Bells are ringing and choirs are singing- it sounds like the holidays have arrived! As the temperatures drop, warm your heart this December with a month of festive, locally-produced programs on Spokane Public Radio.
Friday Night Jazz with Mike Grabicki - December 2, 9, and 23 at 8 p.m. on KPBX
December 2 - Mike features pianist Gene Harris and a little Holiday jazz, soul, blues, cajun and gospel music.
December 9 - This week, Friday Night Jazz features guitarist Pat Metheny and a little more Holiday music.
December 16 - Hear a feature on vocalist, composer, Nina Simone and even more Holiday music.
December 23 - It's the Friday Night Jazz annual Xmas show! You won't hear this show anywhere else.
Tuesday Night Jazz with Kathy Sackett - December 6, 13, and 20 at 10 p.m. on KPBX
December 6 - Kathy will begin exploring the joys of holiday Jazz with Saxophonist Dexter Gordon, Eddie Daniels and pianist Vince Guaraldi.
December 13 - Tuesday Night Jazz presents vocalese by Manhattan Transfer and other fine jazz music and artists.
December 20 - TNJ will feature holiday jazz and music of all kinds on the Eve of the Winter Solstice.
Johnson's Improbable History of Pop - December 17 at 8 p.m. on KPBX
Tune in to "Christmas is Still Improbable" December 17. You'll hear an eclectic selection of tunes including some of the late SPR host Michael Patoray's seasonal favorites such as the Ronettes, Andrews Sisters, and Keith Richards.
The Downhome Blues Show - December 17 at 10 p.m. on KPBX
Host Brion Foster will bring you a holiday-themed episode of Downhome Blues.
Nacho Celtic Chanukah Show - December 18 at 2 p.m. on KPBX
Host Caridwen Irvine-Spatz celebrates the Jewish Festival of Lights in this special edition of her weekly show.
Hanukkah Lights 2022 - December 18 at 6 p.m. on KPBX
This NPR favorite returns with the best of the best Hanukkah Lights stories from the last 30 years. Authors TBA. Hosted by Susan Stamberg and Murray Horwitz.
Soundspace - December 18 and December 25 at 9 p.m. on KPBX
December 18- Tune in to the 9th Annual Solstice Show to hear Zan play songs with a variation on the theme of the Turning of the Light in celebration of the winter solstice.
December 25- Join Zan for a special holiday Soundspace as she winds you down from all the hoopla with two hours of her variation on the theme of the holidays... especially this part of the evening. This episode will come complete with special dramatic readings of Mark Twain, Brothers Grimm, and Truman Capote from by Sara Edlin-Marlowe, actress/director and SPR emeritus staffer. Don't miss it!
Candles Burning Brightly - December 19 at 2 p.m. on KPBX
A delightful hour for everyone to celebrate the Jewish Festival of Lights! Lots of music from Jewish communities around the world, plus a hilarious lesson on how to prepare a classic Chanukah dish, and a timeless and touching holiday story that brings light into every home.
Christmas in Madrigalia 2022 - December 19 at 7 p.m. on KPBX
Christmas with Madrigalia celebrates the excitement and joy of the holiday season with traditional carols and anthems from the Medieval era through the 21st century. This one-hour program, recorded live in concert, features beautiful music for the winter holidays by Richard Wilder, Dennis Rosenbaum, Tomas Luis de Victoria, John Rutter, Franz Gruber and others.
St. Olaf Christmas Festival - December 19 at 8 p.m. on KPBX
The St. Olaf Christmas Festival is a chance for listeners across the country and around the world to participate in one of the nation’s most treasured holiday celebrations. Programming includes sacred choral and instrumental music from many traditions: beloved hymns, classical masterworks, folk songs from around the world, and African-American spirituals
The Bookshelf - December 19-21 at 6:30 p.m. on KPBX
December 19- Hear Christmas in Wales and a Hanukkah story.
December 20- The late John Geary reads Christmas poetry.
December 21- Susan Creed, assistant manager at the Downtown Spokane Library reads Christmas stories.
A Choral Christmas with Stile Antico - December 20 at 2 p.m. on KPBX
Celebrate Christmas with the sound of soaring voices. Stile Antico, the award winning choir from London, pays a visit to St. Paul’s church on Harvard Square for a concert of radiant sacred music for the Christmas season by the most acclaimed composers of the renaissance. Hear the group’s luminous blend of voices sing the intricately woven music of Thomas Tallis and William Byrd. Hosted by Cathy Fuller of WGBH. Presented by NPR Music.
An Afro Blue Christmas - December 21 at 2 p.m. on KPBX
Join us for a very special holiday concert with Howard University's premiere vocal ensemble Afro Blue and special guest pianist Cyrus Chestnut. Hear the a-cappela group perform a variety of holiday songs including African-American spirituals, jazz and pop tunes, and classical repertoire. The joyous celebration includes one of a kind arrangements on traditional holiday songs plus new compositions…music perfect for the holidays and the spirit of Christmas. Hosted by Michele Norris.
Joy to the World, A Holiday in Pink - December 22 at 2 p.m. on KPBX
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.
Holiday Jazz with Dee Alexander! - December 23 at 2 p.m. on KPBX
With support from emcee and Chicago radio luminary Richard Steele and longtime collaborators pianist Miguel de la Cerna, bassist Junius Paul, and drummer Yussef Ernie Adams, the beloved Chicago vocalist and WFMT Radio Network Jazz Network host Dee Alexander entertains and enchants with songs and reminiscences of holidays past.
Jazz Piano Christmas - December 23 at 3 p.m. on KPBX
Check out your favorite holiday classics as you’ve never heard them! This year, our annual sell-out event spotlights ferociously talented Japanese musical phenom Hiromi, Mountain Stage’s Bob Thompson, and Bolivian prodigy José André Montaño, chosen as one of the Kennedy Center’s “Next 50” leaders.
Jonathan Winters' A Christmas Carol - December 24 at 3 p.m. on KPBX
An updated version of a public radio tradition hosted by NPR's Susan Stamberg. Master comedian Jonathan Winters presents a distinctive reading of Dickens' holiday classic, with a special performing edition prepared by Dickens for his own presentations. Also featuring Mimi Kennedy. From NPR and KCRW.
Christmas in Spokane - December 24 from 7 p.m. until 12 a.m. on KPBX
Hear the sounds of the season this Christmas Eve on KPBX 91.1. Host Jim Tevenan will bring a festive choral digest of performers from Gonzaga University, Whitworth University, Eastern Washington University, North Idaho College, and selections from the Messiha Kantorei Choir.
A Rochester Festival of Lessons and Carols 2022 - December 25 at 9 a.m. on KPBX
One of the most beloved traditions of the holiday season is the Festival of Lessons and Carols, a service made famous at King’s College in Cambridge, England. This Christmas, treat your listeners to A Rochester Festival of Lessons and Carols! The one-hour program will consist of the traditional readings that were selected by King’s College Dean Eric Milner White in 1918, and music by Boris Ord. Mack Wilberg, C V Stanford, John Rutter, and Philip Stopford.
Welcome Christmas - December 25 at 10 a.m. on KPBX
There’s no better way to welcome Christmas than “Welcome Christmas,” the VocalEssence holiday concert conducted by Philip Brunelle. It’s an hour of joyful, classic holiday music from VocalEssence, one of the world’s premiere choral groups, singing traditional carols and new discoveries.
A Soulful Christmas - December 25 at 11 a.m. on KPBX
A Soulful Christmas is an uplifting, relevant display of Black music in the classical, gospel, spiritual, and jazz-inspired style. This special celebrates the non-idiomatic Black classical music, while exploring non-idiomatic choral traditions.
Spokane Civic Theatre presents “A Christmas Carol" - December 25 at 12 p.m. on KPBX
Listen to this classic production reworked for the radio brought to you by the Civic Theatre, with local actors performing this holiday story.
Minneapolis playwright Barbara Field's adaption of A Christmas Carol has been produced by the Civic first in the 1970s, and several times since. This special production was reworked by Field for the radio so you could hear the play at its best.
The Thistle & Shamrock Presents ‘A Child’s Christmas In Wales'
Cerys Matthews is Welsh musician and patron of the Dylan Thomas Society. In this program, originally broadcast in 2015, she narrates excerpts from the Dylan Thomas holiday classic, set to music that she created and recorded with her collaborator Mason Neely. One reviewer wrote: "Dylan’s words are so deliciously descriptive to begin with, and Matthews’ lilting Welsh accent, and deep understanding of the culture illuminates them further. Her love of Dylan’s poetry shines throughout, and serves to make it accessible to a wide audience." Hosted by Fiona Ritchie.
A Mountain Stage Holiday - December 25 at 1 p.m. on KPBX
Join Mountain Stage host Larry Groce for an hour filled with beautiful music to mark the season. The show features special guests Holly Cole, Joan Baez, Bruce Cockburn, Loudon Wainwright III, The Roches, Kathy Mattea and more. All performances were recorded live on the Mountain Stage.
Apollo’s Fire presents Christmas on Sugarloaf Mountain: An Irish-Appalachian Celebration - December 25 at 6 p.m. on KPBX
In this one-hour special, the listener is transported from Christmas Eve in medieval Scotland to the folk carols and shape‐note hymns at a toe‐tapping Christmas gathering in Virginia. The people of the Appalachian Mountains welcome Christmas with LOVE, SINGING, DANCING, and PRAYER.
Men in Charge - December 25 at 6 p.m. on KSFC
The grinding, cosmic engine of fun that is Men in Charge, the Inland Northwest’s premiere radio comedy show, will be shutting down soon! Don't miss the final finale, a brutal Christmas episode called, "Kevin and Tony Decide to Quit!"
The Big Tiny Desk Holiday Special - December 25 at 7 p.m. on KPBX
Celebrate the season with amazing holiday performances from The Tiny Desk Concert series including Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Steve Martin, Hanson, The Polyphonic Spree and more! Hosted by NPR Music frenemies Bob Boilen and Stephen Thompson.
Toast of the Nation - December 31 at 8 p.m. on KPBX
An NPR tradition every New Year's Eve since the 1970s. It's festive jazz you can party to, all night long. Hear sets from Ibrahim Maalouf, Lizz Wright, Ranky Tanky and Chucho Valdés, and others.
Soundspace rings in the New Year - January 1 at midnight on KPBX
Join Soundspace host Zan Agzigian for an hour of eclectic music to help usher in 2023!
Happy Holidays from all of us at Spokane Public Radio!