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Mellow Out with WRTI's Classical Thanksgiving Day Soundtrack and Vintage Jazz at Night

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Stay tuned to WRTI all day as we share classical music that’s sure to keep you calm and focused as you stuff that bird or keep Uncle Doug from “testing out” dessert before dinner. Set the table with Mark Pinto from 6 to 10 AM, and then Bliss Michelson takes over from 10 AM to 2 PM as you’re warming up those sweet potatoes. Just in time for the guests, we’re serving up four hours of Thanksgiving specials to create the perfect musical backdrop for your gathering.

2 PM: Every Good Thing
Host Andrea Blain and classical music fans from around the country take time to give thanks and celebrate one of life's most meaningful gifts: music. Audiences will hear listeners from across America share stories about their favorite classical music pieces.

3 PM:  Thanksgiving with The American Sound - Let Us Break Bread Together
A companion is, literally, someone with whom one breaks bread. On this holiday of family and feasting, this hour of Thanksgiving with The American Sound pays tribute in American music and meaningful stories to the time-honored tradition of breaking bread with others. “Autumn” from Dan Locklair’s Symphony of Seasons and Eric Whitacre’s Lux aurumque bring you the golden hues of autumn through harvest and threshing, all the way to the spiritual, “Let Us Break Bread Together.” Also enjoy stories from people from cultures around the world about how family bread recipes make their holiday gatherings special.  

4 to 6 PM: Giving Thanks: A Celebration of Fall, Food, & Gratitude
Great American writers will grace us this Thanksgiving, 2019. Giving Thanks remembers poet Mary Oliver as she reads poems of gratitude and nature. Walt Whitman stops by to celebrate Thanksgiving and his 200th birthday, and we'll set a place at the table for New Yorker writer, best-selling author, humorist, and turkey aficionado Adam Gopnik.

Starting at 6 PM, when dessert time comes around, the fun continues with beloved vintage jazz. We have so much that everyone gets a second helping! Courtney Blue will serve up back-to-back songs from your favorite classic jazz artists. A double dose of Ella will lead right into some Count Basie, paired with…you guessed it– MORE Count Basie!

The second helpings will continue through the night, and on Friday night's Nouveau Jazz Showcase at 6 PM, Bobbi Booker will keep the party going, this time doubling up on your favorite new artists. Nothing goes with leftovers like a set of Michelle Lordi and some extra Josh Lawrence.

Bob Craig will be dishing up extra portions as well starting at 6 PM on Sunday, but they won’t affect your waistline! On Voices in Big Band Jazz and Big Band Jazz, BC will pile on the singers and the best big bands with back-to-back sets from your favorites.