a long weekend. There is no real theme today – yes, we start the show with a 25 minute segment of music crafted by Jonathan and there are some long-lost items found to be played…but no theme. Enjoy!
Sunday Show 05-19-2019 – It’s a “lovering” day in New York and the music comes out to play!
Saturday Show 05-18-2019 – It was just a month or so after her 97th birthday that we lost Doris Day. Today we replay the 2010 phone call Jonathan received from her and play a lot of her huge catalog of hits.
BONUS: Just the interview with Doris Day!
Sunday Show 05-12-2019 – How did Jonathan meet his wife, Zohra, and why is Jule Styne involved? The answer to that plus the second part of the interview with Nelson Riddle is on today’s show.
Saturday Show 05-11-2019 – Celebration of the birthdays of Fred Astaire (5/10/1899) and Irving Berlin (5/11/1888) brings lots of music to the show!
Sunday Show 05-05-2019 – Jonathan revisits his September 1982 interview of Nelson Riddle and plays a lot of songs arranged by Riddle.
Saturday Show 05-04-2019 – A cloudy day in New York and we bring out lots of Sinatra to play.
Sunday Show 04-28-2019 – Blossom Dearie’s birthday along lots of studio work, outtakes and rare recordings from Sinatra and Streisand. There’s discussion of the 1948 Broadway show “Inside The U.S.A. and much more.
Saturday Show 04-27-2019 – Great show including a flashback to March 1981 and Jonathan talks to Stephen Sondheim on WNEW 1130 about the then-recent passing of Yip Harburg.
Sunday Show 04-21-2019 – It’s Easter Sunday and music from the movie ‘Easter Parade’…and Tubby The Tuba, too!
Saturday Show 04-20-2019 – A rainy day in New York and a great day to stay in and listen to Jonathan and The American Songbook.
Sunday Show 04-14-2019 – We take a rest from raiding the tape box and present a solid three hours and five minutes of live Jonno.
Saturday Show 04-13-2019 – Another great show filled with music and a special hour recording of Arthur Schwartz performing for an audience at The American Embassy in London in 1976 that Jonathan had never heard before.
Sunday Show 04-07-2019 – Jonathan continues with his harvest of classic interviews and shows with a celebration of the birthday of an old friend, Jimmy Van Heusen on January 25, 1981.
Saturday Show 04-06-2019 – Jonathan celebrates the 97th birthday of Doris Day by remembering the phone call he got from her on the air in 2010.
Sunday Show 03-31-2019 – We close out the month of March with a lot of great music plus we unearth Jonno’s interview with Lena Horne from January 3, 1981 on WNEW 1130.
Saturday Show 03-30-2019 – A great show made even better with the addition of Jonathan’s discussion with Mel Torme’ on WNEW 1130 back in September 1988.
Sunday Show 03-24-2019 – A celebration of Stephen Sondheim’s 89th birthday and more.
Saturday Show 03-23-2019 – JS is back and feeling better with lots of songs to play!
Sunday Show 03-17-2019 – Jonno calls in sick so we repeated his Salute To Baseball show from Super Bowl weekend.
Saturday Show 03-16-2019 – Jonathan declares that it’s Spring (or at least close) and plays some Sinatra sessions.
Sunday Show 03-10-2019 – It’s a rainy day in New York and time has sprung forward.
Saturday Show 03-09-2019 – Saturday with stories from Jonathan and music from The Songbook.
Sunday Show 03-03-2019 – Another Sunday afternoon filled with The American Songbook and stories from Jonathan.
Saturday Show 03-02-2019 – First show of March comes in like a lion with a great Saturday of music.
Sunday Show 02-24-2019 – The weekend continues and so does Jonno’s playing through his mountain of CDs.
Saturday Show 02-23-2019 – Saturday in New York and Jonathanis sorting throughstacks of CDs.
Sunday Show 02-17-2019 –More of music touched by legendary arranger Nelson Riddle, the second part of Jonno’s interview plus much more.
Saturday Show 02-16-2019 – Harold Arlen was born on February 15, 1905 and Jonathan spends much of this show playing music from the pen of Mr. Arlen and includes a few songs performed by the composer himself. Jonathan plays the first part of an interview he did with Nelson Riddle back in September 1982 while at WNEW1130.
Sunday Show 02-10-2019 – When Sinatra launched Reprise Records after leaving Capitol, he had to create the first album without Nelson Riddle. Riddle was held up due to his contract with Capitol, so Johnny Mandel was brought in to arrange the ‘Ring-A-Ding’ LP. We listen to some of those sessions and much more.
Saturday Show 02-09-2019 – A great afternoon of music with a rare Sinatra salute to Cole Porter.
Sunday Show 02-03-2019 – It’s Super Bowl Sunday and that means it’s time for Jonathan’s “Salute To Baseball” – an annual tradition since 1971.
Repeat Show 02022019
Sunday Show 01-27-2018 – Jonno continues his search through rare Sinatra tracks and much more.
Saturday Show 01-26-2019 – It was a cold, cold day in New York City and Jonathan decided to spend the show digging out Sinatra rarities.
Sunday Show 01-20-2019 – Jonno decides to make the weekly Sunday show three hours long. A really good three hour show that is now repeated later in the evening.Enjoy!
Saturday Show 01-19-2019 – Back after a few weeks off, Jonathan settles in for a new three hour collection of music and stories.
Christmas Show 12-22-2018 Late Show – Another wonderful show continuing a 46 year tradition started by Jonathan Schwartz in 1971. Tierney Sutton and Kate McGarry present more special guests and a different playlist rounding out two days of holiday shows at Birdland Theatre in NYC.
Christmas Show 12-21-2018 Late Show – An amazing show starring Tierney Sutton and Kate McGarry and a lot of special guests. Among the guests on this show is the legendary Freddy Cole who stopped down between sets upstairs.
Sunday Show 12-16-2018 – No new show
Saturday Show 12-15-2018 – After identifying his opening theme for the first time, Jonathan remembers Nancy Wilson. He also includes Nancy LaMott’s unique take on a certain Frank Loesser’s 1944 song. He celebrates the arrival back in 1959 of Dave Brubeck’s historic album ‘Time Out’, the first jazz album to sell one million copies. All that in the first hour of the show. Enjoy!
Sunday Show 12-09-2018 – The show started as it always does at Noon. Jonathan started this one by declaring that he was focused on presenting The American Songbook with the hope that future generations will at least give it a listen and perhaps appreciate it as the quality product we do. He explained that because of that focus, he had removed much of the jazz, rock and folk that he has played on other stations in the past. About two hours into the program, coming out of a couple of Peggy Lee records, he decided to “open the show a little…a lot in fact…” and brought back jazz records back into the mix. He started with Miles Davis from his 1960 ‘Sketches of Spain’ album. To answer your question, no it wasn’t planned. Enjoy.
Saturday Show 12-08-2018 – On this Saturday, lots of music. Who are “they”? Talk of The Christmas shows and talk of hanging with Mel Torme’.
Sunday Show 12-02-2018 – A rainy day in New York and we hear the story of “Here’s That Rainy Day”, written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke in 1953 but not brought to Sinatra until 1959 for use in the Capitol album ‘No One Cares’. Later, Jonathan tells the story about how Alan Jay Lerner wrote the title “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face” using Pete McGuinness’s take as an example.
Saturday Show 12-01-2018 – Jonathan starts off the month of December with various artists highlighted with multiple songs from each. Doris Day, Barbara Cook, Bobby Darin and Fred Astaire. He also mentions that his daughter, Casey, got married just the night before.
Sunday Show 11-25-2018 – It’s Arthur Schwartz’s birthday! Rather than burn down the studio with 118 candles, Jonno plays a hour or more of music written and/or sung by his dad.
Saturday Show 11-24-2018 – Story about having Johnny Hartman on Jonathan’s WNEW-TV show. While Hartman sang seven songs wonderfully, he was secretly dying of lung cancer. A sprinkling of Arthur songs on the eve of his 118th birthday and much more.
Sunday Show 11-18-2018 – It’s Johnny Mercer’s birthday and Jonno plays songs Mercer wrote and sang. Did you know that Johnny Mercer wrote songs with 190 folks? Speaking of birthdays, we’re a week away from the birthday of Arthur Schwartz. Ahead of the day, a friend drops off recordings of Arthur that – while familiar – his son had never heard before.
Saturday Show 11-17-2018 – New music from Pam Brennan’s ‘Moonglow’, Cyrille Aimée LIVE! and another listen to Melissa Errico’s new Sondheim Sublime plus a spotlight on the brothers George and Ira Gershwin. Lots of stories and a Sinatra Spectacular, too!
Sunday Show 11-11-2018 – New music from Melissa Errico’s album ‘Sondheim Sublime’, Jason Robert Brown’s ‘How We React and How We Recover’ and Karrin Allyson’s ‘Some of That Sunshine’ is just part of a wonderful afternoon in New York. Plenty of stories plus a big block o’ Sinatra.
Saturday Show 11-10-2018 – New music featured by Pam Brennan, Kate McGarry and Cyrille Aimee. Jonno decides to rummage through the TJS library for “New York” songs from Judy Garland, Mel Torme’, Peggy Lee, Tony Bennett with Billy Joel, Bobby Short, Rosemary Clooney, Jimmy Roselli, Diana Washington plus Jonathan himself and it’s capped off with an opposing viewpoint from John Pizzarelli. There’s a block of Sinatra and much more.
Sunday Show 11-04-2018 – Music from Diana Panton wishing for Moonlight Saving Time starts this first show after we all fell back an hour in the States (except those in Arizona). Jonathan recounts his memory of being in the room while Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg wrote “Happiness is a Thing Called Joe”. He also recalls trying to figure out as a young boy what happens to the musicians when a song fades out on a record.
Saturday Show 11-03-2018 – The beginning of November marks the beginning of The Saturday Show on TJS. Three hours of Jonno and The American Songbook tonight featuring a number of songs from the pen of Harold Arlen – some actually performed by the composer. At 9pm, we have a Sinatra Section and Jonathan discusses the upcoming Christmas shows at Birdland.
Sunday Show 10-28-2018 – You want some Jonathan stories? We’ve got them! A recent listener email sent to Jonno expressed the thought “if Sinatra was alive, he’d kill you!” The Jonathan Station answer to our faux-fan comes from the library: An interview recorded by Bruce Jenkins, the son of arranger, Gordon Jenkins, with Frank Sinatra. While Bruce, a sports columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, sat down with Sinatra looking for a slam of Jonathan, what he got was much different. Speaking of stories, did you know that Mel Torme’ once considered giving up singing to become an airline pilot? Go listen!
Sunday Show 10-21-2018 – Discussion of the two teams about to go head to head in the World Series, rare cuts from Sinatra at Knokke Casino, Belgium, May 23, 1953 and mention of the recent death of Charles Aznavour start off the show. Part of this week’s Sinatra Spectacular spotlights the release of a remastered ‘Only The Lonely’ to mark the 60th anniversary of the record with some unique Jonathan insights. Jonno speaks of the upcoming Christmas Shows and much more.
Sunday Show 10-14-2018 – “It’s Autumn. And isn’t it, though?” Jonno plays a Barbara Cook duet with Barry Manilow…and kinda liked it. He ponders the kismet of Nelson Riddle and Frank Sinatra coming to work at Capitol Records at the same time and the magic that happened because of it. Jonathan discovers a copy of “Something to Remember You By” as performed by the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. Listening to Nelson’s arrangement of one of Arthur Schwartz’s first songs reminds him of being in the room as his father was discussing with Capitol Records who would arrange ‘Magic Moments of The Gay Life’ in 1960. That full story and much more awaits you in this great four hour show.
Sunday Show 10-7-2018 – What other disk jockey in New York would play “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” at the beginning of October? Nancy LaMott starts off the show. Also featured: Billie Holiday, Beverly Kenney and Stephen Sondheim. Jonathan spins a couple of cuts from the #1 Jazz album (and #11 on the overall Billboard Magazine chart) from Tony Bennett and Diana Krall. Eleven songs make up the Sinatra Spectacular this week plus there’s a revisit of Phil Roy’s song “Melt” and more!
Sunday Show 9-23-2018 – Jonathan starts the first full day of Fall with four hours of music and a head cold on a rainy day in NYC. Discussion of the talent of singer Beverly Kenney and her tragic end. He references an article he wrote for GQ Magazine in 1992 and a listener sends him a link to it. The GQ Article on Beverly Kenney Lots of songs from Dietz & Schwartz (9!) Plus he explains why he didn’t play Bobby Darin until recently.
Sunday Show 9-16-2018 – Just over four hours of Jonno. Featured on the show, we are reminded of the upcoming change of seasons with several artists doing Autumn Leaves. JS unearthed a recording that he first discovered at WNEW of Phil Roy singing his song “Melt”. He also plays a rare record (a Japanese reissue) from Bill Black. Jonathan hears for the first time, Hoagy Carmichael singing a rare song that Hoagy also wrote – “Winter Moon”. There’s a Sinatra Spectacular that clocks in at over 30 minutes and lots more.
Sunday Show 9-9-2018 – Not available. Recording levels got bumped inadvertently before the show and the resulting recording is too hot and distorted.
Sunday Show 9-2-2018 – It’s Labor Day Weekend (in the US) and the show starts as it has on this weekend since 1975 – with Aaron Copland’s “Quiet City”. Lots of Sondheim (including a quote from him regarding the dumbing down of the country and Broadway). Jonathan acknowledges the birthday of his daughter, Casey and adds that Red Sox announcer Ned Martin mentioned her birth on-air on this day in 1982. Lots more, so go listen!
Sunday Show 8-26-2018 – After a week off due to noisy construction nearby, Jonathan is rested and ready for another four hour program. Nelson Riddle is featured starting with a rare 1967 BBC-TV special with Nelson and Matt Monro. Did you know that Trump told Jonno “I like your show” during the 1988 re-dedication ceremony of Wollman Rink in Central Park? Jonathan was there representing WNEW 1130. There’s a 15 song Sinatra Spectacular and much more!
Sunday Show 8-12-2018 – Four hours of music and stories including Sinatra singing “When Your Lover Is Gone”, Jessica Molaskey performing “Stars And The Moon” from Songs for a New World, Jason Robert Brown’s first musical in 1995 followed briskly by new music by Brown’s new album ‘How we React and How We Recover’.
Sunday Show 8-5-2018 – Four hours on a hot summer day. Jonathan plays his WNEW interview with conversation with Harold Arlen (recorded about a month before he died) in which he asked Arlen how he wrote some of his songs. He also tells the story about Arthur Schwartz walking behind Harold Arlen on Park Avenue whistling “Dancing in the Dark” to get his attention. Those stories and much more.
Sunday Show 7-28-2018 – A four hour show on a beautiful Sunday. Lots of stories starting with Jonathan’s first meeting with Sinatra at Bennett Cerf’s place. He plays Jo Stafford’s version of “Haunted Heart” from 1948. Jonathan says this was the first recording of his father’s song. Did Jonno start a controversy just days before Tony Bennett’s 92nd birthday?
Wednesday Show 7-25-2018 – A three hour show on a rainy Wednesday. First song of the show? Nancy LaMott – It Might As Well Be Spring “That is one of the best songs I think I’ve ever heard.” The question which of his songs was Arthur Schwartz’s favorite is answered. There’s a Sinatra Spectacular, of course and a behind-the-scenes moment from Jonathan’s TV show on WNEW-TV Channel 5.
Sunday Show 7-22-2018 – A three hour show featuring a comparison of the 1937 Rodgers and Hart song “Where Or When” using various artists, Pops singing “You’re The Tops” and Johnny Mercer singing with various artists. Jonathan talks about that, in his opinion, the American Songbook is made up of 50 writers and 50 singers. Of course, there is The Sinatra Spectacular and much more.
Sunday Show 7-8-2018 – A four hour show that includes some great first-person stories about Tony Bennett and Keely Smith, a trivia question on a Sinatra record for listeners plus both Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer singing versions of one their own songs.
Sunday Show 7-1-2018 – Jonathan starts the month of July with a Jerome Kern spectacular and much more in a three hour show.
Sunday Show 6-24-2018 – Three hours of great music and Jonathan.
Wednesday Show 6-20-2018 – Our thanks to Kenneth Hutchins for the assist on this recording.
First Sunday Show 6-17-2018 – Jonno returns after a six month absence to take the microphone at his own radio station.
