From the 2026 New York Guitar Festival: Gyan Riley; Ziggy & Miles

Soundcheck | Aug 27

Listen to a sampling of some of the 2026 New York Guitar Festival, with pieces by Gyan Riley and an arrangement of Debussy by Australian guitarist brothers Ziggy & Miles, plus,  recorded live in August at Bryant Park.

Gyan Riley is the son of the groundbreaking minimalist composer Terry Riley, and began as the guitarist in his father’s All-Star Band.  He plays all the guitars - electric, classical, and bass– with chamber music elegance and brilliant virtuosity.  He was joined by drummer Kenny Grohowski (Imperial Triumphant, Titans to Tachyons, Secret Chiefs) and bassist Greg Chudzik, which made this an all-star lineup. Listen to their set, recorded live at the second night of the 2026 New York Guitar Festival.

Then, Australian brothers Ziggy & Miles, who happened to be the first guitar duo (and, oddly, the first Australians) to be accepted into the Juilliard School’s Artist Diploma program play an arrangement of Claude Debussy’s “Claire de Lune.”  Plus, hear another piece by the Chicago-based duo of Goran Ivanovic and Fareed Haque, from night one of the 2026 New York Guitar Festival.

Set list: 

1. Debussy: “Claire de Lune”, arr. Ziggy & Miles
2. Gyan Riley – “Jibberjab”
3. Gyan Riley, Greg Chudzik, Kenny Grohowski – “Greymaxxing with Blue”
4. Gyan Riley, Greg Chudzik, Kenny Grohowski – “Because Today”
5. Goran Ivanovic & Fareed Haque – “Adventure”

Top Stories

NYPD seizes 580 pounds of cocaine in Queens, its biggest bust in more than a decade

Prosecutors said the $10 million haul, taken from a Long Island City storage facility, would have likely been cut with fentanyl before reaching buyers.
Gothamist |

Dolly Parton's America

At the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, we drop in on a history class called “Dolly Parton’s America.” (We borrowed the name for our series!) Taught by Dr. Lynn Sacco, the class is filled with college students who grew up in rural Appalachia, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college.  Dr Sacco gives the class an assignment: Write an essay that answers the question “What is Dolly Parton’s America?” Lurking just behind that question are thornier ones about Southern shame and identity and hillbillies and football and...well, Dolly.  Is Dolly helping or hurting us? The class splits down the middle.    Editor’s Note:  We made two corrections to this podcast, originally released on December 3.  In referring to the location of the Battle of Blair Mountain, we changed “Southwestern Virginia” to “West Virginia.” And on the origin of the term redneck, we inserted narration that makes clear that the etymology of the term goes back farther than the Battle of Blair Mountain.  
Dolly Parton's America |

How 'Lake America' is about culture, not just tariffs

On today's show. Politico’s Ottawa bureau chief Nick Taylor-Vaisey talks about the escalation in President Trump's trade war with Canada.
Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast |

Advice for Sending Your Kid Off to College

All Of It with Alison Stewart |
YOU ARE ONLINE