WXPN Launches New One-Hour Jam Program "Jamnation"

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Created on Monday, 04 August 2003 15:20

PHILADELPHIA, PA WXPN 88.5-FM, the public radio station of the University of Pennsylvania, today announced changes to its weekend line up effective August 2 and the creation of a new weekly evening program called Jamnation that will premiere on August 4th at 8:00 p.m.

Weeknight on-air personality Ali Castellini will host Jamnation. The program will air every Monday from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., and features an hour of both legendary and up-and-coming jam bands from a variety of music genres. Each week Castellini will serve up jam session and interviews with leading jam bands culled from the World Cafe archives. The Grateful Dead Hour will move from Sundays to Mondays at 9:00 p.m. following Jamnation.

"I'm looking forward to hosting Jamnation," said Castellini. "We've heard from lots of XPN listeners who love jam bands - now they can tune in each week for an hour of the best jam bands in the country."

Each week Jamnation will present a featured "Jam of the Week," an album spotlight of an emerging jam band, and live performances from Jam bands who have performed in the World Café studios at WXPN.

"XPN has always played jam bands like The Dead, Phish, Blues Traveler, Allman Brothers and the recent bands who are broadening the scope and reach of the genre including moe, Soulive, Medeski, Martin, and Wood, and the locally-based Disco Biscuits," says Bruce Warren, Program Director of WXPN. "The clubs in Philly have been nurturing this scene for a few years now, and the time is right for some additional focus on the radio side. That's where XPN comes in. While we play many of the bands that you'll hear on Jamnation during our regular "mix," this show will allow another opportunity for XPN to showcase older and newer jam bands in a unique manner."

<88.5 WXPN is the non-commercial public radio service of the University of Pennsylvania and the premier radio showcase for contemporary music featuring a rich eclectic blend of contemporary rock, folk, alternative country, rhythm and blues, world beat, and jazz. WXPN can be heard in the greater Philadelphia/South Jersey area on 88.5 FM. in the Lehigh Valley at 104.9 FM, in Worton/Baltimore at 90.5 FM, and in Harrisburg at 88.1 WXPH FM. WXPN is also available worldwide via streaming audio at www.xpn.org. The station also produces programming for national syndication. Its signature series World Café with David Dye is distributed by Public Radio International and broadcasts daily on more than 160 public radio stations nationwide. WXPN also produces the Peabody-Award winning Kids Corner, hosted by Kathy O'Connell. WXPN also produces the annual Singer Songwriter Weekend two-day music festival. For more information visit www.xpn.org, www.WorldCafe.org, www.kidscorner.org, or call WXPN at (215) 898-6677.

CONTACT:
Kim Winnick / Debby Appelbaum Seitz
WXPN - 88.5 FM
(215) 573-3339 / (215) -573-3342

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