March 29/31

Crossroads wraps up the month-long birthday celebration for Gulf Coast pianist, singer and songwriter Marcia Ball with some early music she did on Rounder, later music she did on Alligator, a set she did with Lou Ann Barton and Angela Strehli, guest appearances she made with Candye Kane and W.C. Clark, and a special in hour two including an interview done around the release of her last album, Shine Bright.

Plus previews on regional blues concerts, birthday salutes to contemporary blues and roots artist Sue Foley and boogie woogie piano player Camille Howard, and the latest from James ‘Buddy’ Rogers, Bloodest Saxophone, and Big Joe & the Dynaflows.

Dustin Arbuckle & The Damnations have a new live EP, recorded at The Hook and Ladder Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The four-song set spotlights the musical partnership struck between the bandleader, guitarist Brandon Hudspeth, bassist Mark Foley and drummer Kendall Newby.

Arbuckle recently spoke with KMUW about the EP and his band’s history.

March 22/24

Crossroads continues the March Marcia Ball feature with some of her classic releases, along with guest appearances on the Sing Me Back Home New Orleans benefit release and with Mitch Woods.

There’s also music from Jimmie Vaughan, who shares a birthday with Marcia Ball (3.20) and has a regional date in the coming week.

And there’s new music from Rosie Flores, Kirk Fletcher, Paul Oscher, Charley Crockett, Kevin Burt, Big Joe & the Dynaflows and more – and classic sounds from Buddy Guy, Albert Collins, Little Feat, and Huey ‘Piano’ Smith.

Monday, March 25  

The final Monday of every month, we present Global Village at the Savannah Music Festival, a monthly concert series showcasing top world music artists and groups who have appeared at the prestigious annual festival that takes place each spring in Savannah, Georgia. This time, it’s Malian singer, songwriter and guitarist Rokia Traore. From her first release in 1997, Traore was an instant star, a thoughtful and charismatic performer blending Malian traditions with jazz, rock and classical influences, and seamlessly moving from delicate and trance-like to soaring and powerful.  

Tuesday, March 26

Global Village highlights music from ‘desert blues’ artists and groups, including Etran Finatawa, Tinariwen, Tamikrest, and Terakaft. We’ll also hear music from the pan-Latin band Ladama, the Sweet as Broken Dates compilation of Somalian music, and world music classics from a recently reissued album from Nubian star Ali Hassan Kuban, the new flamenco group Pata Negra, and the West Coast Afro-Cuban group Conjunto Cespedes.

Wednesday, March 27

In honor of Women’s History Month, Global Village highlights music from a wide array of Latina artists, including Gloria Estefan, the Buena Vista Social Club’s Omara Portuondo, the Queen of Salsa Celia Cruz, Paraguayan classical guitarist Berta Rojas, the multi-national group Ladama, Argentina’s Las Hermanas Caronni, Spanish New Flamenco singer Martirio, Mexican-American star Lila Downs, legendary Cuban Trova singer, guitarist and composer Maria Teresa Vera, and more.

Thursday, March 28

Global Village highlights some Latin soul, funk, and boogaloo sounds this time – including Joe Cuba’s big boogaloo hit, “Bang Bang,” Brazilian soul pioneer Tim Maia, Latin rock favorites Santana, and contemporary Latin soul bands Buyepongo, Palo!, and Money Chicha.

Friday, March 29

Global Village wraps up the March Music of Ghana feature with Ebo Taylor and Pat Thomas -  two stars of Ghanaian music whose careers at one point intertwined, who both drew on highlife and afrobeat influences, and who both later in their lives and careers found new international success.  Among other selections, we’ll hear some of their early work together, Taylor’s breakthrough international release "Love and Death", and the funky collaboration between Thomas and the band Marijata.

Monday, March 25

Night Train features some ‘classical jazz’ this time – that is, jazz reinterpretations of classical compositions. We’ll highlight works from Bach, Borodin, Mussorgsky, Ravel, and more, reimagined by French third stream pioneer Jacques Loussier (who recently passed away), jazz hitmaker Dave Brubeck, clarinetist Eddie Daniels, guitar master Jim Hall, vocalist and lyricist Tessa Souter, and others.

Tuesday, March 26

Night Train marks birthdays of pianist and composer Hiromi, and of saxophonist James Moody (including a Jazz Profiles special about him in hour two of the show). Also more for the Nat Cole Centennial feature, this time with tribute albums from Diana Krall and Oscar Peterson, and selections from brother Freddy Cole.

Wednesday, March 27

Music tonight on the Night Train from singer Stacey Kent, saxophonist Ben Webster, and jazz diva Sarah Vaughan (including a Jazz Profiles special about her in hour two) – all born on this date – and more for the Nat Cole Centennial feature, including music from tribute albums done by baritone saxophone legend Hamiet Bluiett, pianist Ben Paterson, and vocal great Carmen McRae.

Thursday, March 28

Night Train heads west for some classic and contemporary sounds from that part of the country. Among the Left Coast artists featured tonight are Charles Brown, Art Pepper, the L.A. Treasure Project, Charles Mingus, Gerry Mulligan, Chico Hamilton, and Chet Baker.