For the sixth year in a row, MLB Network's Coordinating Producer and New Jersey resident Jed Tuminaro has directed the official MLB World Series film. "2020 World Series Champions: LA Dodgers" featured a dramatic Dodgers victory over the Tampa Bay Rays during the coronavirus pandemic. From his home in Chatham, NJ, Tuminaro joined SportsJam host Doug Doyle for a zoom chat about the challenges of covering the World Series during an unprecedented season. "Going into it, no one knew what to expect

Our film critic Harlan Jacobson got the Blues this Christmas by dropping in on Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom , the new film based on an August Wilson play from 1984. The film is produced by Netflix, which is in the holiday audience and Oscar hunt. HJ: Just the sound of the title, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, as it rolls off the tongue, promises some kind of lusty commitment to a life of defiance, like we’re in for a wild ride in a convertible careening out of control. But it’s the Blues ,we’re singing

New York City plans to use faith and community leaders to help convince skeptics to take the coronavirus vaccine. City officials say the way to address the trust gap in minority communities is to give folks vaccine information from people they trust. Reverend Phil Craig is asking health officials to create a coronavirus vaccination fact sheet for faith leaders. “What is the side effects that may occur for those that may have had it. The Muslim and Hindu communities, they may want to know are

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, musician, singer, songwriter, producer, arranger, actor, human rights activist and educator Steven Van Zandt launched TeachRock in 2002, an organization providing online music education and many other resources to teachers and students. Van Zandt, a huge Jazz fan and listener and supporter of WBGO, and his Rock & Roll Forever Foundation's Teach Rock chats via Zoom with WBGO News Director Doug Doyle about the big fundraiser Monday night, December 21 titled

Essex County is ready to go with Covid vaccinations. Five sites are set up and waiting for vaccine delivery. Freeholder President Brendan Gill says there’s a system to insure the process goes smoothly. “There’s a set amount of towns that are assigned to each of those sites,” he said. “Newark, if you are a resident of Newark you can use any of the five since Newark is our largest, obviously, city.” Two of the sites are in Newark. The others are in West Orange, Livingston and West Caldwell. The

As part of the free Ailey Forward first-ever virtual holiday season celebrating six decades of Revelations , comes tonight's world premiere of A Jam Session for Troubling Times on Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's website. It's the latest work from acclaimed Ailey dancer and choreographer Jamar Roberts. During his Zoom chat with WBGO News Director Doug Doyle, Roberts talked about how the December 14 virtual world premiere (7:30pm) that marks the centennial (dubbed Bird100) of jazz

The 121st Army-Navy Game, presented by USAA is coming up this Saturday, December 12 at Michie Stadium on the campus at West Point for the first time since 1943, a game that Navy won 13-0. The game will be televised by CBS. 4-time Super Bowl champion Rocky Bleier, who was injured as an Army Specialist in the Vietnam War, joined SportsJam host Doug Doyle to talk about "America's Game" that symbolizes service and sacrifice. Bleier, the captain of the University of Notre Dame football team in 1967

It’s been a year since the terror attacks in Jersey City that left five people, including the shooters, killed at a kosher grocery. And a detective was shot dead by the same assailants at a nearby cemetery just before the attack at the store. New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said the attacks were acts of hate and domestic terrorism fueled by anti-Semitism and hatred of the police. On Thursday he held a panel discussion to mark the anniversary of the attacks. US Attorney Craig Carpenito

National Baseball Hall of Fame sportswriter, columnist and author Bill Madden says his latest work Tom Seaver: A Terrific Life (Simon & Schuster) is probably the most personal book he's ever written. The former New York Daily News sportswriter joined SportsJam host Doug Doyle to talk about his unique relationship with the greatest player to ever wear a Mets uniform. While many beat reporters found Seaver to be arrogant, Madden established a close relationship with the Mets righthander later

Vaccines in the wings but basic public health measures need to endure. Reporter Bob Hennelly speaks with News Director Doug Doyle DOYLE: This week the nation faced the worst week since the start of the coronavirus pandemic last winter. Here in New Jersey, the trend lines are also up significantly, but not to the catastrophic levels we saw in the first wave. For our essential workforce the risks of contracting the deadly virus remain a constant source of anxiety.With us now is WBGO's Bob Hennelly