The Best of World Cafe: Great Conversations from NPR's Most Popular Contemporary Music Show

by David Dye

World Café(R) has been one of public radio's most entertaining and important music shows for over 15 years. Airing weekdays on 185 radio stations nationwide from its home station of WXPN-FM in Philadelphia, it is a uniquely formatted program that features live interviews and performances with the greatest established and up-and-coming performers of today. Host David Dye originated the show in 1991 to offer listeners a new eclectic mix of musical styles including blues, rock, folk, and alt-country. Every week since the show's inception, Dye has brought out the best in such celebrated musicians as Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell, Wilco, and Beck, as well as introducing many listeners to newcomers like Damien Rice, My Morning Jacket, and Coldplay, among thousands of others. In The Best of World Café , Dye offers a stunning retrospective of the show, digging into its impressive vault of content to highlight the show's greatest interviews, quotes, moments, and memories. The book also includes an original 50-minute DVD (available exclusively with this edition) about World Café that features interviews with current and past staff giving insider accounts of the show's history and daily operation, behind-the-scenes footage, and select performances and interviews.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

448 pages, Paperback

First published October 22, 2007

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Reviews

[Jeffrey Sorg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've listened to David Dye's Live at the World Cafe for years and have really enjoyed reading these interviews. They are some of the most intimate musician interviews i've ever read. You sense that artists are very comfortable and at ease in his presence and have a real appreciation for David's wealth of musical knowledge.

[Rupert · Rating 2 out of 5]

Often entertaining show, dull book.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Must read for World Cafe fans. Also would be interesting to any fan of contemporary singer/songwriter music. Some great interviews and insights from some classic artists as well.

[Terry Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool and interesting behind the music book. Interviews were transcribed, which did draw away some interest, but overall, great interviews and the accompanying dvd was a nice bonus.