In addition to its regularly- scheduled programming, UBMP (Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot), a program that presents music from around the world along with a little comedy now and then, will be presenting the following hour-long holiday specials for the Americas in December:

1. Uncle Bill’s X-Mess Special, featuring Christmas music from around the planet, unusual holiday customs, a laugh or three and other stuff to help you escape the 86th version of that song you just heard 85 times…
Tuesday, Dec 25 8-9pm Eastern US time (meaning Wednesday, 0100-0200 UTC) on WBCQ 5130 kHz for the Americas
2. Uncle Bill’s Rockless New Year’s Eve Special: We’ll take a look at some of the more unusual NYE / New Year’s Day rituals around the world with appropriate music to go with the countries in question. If you like to wear weird underwear, set fire to things or gorge on grapes, we may have just the thing for you…
Monday Dec 31 7-8pm Eastern US Time (meaning Tuesday, 0000-0100 UTC) on WBCQ 5130 kHz for the Americas
Monday, Dec 31, 1800-1900 UTC on Space Line, 9400 kHz, directed to Western Europe

From the Isle of Music, December 16-22
This week, we celebrate Formell y Los Van Van’s nomination for Best Tropical Latin Album in the GRAMMY awards by listening again to our interview with Samuel Formell and music from the album Legado.
The broadcasts take place:
1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts of East Asia and Oceania) with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UTC on SpaceLine, 9400 KHz, from Kostinbrod, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK)
2. For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0100-0200 UTC (New UTC) on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US). This has been audible in parts of NW, Central and Southern Europe with an excellent skip to Italy recently.
3 & 4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC (New CETs) on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany.

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, December 16 & 18, 2018
Episode 92, The Naughty Episode, presents songs from vintage English language and German-language party records.
1.Sunday 2300-2330 UTC (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on WBCQ The Planet 7490 KHz from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe
2. Tuesday 2000-2030 UTC (NEW CET) on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany for Europe. If current propagation conditions hold, the broadcast should reach Iceland AND Western Russia due to a long skip.
Also recommended:
Marion’s Attic, a unique program produced and hosted by Marion Webster featuring early 20th Century records, Edison cylinders etc played on the original equipment, comes on immediately before UBMP on Sundays from 2200-2300 UTC on WBCQ 7490 Khz.

From the Isle of Music, December 9-15
This week, our special guest is Producer and Musicologist Gretel Garlobo, with whom we will present music from La Trovuntivitis, which was awarded a Special Prize in Cubadisco 2018. We will also listen to music from another Cubadisco Special Prize winner, Privilegio de Origen
The broadcasts take place:
1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts of East Asia and Oceania) with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UTC on SpaceLine, 9400 KHz, from Kostinbrod, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK)
2. For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0100-0200 UTC (New UTC) on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US). This has been audible in parts of NW, Central and Southern Europe with an excellent skip to Italy recently.
3 & 4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC (New CETs) on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany.

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, December 9 & 11, 2018
Episode 91 takes us to the Republic of Korea (aka South Korea), including a Korean Ska band, Kingston Rudieska, that I first encountered during a visit to Havana, Cuba.
The transmissions take place:
1. Sunday 2300-2330 UTC (NEW UTC) (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on WBCQ The Planet 7490 KHz from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe
2. Tuesday 2000-2030 UTC (NEW CET) on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany for Europe. If current propagation conditions hold, the broadcast should reach Iceland AND Western Russia due to a long skip.
Also recommended:
Marion’s Attic, a unique program produced and hosted by Marion Webster featuring early 20th Century records, Edison cylinders etc played on the original equipment, comes on immediately before UBMP on Sundays from 2200-2300 UTC on WBCQ 7490 Khz.

In addition to its regularly- scheduled programming, UBMP (Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot), a program that presents music from around the world along with a little comedy now and then,  will be presenting the following hour-long holiday specials for the Americas  in December:

1. Uncle Bill’s X-Mess Special, featuring Christmas music from around the planet, unusual holiday customs, a laugh or three and other stuff to help you escape the 86th version of that song you just heard 85 times…
Tuesday, Dec 25 8-9pm Eastern US time (meaning Wednesday, 0100-0200 UTC) on WBCQ 5130 kHz
2. Uncle Bill’s Rockless New Year’s Eve Special:  We’ll take a look at some of the more unusual NYE / New Year’s Day rituals around the world with appropriate music to go with the countries in question. If you like to wear weird underwear, set fire to things or gorge on grapes, we may have just the thing for you…
Monday Dec 31 7-8pm Eastern US Time (meaning Tuesday, 0000-0100 UTC) on WBCQ 5130 kHz

For Europe, there will also be a New Year’s Eve UBMP special on Spaceline from Bulgaria, details to be announced.

From the Isle of Music, December 2-8
This week, our special guest is Ricardo Oropesa, Artistic Director of Septeto Nacional Ignacio Piñeiro, which was awarded a Premio de Honor at Cubadisco 2018 for its 90 years of existence. This is the group that first took the Son from Cuba around the world. Plenty of great music and some interesting history along the way.
The broadcasts take place:
1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts of East Asia and Oceania) with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UTC on SpaceLine, 9400 KHz, from Kostinbrod, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK)
2. For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0100-0200 UTC (New UTC) on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US). This has been audible in parts of NW, Central and Southern Europe with an excellent skip to Italy recently.
3 & 4. Our usual broadcasts on Channel 292 will not be heard this week due to maintenance at the transmitter.

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, December 2, 2018
Episode 90, Hawaii True & False, presents some genuine music from Hawaii and some parodies.
1.Sunday 2300-2330 UTC (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on WBCQ The Planet 7490 KHz from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe
2. Our usual broadcast on Channel 292 will not be heard this week due to maintenance at the transmitter.
Also recommended:
Marion’s Attic, a unique program produced and hosted by Marion Webster featuring early 20th Century records, Edison cylinders etc played on the original equipment, comes on immediately before UBMP on Sundays from 2200-2300 UTC on WBCQ 7490 Khz.

From the Isle of Music, November 25-December 1:
This week, our special guest is Diego Gutierrez, whose album Palante el Mambo! won the Fusion category in Cubadisco 2018 and was nominated in the Tropical Fusion category of the Latin GRAMMY awards this year. Additionally, we will listen to recordings by the other Latin GRAMMY winners and nominees from Cuba, many of whom were also Cubadisco winners and/or nominees.
The broadcasts take place:
1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts of East Asia and Oceania) with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UTC on SpaceLine, 9400 KHz, from Kostinbrod, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK)
2. For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0100-0200 UTC (New UTC) on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US). This has been audible in parts of NW, Central and Southern Europe with an excellent skip to Italy recently.
3 & 4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC (New CETs) on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany.

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, November 25 and 27, 2018
Episode 89 takes us to Spain, including an innovative new interpretation of Carmen.
The transmissions take place:
1. Sunday 2300-2330 UTC (NEW UTC) (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on WBCQ The Planet 7490 KHz from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe
2. Tuesday 2000-2030 UTC (NEW CET) on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany for Europe. If current propagation conditions hold, the broadcast should reach Iceland AND Western Russia due to a long skip.
Also recommended:
Marion’s Attic, a unique program produced and hosted by Marion Webster featuring early 20th Century records, Edison cylinders etc played on the original equipment, comes on immediately before UBMP on Sundays from 2200-2300 UTC on WBCQ 7490 Khz.

From the Isle of Music, November 18-24:
This week, we listen to music from the winners of the Academic Music (concert music) categories of Cubadisco 2018 and some related Special Prize winners.
The transmissions take place:
1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts of East Asia and Oceania) with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UTC on SpaceLine, 9400 KHz, from Kostinbrod, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK)
2. For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0100-0200 UTC (New UTC) on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US).
3 & 4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC (New CETs) on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany.

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, November 18 and 20:
Episode 88, South Africa and Sudan, features some new music from South Africa and some vintage music from Sudan.
The transmissions take place:
1. Sunday 2300-2330 UTC (NEW UTC) (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on WBCQ The Planet 7490 KHz from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe
2. Tuesday 2000-2030 UTC (NEW CET) on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany for Europe.
Also recommended:
Marion’s Attic, a unique program produced and hosted by Marion Webster featuring early 20th Century records, Edison cylinders etc played on the original equipment, comes on immediately before UBMP on Sundays from 2200-2300 UTC on WBCQ 7490 Khz.