Music & Culture

Music & Culture

Rock historian Ed Ward revisits the Beatles' puzzling Christmas records

1:02pm December 24, 2021

by Ed Ward

Ward, who died May 3, 2021, spoke in 1992 about a series of Christmas singles the Beatles made in the '60s. If you were a member of their fan club, you got one each year.

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Music & Culture

Jazz singer Susannah McCorkle performs a holiday concert for 'Fresh Air'

1:02pm December 24, 2021

by Terry Gross

McCorkle, who died in 2001, had 17 albums to her credit and a repertoire of more than 3,000 songs. She was also a published fiction writer. In 1988, McCorkle stopped in to perform holiday music.

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Filmmaker John Waters puts his own spin on Christmas

1:02pm December 24, 2021

by Terry Gross

In 2004, Waters shared music from his album A John Waters Christmas, an anthology of catchy, entertaining and ridiculous holiday songs that reflect his fascination with the odd and unusual.

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Music & Culture

Hiss Golden Messenger, 'Hung Fire'

8:01am December 24, 2021

by Kara Frame

One of the better Christmas songs we heard this year.

This a capella group known for singing in stairwells now has a new Christmas album

5:27pm December 23, 2021

Dallas-based a capella group Kings Return has made a name for themselves by singing beautiful music in stairwells. Now they're out with a new Christmas EP.

Music & Culture

Ghetts, 'No Mercy' (feat. Pa Salieu and BackRoad Gee)

3:45pm December 23, 2021

by Otis Hart

Listen to one of the many highlights from Ghetts' Conflict of Interest.

Music & Culture

Tierra Whack, 'Heaven'

2:22pm December 23, 2021

by Kara Frame

Listen to a highlight from Tierra Whack's very busy December.

Music & Culture

Faye Webster, 'I'm Know I'm Funny haha'

1:47pm December 23, 2021

by Sofie Hernandez-Simeonidis

Faye Webster has come to terms with her gift for guffaws.

Music & Culture

In memoriam: Jazz Night In America remembers the icons we lost in 2021

12:41pm December 23, 2021

We remember some of the luminaries we lost this year: Chick Corea; Milford Graves; Dr. Lonnie Smith; Pat Martino; Dottie Dodgion; Howard Johnson; Slide Hampton; Curtis Fuller; and Ralph Peterson Jr.

Music & Culture

Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Pēteris Vasks: 'Vēstījums'

10:00am December 23, 2021

by Tom Huizenga

The Latvian composer's epic battle of light and dark is a symphonic message about the relationship between humans and nature.