Podcast Summary: “Jesse Malin's Return to the Stage, In Off-Broadway Show”

Podcast: All Of It with Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Episode Date: February 5, 2026
Guest: Jesse Malin
Main Topic: Jesse Malin’s recovery from a spinal stroke, his autobiographical Off-Broadway show Silver Manhattan, the role of New York City in his work and life, and his forthcoming memoir.

Episode Overview

In this poignant and candid episode, musician and venue owner Jesse Malin joins host Alison Stewart in the WNYC studio for a conversation and several live performances. Malin opens up about his journey of recovery after a 2023 spinal stroke left him temporarily paralyzed from the waist down and reflects on his renewed connection with his craft and community. He previews his Off-Broadway show, Silver Manhattan, which blends storytelling and music to recount his life in New York and his perseverance through hardship. The episode also highlights Malin’s resilient spirit, his affection for New York, the value of artistic collaboration, and the process of creating both his memoir and the stage show.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Jesse Malin’s Spinal Stroke and Recovery

• Malin recounts the day in 2023 when he suffered a spinal stroke that left him unable to walk, detailing his months of hospitalization and ongoing physical therapy.

  “In 2023, after years of touring and making records and using my body on stage and walking around New York, I had this spinal stroke and I found myself in a restaurant on the floor and haven't been able to walk for two and a half years.” (Jesse Malin, 04:00)

• He shares how adversity inspired his return to creativity, and how the process of getting back to music and the stage was both emotional and healing.

  “I was very emotional the first time at the Beacon. I wore shades because I was crying.” (Jesse Malin, 05:51)

2. The Story and Structure of Silver Manhattan

• Silver Manhattan is described as both a personal survival story and a tribute to New York’s energy and diversity, reflecting on displacement, artistic dreams, and resilience.

  “I guess in some ways, it's a love letter to New York. This was the place that took me out of Queens to come down to lower Manhattan to explore my dreams.” (Jesse Malin, 04:30)

• The show defies the traditional one-man approach, integrating a band and other actors for a collaborative theatrical experience.

  “It's a one man show because it's a true story and it's my story. But I wanted to do it differently... There’s a band, there’s actually an actor there, Brie Sharp, and the group is involved.” (Jesse Malin, 07:26)

3. Music as Medicine and Collaboration

• Malin reflects on the healing power of music and community, highlighting the support of friends, fans, and fellow musicians during his recovery.
• The integration of his musical catalog into the stage show was a collaborative process, guided by director Ellie Heyman and Lauren Ludwig, as well as musical director Justin Craig and bandmate Derek Cruz.

  “To have a team look at your catalog of music and be able to cherry pick through it and be like, this song might work really good here. I'm like, really?... And then you put it in the context of the play and it has a new life.” (Jesse Malin, 07:54)

4. Themes of Immigration and New York Identity

• Through live song performances, Malin weaves in stories of his family’s immigrant past and the patchwork of cultures that make up New York City.

  “It’s an important thing to remember these days, that we all come from somewhere. And New York in America is really about that. We gotta be kind to each other, you know? It’s dark when atheists start to pray.” (Jesse Malin, 10:44)

• He stresses the continuing potential for self-discovery and creativity in the city, despite gentrification and rising costs.

  “There's something about coming to a certain place and where you can just be yourself and create and figure that out. Screw up and find out who you are and make a new family sometimes with community and friends.” (Jesse Malin, 15:47) “Even with the high rents and even with all the corporate chain stores and all the cleanup, there's still a lot of art and a lot of soul.” (Jesse Malin, 16:36)

5. His Memoir – Almost Grown: A New York Memoir

• Malin announces the forthcoming book, which he started before his stroke but completed largely while hospitalized.

  “Six months before this crazy spinal stroke happened. I started working on it, yeah. And it was supposed to end about 20 years ago...And then suddenly, I guess this happened. So it was written a lot in the hospital.” (Jesse Malin, 16:53)

• The memoir complements the stage show but each stands as a distinct work.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The love and support that I got from the music community and my fans… helped me through such a crazy time of uncertainty.”
  (Jesse Malin, 06:00)

• “Music being the medicine and people and just the inspiration that comes from the energy of music, this city, and just believing that you can push forward.”
  (Jesse Malin, 05:30)

• “I always believed in PMA. It was something I learned from these Rastafarians when I was 14 or 15 — Positive Mental Attitude… But some days you get hit, you know, you gotta get out of the NMA — Negative Malin Attitude.”
  (Jesse Malin, 06:56)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 00:10 | Alison Stewart’s Introduction; Malin’s return to studio | | 00:59 | Live Performance: “O Sheena” (with Rob Cloris) | | 04:30 | Malin describes the creation and themes of Silver Manhattan | | 05:51 | Emotional impact of returning to perform live | | 06:21 | The shift from writing a memoir to creating the play | | 07:26 | Non-traditional structure of the play: band & cast involvement | | 10:32 | Live Performance: “Hey Man, Where You Going?” | | 15:47 | What Malin wants people to know about “his New York” | | 16:53 | The process and timeline for his memoir | | 17:55 | Live Performance: “Revelations” (with Rob Cloris) | | 20:58 | Show details and closing remarks |

Songs Performed (Live in Studio)

• “O Sheena” (00:59–04:09)
• “Hey Man, Where You Going?” (10:32–15:29)
• “Revelations” (17:55–20:43)

Performed with collaborator Rob Cloris, each piece is interwoven with stories and anecdotes, reinforcing the episode's raw intimacy and musicality.

Tone and Atmosphere

The tone is warm, direct, and at times deeply vulnerable, as Malin speaks with frankness about illness, hope, creative vulnerability, and his New York roots. The episode is punctuated by gratitude—toward collaborators, his community, and even the city itself—creating a sense of celebration amid adversity.

In Summary

This episode is a moving testimony to the transformative power of art, community, and the city of New York itself. Jesse Malin’s journey, marked by both hardship and resilience, unfolds through story and song, offering inspiration to fellow dreamers, strivers, and listeners who seek hope, connection, and honest reflection.

Catch Silver Manhattan at the Bowery Palace from February 18th, and look for Malin’s memoir Almost Grown: A New York Memoir out in April 2026.