It’s rare when Christmas and Hanukkah share the same Eve but that’s what’s happening in 2024. In this live broadcast from Overlook Mountain, “Overlooked” host Rob Saffer will devote the first half of the program to Christmas music: some classics and some originals, played primarily by jazz musicians such as John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, and Bill Evans, along with tongue-in-cheek rockers by Yo La Tengo and REM. Unlike Christmas, Hanukkah is not a major Jewish holiday so there’s not a ton of holiday music; the second half of the show will be composed of non-liturgical Jewish music: traditional and neo-klezmer, Jewgrass, and more by artists such as John Zorn, Steven Bernstein, Hasidic New Wave, the New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars, and others. And in another rare synchronicity, we’ll hear 24 tunes to close out 2024. Happy Everything. 

Playlist: 

The Hanukkah-Xmas March of Truth for 12 Days of Jingling Bells with Spirits - Mars Williams

Vitus Labrusca (“Overlooked” theme) - Ben La Mar Gay

White Christmas - Charlie Parker

Greensleeves - John Coltrane

Sugar Rum Cherry (Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies - Duke Ellington

O Come All Ye Faithful - Chris Potter

Magical Sleigh Ride - John Zorn/The Dreamers

Silent Night - Christian Sands

Winter Wonderland - Red Garland Trio

Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Bill Evans

Jingle Bells - Frank Vignola

Christmas Griping - REM

Rock ’n Roll Santa - Yo La Tengo

It's Christmas Time - Sun Ra (The Qualities)

Hanukkah Dance - Watkins Family Hour

NY Psycho Freylekhs - The Klezmatics

Psycho-Klezmer (Naftulie Brandwein, composer) - Frank London

Conference of the Jews - New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars

Debka - Hasidic New Wave

Hasidic Folk Song - Fima Ephron

Alts for Gelt -Paradox Trio

Raguel - Masada String Trio

Simeon (yis May Chu) - Steven Bernstein

Sapir - Klezmerson

Tahah - John Zorn/Masada

After the news at noon, “Overlooked” is a show focusing on overlooked and under-heard jazz, improvisational, and other fringe music, from early roots to contemporary experiments, a mix of familiar to rare, classic to weird. Live from Overlook Mountain in Ulster County.

Host Rob Saffer is the former Executive Director and Producer of the Creative Music Foundation. While living in Brooklyn for 25 years, he served on advisory boards for Celebrate Brooklyn and Symphony Space. He also curated the Brooklyn Museum’s summer jazz series and helped found The Mingus Big Band.