Sunday, January 26

Sunday on Soulsations, hear new music from R&B veteran Charlie Wilson. The former lead vocalist of The Gap Band celebrates love with his new song "Forever Valentine." Wilson teams up with "Uptown Funk" singer Bruno Mars on the romantic tune.  

Monday, January 20

Night Train marks Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a number of selections in hour one and a Blues and Beyond Martin Luther King Jr. Day Special with music from Dr. Billy Taylor, Paul Robeson, Otis Spann and more in hour two. We also mark birthdays of two drummers – the legendary Jimmy Cobb and Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts – and begin a week of tributes to artists who passed away in 2019 with music tonight from pianist Harold Mabern and bossa nova pioneer Joao Gilberto.

Tuesday, January 21

Night Train highlights classic and contemporary soul jazz tonight – including music from such great veterans as Jimmy Smith, Lou Donaldson and Jack McDuff, and contemporary soul jazz acts including Dave Stryker, Brian Charette, Organissimo, and Mike LeDonne.

Wednesday, January 22

Night Train marks birthdays of jazz trombone pioneer J.J. Johnson, composer and trombonist Juan Tizol, and chamber jazz bassist Eberhard Weber, and continues the week-long tribute to jazz artists who passed away in 2019, this time remembering guitarist Vic Juris, third stream pianist Jacques Loussier, and vibes and marimba player Dave Samuels (including a tribute special featuring the music of Samuels in hour two of the show).

Thursday, January 23

Night Train celebrates birthdays of vibes master Gary Burton, and guitar legend Django Reinhardt. We’ll hear Burton as a leader and with Chick Corea, along with Reinhardt’s groundbreaking work in the Hot Club of France and Django-inspired performances from Stephane Wrembel and Pearl Django. Night Train also wraps up a week-long series of tributes to artists who passed away in 2019 with selections from Ethel Ennis, Bob Dorough, and Sam Pilafian. In hour two it’s a Woodsongs special Django tribute with the Hot Club of San Francisco and other special guests.

Monday, January 20

Global Village celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day with songs dedicated to him, music inspired by the Civil Rights Movement, and pieces that reflect human rights themes as performed by artists from around the globe, including Mavis Staples, the Soweto Gospel Choir, Toots & the Maytals, Stevie Wonder, and more.

Tuesday, January 21

Global Village marks birthdays of Richie Havens and Edwin Starr, and continues the January Best of 2019 feature with show favorites (including contemporary highlife artist Gyedu-Blay Ambolley, Russian band Otava Yo, Australian/Mongolian group Equus, and the blues-reggae set Red, Gold, Green & Blue), along with music from brass band Dobranotch and Tuvan band Huun-Huur-Tu (both winners in this year’s Russian World Music Awards), and one of this year’s Grammy nominated groups, the Gullah band Ranky Tanky, who will be featured on the next Global Village at the Savannah Music Festival show the last week of this month.

Wednesday January 22

Global Village takes a little side excursion to Italy for a variety of different sounds from the pioneering neo-folk accordionist Riccardo Tesi, to the Napoli Mandolin Orchestra (with spaghetti western music!), along with Stefano Saletti with his Piccola Banda Ikona group, folk/ jazz saxophonist Enzo Avitabile, and the traditional pipes group Zampogneria.

Thursday, January 23

Global Village celebrates the birthday of gypsy jazz guitar great Django Reinhardt with music from the master himself and from his Hot Club of France partner – violinist Stephane Grappelli. We’ll also hear from some of the many contemporary artists and groups inspired by his music who offer both traditional and contemporary forms of his trademark ‘gypsy jazz’ sound, including Tchavolo Schmitt, Bireli Lagrene, Pearl Django,  the Hot Club of San Francisco, the Hot Club of Detroit, and Hot Club Sandwich.

Friday, January 24

Throughout the month, Global Village has been looking back at significant music of the past year. In this special edition of the show, it’s a look back at some of the significant losses, paying tribute to musicians from around the world who passed away in 2019. Among the artists remembered are Zimbabwe’s Oliver Mtukudzi and Dorothy Masuka; South Africa’s Johnny Clegg; Lord Burgess who wrote hit songs inspired by the Caribbean for Harry Belafonte; vibes player Dave Samuels who headed up the acclaimed Caribbean Jazz Project;  Brazil’s bossa nova pioneer Joao Gilberto and Godmother of Samba Beth Carlvalho; Kehinde Lijadu of Nigeria’s Lijadu Sisters; and Egyptian percussion master Hossam Ramzy.

Friday, January 24 and Sunday, January 26

Crossroads continues its look back at 2019 with a program remembering artists who passed away in the past year, including Art Neville of the Meters and the Neville Brothers, Paul Barrere of Little Feat, soul blues singer Wee Willie Walker, and Dr. John (including a tribute special in hour two of the show).

Plus more of the best of 2019, with Blues Music Awards nominees Jimmy Carpenter, Toronzo Cannon and Nancy Wright, and birthday salutes to Aaron Neville and also Bettye LaVette (a 2020 Blues Hall of Fame inductee and nominee in this year’s Blues Music Awards as well).