This week pays tribute to a very dynamic, soulful and often passed over R&B female vocalist: Lil Greenwood. Today, Lil Greenwood is best remembered as a vocalist for Duke Ellington during the late '50s and early '60s, but it's her R&B recordings from 1950-1954 that are the real standouts. She recorded for the Modern, Specialty and Federal labels and often had vocal groups like The Four Jacks and The Lamplighters backing her up. Hear Lil's story and some of her greatest records.

In celebration of Ron Carter’s birthday (May 4), hear a conversation with the iconic bassist and our host Christian McBride with music handpicked from Ron Carter’s storied discography.

Throughout his long career, Duke Ellington composed hundreds of instrumentals and dozens of songs that turned out to be real songs which demanded lyrics and that could sell widely enough to keep the Ellington Orchestra going. The premise of this edition of the Annals of Jazz is to show how Duke Ellington kept his orchestra financially alive by producing songs that became best sellers and kept his orchestra economically solvent.

Swedish multi-instrumentalist/vocalist, Gunhild Carling had a childhood filled with books, music, and magical adventures. I first met Gunhild in Brazil when we were both part of a music festival for which I served as Artistic Director. I still have the vision of Gunhild bounding off the airplane in a perfectly pressed polka dot dress, her baby in tow, looking well-rested and upbeat, with full makeup and perfect hair. She tells me she always looks this way, even on the band bus, which I find almost as impressive as the fact that she plays twelve instruments! I caught up with Gunhild Carling in April 2023 during her tour with Post Modern Jukebox.

1966 Gospel Music Selection. This episode features selections from the forthcoming 1966 live recording of Sister Rosetta Tharpe in Limoges, France; Emma E. Beacham's first gospel record which turns 100; plus, music from Gospel Choirs United, Golden Stars, Joe Ligon, Holy Gospel Singers, Gospel Harmonettes, Alex Bradford, and others.

The Coast Miwok Peoples Colonization, and the Preservation of Indigenous History. On today's encore episode, dive into the history of Point Reyes National Seashore, an area in northern California known for rugged sweeping beaches and tule elk. We'll recount the history of this land and the waves of colonization that violently upended the lives of the Coast Miwok peoples who lived there – and one Indigenous woman's struggle to preserve her family history.

James Brown. An Encore interview with the late, funk and Soul singer James Brown, dubbed “The Godfather of Soul”.

Indigenous Connections featuring Dan Nanamkin. Indigenous activist Dan Nanamkin shares his background and the importance of protecting Mother Earth for future generations. He emphasizes the healing and understanding needed to address historical injustices and promote environmental and social justice. Dan highlights the significance of indigenous stories, teachings, and values in guiding our connection to the land and each other. He discusses the misconceptions and stereotypes faced by indigenous peoples and calls for better understanding and advocacy.