© 2024 KMUW
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Nat Cole Week, A New Orleans' Jazz Mardi Gras Party & Some “Pres” For Presidents’ Day

Monday, February 16

Night Train kicks off a week of music and features for Nat Cole, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, with music from his brother Freddy Cole. Plus birthday salutes to songwriter Alec Wilder and Sonny Bono (!), some “Pres” (Lester Young) for Presidents’ Day, and new music from organist Brian Charette and trombonist Conrad Herwig.

Tuesday, February 17

SPECIALNight Train teams up with Global Village to celebrate Fat Tuesday. The Mardi Gras special highlights music from the Crescent City – including the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and new releases from both Delfeayo and Jason Marsalis. Hour two of the show features a Riverwalk special, Crescent City Stomp, celebrating the great trad jazz sounds of New Orleans.

Wednesday, February 18

Night Train features music from singer Randy Crawford (with Crusader Joe Sample) and guitarist Jeanfrancois Prins for their birthdays – highlights new music from Bill O’Connell & the Latin Jazz All Stars and the Jeff Hamilton Trio, and continues the February feature with music from this year’s Large Ensemble Grammy winner – Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, and more Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners – including composer Irving Berlin and this week’s focus artist – Nat King Cole. Hour two of the show is Part One of a Jazz Profiles special exploring Cole’s work as a pianist.

Thursday, February 19

Night Train highlights more Grammy Lifetime Achievement recipients including Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Irving Berlin, Hank Jones – and this week’s Lifetime featured artist, Nat King Cole. There’s music from Cole and his trio in hour one, and in hour two it’s part two of a Jazz Profiles Cole special highlighting his work as a singer. Plus music from Juno nominee Molly Johnson, and new releases from singer Allan Harris and saxophonist Lisa Parrott.

Chris Heim produces and hosts Global Village, a nationally and internationally distributed world music show; the nightly jazz show Night Train, and Crossroads, KMUW’s twice-weekly blues and R&B show. Chris is also a critic and freelance writer whose work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Utne, Global Rhythm, Dirty Linen, and Option, among others.