It’s Carnival time in the Latin-influenced world. We’ll hear music and celebrations in the Afro Caribbean and Gulf Coast including French Louisiana’s courir de Mardi Gras, and a visit to Mardi Gras day in the neighborhood with the Mohawk Hunters, Black masking Indians from Algiers, on New Orleans’ West Bank. Then a special tribute to New Orleans’ Professor Longhair with fellow pianomen Allen Toussaint, Dr. John and Ellis Marsalis.

It’s our curated mix of trad and modern jazz, blues, soul and country from Cannonball Adderley and Betty Carter, Guitar Slim and Slim Harpo. We’ll come in out of the blues pouring down like rain and get to the sunny side of the street with Peggy Lee and Benny Goodman, party with Count Basie and Ella Fitzgerald; and walk on with Waylon Jennings and Nancy Sinatra. Then a live genre blending, but not bending, set with New Orleans’ trombonist Corey Henry and the Treme Funktet.

It’s time to give the drummer some, with late New Orleans native Earl Palmer talking about his creative percussion for Fats Domino and Little Richard sessions; and conversation with Memphis rockabilly JM Van Eaton about backing Jerry Lee Lewis; plus rhythm and time-keeping in music from Elvis and Johnny Cash to Smokey Johnson and Slim Gaillard. Then a live set dedicated to the soul, funk and jazz of New Orleans drummer James Black with Adonis Rose and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra.

It’s New Orleans jazz clarinet in street parades and clubs. We’ll hear clarinet in the hands of past and present legends: George Lewis, Sidney Bechet, Dr. Michael White and Aurora Nealand, plus a conversation with a sometime New Orleans clarinet virtuoso, Evan Christopher. Then, a live cultural exchange between French Louisiana and West Africa with singer, percussionist and dancer Sidiki Conde from Guinea and zydeco accordionist, cultural historian and sometime alligator wrangler, Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes.