Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI Radio in New York

In his 1970 eulogy of saxophonist Johnny Hodges, fellow jazz legend Duke Ellington ended with the words, “never the world's most highly animated showman or greatest stage personality, but a tone so beautiful it sometimes brought tears to the eyes—this was Johnny Hodges. This is Johnny Hodges.” Hodges’s celebrated technique and silky tone marked him then, and still today, as one of the most important and influential saxophone players in the history of jazz. In Con Chapman’s first-ever biography of this musical giant, “Rabbit's Blues: The Life and Music of Johnny Hodges” details his place as one of the premier artists of the alto sax in jazz history, and his role as co-composer with Ellington. Join us for a discussion of the musical contributions of Johnny Hodges with Con Chapman in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

As regular listeners know, there are few building issues that Alvin and Lawrence Ubell don’t know how to fix. In this special September 11 edition of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Larry and Al consider the ways that the events of September 11, 2001 changed building codes in the city forever.

Inspired by his favorite hometown restaurants, fondas, loncherías and taco stands and adapted for the home cook, Danny Mena's Made in Mexico—The Cookbook: Classic And Contemporary Recipes From Mexico City is a collection of contemporary Mexican cuisine from the celebrated chef’s city of origin. Join us for a discussion of the best Mexico City culinary delights that you can whip up in your own kitchen with master chef Danny Mena in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

John Reed’s book “A Drama in Time: The New School Century” is an expansive, illustrated history of one of America's most progressive universities. Founded by political dissidents in 1919, The New School has become a byword for academic freedom and progressive thought. Now encompassing five schools, including Parsons School of Design, it has become a center for notable designers, writers, musicians, artists and political activists. Join us for a discussion of “A Drama in Time: The New School Century” with John Reed in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

As we head into September, our favorite gardening guru Pete Muroski returns to the program just in time to answer your questions on getting your garden ready for the fall. Pete Muroski takes your calls on gardening during the waning days of summer in this installment of “Leonard Lopate at Large” on WBAI.

Are there words you’re sure people are mispronouncing or misusing all the time? In this installment of “Leonard Lopate at Large” on WBAI, Kathryn and Ross Petras, authors of their New York Times bestseller “You're Saying It Wrong: A Pronunciation Guide to the 150 Most Commonly Mispronounced Words--and Their Tangled Histories of Misuse” and “That Doesn't Mean What You Think It Means: The 150 Most Commonly Misused Words and Their Tangled Histories” take your questions on how to correctly say the things we’re always saying.

Bob Hennelly’s writing has been featured in the New York Times, the Village Voice, the Christian Science Monitor, the Miami Herald, the Detroit Free Press along with dozens of other magazines and newspapers. He has appeared on “60 Minutes” and C-Span's “America and the Courts.” In his latest article for Slate “There's a future for organized labor — if it welcomes immigrants and supports them,” Bob explains what a partnership between labor unions and immigrants could mean for both groups. Join us for a Labor Day week discussion of immigrants and unions with Bob Hennelly in this edition of “Leonard Lopate at Large” on WBAI.

Love, murder, political intrigue, mountains of cash and rivers of bourbon—Bob Batchelor’s book The Bourbon King: The Life and Crimes of George Remus, Prohibition's Evil Genius is a journey into the dark heart of Prohibition and the man who made it work to his own advantage. Yes, Congress gave teeth to Prohibition in October 1919, but the law didn't stop Remus from amassing a fortune that would be worth billions of dollars today. As one Jazz Age journalist put it, "Remus was to bootlegging what Rockefeller was to oil." Join us for a discussion of Goerge Remus with Bob Batchelor in this installment on Leonard Lopate at Large.

The struggle to pay for college is one of the defining features of middle-class life in America today. At kitchen tables all across the country, parents agonize over whether to burden their children with loans or to sacrifice their own financial security by taking out a second mortgage or draining their retirement savings. Caitlin Zaloom’s new book “Indebted: How Families Make College Work at Any Cost” takes readers into the homes of middle-class families throughout the nation to reveal the hidden consequences of student debt and the ways that financing college has transformed family life. Join us for a discussion with Caitlin Zaloom on both the clear and hidden costs families shoulder for their child to receive a college education in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

Are celebrity politics the spice of American public life or a pox on policy progress? Dr. Lauren A. Wright’s book “Star Power: American Democracy in the Age of the Celebrity Candidate” identifies and measures the attributes of celebrities that make them well-equipped to win campaigns and yet poorly prepared to govern effectively. Join us for a look at the effect celebrity politicians are having on American democracy with Dr. Lauren A. Wright in this edition of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.