From the Isle of Music, March 18-April 7
Here is a quick synopsis of our programs for the next three weeks:
I. March 18-24: No interviews, rather a Cuban concert hall program of modern concert and experimental music
II. March 25-31: Ruly Herrera Sr. leader of Los Dan, one of Cuba’s most prominent Rock/Pop groups, is our special guest. We also listen to some current Cuban Rock.
III. April 1-7: Changüi and Folkloric Music. Our special guest is Changüi group Son del Guaso. We will listen to some of their music plus some other folkloric Cuban music.
Four opportunities to listen on shortwave:
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 0000-0100 UTC on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US). This has been audible in parts of Ireland, the UK, 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 on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany.  UTC stays the same after the time change.

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, Sunday, March 18, March 25, April 1
I. March 18: Episode 54 of Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, Psychedelic Brasil, takes a look at some of our favorite psychedelic groups in Brasil during the 1970s.
II. March 25: Episode 55, Serbian Kolo Party, is, well, lots of great Serbian Kolos. Dance if you can.
III. April 1: Episode 56, Silly Music for a Very Silly Day, is music to make you laugh on April Fools’ Day.
Sundays 2200-2230 UTC (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on
WBCQ The Planet 7490 KHz shortwave from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe
Note the UTC time change for A18, same local US time.
In recent weeks the signal has had a nice bounce to Spain, Italy and Switzerland as well as Iceland, Ireland and parts of the UK. Also audible in Brasil, Paraguay and points North. 

From the Isle of Music, March 11-17, 2018
No interviews this week, just a Cuban dance party from Son to Bolero to Música Popular Bailable. Note the UTC time change for WBCQ for the A18 season, the local time stays the same.
Four opportunities to listen on shortwave:
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 0000-0100 UTC on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US). This is running on a backup transmitter due to a recent fire.
3 & 4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany.

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, Sunday, March 11, 2018
Episode 53 of Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, Not Necessarily Elvis, takes a look at some of the various international and US parodies of Mr. Presley.  Note the UTC time change for A18, same local time.
Sunday, March 11, 2200-2230 UTC (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on
WBCQ The Planet 7490 KHz shortwave from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe

From the Isle of Music, March 4-10, 2018
Part 2 of 2 parts
This week, Part 2 of our special guest, saxophonist/composer/bandleader Alexey León, 1st Place winner in the Interpretation category at JoJazz 2017. He already has a very impressive musical resume, and in one of our rare interviews in English, we’ll talk about his career to date and listen to some of his new album Cuban Connection, which also features other distinguished jazzistas such as Ivan Melon Lewis and Carlos Sarduy. We will also listen to some of Alexey’s first album Cuba Meets Russia, some of Carlos Sarduy’s first album Charly en la Habana, and a composition by Juan Almeida from the 1970s, Leningrado, a modern Cuban suite dedicated to the Russian defense of Leningrad in World War II.
Four opportunities to listen on shortwave:
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 Space Line, 9400 KHz, from Kostinbrod, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK)
2. For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0100-0200 UTC on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US). This is running on a backup transmitter due to a recent fire.
3 & 4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany.

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, Sunday, March 4:  1st Anniversary Broadcast!
Episode 52 of Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, to celebrate the first anniversary of the program, will have a little bit of everything along with our mystery song for the week.
Sunday, March 4, 2300-2330 UTC (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on
WBCQ The Planet 7490 KHz shortwave from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe

A18 schedules for FTIOM and UBMP
1. FTIOM continues at the current days and UTC times from Channel 292 and Space Line, local times will change accordingly.     WBCQ will stay at current day and current local time (8-9pm Eastern Mondays) and UTC will change to Tuesdays 0000-0100.
2.   UBMP will continue Sundays 6-7pm Eastern and UTC will change to 2200-2300.  Watch for a new option for Europe in April.

From the Isle of Music, February 25-March 3, 2018
Part 1 of 2 parts
This week and next, our special guest is saxophonist/composer/bandleader Alexey León, 1st Place winner in the Interpretation category at JoJazz 2017. He already has a very impressive musical resume, and in one of our rare interviews in English, we’ll talk about his career to date and listen to some of his new album Cuban Connection, which also features other distinguished jazzistas such as Ivan Melon Lewis and Carlos Sarduy.
Four opportunities to listen on shortwave:
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 on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US). This is running on a backup transmitter due to a recent fire.
3 & 4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany 

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, Sunday, February 25
Episode 51 of Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot sends us to the Balkans for some hot Roma brass from Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Romania along with our mystery song for the week. We will also do a “hang” at our Facebook page so that you can chat with us during the show if you like.
Sunday, February 25, 2300-2330 UTC (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on
WBCQ The Planet 7490 KHz shortwave from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe

From the Isle of Music, February 18-24, 2018
This week our special guest is Tony Avila, whose 2016 album Que se haga la luz is one of the most interesting Nueva Trova albums we have heard in many years. Also, some excellent Cuban Jazz.
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 on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US). This is running on a backup transmitter due to a recent fire.
3 & 4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany.

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, Sunday, February 18
Episode 50 of Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot sends us to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (known as Zaire for a time) and back to the US for some US versions of African and Latin Soul.
Sunday, February 18, 2300-2330 UTC (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on
WBCQ The Planet 7490 KHz shortwave from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe