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Crescent City Birthdays, New Holiday Releases & The First Day Of Winter

Monday, December 17

Global Village celebrates birthdays of Crescent City greats Art Neville (Neville Brothers, the Meters) and pianist James Booker, along with more music from December featured artists Professor Longhair and Dave Bartholomew. Also music from Henry Butler (this month’s Global Village at the Savannah Music Festival artist, with the show airing at the end of the month), Haitian band Ram, and a major Nigerian hit from the ‘70s by Shina Williams that finally resurfaced earlier this year.

Tuesday, December 18

Global Village continues a series of shows devoted to particular instruments - this time wind instruments from around the world. We’ll hear the Indian brass band Rajasthan Express, the Romanian brass band Fanfare Ciocarlia, the Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band, saxophonists Pharoah Sanders and Gato Barbieri, bass clarinetist Oran Etkin, and more.

Wednesday, December 19

It’s the centennial birthday today of Global Village December featured artist Professor Longhair and we’ve got music from him and one of his classics performed by Henry Butler (the December Global Village at the Savannah Music Festival featured artist, airing at the end of this month). Plus music from our other December featured artist, Dave Bartholomew – also born 100 years ago in December. We’ll hear him as a special guest with Dr. John. Plus birthday salutes to Crescent City trumpeter and singer Kermit Ruffins, and the ‘father of Ethiojazz,’ Mulatu Astatke – and new music from Brazil’s Bixiga 70 and Benin International Musical.

Thursday, December 20

It’s the annual Global Village new holiday releases special, when the show presents some of the new, and different, holiday titles that have come out this season. We’ll hear music from Finland’s Frigg, the Putumayo Presents Joy to the World compilation, Bay Area women’s world vocal group Kitka, along with soul, blues, jazz, and rock releases from Les McCann, the Old 97’s, Eden Brent, Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers (with kazoos!), and more.

Friday, December 21

Global Village marks the first day of winter with a show devoted to songs of the season. Artists featured include Leonard Cohen, Gil Scott-Heron, Boys of the Lough, Bebel Gilberto, ErsatzMusika, Loreena McKennitt, Esquivel and more.

(Strange Currency and Crossroads also mark the Winter Solstice tonight.)

Chris Heim produces and hosts Global Village, a nationally and internationally distributed world music show; the nightly jazz show Night Train, and Crossroads, KMUW’s twice-weekly blues and R&B show. Chris is also a critic and freelance writer whose work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Utne, Global Rhythm, Dirty Linen, and Option, among others.