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Welcome to the audio home page for CONFERENCE of the BIRDS, a weekly radio program/podcast featuring a heterogeneous, intra-continental mix of music, poetry, speech, and song. The birds (so to speak) are here assembled in concert/consort on a weekly basis, most weeks, for a free recital of juxtaposed, contrastive, intermingled musics, and for phases, forms, and statements of musical action, reflection, critique, recalcitrance, joy, rest, prayer, revolt, renewal or repair, revolution.....and more. Each week (most weeks), find here a new ensemble/assemblage of classical, folk, ritual, spiritual, avant-garde, experimental, popular, poetic, political, danceable sounds and songs, in various genres, forms, formats, and styles, ranging from free-jazz, flamenco, and Javanese gamelan to field recordings, folk songs, and Indian film music, to salsa, samba, disco, Raï, cha’abi and be-bop. Conference Of the Birds (COB) airs LIVE, Friday evenings, 9:00 - 12:00 midnight, Eastern USA time, on WRFI and WINO (Ithaca/Odessa), community radio for Central New York and the Finger Lakes. Broadcasting to the world on the net via www.wrfi.org and Radio Garden: https://radio.garden/listen/wrfi-ithaca-community-radio/0N0fROGD#google_vignette. Episodes are available 24/7 online. Always free, commercial free, and free of commercial, corporate, or capitalist intent.
Episodes

Jul 12, 2026
Jul 12, 2026
3hr 1 min
THIS WEEK's BIRDS: Bebe Manga from Camaroun); also from Camaroun: Eboa Lottin; Satoko Fujii & Myra Melford (piano duo) David Murray w. Octet; Sonny Rollins x 2 (RIP); from Albania: Fitnete Rejae, Dervish Shaqja; recent late/post-bop Walter Smith III, also from Kenny Barron; vocalist Alicia Lázaro; Japanese vocalist Meiko Kaji; Moroccan band Khmissa; from Mali: vocalist Naïny Diabaté; vocalist Kaniba Oulé Kouyaté & hunting music from Senoufo Tagoua; Joe Henderson (w. Chick Corea, Ron Carter, Billy Higgins; from Tunisia: Cheikh El Afrite; also from Tunisia: Hedi Kalal (vocalist, composer, bandleader) & Ali Riahi (vocalist aka. the Tunisian nightingale); from Cuba: Caridad Hierrezuelo; new music from Bobby Matos Heritage Ensemble; Judeo-Arabo-Andalusian song from Alice Fitoussi; Ammouri M'barek (Amazigh); & of course: so much, much, much more..
Catch the BIRDS live on Friday nights, 9:00pm-MIDNIGHT (EST), in Central New York on WRFI & WINO 88.1 FM Ithaca/ 88.5 FM Odessa;. and WORLDWIDE online via our MUSIC PLAYER at WRFI.ORG. 24/7 via PODBEAN:
https://conferenceofthebirds.podbean.com
via iTUNES: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conference-of-the-birds-podcast/id478688580
Also available at podomatic, Internet Archive, podtail, iheart Radio, and elsewhere.
Always FREE of charge to listen to the radio program and free also to stream, download, and subscribe to the podcast online:
PLAYLIST at SPINITRON:
https://spinitron.com/WRFI/pl/22536268/Conference-of-the-Birds
and via the Conference of the Birds page at www.WRFI.ORG
https://www.wrfi.org/wrfiprograms/conferenceofthebirds/
Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/conferenceofthebirds/?ref=bookmarks
Find WRFI on Radio Garden:
http://radio.garden/visit/ithaca-ny/aqh8OGBR
NEW MAILING ADDRESS:
Stephen Cope @ Conference of the Birds, POBOX 428, Tivoli, NY, 12583, USA.

Jun 28, 2026
Jun 28, 2026
2hr 59 min
THIS WEEK's BIRDS: Salsa from Orquesta La Conspiracion & Orquesta Colon; Chuito es de Bayamon (jibaro salsa); Youllou Mabiala w. L'Orchestre Kamikaze Loningisa (Congolese rumba); new Amina Claudine Myers; recent Meshell Ndegeocello; Senegalese pop-m'balaz from Ifang Bondi; Senegalese poetry w. music from Xam Xam w. Thijs Borsten, Mola Sylla & Sylvia Den Hartog; Mal Waldron w. trio; samba from Eliete Negreiros, Wilson Moreira, Renata Lu & others; flautist Naïssam Jalal w. Robinson Khouryet al.; Myra Melford; McCoy Tyner; & of course: so much, much,much more..
Catch the BIRDS live on Friday nights, 9:00pm-MIDNIGHT (EST), in Central New York on WRFI & WINO 88.1 FM Ithaca/ 88.5 FM Odessa;. and WORLDWIDE online via our MUSIC PLAYER at WRFI.ORG. 24/7 via PODBEAN:
https://conferenceofthebirds.podbean.com
via iTUNES: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conference-of-the-birds-podcast/id478688580
Also available at podomatic, Internet Archive, podtail, iheart Radio, and elsewhere.
Always FREE of charge to listen to the radio program and free also to stream, download, and subscribe to the podcast online:
PLAYLIST at SPINITRON:
https://spinitron.com/WRFI/pl/22502012/Conference-of-the-Birds
and via the Conference of the Birds page at www.WRFI.ORG
https://www.wrfi.org/wrfiprograms/conferenceofthebirds/
Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/conferenceofthebirds/?ref=bookmarks
Find WRFI on Radio Garden:
http://radio.garden/visit/ithaca-ny/aqh8OGBR
NEW MAILING ADDRESS:
Stephen Cope @ Conference of the Birds, POBOX 428, Tivoli, NY, 12583, USA.

Jun 23, 2026
Jun 23, 2026
3hr 9 sec
THIS WEEK's BIRDS: new music from Ensemble Infini; vintage African rock from Abeti; Congolese rumba from Papa Wemba as well as Orchestre Kamale & Mbilia Bel; Ovimbundu music (from Angola); vintage rock from Comoros: Leleu & Menwar; vintage Stephen McCraven (newly available!); Johnny Dyani (South Africa) w. ensemble; extended blassing/tributte from improvisational string quartet We Free Strings; cante jondo from Manzanita (vintage) & Maria del Tango (new); tenor player Rob Brown w/ trio; Reigakusha (from Japan); Turkish Sufi legend Kudsi Erguner w. Yusuf Bilgin, Aziz Bahriyeli, Fevzi Mısır, et al; more Sufi poetry/song (Qawwali) from Pakistan w/ Hassan Kassayi; . so much, much,much more..
Catch the BIRDS live on Friday nights, 9:00pm-MIDNIGHT (EST), in Central New York on WRFI & WINO 88.1 FM Ithaca/ 88.5 FM Odessa;. and WORLDWIDE online via our MUSIC PLAYER at WRFI.ORG. 24/7 via PODBEAN:
https://conferenceofthebirds.podbean.com
via iTUNES: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conference-of-the-birds-podcast/id478688580
Also available at podomatic, Internet Archive, podtail, iheart Radio, and elsewhere.
Always FREE of charge to listen to the radio program and free also to stream, download, and subscribe to the podcast online:
PLAYLIST at SPINITRON:
https://spinitron.com/WRFI/pl/22468819/Conference-of-the-Birds
and via the Conference of the Birds page at www.WRFI.ORG
https://www.wrfi.org/wrfiprograms/conferenceofthebirds/
Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/conferenceofthebirds/?ref=bookmarks
Find WRFI on Radio Garden:
http://radio.garden/visit/ithaca-ny/aqh8OGBR
NEW MAILING ADDRESS:
Stephen Cope @ Conference of the Birds, POBOX 428, Tivoli, NY, 12583, USA.

Jun 8, 2026
Jun 8, 2026
2hr 58 min
THIS WEEK's BIRDS: new music from Gordon Grdina (out) & Russ Losing (pIano); Benin-born pianist Tchangodei w. Archie Shepp (tenor); experimental electro-flamenco from Andreh y Manuela, Andrea Santalusía & The Gardener; Maghrebi pop from Aida el Ayoubi: Persian dastagh; modern Balouchestani music from Dinmohammad Zangeshai; from Hatam Asgari Langa music from the Thar Desert (Rajasthan) w/ Samsu Khan & Asin Khanplus; Baraka Mkande (new-ish Taarab from Zanzibar); composer, bandleader, multi-instrumentalist Salim Washington; Algerian Kabyle/proto-chaabi composer/musician.vocialist Kamel Hamadi x 2 (once w./ Algerian vocalist Noura, once without); latter-day Lolé (cante jondo vocalist); new piano work from Satoko Fujii & Myra Melford in duo setting; vintage Latino-Senaglese music from the outskirts of Dakar w. Dieuf-Dieul de Thiés; Lebanese pop vocalist Maya Yazbeck; Ajak Kwai (pop vocalist from Mauritania); Dexter Johnson (more African salsa); samba from Jongo da Serrinha & Mestre Marçal;; . so much, much, much more...
Catch the BIRDS live on Friday nights, 9:00pm-MIDNIGHT (EST), in Central New York on WRFI & WINO 88.1 FM Ithaca/ 88.5 FM Odessa;. and WORLDWIDE online via our MUSIC PLAYER at WRFI.ORG. 24/7 via PODBEAN:
https://conferenceofthebirds.podbean.com
via iTUNES: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conference-of-the-birds-podcast/id478688580
Also available at podomatic, Internet Archive, podtail, iheart Radio, and elsewhere.
Always FREE of charge to listen to the radio program and free also to stream, download, and subscribe to the podcast online:
PLAYLIST at SPINITRON:
https://spinitron.com/WRFI/pl/22400566/Conference-of-the-Birds
and via the Conference of the Birds page at www.WRFI.ORG
https://www.wrfi.org/wrfiprograms/conferenceofthebirds/
Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/conferenceofthebirds/?ref=bookmarks
Find WRFI on Radio Garden:
http://radio.garden/visit/ithaca-ny/aqh8OGBR
NEW MAILING ADDRESS:
Stephen Cope @ Conference of the Birds, POBOX 428, Tivoli, NY, 12583, USA.

May 17, 2026
May 17, 2026
2hr 58 min
THIS WEEK's BIRDS: new music from Lena Bloch, Andrew McKelvey, Dave Adewumi , & more; vintage West African music from Bah Sadio, Cameyenne Sofa, Kassé Mady Diabaté; from Benin: Gnonnas Pedro w. His Dadjes Band; vintage song from Iraqi vocalist Sita (aka Seta Hagopian); ; oud player, singer, composer Natik Awayez; recent Iraqi pop from Sozan; raga on santur played by Pt. Bhajan Sopori; salsa from Celia Cruz w. Johnny Pacheco; Joe Arroyo from Colombia; Aniceto Molina from Colombia; Billie Harris (LA post-bop from Billie Harris; plus.... so much, much, much more...
Catch the BIRDS live on Friday nights, 9:00pm-MIDNIGHT (EST), in Central New York on WRFI, 88.1 FM Ithaca/ 88.5 FM Odessa;. and WORLDWIDE online via our MUSIC PLAYER at WRFI.ORG. 24/7 via PODBEAN:
https://conferenceofthebirds.podbean.com
via iTUNES: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conference-of-the-birds-podcast/id478688580
Also available at podomatic, Internet Archive, podtail, iheart Radio, and elsewhere.
Always FREE of charge to listen to the radio program and free also to stream, download, and subscribe to the podcast online:
PLAYLIST at SPINITRON:
https://spinitron.com/WRFI/pl/22330233/Conference-of-the-Birds
and via the Conference of the Birds page at www.WRFI.ORG
https://www.wrfi.org/wrfiprograms/conferenceofthebirds/
Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/conferenceofthebirds/?ref=bookmarks
Find WRFI on Radio Garden:
http://radio.garden/visit/ithaca-ny/aqh8OGBR
NEW MAILING ADDRESS:
Stephen Cope @ Conference of the Birds, POBOX 428, Tivoli, NY, 12583, USA.

May 10, 2026
May 10, 2026
2hr 52 min
THIS WEEK's BIRDS: Abbreviated espied for WERFI pitch week: PLEASE CONDIER supporting WRFI and WINO today with a donation in any amount at ww.WRFI.org... THIS WEEK's MUSICS: Ken Vandermark et al salute poet Alexandra Pizarnik; Turkish pop from Dzansever; Romanian song from Oana Catalina Chitu; Aurora Vargas (cante jondo/flamenco); Duquende (cante jondo/flamenco); Indian film music & ghazal vocalist Asha Bhosle (R.I.P.) Arat Kilo, Mamani Keïta et al (Malian + /Afghani syncretist experimentalism; Sam Rivers w. Baikida Carroll et al. (ca. 1960s loft dates); new music from Maybe Martin (another Flamenco Vocalist!); Indian raag from S.Balachandar w. Dhaval Mistry; Serbian Sufis: dervishes from Skopje Rifai; Don Cherry w. Bobo Stinson et al.; neo- Gnawa jazz from Mohamed Errebbaa & Tagna Groove; new music from Anglika Niescier; new music from Tomeka Reid; not-so-new-at-all music from Ethiopian vocal legend Muluken Mellesse as well as from hard-bop trumpeter Ted Curson; plus host Stephen Cope briefly (most of it is deleted), asking you to support WRFIU/WINO (or any truly community radio station), plus.... so much, much, much more....SUPPORT RADIO at www.WRFI.Org
Catch the BIRDS live on Friday nights, 9:00pm-MIDNIGHT (EST), in Central New York on WRFI, 88.1 FM Ithaca/ 88.5 FM Odessa;. and WORLDWIDE online via our MUSIC PLAYER at WRFI.ORG. 24/7 via PODBEAN:
https://conferenceofthebirds.podbean.com
via iTUNES: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conference-of-the-birds-podcast/id478688580
Also available at podomatic, Internet Archive, podtail, iheart Radio, and elsewhere.
Always FREE of charge to listen to the radio program and free also to stream, download, and subscribe to the podcast online:
PLAYLIST at SPINITRON:
https://spinitron.com/WRFI/pl/22187400/Conference-of-the-Birds
and via the Conference of the Birds page at www.WRFI.ORG
https://www.wrfi.org/wrfiprograms/conferenceofthebirds/
Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/conferenceofthebirds/?ref=bookmarks
Find WRFI on Radio Garden:
http://radio.garden/visit/ithaca-ny/aqh8OGBR
NEW MAILING ADDRESS:
Stephen Cope @ Conference of the Birds, POBOX 428, Tivoli, NY, 12583, USA.

Apr 26, 2026
Apr 26, 2026
2hr 55 min
THIS WEEK's BIRDS: new music from Shoko Nagai; new music from Brandon Seabrook; vintage Carlos Garnett; Joe Harriot w. Amancio d'Silva Quartet; new music from Brazilain vocalist Adrian Calconhotto; Rita Payés & Elisabeth Roma (from Spain); Marcos Valle; Japanese disco from Chikara Ueda; from extensive Nuba from Mohamed Khaznadj; Algerian cha'abi/kabyle legend Akli Yahyaten; Turkish pop from Silvana Armenulic; French pop from Aurélie Saada; and yes, as ever.....so much, much, much more....
Catch the BIRDS live on Friday nights, 9:00pm-MIDNIGHT (EST), in Central New York on WRFI, 88.1 FM Ithaca/ 88.5 FM Odessa;. and WORLDWIDE online via our MUSIC PLAYER at WRFI.ORG. 24/7 via PODBEAN:
https://conferenceofthebirds.podbean.com
via iTUNES: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conference-of-the-birds-podcast/id478688580
Also available at podomatic, Internet Archive, podtail, iheart Radio, and elsewhere.
Always FREE of charge to listen to the radio program and free also to stream, download, and subscribe to the podcast online:
PLAYLIST at SPINITRON:
https://spinitron.com/WRFI/pl/22187400/Conference-of-the-Birds
and via the Conference of the Birds page at www.WRFI.ORG
https://www.wrfi.org/wrfiprograms/conferenceofthebirds/
Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/conferenceofthebirds/?ref=bookmarks
Find WRFI on Radio Garden:
http://radio.garden/visit/ithaca-ny/aqh8OGBR
NEW MAILING ADDRESS:
Stephen Cope @ Conference of the Birds, POBOX 428, Tivoli, NY, 12583, USA.

Apr 12, 2026
Apr 12, 2026
2hr 55 min
THIS WEEK's BIRDS: John Coltrane w. Quartet; Alberto Favero salutes Coltrane; new music from Pier Bruera Trio; fado from Alberto Alves; from Bolivia: Trio Nanduti; also from Bolivia: Canela Palacios; Doña Onete from Brazil; pianist Marta Sanchez w. Maria Grand; vintage rock/pop from Zimbabwe: Mawonera Superstars, Congolese soukous/rumba from Bozi Boziana & Anti-Choc, as well as Mayaula Mayoni & also M Le Nganshie Strervos Niarcos; new music from Kalia Vandever; new music from Simon Hanes; Daughters of Donbas (fr4om Ukraine); Scandinavian improvisation/experimental jazz from Johnny Wartel w. Henrik Wartel, Matthias Landaeus & Georgia Wartel Collins; bop from Harold Vick; Filipe Zau & Filipe Mukenga (from Angola); Diaba Koîta (from Guinea) & Néné Soumano (From Mali); and yes, as ever.....so much, much, much more....
Catch the BIRDS live on Friday nights, 9:00pm-MIDNIGHT (EST), in Central New York on WRFI, 88.1 FM Ithaca/ 88.5 FM Odessa;. and WORLDWIDE online via our MUSIC PLAYER at WRFI.ORG. 24/7 via PODBEAN:
https://conferenceofthebirds.podbean.com
via iTUNES: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conference-of-the-birds-podcast/id478688580
Also available at podomatic, Internet Archive, podtail, iheart Radio, and elsewhere.
Always FREE of charge to listen to the radio program and free also to stream, download, and subscribe to the podcast online:
PLAYLIST at SPINITRON:
https://spinitron.com/WRFI/pl/22187400/Conference-of-the-Birds
and via the Conference of the Birds page at www.WRFI.ORG
https://www.wrfi.org/wrfiprograms/conferenceofthebirds/
Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/conferenceofthebirds/?ref=bookmarks
Find WRFI on Radio Garden:
http://radio.garden/visit/ithaca-ny/aqh8OGBR
NEW MAILING ADDRESS:
Stephen Cope @ Conference of the Birds, POBOX 428, Tivoli, NY, 12583, USA.

Mar 27, 2026
Mar 27, 2026
2hr 56 min
THIS WEEK's BIRDS: Tasnif from Mohsen Karamarti (Iran); from Pakistan: Parveen X 3: Shahida, Fardia, Abida; Sonny Rollins; James Brandon Lewis salutes David S. Ware; David S. Ware w/ Quartet; Wilbur Ware & Quartet; Nerissa Campbell w. Gamelan; Faqirs du Sindh (more from Pakistan); new cante jondo from Yerai Cortés; vintage cante jondo from Dolores Vargas; from Bulgaria: Sofia Papadopoulou & Svetia Karadjova; plus, yes, as ever.....much, much, much more....
Catch the BIRDS live on Friday nights, 9:00pm-MIDNIGHT (EST), in Central New York on WRFI, 88.1 FM Ithaca/ 88.5 FM Odessa;. and WORLDWIDE online via our MUSIC PLAYER at WRFI.ORG. 24/7 via PODBEAN:
https://conferenceofthebirds.podbean.com
via iTUNES: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conference-of-the-birds-podcast/id478688580
Also available at podomatic, Internet Archive, podtail, iheart Radio, and elsewhere.
Always FREE of charge to listen to the radio program and free also to stream, download, and subscribe to the podcast online:
PLAYLIST at SPINITRON:
https://spinitron.com/WRFI/pl/22151670/Conference-of-the-Birds
and via the Conference of the Birds page at www.WRFI.ORG
https://www.wrfi.org/wrfiprograms/conferenceofthebirds/
Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/conferenceofthebirds/?ref=bookmarks
Find WRFI on Radio Garden:
http://radio.garden/visit/ithaca-ny/aqh8OGBR
NEW MAILING ADDRESS:
Stephen Cope @ Conference of the Birds, POBOX 428, Tivoli, NY, 12583, USA.

Mar 9, 2026
Mar 9, 2026
2hr 56 min
THIS WEEK's BIRDS: New music from Rajna Swaminathan; New experiential music from Lukas Ligeti & group;Tunisian jazz vocalist Fatima Charii; Scandanavian group Söndörgő; Sudanese jazz from Sharhabil Ahmed; ta'arab inspired vocal music music from Nyankol Mathiang Dut (Grande Comore); 70s Algerian pop/rock from Les Abrades; live in Deuthlkand: Frank Foster, Jürgen Seefelder, Thomas Stabenow & Keith Copelandfrom; South Indian mârgam from Srimati Nandini Sharma et al. Greek vocals and Balkan instruments from, respectively, Stelios Kazantzides, Sotiria Mpellou, & Laver Bariu; Muneer B. Fennell & The Rhythm String Band; new ensemble music from Jon Irabagon; compositional jazz from Things of This Nature (Caylie Davis, Chris Ferrari, Shogo Yamagishi, JHJ MAzza); Rajasthani vocal from Allah Jilai Bai Bikaner; from and, as ever.....much, much, much more....
Catch the BIRDS live on Friday nights, 9:00pm-MIDNIGHT (EST), in Central New York on WRFI, 88.1 FM Ithaca/ 88.5 FM Odessa;. and WORLDWIDE online via our MUSIC PLAYER at WRFI.ORG. 24/7 via PODBEAN:
https://conferenceofthebirds.podbean.com
via iTUNES: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conference-of-the-birds-podcast/id478688580
Also available at podomatic, Internet Archive, podtail, iheart Radio, and elsewhere.
Always FREE of charge to listen to the radio program and free also to stream, download, and subscribe to the podcast online:
PLAYLIST at SPINITRON:
https://spinitron.com/WRFI/pl/22046673/Conference-of-the-Birds
and via the Conference of the Birds page at www.WRFI.ORG
https://www.wrfi.org/wrfiprograms/conferenceofthebirds/
Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/conferenceofthebirds/?ref=bookmarks
Find WRFI on Radio Garden:
http://radio.garden/visit/ithaca-ny/aqh8OGBR
NEW MAILING ADDRESS:
Stephen Cope @ Conference of the Birds, POBOX 428, Tivoli, NY, 12583, USA.
