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!

Feeling Gratitude - all day, all season

This is the weekend before Thanksgiving and while everyone is ordering their Willie Bird, we need to take a moment and reflect on the true meaning of this season - a time to feel gratitude for all the small and large joys in our life, to appreciate the relationships we hold and have held, moving on in our journey day by day. I offer you a soundtrack to reflect and be grateful...

playlist
Gratitude - India.Arie
Thank You - Linda Arnold
Warm is the Light - Victoria Parks
Beautiful Dawn - The Wailin Jennys
Thank You For the Music - Paul Clarkson, Lisa Stokke
Thank You for Loving Me - Fred McCarty
Smile - Rod Stewart
Believe - Josh Groban
In My Life - Bette Midler
To Life - Alfred Molina, David Ayers & David Wohl
Our House - Crosby Stills Nash & Young
My Buddy - Murray Weinstock
Thanksgiving - George Winston
Pilgrim's Way - Phil Coulter
Amazing Grace - Gypsy Soul
Northeast Wind - Nando Lauria
Winter Fire - Janis Ian
The Dreams of Children - Shadowfax
Traditional Simple Gifts - Yo Yo Ma
Hymn - Vangelis
Amazing Grace - Fred McCarty
Blue Sky and Black Coffee - The Steve Hall Quintet
Good Dog, Happy Man - Bill Frisell
Starlight - John McCutcheon
Old Friends - Simon & Garfunkel
Friends - Bette Midler
Friendship - Patti LuPone
Best Friend - Natasha - James
What A Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
Make Someone Happy - Jimmy Durante
Thank You - Dave Brubeck

thank you all for listening!

Lovely as the Day is Long

Driving through our amazingly beautiful valley this week I was enchanted by all the colors, shapes and textures - an incredible vibrancy in everything I saw. And thinking ahead to the holidays, it was perfect time to reflect on the purpose of holidays and how we really want to celebrate the winter season. Hopefully today's music will give you a taste of how beautiful it is outside and help you bring some of that beauty inside your heart and soul.

playlist:

Lovely as the Day is Long - Redbird
Country Theme - Angelo Badalamenti
Farmland Tour - Angelo Badalamenti
Come By the Hills - Loreena McKennitt
The Hills of Glencar - Bill Douglas
Seven Steps to Heaven - Miles Davis
Sleepers Awake - Andy Narell
Sleepy Dragon - Giorgio Moroder
Zarabanda - Adiemus
Rainsong (Fortune's Lullaby) - George Winston
Lost in the Woods - Alex De Grassi
Cumulus Rising - Alex De Grassi
La Serena - Azam Ali
Breton Medley - Azam Ali
The Seasons - Autumn Adagio - Alexander Glazunov
The Seasons - Winter: Introduction - Alexander Glazunov
The Seasons - Winter: Four Variations - Alexander Glazunov
The Seasons - Winter: Frost - Alexander Glazunov
Thais Meditation - Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra
Reverie - Bert Lucarelli, Susan Jolles
Beau Soir - Bert Lucarelli, Susan Jolles
Like a Wave of the Sun - Bill Douglas
Piping Down the Valleys Wilds - Bill Douglas
Romanesca - Cheryl Ann Fulton
Enchantment - Chris Spheeris
Lullabye - Chuck Mangione
Echano - Chuck Mangione
Les Poules Hupee - Brollywacker
Il Sogno di Volare - Cirque du Soleil
Minderia - Brass Menazeri


closing song: Andalucia - Pink Martini

What do you Know??

WHAT do you know? What DO you know?? What do YOU know?? I don't know ... That's the theme today - songs about all the things I don't know, didn't know and may never know... enjoy!

playlist:

I Didn't Know - Hellhounds
Does Anybody Know What Time It Is? - Chicago
Does Your Mother Know? - ABBA
I Want to Know What Love Is - foreighner
Don't Know Why - Norah Jones
You Don't Know Me - Lisa Loeb
You Don't Know Me - Ray Charles and Diana Krall
Don't Know Much - Linda Ronsdtadt and Aaron Neville
How Am I to Know? - Nelson Riddle and Nelson Riddle Orchestra with Rosemary Clooney
You Don't Know What Love Is - Boz Scaggs
You Don't Know My Mind - Guy Davis
I Need to Know - Marc Anthony
Tomorrow Never Knows - Monsoon with Sheila Chandra
Never Know - Angelique Kidjo
You Don't Know Where Your Interest Lies - Simon & Garfunkel
I Don't Know How To Love Him -
Don't Know - Dame Moura Lympany
If Only I Had Known - Lina Mrktchyan
I Don't Want to Know - Paige O'Hara
Some Cats Know - Paula West
If You Know Susie - Eddie Cantor
For All We Know - Erroll Garner
How Little We Know - Michael Feinstein, Maynard Ferguson Big Band
Never Know - Jack Johnson
More Than You'll Ever Know - Natalie Cole
Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out - Odetta
You'll Never Know - Shirley Bassey
For All We Know - Rod Stewart
Who Knows Where The Time Goes? Eva Cassidy
Now I Understand - Lisa Loeb

closing song: Andalucia - Pink Martini

Dia de los Meurtos

The veil between the living and the dead is at it's thinnest on these days - starting with All Hallows Eve, on to All Saints Day and All Soul's Day. Today we hear from those on the other side as we celebrate these 'saints' of music.

playlist

Try to Remember - Jerry Orbach
Love Won't Let You Get Away - Rosemary Clooney and Bing Crosby
What a Difference a Day Makes - Bobby Darin
The Puppy Song - Harry Nilsson
Lost in the Stars - Judy Garland
Night and Day - Fred Astaire
The Very Thought of You - Nat King Cole
Memories Are Made of This - Dean Martin
Come Fly With Me - Frank Sinatra
Night Song - (Golden Boy) - Sammy Davis Jr.
I'm Always Chasing Rainbows - Perry Como
Unchain My Heart - Ray Charles
Everything's Coming Up Roses - Ethel Merman
Songbird - Eva Cassidy
Easy to Love - Dinah Shore
Big River - Johnny Cash
I Can See an Angel Walkin' - Patsy Cline
I Wonder Where You Are Tonight - Hank Snow
How Great Thou Art - Elvis Presley
Moonlight in Vermont - Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong
Valse Triste - Herbert Von Karajan
Triste - Charlie Byrd
It Had to Be You - Art Tatum
Fascinating Rhythm - Benny Goodman
Take the A Train - Duke Ellington
Don't Stop Till You Get Enough - Michael Jackson
To the Wild Country - John Denver
The Song is You - Mario Lanza
Love - John Lennon
What Are You Doing The Rest of Your Life? - Dusty Springfield
I'll Be Seeing You - Jimmy Durante
Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What A Wonderful World - Isreal K

closing song: Andalucia - Pink Martini