Monday, December 19
Night Train highlights the new jazz holiday albums; marks birthdays of Kermit Ruffins, Bobby Timmons, and Bob Brookmeyer; features historic recordings done on this date by Duke Ellington, and from Milt Jackson with Wes Montgomery; and showcases new albums from pianists Ben Sidran and Monty Alexander.
Global Village also highlights new holiday releases tonight.
Tuesday, December 20
An annual favorite – "Joy to the World" – returns tonight with two special holiday concerts, featuring pianist Bob Thompson and band with special guests performing holiday favorites. In hour one, jazz and blues singer Kim Nalley is the special guest. Hour two features singer Jane Monheit, who released a new holiday album this year.
Wednesday, December 21
Night Train joins in with Global Village and Strange Currency to mark the first day of winter. We’ve got a wide array of original and favorite songs of the season to share from Cyrille Aimee, Sting, Al Di Meola, Frank Kimbrough and Dave Stryker in hour one; and Cyrus Chestnut, Pee Wee Ellis (of the James Brown Horns), the Yellowjackets, the Ted Rosenthal Trio, and Kurt Elling in hour two of the show.
Thursday, December 22
Night Train steps aside for two hours of holiday sounds from dynamic singer Dee Alexander.
In hour one, with support from emcee and Chicago radio luminary Richard Steele and longtime collaborators pianist Miguel de la Cerna, bassist Junius Paul, and drummer Yussef Ernie Adams, the Chicago vocalist performs in concert with songs and reminiscences of holidays past.
Then in hour two, Alexander shares music and stories of the holiday season, including classics from Nat King Cole, Coleman Hawkins, Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, Vince Guaraldi, and more.
