Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Have a Blue (Note) Christmas with Don Was

By Sarah Geledi,
Trevor Smith
Published December 18, 2025 at 9:54 AM PST
Album cover collage by Trevor Smith. Don Was photo (bottom left) by Myriam Santos

Tired of hearing the same holiday jazz playlist every December? This year, Jazz Night in America is doing Christmas differently.

We're handing the reins to the ultimate crate-digger: Don Was, president of Blue Note Records, Grammy-winning producer and a lifelong listener with a deep working knowledge of the label's catalog.

Was raids the Blue Note vaults and comes back with an hour of pure gold: the finest, funkiest, coolest Christmas jazz the label has cut since 1939. Rare gems, fresh surprises and stone-cold classics — hand-picked and personally introduced by the man himself. He doesn't just know the catalog. He knows the musicians, the sessions and the stories that tie these tracks together.

Don Was, President of Blue Note Records
Myriam Santos /
Don Was, President of Blue Note Records

Set List selected by Don Was and Cem Kurosman

  1. Norah Jones, "Christmas Calling (Jolly Jones)" (Norah Jones) from the album I Dream of Christmas 
  2. Gregory Porter, "Everything's Not Lost" (Gregory Porter) from the album Christmas Wish
  3. Horace Silver, "Peace" (Horace Silver) from the album Blowin' the Blues Away 
  4. Nancy Wilson, "That's What I Want For Christmas" (Earl E. Lawrence) single
  5. Charlie Hunter, "Christmas Time Is Here" (Vince Guaraldi) from the compilation Yule Be Boppin' 
  6. Booker Ervin, "White Christmas" (Irving Berlin) from the album Structurally Sound
  7. Dianne Reeves, "I'll Be Home For Christmas" (Walter Kent, Kim Gannon, Buck Ram) from the album Christmas Time Is Here
  8. The Three Sounds, "Blue Bells" (Gene Harris) from the album Introducing the 3 Sounds
  9. Thad Jones & Mel Lewis, "A Child Is Born" (Thad Jones) from the album Consummation
  10. Duke Pearson, "Silent Night" (Franz Xaver Gruber) from the album Merry Ole Soul
  11. Donald Byrd, "Cristo Redentor" (Duke Pearson) from the album A New Perspective

Credits:

Producers: Trevor Smith and Sarah Geledi; Mastering: Ron Scalzo; Executive Producer: Steven A. Williams; Executive Producer at NPR Music: Suraya Mohamed; Executive Director of NPR Music: Sonali Mehta; Host: Christian McBride.

Copyright 2025 NPR
Tags
Jazz Jazz Night In America
Sarah Geledi
Sarah Geledi left her job in advertising in Montreal to pursue a career in music in New York City. She fulfilled that mission, producing content for the JAM Festival at WBGO, segments for The Checkout, and programs for WWOZ and PRI's Afropop Worldwide. She also served as a producer for NYC Winter Jazzfest before landing the "job of her dreams," producing radio for Jazz Night in America.
Trevor Smith
Trevor joined the WBGO Development Department in April of 2017 and currently handles grant writing and institutional giving initiatives as the Coordinator of Corporate and Foundation Relations.Since graduating from Berklee College of Music in 2011, Trevor has worked extensively in the jazz community in fundraising, events, and artist management capacities.
Related Content