More to Celebrate!

This week we celebrate Kwanzaa, wrapping it up with the New Year of 2010. Kwanzaa, an African American holiday, celebrates seven principles that would be in the interest of the whole world to observe and honor. The seven principles are Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith. Imagine if we all worked together to honor ourselves, our families, our communities, our planet. We have the Women of the Calabash to bring this celebration to us with their Kwanzaa Album. These are noble principles we could start to incorporate into our New Year Resolutions - just think, world peace around the corner... it could happen! Happy New Year everyone!!

playlist:
The Kwanzaa Album - Women of the Calabash

Winterbound - Tom Bruner
A New Year Carol - Anonymous 4
A New Year - Paul Lloyd Warner
A New Year's Gift - Paul Hillier & Theatre of Voices
Down in Yon Forest/ New Year's Eve - John McCutcheon
The Turning of the Year - David Arkenstone
Through the Years - Judy Garland
Celebrate Me Home - Kenny Loggins
Celebrate - Three Dog Night
Celebration - Kook & The Gang, Featuring J.T.
Happy Now - Poncho Sanchez
So Long - Farewell- Goodbye - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Bringing in a Brand New Year - B.B. King
Snowy New Year's Eve - Maria De Angelis
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Rosemary Clooney
What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? - Harry Connick Jr.
Happy New Year - ABBA
Auld Lang Syne - Glenn Miller Orchestra

Happy New Year everyone!

Winter Holidays

The Winter solstice is tomorrow, December 21st, Chanukkah just finished up last Friday, Christmas will be celebrated this Thursday and Friday, and Kwaanza starts on Saturday. Whew! Good thing we have so much beautiful music to get us through the whirlwind of celebration. Hopefully this music today will have a centering, calming effect for you as you prepare for your celebrations of choice.

playlist

Song for Yule - Victoria Parks
Lift Every Voice and Sing - Women of the Calabash
Winter Peace - Jim Brickman
Blessings - Jim Brickman
Fireside - Jim Brickman
Starbright - Kenny Loggins, Jim Brickman
The Gift - Collin Raye, Susan Ashton, Jim Brickman
Shalom Alechem - Ot Azoj Klezmerband
Candle Lighting Blessings - The Zamir Chorale of Boston
Maoz Tsur - Traditional - The Zamir Chorale of Boston
Maoz Tsur - Italian chant - The Zamir Chorale of Boston
Maoz Tsur - Della Vita - The Zamir Chorale of Boston
Maoz tsur - By the Waters - The Zamir Chorale of Boston
Chanukah Variations - The Zamir Chorale of Boston
The Twelve Days of Christmas - The Christmas Revels
Sunlight Returns - Hillary Stagg
Snowbound - Don Jackson, London Symphony Orchestra
Ice Dance -Don Jackson, London Symphony Orchestra
Solstice - Don Jackson, London Symphony Orchestra
Winter Carol - Don Jackson, London Symphony Orchestra
Dona Nobis Pacem - Yo-Yo Ma
Song for A Winter's Night - Sarah McLachlan
Sweet Secret Peace - Neil Finn
Snow is Lightly Falling - Nightnoise
A Christmas Jig/ Mouth of the Tobique Reel - Yo Yo Ma, Natalie MacMaster
Panzolina: A Galician Carol - Yo Yo Ma, Cristina Pato
My Favorite Things - Yo Yo Ma, Chris Botti
You Couldn't be Cuter - Yo Yo Ma, Diana Krall
Here Comes the Sun - Yo Yo Ma, James Taylor
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Jim Brickman
Sending you a Little Christmas - Jim Brickman, Kristy Starling, Susan Ashton

Here We Come a' Caroling...

One of my favorite aspects of this holiday season is the music, especially the folk songs or carols. These reach back to a time when people gathered to sing the songs that couldn't be sung in church. Combining the tradition of wassailing, singing simple songs of the season for your neighbors was once a commonplace occurrence. We don't really see that anymore, so today, for your holiday pleasure, I will bring my friends around your radio to serenade you with carols...

Caroling, Caroling - Nat King Cole

from Straight No Chaser:
Carol of the Bells
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing/Angels We Have Heard on High
Silent Night
We Three Kings
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

from Anna Maria Mendieta:
Coventry Carol
Lo, How a Rose

from The Christmas Revels:
Wassail Carol from Gloucestshire
The Boar's Head Carol
The Holly and the Ivy
Les Anges dans Nos Campagnes
Jesus Christ s'Habille En Pauvre
Guillaume, Prends Ton Tambourin
Pour Nos Remettre En Son Paradis

from The Westminster Concert Bell Choir
Carols in Color
A Carol for All Seasons

The Bells of Christmas - Frank, Tina, Nancy and Frank Sinatra Jr.

from Gramercy Brass:
Away in a Manger
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring

What Child is This - Mary Beth Carlson
O Holy Night - Michael Crawford
St. Basil's Hymn - Patrick Ball
O come, O come Emmanuel - Patrick Ball

from the San Francisco Girls Chorus

A Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten
Joy to the World
Away in a Manger
Good King Wenceslas
Dime el Camino
Ave Maria
More I cannot wish you

I wish the best of the holiday season to all of my listeners - near and far!