Daily Schedule

American cyclist “Big George” Hincapie talks about competing in the Tour de France a record 17 times, cycling in the Olympics, and his role in the Lance Armstrong doping case. Con Coughlin discusses Winston Churchill’s early military career. Curators Harold Koda and Jan Reeder talk about the exhibit “Charles James: Beyond Fashion,” on show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. And our “word maven” Patricia T. O’Conner takes your calls and questions about the idiosyncrasies of the English language.

Your morning companion from NPR and the WNYC Newsroom, with world news, local features, and weather updates.

The World Science Festival kicks off this week, so actor and science enthusiast Alan Alda and festival co-founder Brian Greene preview some of their favorite events. Plus: a look at a pilot program that lets some patients read what their therapists have written about them; The history of New York City’s role as one of the world’s financial powerhouses; and are rap lyrics art…or evidence?

The Peabody Award-winning program features Terry Gross’ fearless and insightful interviews with big names in pop culture, politics and the arts.

A wrap-up of the day’s news, with features and interviews about the latest developments in New York City and around the world, from NPR and the WNYC newsroom.

A wrap-up of the day’s news, with features and interviews about the latest developments in New York City and around the world, from NPR and the WNYC newsroom.

In this episode: Comedian, actor, and one-man band Reggie Watts joins us to talk about the new season of the IFC talk show Comedy Bang! Bang! Plus, hear him rigs up his loop pedals and mics for an impromptu set in the Soundcheck studio.

Then: Our friends at Studio 360 recently launched the “1914 Blues Challenge” which for the past few weeks, asked listeners to record a 100-year-old W.C. Handy classic, “Yellow Dog Blues.” Host Kurt Andersen and the contest’s judge, musician Chocolate Genius, join Soundcheck to review some of the submissions they’ve received so far.

And: Soundcheck host John Schaefer reflects on the life and legacy of poet and civil rights icon Maya Angelou, who died yesterday at age 86.

Hear music that inhabits a twilit world on this New Sounds, featuring a set from the remarkable Irish-American quintet The Gloaming. Comprised of the gifted Irish fiddler Martin Hayes, hardanger innovator Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh and Irish master singer Iarla Ó Lionáird, together with Chicago guitarist Dennis Cahill, and New York pianist Thomas Bartlett (aka Doveman), the Gloaming delivers deceptively simple, spellbindingly beautiful tunes, rooted in traditional reels, jigs and ballads, yet somehow evolved – transformed, really.  SEE The Gloaming on Friday, June 20 at 7PM in the Jerome L. Greene Space, as part of the New Sounds Live Concerts.