KCBX offers up a stocking full of special programs to accompany your holiday activities. Here's what you can expect between now and New Year's Day:
Sunday, December 20
7:00-9:00 p.m. Paul Winter's Solstice Celebration
Celebrate the Return of the Sun -- and the Warming of the Earth with an exuberant Feast of Sound captured live in the majestic Cathedral of St. John the Divine. WNYC's John Schaefer hosts this all new performance, featuring the Paul Winter Consort with Paul McCandless, gospel singer Theresa Thomason, Danny Rivera -- the "National Voice of Puerto Rico”, and Abdel Salaam's Forces of Nature percussion and dance ensemble.
Monday, December 21
6:30-7:30 p.m. Song Travels: Home for the Holidays
Join Michael Feinstein for an hour of yuletide cheer and music. This edition of Song Travels journeys from Hollywood's vintage silver screen to New York City's iconic Birdland club. The Michael Feinstein Big Band performs selections from the classic movie White Christmas, and Feinstein shares rare recordings from some of his favorite performers.
Wednesday, December 23
7:00-8:00 p.m. A Chanticleer Christmas
A one-hour program of holiday favorites, new and old, presented live in concert by the superb 12-man ensemble known as "an orchestra of voices." Chanticleer will sing carols and other works by William Byrd, Gustav Holst, John Tavener and more.
Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24
9:00 a.m.-noon A Holiday Morning Cup
Jerome Taylor digs into his vast collection of holiday rarities and favorites for a funky, bluesy, jazzy, country, international, super fun morning of music.
1:00-2:00 p.m. Tinsel Tales 3 - NPR Christmas Favorites
In keeping with a well-loved NPR holiday tradition, hear the third collection of extraordinary Christmas stories that will transport you to unexpected places. Audie Cornish, Ken Harbaugh, Nina Totenberg and other voices from NPR's past and present tell stories of the season in this hour-long special. Some tales are funny; some are touching; some are insightful or irreverent or nostalgic or surprising. Hosted by Lynn Neary.
10:00 p.m.-midnight Christmas on Jazz After Hours
Jazz musicians have always had holiday fun giving Christmas a jazzy twist. This year, "Jazz After Hours" is planning a new 2-hour Christmas special, full of fresh holiday jazz, some just released for Christmas 2015. This new Christmas special will cheer you up and get you in the holiday spirit.
Christmas Day, Friday, December 25
9:00-10:00 a.m. Jazz Piano Christmas
NPR Music brings you another great concert from Kennedy Center. Kenny Barron, Fred Hersch, and Carmen Staaf perform their favorite holiday songs in a program hosted by Felix Contreras.
10:00-11:00 a.m. Pink Martini's Joy to the World: A Holiday Spectacular
The internationally acclaimed “little orchestra" Pink Martini bedecks the airwaves with festive holiday songs from across the globe. From timeless classics to rarely heard gems, hear a multi-denominational, multi-cultural jubilee, overflowing with enough holiday spirit to warm your entire family. Hosted by All Things Considered’s Ari Shapiro.
11:00 a.m.-noon Festivo Alt Latino with Gaby Moreno & Friends
Vocalist Gaby Moreno brings a Muscle Shoals-tinged holiday celebration to this year's Festivo Alt.Latino. Classics from the U.S. and Latin America get a shimmering bluesy, R&B treatment from Moreno and her four-piece band in a performance recorded live in front of a studio audience at KUTX in Austin, Texas. There is plenty of joy and holiday spirit in both English and Spanish that will add a new dimension to the idea of holiday music.
1:00-2:00 p.m. The Moth Radio Hour Holiday Special
A family tradition endures community-wide scandal, a single woman tries to find her soulmate for Hanukkah, a daughter honors her mother's last Christmas wish, a guard works New Year's Eve at Sing Sing prison, and the holiday spirit fills an emergency room. This hour of stories is hosted by The Moth’s Artistic Director, Catherine Burns.
2:00-3:00 p.m. The Dinner Party Download Holiday Special
Hip-hop legend Darryl McDaniels, the "DMC" of Run DMC riffs on his mega-hit "Christmas in Hollis" - and on the tenderness of Charlie Brown. TV's "Naked Chef" Jamie Oliver injects some health into our holiday menu. Humorist Fran Lebowitz keeps the season from getting too sappy with very tart etiquette tips. And chart-toppers Macklemore & Ryan Lewis craft a crazy Yuletide playlist.
New Year's Eve, Thursday, December 31
10:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m. Toast of the Nation
An NPR tradition every New Year's Eve since the 1970s, Toast of the Nation is the perfect audio complement for the occasion. It's jazz that you can party to all night long, with countdowns to midnight across the country.
New Year's Day, Friday, January 1, 2016
2:00-3:00 p.m. The Capitol Steps: Politics Takes a Holiday
Faster than Joe Biden deciding whether to run for President! More powerful than the wind it takes to finally blow off Donald Trump's hair! It's the Capitol Steps annual year in review special, "Politics Takes a Holiday!" All your favorite candidates will be there, and some will be emailing about it for years afterwards on their private server. Join Hillary, Bernie, the Donald, Jeb, Marco, Carly, and more Republican candidates than you can shake a stick at!