At 12:15am ET New Year's morning, Toast of the Nation will be live from The Green Mill, the famed speakeasy of old Chicago.  And it won't be our first time there.  On 12/31/1993, we broadcast Reginald Robinson and John Weber playing two pianos behind and above the bar.  Very dramatic.

Reginald Robinson composes ragtime piano pieces.  Jon Weber recently has guest-hosted several editions  of Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz.

From New Year's Eve 1993, here is Robinson's "The Strongman," back-announced by Weber.  Hear that happy Green Mill crowd then and again this Friday night/Saturday morning, ringing in 2011 Central Time.

For more, click below for some "slices" of our previous toasts:

Clark Terry

James Moody

Betty Carter & JD Allen

The Bad Plus (JazzSet)

And tune in to your local NPR station for this year's broadcast!

For over 30 years, WBGO has rung in the New Year with Toast of the Nation. As we gear up for this year's broadcast, Senior Producer Becca Pulliam is digging up some gems from the archives of past shows. Next up, Betty Carter in 1994:

The show begins and Betty Carter (1929-98) says, Happy New Year! Why do we have to think about all these years? A bittersweet moment to hear it now, as she did not have many more to live.  But on this night, she offers to the time gods a young band of Xavier Davis on piano, Eric Revis on bass, Will Terrell III on drums, and two soloists - Peven Everett on trumpet and John D. Allen on tenor.

Listening back, I love "You're Mine" from the early set.  JD's tenor solo must have made BC very happy. Listen.

This New Year's Eve on a Toast of the Nation set from Denver, JD leads his trio with guest Ron Miles on trumpet and a cameo from Henry Butler on piano. Starting at 1:15am ET.

Click below for some "slices" of our previous toasts:

Clark Terry

James Moody

And tune in to your local NPR station for this year's broadcast!