ULTRA eclectic is a series of monthly Spotify playlists curated by Jacaranda’s Artistic Director, Patrick Scott.
Each two-and-a-half hour playlist spans genres, eras, and continents, and is crafted with the current historical moment in mind.
Don’t have Spotify? Sign up here for a free account, and upgrade to Premium to listen without ads – and while you’re there, check out our first two Jacaranda Live Recordings releases:
Rebellious: Music of Julius Eastman, & A Charged Embrace: Music of Kraft, Broughton, and Krausas.
The Spotify playlists you see on this page are previews only. To listen to the complete playlist,
click the playlist title, square graphic or the Spotify logo in the top right corner.
SPECIAL HOLIDAY MUSIC
WINTER SONGS: TRICKSTERS, CROONERS & SLEIGH BELLS 2025
For our 6th & final Ultra Eclectic holiday playlist, I wanted to connect its sensibility to December’s playlist—"Eccentrics, Seers & Fools: Grin Therapy”. Both playlists share some “screw loose” music by Spike Jones, Nina Hagen, Eartha Kitt & Bjork. I’ve added Banjo Bela Fleck & the Flecktones to further spike your punch. With holiday nostalgia in mind, included are some of my all-time favorite winter songs by Pink Martini, Osipov Balalaikas, Nightnoise, Chris Botti, Anne Sophie von Otter, Hampton String Quartet, Liz Story, Barbara Cook, & the incomparable Nat King Cole. The fabulous Fontella Bass is new, as are The Four Seasons, Vikingur Ólafsson, The Simpsons, & Elvis Presley. Also, violinist Pat Kop, as she is known to friends, plays Bartok with pianist Fazil Say in memory of the democracy that once was Hungary—followed by a suite for Hannukah to note that Israel’s democracy is not dead, yet. Eartha’s uber-wealthy mid-century bling fantasy is countered by the innocence of 50’s youngster Augie Rios asking “Dónde Está Santa Claus.” World AIDS Day is December 1, 2025—observed here by Bobby McFerrin’s AIDS Quilt song “Common Threads”. Robert Schumann’s “The Prophet Bird” eloquently moves to “Dry Your Tears, Afrika” by John Williams reminding us of George Bush’s landmark 2003 PEPFAR program dismantled by DOGE this summer—and the needless death & suffering that followed. “Lullaby” from Stefan Wolpe’s “Palestinian Notebook” is dedicated to those without beds. While Frankie Valli & his buds do a bang-up “Carol of the Bells”; Pink Martini sings “Schedryk” in the original Ukrainian. Bach, Mozart, Rimsky, & Tchaik provide perennial holiday spirit, to which I have added pensive 90-year-old Arvo Pärt’s snowbound “My Heart’s in the Highlands” played by 4 saxophones. These Ultra Eclectic playlists were first created during the COVID shutdown to console, sooth, provoke & entertain. The SPECIAL HOLIDAY editions were also incentives to donate during Giving Tuesday & Jacaranda’s year-end appeal for your tax-deductible support—which is still needed and very welcome. We are now glad to offer you 15 hours of curated winter songs always available on the website.
WINTER WHITE: NO WAYS TIRED 2024
This is traveling music that weaves the moods and textures of the holidays into a glittering tapestry of wonder—without any songs you might hear while shopping. It starts with the premise of a weary world rejoicing, despite pervasive pride and prejudice. The indomitable gospel choir Mighty Clouds of Joy celebrates resolve over adversity and, to finish, helps us give it up for President Jimmy Carter who turned 100 in October! There are sparkling reveries, and solo singing turns by Lebanon’s Fairuz, Israel’s Flory Jagoda, and Britain’s Cleo Laine, with Americans Barry White, and Louis Armstrong. The astonishing violinist Hilary Hahn ascends, beloved flutist James Galway interacts playfully, and brilliant guitarist Andrea Dieci serenades us with Takemitsu’s ingenious arrangements of Beatles songs. Jóhann Jóhannsson’s score to The Theory of Everything embraces Here, There and Everywhere; How, When and Where? as well as Yesterday! Gabriel Fauré calls for mercy and eternal rest for victims of global unrest. The trance-inducing gongs of Pacifica Gamelan cast a quickening spell among charming utterances by Baroque composers CPE Bach, his famous dad, Pachelbel, Monteverdi, and Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla—then virtuoso wind music by Saint-Saëns really takes the cake! I have always loved the season’s sense of suspense often missing from holiday music. It is supplied here with Martin Phipps’ dazzling score to Woman in Gold, the story of Randy Schoenberg and Maria Altman’s 10-year quest to right injustices still lingering today perpetrated by Nazis in the past. Perhaps, the most trenchant and timely track is our truth-telling Native American social activist Buffy Sainte-Marie singing, “little wheel spin and spin, the big wheel turning around, n’ round.”
WINTER TAPESTRY: AS TIME GOES BY 2023
Winter Tapestry: As Time Goes By weaves together holiday nostalgia, lively vignettes from Africa and Vietnam, with Latin American heroines Celia Cruz and Mercedes Sosa, bracing jazz arrangements, tidbits from the inexhaustible cornucopia of J.S. Bach, a glittering carpet of Balalaikas, new age guitar, gospel vocals by divas Kathleen Battle and Taylor Mac, a hard charging harpsichordist, seraphic ensemble singing, a pitch-perfect Eva Cassidy, and the sparkling acrobatics of Purcell duets. Jacaranda’s last winter playlist drives home a holiday mix-tape tradition begun 35 years ago—seeking to celebrate the season with new textures and voices while finding fresh takes on old favorites. My perennial must-have favorite is the charming Sephardic Hannukah song Ocho Kandelikas, here sung by Trio Sefardi. Holiday wishes go to those struggling to save Ukraine via The Messenger by Valentin Silvestrov. Gulliver’s Travels comes to life in Arnold Schoenberg’s Baroque Cello Concerto with Yo-Yo Ma. To open, Igor Stravinsky concocts a delicious amuse bouche; Billie Holiday burnishes our sentimental centerpiece; and Benjamin Britten tosses off a fleet-fingered finale.
WINTER SPINS: WINNING WAYS 2022
We spin into the heart of the holidays with pirouettes on ice, and whirling discs of jubilant voices and masterful hands. Burning sage is brandished, menorah candles lighted, merry bells jingle and jangle. Cleo Laine channels Mozart, Bobby McFerrin conjures Boccherini & Faure. At last, long-lost Purcell duets on vinyl have landed online with aplomb. A poignantly innocent Michael Jackson calls us to love one another, and Art Tatum sees blue skies ahead. The evergreen passion of O Holy Night – sung in Hawaiian – utterly sticks the landing. Hosannas from Africa, Bolivia, Indonesia, and India take us to the Pet Shop Boys dance music anthem All Over the World – with a sassy nod to the season’s favorite ballet, The Nutcracker.
WINTER GARDEN: ASPIRATIONS 2021
This winter garden is really a glistening frosted greenhouse filled with fairies and spirits from the past teeming among exotic plants from most corners. Imagine a parade of Lilliputian nobles under a bower of cattleyas. The not-so-shy little drummer boy is off in a verdant manger with The Temptations. Impossible dreams are voiced by heroes, heroines, and goddesses —and seeds of brotherhood are planted once again. This microcosm is a fantasy of a world seen from above and close-up that is worth aspiring to build.
WINTER DREAMS: GOING HIGH 2020
Forty-two holiday tracks start with the phenomenal brass sections of the Philadelphia, Chicago and Cleveland Orchestras playing Gabrieli’s most exciting Canzona, and ends with the Beatles’ winning “Here Comes the Sun.” In between are a smorgasbord of delicious Bach arrangements and some choice Christmas carols in mostly unfamiliar garb. The balance includes many of Patrick’s favorite party tracks from around the globe. This playlist was created in the post-election glow of 2020. Only now do we see that the clouds this time last year were a gathering storm. December donors get the 2021 edition – Winter Garden: Aspirations.
