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Holiday Music NPR presents a mix of live concerts and other music to help get you in the spirit of the season.
The Beatles on a toboggan in Austria in 1965.
Special Series

Holiday Music

NPR presents a mix of live concerts and other music to help get you in the spirit of the season.
Ring In The Holiday Season With Sherman Irby

Saxophonist Sherman Irby preforms winter classics like "Let It Snow" and "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" for the Jazz Night In America holiday special. Frank Stewart/Jazz at Lincoln Center hide caption

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Frank Stewart/Jazz at Lincoln Center

Jazz Night In America: The Radio Program

Ring In The Holiday Season With Sherman Irby

WBGO and Jazz At Lincoln Center

Sherman Irby, saxophonist in the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, brings a fresh take to holiday favorites with his quintet. Christian McBride hosts.

Ring In The Holiday Season With Sherman Irby

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Joan Baez, Bruce Cockburn, Odetta And More On Mountain Stage's Holiday Special

Joan Baez performs "Rexroth's Daughter" during this hour-long Mountain Stage holiday special. Brian Blauser/Mountain Stage hide caption

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Brian Blauser/Mountain Stage

Mountain Stage

Joan Baez, Bruce Cockburn, Odetta And More On Mountain Stage's Holiday Special

Listen to seasonal performances by Loudon Wainwright III, Holly Cole, The Roches and more, all recorded live on the Mountain Stage.

Joan Baez, Bruce Cockburn, Odetta And More On Mountain Stage's Holiday Special

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The Paul Winter Consort's Annual Winter Solstice Celebration
Courtesy of Paul Winter's Winter Solstice Celebration

NPR's Holiday Favorites

The Paul Winter Consort's Annual Winter Solstice Celebration

On the darkest night of the year, the Paul Winter Consort celebrate the winter solstice at New York's Cathedral of St. John the Divine.

The Paul Winter Consort's Annual Winter Solstice Celebration

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A Jazz Piano Christmas 2019

(L-R) George Cables, Joshua White, Mark G. Meadows and Rebeca Mauleón. Jati Lindsay/Courtesy of the Kennedy Center hide caption

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Jati Lindsay/Courtesy of the Kennedy Center

Holiday Music Specials

A Jazz Piano Christmas 2019

This year's edition of A Jazz Piano Christmas features a mix of artists from the East Coast and West Coast jazz scenes. We're celebrating the holidays with swing.

A Jazz Piano Christmas 2019

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Festivo Alt.Latino: Gaby Moreno In Concert

Gaby Moreno and Gina Chavez perform live at KUT's Studio 1A. Dave Pedley hide caption

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Dave Pedley

Alt.Latino

Festivo Alt.Latino: Gaby Moreno In Concert

Her voice dripping with Southern R&B grit, Moreno and her band never lose sight of the emotion in the holiday classics they perform at KUT in Austin, Texas.

Festivo Alt.Latino: Gaby Moreno In Concert

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Toast Of The Nation 2019

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band performs at Blue Note Hawaii on Oct. 11, 2016. Hawaii In Real Life/Hawaii In Real Life hide caption

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Hawaii In Real Life/Hawaii In Real Life

Toast Of The Nation

Toast Of The Nation 2019

WBGO

Celebrate the New Year from Blue Note venues around the world, with performances by The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Joshua Redman and Brad Mehldau, Fred Hersch, Ron Carter, Buika and Dee Dee Bridgewater.

Joshua Redman and Brad Mehldau

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Festivo Alt.Latino: Cantigas In Concert

Cantigas performs live in NPR's Studio 1. Colin Marshall/NPR hide caption

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Colin Marshall/NPR

Festivo Alt.Latino: Cantigas In Concert

The vocal group embraced a range of Latin American traditions in their holiday program. Hear them celebrate the season by singing in Spanish, Nahuatl and Quechua in NPR's Studio 1.

Festivo Alt.Latino: Cantigas In Concert

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A Jazz Piano Christmas 2015

Host Felix Contreras introduces Joey Alexander, Carmen Staaf, Fred Hersch and Kenny Barron. Jati Lindsay/Courtesy of the Kennedy Center hide caption

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Jati Lindsay/Courtesy of the Kennedy Center

A Jazz Piano Christmas 2015

Kenny Barron, Fred Hersch, Carmen Staaf and Joey Alexander — a roster whose ages span more than 60 years — play solo renditions of their holiday favorites at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

A Jazz Piano Christmas 2015

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A Choral Christmas With Stile Antico

The London-based a cappella choir Stile Antico brings a program of Christmas music to Cambridge, Mass. Marco Borggreve hide caption

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Marco Borggreve

Deceptive Cadence

A Choral Christmas With Stile Antico

GBH

Hear the acclaimed British choral group perform Christmas music from 16th century England at the acoustically rich St. Paul's Church in Cambridge, Mass.

A Choral Christmas With Stile Antico

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The Big Tiny Desk Holiday Special

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings perform a holiday Tiny Desk Concert in 2015. Jun Tsuboike/NPR hide caption

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Jun Tsuboike/NPR

NPR's Holiday Favorites

The Big Tiny Desk Holiday Special

NPR Music's Bob Boilen and Stephen Thompson look back at some of their favorite holiday performances at the Tiny Desk.

The Big Tiny Desk Holiday Special

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A Jazz Piano Christmas 2017

Abelita Mateus, Marcia Ball, Helen Sung and Joanne Brackeen were this year's A Jazz Piano Christmas guests. Jati Lindsay/Courtesy of the Kennedy Center hide caption

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Jati Lindsay/Courtesy of the Kennedy Center

NPR's Holiday Favorites

A Jazz Piano Christmas 2017

This year, Abelita Mateus, Marcia Ball, Helen Sung and Joanne Brackeen create a toe-tapping meditation on peace and the holidays.

A Jazz Piano Christmas 2017

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A Jazz Piano Christmas 2016

Bill Charlap, Willie Pickens, Renee Rosnes and Bethany Pickens performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington for the annual public radio special A Jazz Piano Christmas. Jati Lindsey/Courtesy of the Kennedy Center hide caption

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Jati Lindsey/Courtesy of the Kennedy Center

A Jazz Piano Christmas 2016

Father-daughter duo Willie and Bethany Pickens, along with husband-wife duo Bill Charlap and Renee Rosnes, played holiday favorites live at the Kennedy Center in Washington Dec. 10.

A Jazz Piano Christmas 2016

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The All Songs Considered Holiday Spectacular, 2015

Bob and Robin take a Dickensian journey in this year's holiday music special, with visits from some old friends, including Carrie Brownstein, Dan Auerbach, Aimee Mann and Ted Leo, Ben Folds and more. Mito Habe-Evans hide caption

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Mito Habe-Evans

All Songs Considered

The All Songs Considered Holiday Spectacular, 2015

Hosts Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton find themselves taking a Dickensian journey, with visits from old friends, including Carrie Brownstein, Aimee Mann and Ted Leo, Dan Auerbach, Ben Folds and more.

The All Songs Considered Holiday Spectacular, 2015

Listen · 35:32
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A Paul Winter Solstice Concert 2014

The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York City. Courtesy of Rhonda R. Dorsett hide caption

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Courtesy of Rhonda R. Dorsett

NPR's Holiday Favorites

A Paul Winter Solstice Concert 2014

The saxophonist's annual celebration of the year's longest night is a tradition dating back to 1980. This year's program features Brazilian singers Ivan Lins and Renato Braz.

Hear Part One Of The Winter Solstice Celebration

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A Paul Winter Solstice Concert 2013

Paul Winter performing with the Forces of Nature ensemble. Clifford A. Sobel/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Clifford A. Sobel/Courtesy of the artist

A Paul Winter Solstice Concert 2013

The saxophonist and world-music ambassador presents his annual theater, dance and music special, held at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Upper Manhattan.

Hear Part One Of The Winter Solstice Celebration

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Songs We Love: Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets, 'Christmas At The Airport'

Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets Ed Conway/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Ed Conway/Courtesy of the artist

Songs We Love: Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets, 'Christmas At The Airport'

Traveling these holidays? Let a veteran balladeer and his merry masked band be your support group through snowy flight delays.

03Christmas at the Airport

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  • Buy Featured Music

    Song
    Christmas at the Airport
    Album
    Quality Holiday Revue Live
    Artist
    Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets
    Label
    Yep Roc
    Released
    2015

    Your purchase helps support NPR programming. How?

Songs We Love: Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra, 'We Three Kings'

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Frank Stewart/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Frank Stewart/Courtesy of the artist

Songs We Love: Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra, 'We Three Kings'

Wynton Marsalis leads the famed big band through a rougher-round-the-edges version of a Xmas fave.

06We Three Kings [Live]

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  • Buy Featured Music

    Song
    We Three Kings [Live]
    Album
    Big Band Holidays
    Artist
    Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra/Wynton Marsalis
    Label
    Relativity Entertainment
    Released
    2015

    Your purchase helps support NPR programming. How?

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