Atomic Age Cocktail Party

Atomic Age Cocktail Party

Friday nights at 8 And Saturday nights at 10 & 11 (bonus episode) on Illinois Classical, FM 90.9.

The show, simply put, is a celebration of the golden age of the hi-fi and beyond! It's American popular music from the 1950s and 1960s with a few modern numbers thrown in for good measure.

Lot Of Livin’ To Do (1045)

This week, we’ve got a Lot of Livin’ To Do! A look at songs about life and living. The good life, the easy life, and the life lived to its fullest. We’ll hear from Bobby Darin, Sam Cooke, Ada Lee, Sarah Vaughan, and more.

Atomic Age logo with an illustration of a table filled with people enjoying a elegant nightclub. Text reads Episode 1045 Lot Of Livin' To Do
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Music For Your Tiki Bar (1044)

This time around, it's Music for Your Tiki Bar. A selection of exotica, old and new just perfect to listen to while sipping a tropical cocktail. We’re hear from Webley Edwards, Combustible Edison, Waitiki, Frank Hunter, and more.

Atomic Age logo with an illustration of a puffer fish lamp, hanging glass floats, and two tiki mugs. Text reads Episode 1044 Music For Your Tiki bar
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Live On Stage (1043)

We step into the spotlight this week on The Atomic Age Cocktail Party because we’re Live On Stage! It’s a selection of live performances from some of the biggest stars of the hi-fi era. We’ll have music from Frank Sinatra, Julie London, The Mills Brothers, Anita O'Day, Nat King Cole, and more!

Atomic Age logo with an illustration of a singing woman with a man playing piano in the background. Text reads Episode 1043 Live On Stage
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Musical Questions (1042)

We're all about musical questions this time on The Atomic Age Cocktail Party. Songs from the hi-fi era that ponder questions large and small. We’ll hear from Johnny Hartman, Donna Hightower, Jackie Gleason, Erroll Garner, and more.

Atomic Age logo with an illustration of a suprised man being handed many cards with question marks on them. Text reads Episode 1042 Musical Questions
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Hi-Fi Halloween (1041)

This week, things are going to get spooky! It’s a Hi-Fi Halloween! A musical trick or treat featuring fun and kooky vintage Halloween music. We’ll hear from Kay Starr, The Five Blobs, Allan Sherman, Spike Jones and many more!

Atomic Age logo with an illustration of a Jack-o'-lantern. Text reads Episode 1041 Hi-Fi Halloween
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Soft Sounds (1040)

On this episode, we're some soft sounds. It’s hi-fi music with a light touch. Featuring selections from Buddy Collette, Kenny Burrell, Dolores Gray, Julie London, Ethel Ennis, and many more.

Atomic Age logo with an illustration of a record player on a cloud. Text reads Episode 1040 Soft Sounds
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At The Movies (1039)

On the program this time, we’re At the Movies! We have famous, and not so famous, themes from films of the Atomic Age. We have music from comedies, spy flicks, film noir, and even some exploitation and B-movies.

Atomic Age logo with an illustrations of a multi-piece band playing. Text reads Episode 1036 Atomic Age logo with an illustration of a movie reel filled with film. Text reads Episode 1039 At The Movies
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Atomic Mixer (1038)

It's an Atomic Mixer! We have a sampling of all the great music we bring you week after week. We’ll hear from Blossom Dearie, Yma Sumac, Tony Bennett, The Martini Kings, and many more.

Atomic Age logo with an illustrations of a multi-piece band playing. Text reads Episode 1036 Atomic Age logo with an illustrations of a man sitting on top of a martini shaker. Records with atomic rings fly around him. Text reads Episode 1038 Atomic Mixer
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Strangers In the Night (1037)

This time around, we're "Strangers in the Night." It's look at all those great nighttime-themed songs of the hi-fi era. We’ll hear from The Randy Heller Percussionists, Carmen McRae, David Rose & His Orchestra, Jackie Davis, and more!

Atomic Age logo with an illustrations of a multi-piece band playing. Text reads Episode 1036 Atomic Age logo with an illustrations of a woman and a man at a bar enjoying cocktials. A bartender looks on. Text reads Episode 1037 Strangers In the Night
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Big Band Hi-Fi (1036)

It's a celebration of Big Band music during the hi-fi era, this time on the program. On this bill, music from Anita O’Day, Jimmy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and many more!

Atomic Age logo with an illustrations of a multi-piece band playing. Text reads Episode 1036 Big Band Hi-Fi
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Atomic Age Cocktail Party host, Jason Croft, holds a martini in one hand and a record under the other arm, while wearing a fez and a smoking jacket in this retro-style illustration.

Jason Croft has been collecting, enjoying, and programming lounge, easy-listening, and other music of the Atomic Age for over two decades. Now he is sharing this genre with you every Saturday and Sunday night with the Atomic Age Cocktail Party on WILL-FM. When he’s not knee-deep in his record collection, he’s the Technical Director for The 21st, local host for Here and Now, and one of the voices of AM580 on the weekends.

An illustrated poster in the mid-century style, congratulating AACP on its two 2025 Communicator awards.