wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

David Garland

David Garland grew up in Lexington, Massachusetts, and graduated with honors from Rhode Island School of Design in 1976. He then came straight to New York City, working as an illustrator and graphic designer to support his activities as a composer, pianist, singer, guitarist, flutist, and drummer. A WNYC listener since arriving in New York, Garland’s first official association with the station was when he performed his music with the group Ad Hoc at Carnegie Hall during a 1982 benefit concert for WNYC.

In 1983 Garland began presenting unusual music on the radio, first as a volunteer at WKCR, Columbia University’s station, and since 1987 professionally on WNYC. For Garland radio has always been a medium for musical adventure and discovery, from the pop hits of the mid-60s to the psychedelia of a few years later, and on to experimental jazz and classical music. Garland continues to believe in radio’s unique power to bring listeners and music together in ways that illuminate, communicate, expand, and entertain.

Now in its 20th year, Garland’s Spinning On Air show (Sundays, 7-8 pm) is a great place to hear insightful interviews, and in-studio performances by cutting-edge innovators of song. Evening Music, which Garland began hosting in 1990, is a classical music show programmed with an open mind, a thoughtful ear, and years of listening experience and musical knowledge. Over the years Garland’s on-air guests have ranged from John Cage and John Zorn, to Loren Maazel and Vladimir Ashkenazy, to Devendra Banhart and Sufjan Stevens. Garland specializes in making unusual musical connections among diverse pieces, entertaining the listener with his insight and wry humor.

On weekend Evening Music Garland’s Ear to Ear and Spotlight interviews feature composers and musicians, including Early Music specialists, jazz innovators, opera singers, contemporary composers, orchestra conductors, and performers from non-western traditions. Every Friday at 10 pm, Garland presents new and old film scores, emphasizing the delights and uniqueness of movie music, and sharing his encyclopedic knowledge of the field.

Garland is active as a composer and performer, and was called “the best songwriter of my generation, bar none” by critic Kyle Gann in The Village Voice. His eighth album, Noise In You (2007), “strikes a perfect balance between folkish timelessness, Tin Pan Alley pop smarts and fearless invention” (David Greenberger, Harp Magazine). More about Garland’s music, and more about his WNYC radio shows, too, can be found at his website.

Garland occasionally writes about music, and was an editor and writer for Ear Magazine in the late ’70s and early ’80s. Past work includes a 1983 cover story on composer Philip Glass for Downbeat Magazine. Recent writing includes extensive liner notes for Rhino Records’ “Brain in a Box: The Science Fiction Collection,” a review of the book The Art of Richard Powers for Juxtapoz Magazine, and liner notes for Verve Records’ reissue of “Now Singing in 12 Great Movies,” by vocalist Billy Eckstine.