Hundreds of listeners gathered last week to start their holiday celebrations and the festive season with KCSM. It was an evening of good friends, good food and great live jazz! A Special thank you to everyone who brought a new, unwrapped toy for the Toys for Tots toy drive. Lots of local kids will have a happier holiday because of your generosity. (click story headline for more photo)

Sonoma Valley resident Kathleen Lawton was part of the lucky audience when soulful vocalist Allan Harris and guitarist Bruce Forman performed an extraordinary set at the Sebastiani Theater in Sonoma on Sunday December 7. The concert, dedicated to the music of Nat King Cole, was sponsored by the Sonoma Valley Jazz Society. (click header for more)

On Saturday night Kathleen Harris, KCSM Development Director, headed to the Golden Gate Theatre to soak in the sounds of live jazz from one of KCSMs favorites, Kamasi Washington, who delivered a powerful performance that had the crowd on its feet. After the show, Kathleen captured a special moment: Karen, a devoted KCSM fan, reaching out to thank Kamasi for the music that has meant so much to her. This simple handshake between artist and listener captures what KCSM is all about—real connections, shared love of jazz, and a community that stretches from the airwaves to the concert hall. A moment of pure jazz joy that reflects KCSMs unequaled connection to the Bay Area jazz scene.

R&B Car Songs. The juke is jumpin' with records focusing on classic R&B songs about cars. The automobile is a "road tested" symbol of the American Dream. We have all this land and the car gives us the freedom to get from one place to another. We'll dig on some tunes about Cadillacs, Buicks, Mercurys and Model Ts. Chuck Berry, who made his early career on youth-oriented car songs will make a few appearances. Plus, musicologists Billy Vera and Steve Propes drop by the "Juke In The Back" to make their cases that the first rock n' roll song might have been about a car. So, grab your keys and prepare to be taken for a ride.

Vibraphonist Stefon Harris gives us a lesson in empathy on and off the bandstand, with his band Blackout. Join us for a ferocious and intuitive set recorded at Clement’s Place, a small club at Rutgers University, in Newark, NJ.

Jaco Pastorius: World's Greatest Bass Player, Part 1. Featuring the 20th Century musical giant in his first recordings as a leader, with the likes of Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. And with commentary by Pat Metheny and Herbie.

Singer/songwriter and blues and boogie pianist, Eden Brent is a Greenville, Mississippi native from a family of riverboat captains, guitar pickers, big band singers and all the various characters you’d want in a Southern novel. Eden’s new CD, Getaway Blues, is a celebration of her roots and the music that’s surrounded her throughout her life in Greenville, the home of The Mississippi Delta Blues and Heritage Festival, the oldest blues festival in the world. Growing up, Eden heard everything from Hank Williams to Nat Cole around the house, as well as most nights, joining in the post-dinner family singalongs. Greenville neighbor, author Julia Reed, remembers Eden’s home as a soulful and far funnier version of The Sound of Music, and refers to the family as the von Brents.

This episode includes a long set-in memory of Rev. Dr. Issac Whittmon of Chicago, plus music from Rev. Julius Cheeks, Camp Meeting Choir, Edna Gallmon Cooke (pictured), Little Lucy Smith Singers, Golden Trumpets, and others.

Katina Psihos Letheule, Artistic Director of Altarena Playhouse. One of the Bay Area’s longest continuously operating community theaters, the award-winning Altarena has been entertaining audiences since 1939. Host Scott Piehler talks with Katina about the importance of live theatre, what it takes to create a balanced season, and what the emergence from the COVID pandemic looked like for the performing arts. Katina also shares her favorite shows and roles from her own performing history.

Lydia Millet discusses her New York Times editorial, “Native Lives Matter, Too” on Like It Is. In her editorial Millet shares among other revelations that “Almost no attention is paid to this pattern of violence against already devastated peoples.” Lydia Millet is a Novelist. She was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction and named one of the ten best books of the year by the New York Times Book Review. She has also been a finalist for the prestigious Pulitzer Prize. Millet shares her thoughts on her editorial on this week’s Like It Is program.

Maya Barrera, a musician and representative of the Harmony Project, discusses the power of music and its ability to provide opportunities and break down barriers. She shares personal stories and highlights the mission of the Harmony Project, which aims to bring music education to historically marginalized communities. Maya emphasizes the importance of music programs in schools and the positive impact they have on student's academic and personal development. She also encourages listeners to support the Harmony Project and other arts education initiatives in their communities. Takeaways ● Music has the power to break down barriers and provide opportunities for personal and academic growth. ● The Harmony Project aims to bring music education to historically marginalized communities and support students in a holistic way. ● Music programs in schools are essential for empowering young people and fostering creativity and academic excellence. ● Listeners can support the Harmony Project by donating or spreading awareness about the organization and other arts education initiatives in their communities.