'Backstage' Christmas

WKARis ringing out the holiday season with its second edition of a “Backstage PassChristmas,” airing at 10 p.m. Thursday on channel 23 and online at the "Backstage Pass" website. This year's show offers a variety of music straight from the heart ofMichigan, including jazz, R&B, folk,vocal and rock.

Some of the highlights include Michigan rock band The Verve Pipe, performing“Merrily Caroling,” as well as eclectic musician Thom Jayne’s “Silent Night,”and first-looks at artists such as The Delta Rhythm Kings, The Mickeys and MichiganState University College of Music faculty, such as Melanie Helton and RodNelman.

Accordingto Tim Zeko, the program’s executive producer, the performers recorded as farback as spring. To assemble the show, WKAR then spent the next six monthswhittling down a list of 120-130 bands down to the mere 10 that will appear inthis year’s show. But it’s no cake-walk for the artists, either.

“Someartists say that’s the most difficult show they have to rehearse,” Zeko said.“In some cases they haven’t played it for months, or are even running brand newnumbers — for Christmas. In spring.”

Theshow has grown considerably since last year. Whereas the first year drewlargely on WKAR’s connections with the MSU College of Music and produced anumber of performances from students and teachers, this year WKAR has reachedout to groups from mid-Michigan and across the state, and musicians arespreading the word.

“Ouronly criteria: it’s Michigan made music,” Zeko said. “They must live here, playmusic here.”

The new season of "Backstage Pass," consisting of 12 shows, begins at 10 p.m. Jan. 20.