R.I.P. JB. Ra’s sun will always shine, even if we have nothing else. BoL ends 2006 with an eclectic mix: James Brown, Sun Ra, Ben E. King, Luther Vandross, Martha Wash, Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway. Give mucho thanks for the music.

It’s southern soul for the holidays. Start with classic Staple Singers. Stir in some neo-soul from Joi. Top it off with Al Green (with and without Queen Latifah) and a dollop of Willie Clayton. Now that’s a healthy helping of down home brew. Salud!

It’s a wild week. KRS-1, Dead Prez, NWA, Jay Dee and Young Buck serenade the police. Trinity Roots offers a taste of Kiwi music. We go California Dreamin’ with Eddie Hazel, Bobby Womack, Wes Montgomery, Queen Latifah, Lee Moses, Tiombe Lockhart and Jose Feliciano.

In honor of the recent elections in Central and South America, this week on BoL we are featuring political songs. Camille Yarbrough kicks it off with a classic from the 70’s, and then Antibalas drops some heavy, heavy afro-beat, and we conclude with interpretations of "Concrete Jungle" featuring early Bob Marley and mature Bob Marley, Judy Mowatt and a young Brazilian singer, Ceu. Forward ever!

What we have here is a crazy mix of wonderful music. Bobby Caldwell with Common and Tupac referencing Bobby, and Lady Tee (aka Teena Marie) saying she’s been there before. George Benson scats his guitar-playing ass off. And then we finish up with Lee Moses, Vijay Iyer, Jimi Hendrix and Medeski, Martin & Wood interpreting "Hey Joe." What more could you ask for?