Blind Boys of Alabama, Donna Summer, and Sia

We're officially in December, the Christmas season, and I have more interviews than I can get through in the weeks leading up to Christmas. From here on in, I'll run excerpts from the interviews I've done, and I'll run them in their entirety next season. 

This episode starts with some clean-up business after last week's conversation with Midge Ure on "Do They Know it's Christmas." I referenced Ed Sheeran's complaint that he would have preferred to be left off the 40th anniversary mega-mix, and the charges against the song by Fuse ODG. In the episode, I reference Bob Geldof responding to criticisms of the song. 

I also mentioned one of my favorite new releases of the season, Dadi Freyr's How Dadi Stole Christmas. 

This episode, I talk to Joey Williams, musical director for The Blind Boys of Alabama. In the episode, I mention that they surprised me with a new release, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" with Jay Buchanan. We talk about their album, Go Tell it on the Mountain, and when we revisit this conversation next season, we'll also talk about their collaboration with Taj Mahal, Talkin' Christmas. 

Another new track comes from Nick Bhalla, who recorded the album Saint Nick with his jazz piano trio. As this version of "Christmas Time is Here" shows, it borders on lo-fi in its emphasis on mood and melody. Hopefully I'll be able to get him for the show next season. 

I also interview Bruce Sudano, who has a new album, Talkin' Ugly Truth, Tellin' Pretty Lies. When I revisit this interview in its entirety next season, we'll get into that and his start with Alive and Kicking, the band that recorded the one-hit wonder "Tighter, Tighter" in 1970. 

We talk about his relationship with Donna Summer, who he wrote songs for, married, and managed. We start talking about Bad Girls, the first album he worked on, then move to Summer's 1994 Christmas album, The Christmas Spirit, which was reissued on vinyl this holiday season. 

After that, I talk to singer, songwriter, and friend of 12 Songs Alexandra Scott about Sia's Everyday is Christmas. It's a loose conversation as we work through some thoughts about a Christmas album we both really like, but with a few reservations.

Finally, on Black Friday I appeared on WBUR's "Here and Now" to talk about songs you might want to add to your holiday playlists. The segment is online now, and even if you've already heard it, you might want to visit the page since it has a playlist with some additional songs that I would have featured if we had another hour. 

Finally, DJ David Kunian invited me to join him on his radio show to spin and talk about Christmas music on WWOZ in New Orleans on Tuesday night. The show is online for the next two weeks if you'd like to check it out.