ABBA Day, Guitarist Stephane Wrembel, the Whitney Biennial, Cherry Blossom Season in NYC, 2022 Debuts
April 6 is known as “ABBA Day.” We reflect on the legacy and impact of the Swedish pop sensation known for hits such as, “Lay All Your Love On Me,” “Dancing Queen” and “Mamma Mia” with culture writer and ABBA expert Elisabeth Vincentelli. We also take your calls.
Stephane Wrembel is one of today's foremost performers and improvisers of Django Reinhardt-style jazz guitar. On April 8 at National Sawdust, he'll perform songs that appeared on his album, Django L’Impressionniste, a collection of 17 preludes for solo guitar, originally recorded by Reinhardt. Wrembel joins us to preview the show and discuss other upcoming projects and his career.
Today is the opening of the Whitney's 80th Biennial, in which the museum surveys the landscape of contemporary art. The show, titled, Whitney Biennial 2022: Quiet As It's Kept, features artist from around the country, from New York City, to Puerto Rico, to Kansas. David Breslin, Director of Curatorial Initiatives, and Adrienne Edwards, Director of Curatorial Affairs, join us to speak about the show and the current state of American art. Whitney Biennial 2022: Quiet As It's Kept is on view until September 5.
Spring in New York City means an abundance of Cherry Blossom trees in full bloom. New York City has over 34,000 individual cherry trees and nearly two dozen varieties of them, meaning that for a six-week period in the spring, you can find one blooming nearly anywhere. To learn about the best places to see the beautiful trees, we're joined by James Kaechele, NYC Parks’ Director of Tree Time.
A new debut novel tells the story of two women growing up in Soviet-Era Russia who fantasize about moving to America. After the Soviet Union collapses, their lives go separate ways, but their time together bonds them for life. Publisher's Weekly says “Stunning… a tragic and nostalgic love letter to a much-tried generation. This is a winner.” Author Kristina Gorcheva-Newberry, who herself came to America from Russia, joins us to discuss, The Orchard, as part of our series 2022 Debuts.
