Tune in for Pharoah Sanders 85th Birthday Broadcast Oct. 13 on WKCR-FM

New York's WKCR-FM is celebrating saxophonist Pharoah Sanders' 85th Birthday with a special broadcast on Monday, Oct 13th. 

Here's the scoop...

WKCR is pleased to announce a special broadcast celebrating saxophonist Pharoah Sanders on what would be his 85th birthday, October 13, 2025. The broadcast will preempt all regular jazz slots and more, from 5-8:30 AM and from 12-10 PM.

Pharoah Sanders, born Ferrell Lee Sanders in 1940 in Little Rock, Arkansas, was one of the foremost figures in free and spiritual jazz—renowned for his transcendent sound that fused the intensity of American jazz with global musical traditions. Mentored by and later collaborating with John Coltrane and Sun Ra (who gave him his nickname), Sanders developed a singular voice on the tenor saxophone defined by expressive overblowing, multiphonics, and deep spiritual conviction. His music—heard across landmark albums like Karma, Thembi, and Wisdom Through Music—embodied a fusion of African, Middle Eastern, and Asian influences, creating a cosmic, philosophical resonance that stretched beyond genre. Even in his final work, the 2021 collaboration Promises with Floating Points and the London Symphony Orchestra, Sanders’ tone retained its ethereal identity and emotional force, affirming his legacy as a visionary who expanded the language and spirit of jazz.

Listen in New York at WKCR 89.5 FM.. or check it out here. 

Remembering Sun Ra on the anniversary of his earthly arrival

Celebrating the life and music of forward looking artist Sun Ra with a 1988 performance and a few documentaries worth checking. 

LINKS

WKCR-FM Sun Ra Arrival Day 24hr Broadcast

Celebrating Tito Puente's 100th Birthday on Thursday at WKCR-FM

WKCR is celebrating Tito Puente's centennial tomorrow by playing 24 hours of the mambo king's music starting at midnight.

Here's the scoop...

WKCR announces a 100th birthday celebration for Tito Puente, broadcast on FM and HD radio and online on Thursday, April 20th from 12:00AM TO 11:59PM. The special broadcast will preempt all regularly-scheduled Jazz and Latin shows, including Daybreak Express, Birdflight, Out To Lunch, and Jazz Alternatives.

Tune in to 89.9 FM to listen to WKCR's Tito Puente Birthday Broadcast in celebration of his 100th Anniversary. Born in New York City’s Spanish Harlem neighbourhood to Puerto Rican parents, Puente fused the influences from his own culture with those around him and became a pioneer for Latin Jazz. After studying music on the G.I. Bill at the Juilliard School of Music, he went on to heighten popularity in mambo, cha-cha-chá, and boogaloo.

Tito Puente is most famous for his song Oye Cómo Va on the album El Rey Bravo released in 1962 to Fania Records. Through collaborations with other reputable Latin musicians such as Celia Cruz, Santos Colon, Willie Colón, and La Lupe, Puente made a name for himself across various genres and crowds. In 1948, Tito Puente's performance with Tito Rodríguez and Machito put the Palladium on the map, and he helped establish it as a Latin music venue and dance space. Tune in for a day of dedication to the King of Latin Music”

The broadcast will be produced and hosted by WKCR's Latin and Jazz Departments. A programming schedule for the special broadcast is forthcoming. Follow WKCR on Instagram (@wkcr) and Twitter (@WKCRFM) for further updates. Online listening is available 24/7 at wkcr.org via web stream!

While you're waiting for the Tito Puente Birthday broadcast, check out an hour-long mix of some choice performances from "El Rey" below.