Today on Radio 2 29/12/08

Today, CBC Radio 2 is proud to unveil an exciting new challenge - it's your chance to choose 49 songs from north of the 49th parallel to present as a gift to US President-Elect Barrack Obama on his inauguration day. The contest officially begins on January 5th - that gives you a week to start thinking about what Canadian songs you'd like the music-loving president to hear.

More details about the upcoming contest will follow in my next post, but first, here's a look at today's programming highlights.

Radio 2 Morning (6 a.m.) Tom offers us music from Pacifika, Holly Cole and Duffy; Bruce Cockburn's Coldest Night of the Year and a track from Molly Johnson's new CD called Lucky, plus Ben Taylor (son of James Taylor and Carly Simon) singing with Viktor Krauss: When She's Dancing.

Tempo (10 a.m.) TBA

Radio 2 Drive (3 p.m.) On today's show, music from Sam Roberts, Kate Rogers, a duet from Chris Martin and Ron Sexsmith, Adele, Luke Doucet, and a even reggae version of Radiohead's Karma Police.

Tonic (6 p.m.) On Tonic this evening there'll be soulful vocals from Al Green, James Brown and Alice Russell; gospel from Jackie Richardson and Alana Bridgewater; contemporary reggae from the group Fat Freddy's Drop, and some music by Cole Porter sung by Joe Pesce. There'll also be a set of tunes from pianist Tommy Flanagan and his trio recorded live at the Village Vanguard in New York City in October, 1986.

Canada Live (8 p.m.) Tonight Dionne Taylor pays tribute to the "Queen Of Soul" Aretha Franklin, with special guests, David Clayton-Thomas and Sharon Riley & The Faith Chorale. This concert is a retrospective of the music and life of Aretha Franklin from her early days in church, through scarcely mentioned early jazz recordings and her rise to fame as an R&B superstar.

The Signal (10 p.m.) From the Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa of Vampire Weekend, to the Inuit throat singing of Tanya Tagaq, tonight Laurie Brown explores how traditional African, Asian, and Aboriginal forms of music are informing the new works of some pop and contemporary composers. We'll hear the Indian-Celtic mix of Delhi 2 Dublin, the tabla-infused electronica of Sonicjoy, the Asian classical influences woven subtly into the noises of Galerie Stratique, and many more. And in concert, a piece by composer Pak Cokro, played by the Gamelan Madu Sari.