Our favorite radio host, Jonathan Schwartz, returns to a once familiar place this evening, as his Saturday music and talk show shifts from a noon start to an 8 p.m. start, New York time. Schwartz, whose musical palate is full of the rich American songbook of the '40s and '50s (especially as delivered by Frank Sinatra), also plays rock recordings from the '60s and the '70s, along with Bob and Ray, famous baseball moments, and anything else that pops into his head as he drives downtown. Interspersed with the songs are his own marvelous stories about the music, its composers, and its performers -- many of them from his personal experience as the son of the Broadway composer Arthur Schwartz.

Night radio is not new to Jonathan Schwartz, who has been on the air for more than 50 years. He first came to our attention in the late '60s, when he was a disc jockey on the cutting-edge "free form" New York rock station WNEW-FM. At that time his program ran from 6 to 10 p.m., New York time, and he began each show with the salutation "Welcome to the evening." He will now be back in the second half of his old slot, and run all the way to midnight.

For those of us on the West Coast who stream Schwartz's show on wnyc.org or iTunes, the new time will place it in the cocktail and dinner hours, which should work out fine. We can sleep in on Saturday and not miss anything. And we're confident that it will be the same great material to which we have become accustomed since we learned of its internet stream many years ago. We enjoy something new with each weekly show of his that we catch.

But we fret a little about the time switch because Schwartz, who is 74 years old, also does the show on Sunday afternoon, New York time. (That one is on New York and satellite radio only, not streamed for free.) He'll be out of the studio at midnight and back in it at noon. That's a grueling schedule for anybody.

In any event, welcome back to the evening, Mr. Schwartz. Best wishes to you in your new hours.

UPDATE, 6:40 p.m.: It appears that the show is being recorded in the afternoon for evening playback. Easier on Schwartz, but losing the live feel, which for his show was a real asset. He's alluded to being able to listen to the live stream during the recording. We'd definitely be interested in that.