Music Monday, February Get Lit Preview, The Public Domain Song Anthology, The Legend of NBA Star Bill Russell and 'Leaving A Mark'

On the heels of last night's Grammy Awards, Pitchfork features editor Ryan Dombal recaps the winners, plus shares his list of new and rising musicians to watch this year. Plus, we take your calls.

 

Booker Prize winning author Marlon James joins us to discuss his novel, Black Leopard, Red Wolf, our February Get Lit with All Of It book club selection. The fantasy novel set in a mystical world inspired by ancient African history has been compared to Game of Thrones. Click here to borrow your e-copy and to get free tickets to our February 24 event with James.

 

With one week left to submit to the Public Song Project, David Berger, author and founding conductor of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, joins us to discuss his book, The Public Domain Song Anthology. The book features 348 popular songs, all of which are available in the public domain to be recorded and adapted for free! The book is one of our suggested resources for Public Song Project submissions, which are due February 13. Send us a recording and you could be selected for an interview on the show.

 

Emmy award-winning director Sam Pollard's latest project is a two-part documentary about the life of the late great NBA player Bill Russell, who died last year at the age of 88. Russell was born in segregated Louisiana and went on to win eleven NBA championships and five MVP's for the Boston Celtics in the 1950s and 60s, all the while championing the cause for the Civil Rights Movement. Pollard is with us in studio to preview his film, "Bill Russell: Legend," which begins streaming on Netflix on February 8.

 

Comedian Ophira Eisenberg, whom you may know from NPR's Ask Me Another, joins us to discuss her new solo show, "Leaving A Mark: A Comedy About Scars," running at Soho Playhouse through February 17.