Joy ToThe World is a one-hour live performance holiday jazz program hosted by pianist Bob Thompson.  Produced by West Virginia Public Broadcasting in Charleston, West Virginia for 17 years, the show is performed before a consistently sold-out audience at Charleston’s Cultural Center Theater.  Joy To The World has traditionally been the kickoff to the holiday season in Charleston.

Each year Bob invites a guest vocalist to join his band to add some swing to the holiday special.  This year’s Joy to the World features special guest vocalist Diane Marino.

Singer/pianist Diane Marino was born in Manhattan, NYC. She received her early piano training of classical studies and improvisation from the age of 10. Diane was accepted on NYC’S ‘Famed’ High School for the Performing Arts as a classical piano major. She later attended the Mannes College of Music in Manhattan where she studied piano with world-renowned concert pianist Murray Perahia. While working towards her Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance, Diane began singing with small groups in the NYC tri-state area, After graduating from Mannes, she was singing professionally 6 nights a week. It was only natural and a matter of time before she would combine her singing and piano playing skills.

Marino’s fourth CD, “Just Groovin’ ” has received worldwide attention and airplay. It features jazz interpretations of classic pop tunes from the likes of Burt Bacharach, The Rascals, The Beach Boys and more.

Diane and her husband Frank Marino founded the nine-member Som Brasileirio (Sounds of Brazil) in 1993 to rave reviews. The group landed festival appearances at numerous jazz festivals, venues and concerts in the Southeast, sharing the bill with artists such as Tania Maria, Pete Escovedo, Joe Henderson and Dr. John

Her debut CD, “A Sleepin’ Bee” was released in 2003 and firmly established her as a vocalist of merit on the jazz circuit and in the world of radio. She followed in 2004 with “On The Street Where You Live,” showcasing her diverse vocal capabilities and her ability to convey profound emotions in multiple languages.

Joining Diane and the Bob Thompson Unit will be Diane’s husband, renowned bassist and arranger Frank Marino.

For Joy To The World, Thompson applies his expansive jazz vocabulary to some favorite holiday tunes, adding a fresh perspective to the songs that evoke those well-known feelings of the season. The individuality of the guest vocalist always plays a unique role in the interpretation and arrangement of the holiday material, making each year’s performance as fresh as the season’s first snow.

During a professional career that's spanned more than 30 years, Bob Thompson's music has communicated with audiences around the globe. Thompson has fronted several modern jazz groups and with a glance at the roster of musicians he has performed and recorded with you’ll find guitarists Larry Coryell, Joe Negri and Kevin Eubanks, drummer Omar Akim and bassist Gerald Veaseley.

Thompson remains a fixture in the Charleston Jazz scene through weekly gigs with the Bob Thompson Unit, albums like Bob Thompson “Live” on Mountain Stage, on his own recording label colortones.com, and as the house-pianist on the internationally syndicated radio program Mountain Stage.  His recording of “More Joy To The World” commemorates 15 years of the Joy To The World program.  His latest cd is entitled “Smile” recorded in his own Red Door Studio.

This one-hour Joy ToThe World program contains one 60-second id opportunity within the program.  It is recorded before a live sold-out audience from the Culture Center Theater in Charleston, West Virginia.