World Cafe

The Colorado Sound brings you World Cafe from 10pm to midnight MT every weeknight. Hosted by Raina Douris, the two-hour program features a mix of interviews and in-studio performances from established and emerging artists across multiple genres, from folk to hip-hop, indie rock and Americana to world music and soul.

Produced by Philadelphia’s WXPN and launched in 1991, World Cafe is now heard on some 200 stations across the NPR network. It is considered to be the nation’s most listened-to public radio music program.

Below is this week’s World Cafe schedule. See the World Cafe website for an archive of previous show schedules and music playlists.

World Cafe’s upcoming schedule on The Colorado Sound

Listen to the World Cafe every Monday through Friday evening starting at 10pm MT on The Colorado Sound.

Monday, June 17, 2024 – Encore: Robyn 

Back in 2018, Robyn released her first new album in 8 years, Honey. While making it, she was dealing with the end of a relationship and the death of a long-time friend. On the next World Cafe, as a part of a June Pride month series of encores, hear a conversation with Robyn from around the time when Honey was released. She explains how she used dance and psychoanalysis to cope and to create. 

Tuesday, June 18, 2024 – Encore: Arlo Parks 

Arlo Parks won Britain’s most prestigious musical award, The Mercury Prize, for her gorgeous and heartfelt debut, Collapsed in Sunbeams. Parks joins World Cafe to talk about challenging herself on her highly anticipated follow up, My Soft Machine, and shares live performances. 

Wednesday, June 19, 2024 – Kamasi Washington 

Kamasi Washington is one of the biggest names in contemporary jazz. He calls his third album, Fearless Movement, a “dance record,” but he views dance as movement and expression. It features appearances from George Clinton, BJ the Chicago Kid, Thundercat, and Andre 3000. Kamasi Washington joins World Cafe to talk about how fatherhood has changed his priorities, and we’ll hear a special live performance recorded in Philadelphia. 

Thursday, June 20, 2024 – The Reverend Shawn Amos 30 Mini Concert 

One of the premiere singer-songwriter festivals in the US happens along the Emerald Coast in Northwestern Florida. It’s called the 30A Songwriters Festival. Over the next few weeks, we’re taking you there as we broadcast the 30A Sessions, courtesy of our friends at WMOT. This week, The Reverend Shawn Amos performs a mini concert featuring music from his latest album, Soul Brother No. 1. 

Friday, June 21, 2024 – Iron & Wine 

Sam Beam of Iron and Wine says his new album, Light Verse, is about loss, but presented in a whimsical way. He stops by World Cafe to talk about making the album in Laurel Canyon, working with Fiona Apple on the song “All in Good Time” and why, as a songwriter, he’s not a fan of adjectives. Plus, we’ll hear live recordings of songs from Light Verse. 

Monday, June 24, 2024 – Encore: Janelle Monae

June is Pride Month, and to celebrate, each week we are revisiting sessions with some of the many LGBTQ+ artists that have been on the show. This week, we look back to 2010, when Janelle Monae visited the show to discuss her then new album, The ArchAndroid. Hear an interview and performance from the multi-talented visionary Janelle Monae. 

Tuesday, June 25, 2024 – Eric Slick

On his new album, Eric Slick wanted to break his own self-imposed rules about what his music should or shouldn’t sound like. The resulting album, called New Age Rage, is ten tracks of pure, unadulterated fun. On the next World Cafe, the longtime drummer of Dr. Dog joins us to talk about letting his personality shine through on his new solo album, finding inspiration in cheesy ’80s movies, and drumming for Taylor Swift. 

Wednesday, June 26, 2024 – Shabaka

Shabaka Hutchings is a phenomenal saxophone player, revered for his work in Sons of Kemet and The Comet is Coming. On his debut solo album, he did something wild; Shabaka took a hiatus from the sax and picked up a flute.On the next World Cafe, Shabaka joins us to talk about making Perceive It’s Beauty, Acknowledge it’s Grace, and how starting over made him a better player. Plus, Shabaka performs a series of improvised musical sketches in the studio. 

Thursday, June 27, 2024 – John Morrison on Cibo Matto

Twenty-five years ago, Cibo Matto released an album that somehow encapsulated the sound of summer, while also addressing some more serious themes – like the stereotypes the leaders of the band, Japanese expatriates Miho Hatori and Yuka Honda, faced. On the next World Cafe, commentator John Morrison gives his take on Cibo Matto and that album, Stereo Type A. 

Friday, June 28, 2024 – Encore: Christine & the Queens

All month, to celebrate Pride, we’ve been re-airing some of our favorite sessions with queer music icons. This week, we’re closing out Pride Month with an artist who has always pushed the boundaries of sexuality, gender, and persona. Hear a special encore session with Christine and the Queens. 

See the World Cafe website for an archive of previous shows and music playlists from each episode.

World Cafe airs weekdays from 10pm to midnight MT on The Colorado Sound.