Pianist Vince Guaraldi wrote the timeless, enduring music for the classic animated holiday special A Charlie Brown Christmas. He wasn't the producer's first, or even second choice. Find out how he became the right man in the right place at the right time to become a cultural icon.

Cellist Tomeka Reid received a MacArthur Foundation fellowship - colloquially known as a "Genius Grant" - in 2022. We hear about her development as an artist and enjoy some of her diverse and challenging music.

Don Wilkerson was immortalized in brief saxophone solos on a couple of Ray Charles hits. But did you know he also recorded albums for Riverside and Blue Note as a jazz bandleader? Let's check out this swingin', bluesy cat.

If you've never heard of tenor saxophonist Tina Brooks, you're not alone. He died young, and only one of his five albums for Blue Note records were released in his lifetime. Let's learn more about this dynamic and mysterious composer and instrumentalist.

Tired of "Jingle Bells" and "Silver Bells" and (barf) "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer"? Here are five enjoyable but not overplayed Christmas songs to add to your playlist. Plus a very funky bonus track.

Italian Producer, DJ, and musician Cristiano Crisci has been blending electronic music with instrumental and vocal performances from around the world since at least 2014. In this episode, I attempt to find out more about this mysterious and inventive artist.

Roy Ayers began his career playing vibes on straight-ahead jazz records, then expanded into funk, soul, r&b and more. His music took on a new life when hip-hop producers found his vinyl in crates and sampled his unique sound literally hundreds of times. Hear Roy's originals contrasted with the hip-hop joints they inspired.

Remember Digable Planets? Their classic 1993 album Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space) earned them a Grammy, but their journey didn't end there. We'll catch up on the group's solo and group efforts since then. With a special shoutout to Philly at the end.

How did a soul supergroup featuring the likes of Solomon Burke, Ben E. King and Joe Tex produce a single that failed to crack the top ten? Spoiler alert: it might have been racism. Listen for the story, and some sweet soul music.

I finish up my first musical trilogy with a look at how Cuban rhythms became the foundation for the global phenomenon known as salsa.