NEWSLETTER #143
Seasonal Specialties
Louis Armstrong
->
Various Artists
| WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS |
Koch Vision 6415 |
The Junky's Christmas |
● DVD $16.98 |
Finally available on DVD this 21 minute short from 1993,
produced by Francis Ford Coppola, features Burroughs reading the sad but
ultimately redemptive story of Danny, the junky, just released from jail
and trying to score a Christmas day fix and finding the Christmas spirit
instead. The story is presented in claymation animation and ends with a
brief live action segment of a party at Burrough's house with him carving
a turkey with a switchblade. The DVD includes two bonus shorts "Ironbound"
with music by Joe Jackson and "Traveling Light" with music by Van
Morrison.
|
| LOUIS ARMSTRONG
& FRIENDS |
Hip-O 69702 |
20th Century Masters - Christmas
Collection |
● CD $10.98 |
14 tracks including duets with Dinah Washington, Mel
Torme, Peggy Lee and others including sides with Benny Carter's Orchestra,
The Duke Ellington Orchestra and more - Christmas In New Orleans/
Silent Night/ Christmas Night In Harlem/ Cool Yule/ 'Zat You Santa Claus?/
Jingle Bells/ May Everyday Be Christmas, etc.
|
| JOAN BAEZ |
Vanguard 79596 |
Noel |
● CD $15.98 |
Newly remastered edition of Joan's classic 1966 album of
Christmas with arrangements by Peter Schickle includes six previously
unissued cuts - O Come, O Come, Emmanuel/ The Little Drummer Boy/ Down
In Yon Forest/ Ave Maria/ Away In A Manger/ What Child Is This/ We Three
Kings/ Burgundian Carol, etc.
|
| THE BOYS OF THE LOUGH |
Gifthorse 10033 |
Midwinter's Night Dream |
● CD $14.98 |
The great Irish/ Scottish folk group with a collection of
reels, airs, jigs and carols from Ireland, Scotland, Shetland and
Northumberland with a traditional Christmas flavor.
|
| CHARLES BROWN |
Bullseye Blues 9561 |
Cool Christmas Blues |
● CD $12.98 |
The smoothest bluesy Christmas - with Clifford Solomon,
Johnny Otis, Bobby Forte & others.
CHARLES BROWN: A Song For Christmas/ Blue Holiday/
Bringing In A Brand New Year/ Christmas Comes But Once A Year/ Christmas
In Heaven/ Merry Christmas Baby/ Please Come Home For Christmas/ Santa's
Blues/ Silent Night/ Stay With Me/ To Someone That I Love
|
| JAMES BROWN |
Polydor 0623-02 |
The Christmas Collection |
● CD $11.98 |
Culled from 3 long out of print LPs from the late 60s/
early 70s by Soul Brother No. 1, James Brown belts out 17 soul Christmas
classics and knee-dropping originals Go Power At Christmas Time/ Santa
Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto/ Let's make Christmas Mean Something This,
Parts 1 & 2/ The Christmas Song - Version 1/ Christmas Is Love/ santa
Claus Is Definitely Here To Stay/ Tit For Tat Ain't No Taking Back/ Sings
Of Christmas and more.
|
| THE CAMPBELL BROTHERS |
Arhoolie 504 |
Sacred Steel For The Holidays |
● CD $12.98 |
10 Christmas standards and one Chanukah one (The Dreydl
Song) given the sacred steel treatment. Silent Night/ Go Tell It On
A Mountain/ Joy To the World/ Hark the Herald Angels Sing/ the Little
Drummer Boy, etc.
|
| RAY CHARLES |
Madacy 50827 |
Celebrates A Gospel Christmas |
● CD $10.98 |
Selections from Ray's first-ever Christmas Music Special
features him with the 120 member Voices Of Jubilation Choir doing What
Kind Of Man Is This/ All Night, All Day/ Oh Happy Day/ Hark! The Herald
Angels Sing/ Little Drummer Boy and more. This is an enhanced CD which
includes videos of two of the songs which can be viewed on a computer
equipped with CD-ROM drive.
|
| ROSIE FLORES |
Durango 591670 |
Christmasville |
● CD $14.98 |
Who better to spend Christmas with than the talented Rosie
Flores who offers up a holiday full of country, rockabilly and western
swing with some old favorites and a couple of originals. Includes
Little Saint Nick/ Blue Christmas/ Dance Of The Sugar Plum/ Secret Santa/
Run Rudolph Run/ Happy Christmas (War Is Over) and others.
|
| HARRY
"THE HIPSTER" GIBSON |
Viper's Nest Gold 153 |
Harry The Hipster Digs Christmas |
● CD $11.98 |
1976 recordings featuring this unique performer
accompanying himself on piano with unique versions of classic Christmas
songs plus I Wish My Mother-In-Law Don't Visit Us This Christmas
|
| THE KLEZMATICS |
JMG 18060 |
Woody Guthrie's Happy Joyous Hanukkah |
● CD $16.98 |
12 tracks, highly recommended A delightful surprise
featuring songs about Hanukah written by America's great folk poet Woody
Guthrie. Though Woody himself wasn't Jewish, his second wife was, and
Woody was greatly inspired by his mother-in-law Aliza Greenblatt - a
renowned Yiddish poet. These songs, among the thousands that Woody left
behind without music, have been set to music by the talented Klezmatics
and the result is a sheer delight including Honeyky Hanukah/ Hanuka
Bell/ The many And The Few/ Hanukah's Flame and more along with a
couple of instrumentals written by members of the group. (FS)
|
| PATTI
LABELLE & THE BLUEBELLES |
Relic 7043 |
Sleigh Bells, Jingle Bells & Bluebelles |
● CD $13.98 |
16 tracks including White Christmas/ Blue Christmas/
Winter Wonderland/ Oh Holy Night/ The First Noel/ O Come All ye Faithful/
Silent/ I Believe etc.
PATTI LABELLE & THE BLUEBELLS: 0 Come All Ye Faithful/
Auld Lang Syne/ Blue Christhas/ Hark The Herald Angels Sing/ I Believe/ It
Came Upon A M1dnight Clear/ Jingle Bells/ O Little Town Of Bethlehem/ Oh
Holy Night/ Santa Claus Is Coming Town/ Silent Night/ The First Noel/
White Christmas/ Wihat Are You Doing New Years Eve/ Winter Wonderland/
You'll Never Walk Alone
|
| RUDY RAY MOORE |
Norton CED 292 |
This Ain't No White Christmas |
● CD $14.98 |
Dolemite's X-rated Christmas album featuring one song (Merry
Christmas Baby) and a bunch of very raunchy comedy routines. This ia
reissue of Rudy's 1971 LP with two bonus tracks and a booklet with notes
and unpublished photos.
|
| BUCK OWENS |
Sundazed 6162 |
Christmas With Buck Owens & His Buckaroos |
● CD $12.98 |
Reissue of 1965 Capitol album - 12 songs including
Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy/ Christmas Ain't Christmas/ All I Want For
Christmas Is You/ Christmas Time's A Comin'/ Here Comes Santa Claus Again/
It's Christmas Time For Everyone But Me, etc.
|
| JOHN PRINE |
Oh Boy 011 |
A John Prine Christmas |
● CD $14.98 |
8 tracks, 33 min., recommended
Why debate the existence of
Santa when you could be listening to Prine's mini-album of Xmas tunes? He
opens with new versions of Everything Is Cool/ All The Best, the
latter recorded live. They're sort of Xmasy. So's Silent Night All Day
Long/ If you Were The Woman And I Was The Man, a duet with the Cowboy
Junkies' Margo Timmins. All right, the last one isn't really a Xmas song,
but give the guy a break. Best thing is the solo take of Christmas In
Prison, and for purists he's included Silver Bells/ I Saw Mommy
Kissing Santa Claus. (JC)
|
| LEON REDBONE |
Rounder 3158 |
Christmas Island |
● CD $12.98 |
Reissue of 1987 album originally on the Private label. The
distinctive Mr. Redbone lends his vocal and instrumental talents to a
group of Christmas songs including a duet with Dr. John on Frosty The
Snowman. Also White Christmas/ There's No PLace Like Home For The
Holidays/ Christmas Island/ I'll be Home For Christmas/ Christmas Ball
Blues and others.
|
| RALPH STANLEY |
Freeland 639 |
Christmas Time With Ralph Stanley |
● CD $14.98 |
11 tracks, 31 mins, recommended
Some lovely Christmas
bluegrass music from Ralph and the gang (Ernie Thacker, Junior Blankenshipm Jack Cooke, Curly Ray Cline, Art Stamper & Shelton Faezell)
recorded in 1993. New and old favorites like I'm Going Home, It's
Christmas Time/ Christmas Praise/ Christmas Time's A Comin'/ The Christmas
Spirit and others. Included is a spine chilling acapella version of
the exquisite Bright Morning Star which is, alone, worth the price
of the album. (FS)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Ace CDCHM 1128 |
Rhythm & Blues Christmas |
● CD $13.98 |
Celebrate Christmas the Ace way with their first seasonal
collection featuring 20 great rhythm & blues sides including nine new to
CD and three previously unissued.
JESSE BELVIN: I Want You With Me At Christmas/ HADDA
BROOKS: White Christmas/ SYLVESTER COTTON: Christmas Blues/ THE DEBONAIRES:
Christmas Time/ Crazy Santa Claus/ LOWELL FULSON: I Wanna Spend Christmas
With You Part 1/ I Wanna Spend Christmas With You Part 2/ SMOKEY HOGG: My
Christmas Baby/ MARI JONES & JOHNNY MOORE ORCH: Merry Christmas Baby/ B.B.
KING: Christmas Celebration/ LITTLE WILLIE LITTLEFIELD: Merry Christmas/
OSCAR MCLOLLIE: Dig That Crazy Santa Claus/ God Gave Us Xmas/ THE NIC NACS:
Gonna Have A Merry Christmas/ BOBBY NUNN: Christmas Bells/ RIFF RUFFIN:
Xmas Baby/ UNKNOWN: White-Hot Christmas/ THE VOICES: Santa Claus Baby/
Santa Claus Boogie/ SMOKEY WILSON: Christmas
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Ace (US) 2040 |
Rock 'n Roll Christmas |
● CD $15.98 |
New Orleans Xmas greetings from Huey Smith, Charles Brown,
Dr. John, Alvin "Red" Tyler, Lee Allen, Earl King, James Booker and others
doing songs like White Christmas Blue/ Silent Night/ Lonely Christmas/
I Wrote To Santa Claus/ Happy New Year/ 'Twas The Night Before Christmas,
etc.
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bear Family 16718 |
Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer |
● CD $22.98 |
Are you having trouble getting rid of that persistent
Christmas guest who just won't leave? Well this disc might do the trick -
yes folks - here we have 25 different versions of the perennial favorite
Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer plus five other songs about that
deer with the shiny nose. Among the 25 are Gene Autry, Montana Slim, Dean
Martin, Ray Conniff, Hank Locklin, Lynn Anderson, The Cadillacs, Fats
Domino, The Chipmunks and so many more. We also get Rudolf, das kleine
Rentier by John Hendrick, Run Rudolph Run by Chuck Berry,
Randolph, The Flat Nosed Reindeer and others. Includes booklet with
the full story of the song and a cartoon by famous German cartoonist Ole
Konnecke.
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Buffalo Bop 55095 |
Rockabilly Christmas |
● CD $18.98 |
30 track collection. Most of this is rock 'n' roll rather
than rockabilly but it's interesting to hear some of the more obscure rock
'n' roll songs about Christmas.
MARK ANTHONY & THE ELFS: Mama's Twistin' With Santa/
BARRY & THE HIGHLIGHTS: Xmas Bell Rock/ BIG BUD: Rock Around The Christmas
Tree/ CHUCK BLEVINS: Sleigh Bell Rock/ THE BOYS NEXT DOOR: The Wildest
Christmas/ LILIAN BRIGGS: Rock N' Roll Polly Santa Claus/ JERRY CLAYTON:
Santa Claus/ SONNY COLE: Santa To The Moon/ RAL DONNER: Christmas Day/ THE
EPISODES: The Christmas Tree/ LITTLE JOEY FARR: Big White Cadillac/ Rock'n
Roll Santa/ THE FOUR IMPERIALS: Santa's Got A Coupe De Ville/ CORDELL
JACKSON: Rock And Roll Christmas/ TOMMY LEE & THE ORBITS: Jingle Rock/
JODY LEVINS & HIS BOYS: Jingle Bells Boogie/ VEL MARES: Jingle Bells/ THE
MOODS: Rockin' Santa Claus/ THE OUTLAWS: Run Rudolph Run (live)/ MARLENE
PAUL: I Wanna Spend Christmas With Elvis/ JOE POOVEY: Santa's Helper/
JOHNNY PRESTON: (I Want A) Rock And Roll Guitar/ New Baby For Christmas/
BARRY RICHARDS: Baby Sittin' Santa/ CATHY SHARPE: North Pole Rock/ THE
SPORTSMEN: Reindeer Rock/ CHARLIE STEWART: Santa Clause Won't Come This
Year/ THREE ACES & A JOKER: Sleigh Bell Rock/ MARGUERITE TRINA: The
Rocking Tree/ THE UNIQUES: Rock'n Rudolph
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Collectors' Choice 412 |
Swinging Songs For Santa |
● CD $24.98 |
A big band and pop music Christmas celebration drawn from
40s radio transcriptions. Two CDs with 36 tracks.
HARRY BABBITT: What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?/ JAY
BLACKTON CHORUS: Christmas Medley #1/ Christmas Medley #2/ LES BROWN & HIS
BAND OF RENOWN: Swingin' The Nutcracker Suite/ ROSEMARY CLOONEY: Here
Comes Santa Claus/ Littlest Angel/ DOROTHY COLLINS: Send Me Your Love For
Christmas/ BING CROSBY: The Little Drummer Boy/ We Wish You A Merry
Christmas/ BOB CROSBY: The Skater's Waltz (in Swingtime)/ TOMMY DORSEY:
March Of The Toys/ ELLA FITZGERALD: Silver Bells/ White Christmas/ THE
FONTANE SISTERS: Santa Claus Is Coming To Town/ JAN GARBER ORCHESTRA: Blue
Christmas/ Frosty The Snowman/ Sleighride/ DICK HAYMES: Let It Snow! Let
It Snow! Let It Snow!/ SKITCH HENDERSON: Jingle Bells/ LARRY HOOPER: High
On A House Top/ BOB HOPE: Silver Bells/ AL JOLSON: White Christmas/ THE
KINGSMEN: T'was The Night Before Christmas/ PEGGY LEE: The Christmas Song/
GUY LOMBARDO: Christmas Medley #4/ THE MELLO-MEN: Look Out The Window/
JOHNNY MERCER: Frosty The Snowman/ GLENN MILLER: Jingle Bells/ MAJOR GLENN
MILLER AAF BAND: Christmas Medley #3/ THE PENNSYLVANIANS: Music Of
Tradition/ THE RHYTHMAIRES: Adeste Fideles/ THE SATISFIERS: Winter
Wonderland/ ARTIE SHAW & HIS ORCHESTRA: When Winter Comes/ KAY STARR:
December/ JOHN SCOTT TROTTER: Toy Trumpet/ MARGARET WHITING: It's
Christmas Time Again
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Collector 4501 |
Have A Boogie Christmas Rock & Roll |
● CD $16.98 |
Fine collection of 29 Christmas songs - mostly rockabilly
and rock 'n' roll from the 50s plus some piano boogie, country, bluegrass
and, out of left field, the pre war black group The Cotton Top Mountain
Sanctified Singers with the great Christ Was Born On A Christmas Morn.
The opening track by Ricky Godfrew and Rudy Blue sounds like a recent
recordings but most of the rest is from the 50s and 60s and most of them
are making their first appearance on a Christmas themed anthology.
PAUL BAIN: Santa Claus Boogie/ BIG BUD: Rock Around The
Christmas Tree/ Snow Man Rock/ JERRY CLAYTON: Santa Claus/ COTTON TOP
MOUNTAIN SANCTIFIED SINGERS: Christ Was Born On Christmas Morn/ TED
DAIGLE: New Baby For Christmas/ THE FABULOUS: Thunderbirds-Rockin Winter
Wonderland/ LITTLE JOEY FARR: Rock & Roll Santa/ RICKY GODFREW & RUDG
BLUE: Shoes-Boogie Woogie Christmas/ THE JACKSON TRIO: Jingle Bell Hop/
CAROLYN KAG & GRAND PAREES: A Christmas Halo/ BIG TINY LITTLE: Silver
Bells/ Ting's Christmas Medley/ GORDON MACMILLAN & DIPLOMAT TRIO: Jingle
Bells Boogie/ SAMMY MARSHALL: Jingle Mint Twist/ SONNY MOORE: Santa's Lil
Helper/ LITTLE BOBBY RAG: Rockin J Bells/ RUSTY RICHMOND: Santa's Here To
Stay/ THE ROBIN SISTERS: Chimney Top Twist/ Santa's Little Workshop/ SHOO
& THE RAINDROPS: Jingle Bell Stomp/ GERRY STEADMAN & THE ENCHANTED
MOUNTAIN BOGS: Holiday Rock/ ROY TAN & COMBO: Happy New Year/ THE UNIGUES:
Rock 'N' Rudolph/ UNKNOWN BAND: December Rock (Take3)/ THE VEL-MARS:
Jingle Bell's/ MICHAEL T. WALL: Rock Around The Christmas Tree/ Rockin
Santa Claus/ NELSON YOUNG: Christmas Time Is Near
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
County 2722 |
Blue Ridge Mountain Holiday - The Breaking
Up Xmas Stor |
● CD $15.98 |
An old time country Christmas with Tommy Jarrell, Da Costa
Wotz's Southern Broadcasters, Andy Kahan & Band, The Slate Mounyan
Ramblers, benton & Larry Flippen, Benny Jarrell & band, Kyle Creed, Ralph
Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys, Jerry Correll, Nicholas & Chester
McMillan and others - Breaking Up Christmas (several different
versions)/ John Brown's Dream/ Tempy/ Ragtime Annie/ Cluck Old hen/
Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem/ Jack Of Diamons/ Sugar Hill, etc.
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Dancing Cat 38044 |
Hawaiian Slack Key Christmas |
● CD $9.98 |
A collection of 14 Christmas songs performed by some of
Hawaii's top performers of the slack key guitar style. Mostly traditional
Christmas favorites along with a few specifically Hawaiian numbers.
Includes Ozzie Kotani, Led Kaapana, George Kuo, Cindy Combs, Bla Pahinui,
Leonard Kwan, Cyril Pahinui & Bob Brozman and more.
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Dipper 213 |
The Ultimate Group Harmony Christmas
Collection |
● CD $17.98 |
25 track collection of sides - mostly from the 50s with a
few earlier and a few later.
THE CADILLACS: Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer/ THE
CAMEOS: Merry Christmas/ THE CHANACLAIRS: Yuletide Love/ THE COOLBREEZERS:
Let Christmas Ring/ THE FALCONS: Can This Be Christmas/ THE FIVE KEYS:
Every Heart Is Home At Christmas/ It's Christmas Time/ THE GOLDEN GATE
QUARTET: White Christmas/ THE HEPSTERS: Rockin N Rollin With Santa Claus/
SKIP JACKSON & THE SHANTONS: The Christmas Song/ JOEL & THE DYMENSIONS:
All I Want For Christmas Is You/ THE LARKS: All I Want For Christmas/
MARVIN & THE CHIRPS: I'll Miss You This Christmas/ THE MOONGLOWS: Hey
Santa Claus/ THE ORIOLES: O Holy Night/ THE PENGUINS: A Christmas Prayer/
THE PILGRIM TRAVELERS: I'll Be Home For Christmas/ THE POETS: Merry
Christmas Baby/ THE RAVENS: Silent Night/ SIR JABLONSKI: Merry Christmas
Day/ THE VALENTINES: Christmas Prayer/ THE VOICES: Santa Claus Baby/ KENNY
WILLIAMS & GROUP: Old Fashion Christmas/ JACKIE WILSON & THE DOMINOES:
Christmas In Heaven/ THE YOUNGSTERS: Christmas In Jail
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Dust-To-Digital 02 |
Where Will You Be Christmas Day? |
● CD $16.98 |
24 tracks, 74 mins, highly recommended
Terrific collection
of vintage recordings of Christmas songs featuring recordings made between
1917 and 1959 and featuring a broad spectrum of music and sentiments
including blues (Lead Belly, Walter Davis, Bessie Smith, Lightnin'
Hopkins, etc.), gospel (Cotton Top Mountain Sanctified Singers, Rev. J.M.
Gates, etc), calypso (Lord Executor, Lord Beginner), country (The Maddox
Brothers & Rose, Fiddlin' John Carson, etc), jazz (McKinney's Cotton
Pickers), American-Italian (Pasquale Feis), sacred harp (Alabama Sacred
harp Singers) and more. Excellent sound, attractive packaging and full
discographical info adds up to one of the best collections of songs about
Christmas out there. (FS)
ALABAMA SACRED HARP SINGERS: Sherburne/ BUTTERBEANS AND
SUSIE: Papa Ain't No Santa Claus (Mama Ain't No Christmas Tree)/ LEROY
CARR: Christmas in Jail (Ain't That a Pain?)/ FIDDLIN' JOHN CARSON AND HIS
VIRGINIA REELERS: Christmas Time Will Soon Be Over/ REV. EDWARD W.
CLAYBORN (THE GUITAR EVANGELIST): The Wrong Way to Celebrate Christmas/
COTTON TOP MOUNTAIN SANCTIFIED SINGERS: Christ Was Born on Christmas Morn/
WALTER DAVIS: Santa Claus/ NORMAN EDMONDS: Breaking Up Christmas/ PASQUALE
FEIS: Tu Scende Dalle Stelle (Pastorale di Natale)/ REV. J. M. GATES: He
Was Born in a Manger/ MARY HARRIS: Happy New Year Blues/ LIGHTNIN'
HOPKINS: Happy New Year/ PAWLO HUMENIUK: Dance under the Willows (Tanec
Pid Werbamy)/ LOS JIBAROS: Décimas de Nacimiento/ KANSAS CITY KITTY:
Christmas Morning Blues/ BUELL KAZEE: Lady Gay/ LEAD BELLY: Christmas Is
A-Coming/ LORD BEGINNER: Christmas Morning the Rum Had Me Yawning/ LORD
EXECUTOR: Christmas Is a Joyful Day/ MADDOX BROTHERS AND ROSE: Jingle
Bells/ MCKINNEY'S COTTON PICKERS: Gee, Ain't I Good to You/ KELLY PACE,
AARON BROWN, JOE GREEN, MATTHEW JO: Holy Babe/ BESSIE SMITH: At the
Christmas Ball/ VERA HALL WARD: The Last Month of the Year
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Free Reed FRQCD 30 |
MidWinter - Folk Music & Traditions Of
Christmas & The |
● CD $56.98 |
One of the most exciting and important seasonal releases
to come along in a long time. A four CD set in a long box with 156 page
full color book exploring all the facets of "the holidays" from
pre-Christian pagan traditions to the modern day. The set's 115 recordings
includes music and potry and prose readings from both sides of the
Atlantic though with the bulk being from the British Isles. The material
ranges from American sacred harp to Sheffield carols, from big ballads to
blues, from singer-songwriters to tradition bearers and from living
legends to recent stars. Performers includes Phil Tanner, Robert Frost,
John Fahey, Lal waterson, Leadbelly, The Mabe Choir, Jean Ritchie, The
Watersons, The McCalmans, The Halliard (featuring a very early appearance
by Nic Jones), Enoch Kent, Scan Tester, John McCutcheon, Sacred harp
Convention, Youg Tradition, Nigel Schofield, T.S. Eliot, Druidstone, Steve
Ashley, Martha Tilston, Alan Hull, Buell Kazee, John Tams, Mandy Morton
band, Maddy Prior, Richard Thompson, Teeside Feetlers, Boris Karloff,
Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick, John Clough, Steve Tilston and many
others. The book is packed with background information and in addition to
full details on all the songs includes a number of short stories from the
likes of O Henry and Charles Dickens as well as all kinds of fascinating
facts and figures.
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Hataklit 9384 |
The Feast Of Chanukah |
● CD $15.98 |
A collection of 19 songs fro Chanukah sung by various
performers. Half the tracks are in Hebrew and the rest in English. Booklet
has transcriptions of the songs but no translations for the Henbrew songs
though some have brief notes. Includes Maoz Tsur/ For The Chanukah/
Eight days Of Chanukah/ The days Of Chanukah/ Chag Sameach/ Chanukah
Medley/ Chag Hachanukah/ Shining Candles/ Spin & Turn Dreidl, etc.
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Hollywood 367 |
Country Christmas |
● CD $6.98 |
20 songs by Red Sovine, Jimmie Dickens, Billy Walker,
Cowboy Copas, Bill Carlisle, Skeeter Davis, Al Dexter, etc.
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Hollywood 368 |
Christmas Jamboree |
● CD $6.98 |
20 bluegrass Xmas songs. Reno & Smiley, Jommy Martin,
Lulubelle & Scotty, Stanley Bros., Jim Eanes, Benny Martin, etc.
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
King 5018 |
Merry Christmas Baby |
● CD $7.98 |
Another classic Christmas album featuring Merry
Christmas Baby by Charles Brown, Boogie Woogie Santa Claus by
Mabel Scott, Christmas Tears by Freddie King, Lonesome
Christmas, Part 1 &2 by Lowell Fulson, Christmas Blues by Jimmy
Witherspoon and more.
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Mistletoe XMS 1001 |
Ghosts Of Christmas Past |
● CD $17.98 |
Wide ranging collection of 29 Christmas songs.
SUZY BOGGUSS: Mr Santa (Mr Sandman) (stereo)/ THE
CREW-CUTS: Dance Mr Snowman Dance/ DANCER, PRANCER & NERVOUS: The Happy
Reindeer/ ELMO & PATSY: Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer (stereo) (orig
Soundwaves single version/ THE FIVE KEYS: Every Heart Is Home At
Christmas/ BENNY GOODMAN & HIS ORCHESTRA: Jingle Bells/ BARRY GORDON:
Santa Claus Looks Just Like Daddy/ CARY GRANT: Christmas Lullaby/ BOBBY
HELMS: Captain Santa Claus/ THE JAYNETTES: Snowman Snowman Sweet Potato
Nose/ LOUIS JORDAN: Santa Claus, Santa Claus/ EDDIE LAWRENCE: The Merry
Old Philospher/ MARK LINDSAY: What Child Is This? (stereo)/ THE LITTLE
KIDS: Santa Claus Is Stuck in the Chimney/ BOB & DOUG MCKENZIE: The Twelve
Days of Christmas (stereo)/ THE NEW CHRISTY MINSTRELS: You Need A Little
Christmas (stereo)/ GILBERT O'SULLIVAN: Christmas Song (stereo)/ PAUL &
PAULA: Holiday For Teens (stereo)/ GAYLA PEEVEY: I Want A Hippopotamus For
Christmas/ BOBBY "BORIS" PICKETT: Monster's Holiday (stereo)/ LOUIS PRIMA:
What Will Santa Claus Say?/ GARY PUCKETT: O Holy Night (stereo)/ SUGAR
CHILE ROBINSON: Christmas Boogie/ BOBBY RYDELL & CHUBBY CHECKER: Jingle
Bells Imitations/ JACK SCOTT: There's Trouble Brewin' (stereo)/ BOB SEGER
& THE LAST HEARD: Sock It To Me Santa/ MILLIE SMALL: I've Fallen In Love
With A Snowman/ THREE BLONDE MICE: Ringo Bells/ THE YOUNGSTERS: Christmas
In Jail
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Mistletoe 1002 |
More Ghosts Of Christmas Past |
● CD $17.98 |
Diverse collection of 27 Christmas songs plus one Chanukah
song Hanukah Rocks by Gefilte Joe & The Fish). It includes blues,
R&B, doo-wop, rock 'n' roll, jazz, pop and novelty with tracks by The
Crosstones, Daffy Duck, The Falcons, Glenn Miller, Joe Turner, Nathaniel
Mayer, The Orioles, The Rocky Fellers, Spike Jones, Neil Sedaka & The
Tokens, The Wavetable Philharmonic Orchestra, The McGuire Sisters, "Big"
Tiny Little, Derrik Roberts and more.
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Nashboro 4520 |
Nashboro Nativity, Vol. 1 |
● CD $13.98 |
14 tracks, 46 min., recommended A delightful cross section
of Christmas numbers recorded throughout the 60's and performed by
Nashboro gospel artists. Selections include Merry Christmas and
No Room at the Inn by the Consolers, Glory to the New Born King
by the Angelic Gospel Singers, Jesus Christ the Baby and New
Born King by the Six Trumpets, Vision of the the Shepherd and
King of Kings by Maggie Ingram and the Silver Stars, and A Child
Is Born by the Swanee Quintet. Great music for the holiday season or
any other time, offered here with several vintage group photos, plus liner
notes by Opal Louis Nations. (DH)
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
New Line 39034 |
A John Waters Christmas |
● CD $11.98 |
On this release, you get, of course, a lot of shock and
schlock and some great raunchy blues. Fat Daddy starts it all off; Daddy
was a renowned Baltimore DJ, who also hosted "Negro Day" on "The Buddy
Deane Show" and is the inspiration for the character "Motor Mouth
Maybelle" in Water's classic "Hairspray." Up next is Tiny Tim doing a
disturbing (no surprise) Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer. From there
it's pure anarchy; John Waters treats us to all of his X-mas favorites,
reveling in his life long love of the holiday and every camp and bizarre
cultural artifact associated with it. This gem came out in 2004 and I was
hoping it would be the first in a line of Waters compiled collections, but
so far this is all I have seen; rest assured if any new ones pop up, I'll
be first in line to pick them up. (JM)
AKIM: Santa Claus Is a Black Man/ ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS:
Sleigh Ride/ ROGER "HOT DOG ROG" CHRISTIAN: Little Mary Christmas/ THE
COCTAILS: First Snowfall/ JIMMY DONLEY: Santa! Don't Pass Me by/ FAT
DADDY: Fat Daddy/ BIG DEE IRWIN: I Wish You a Merry Christmas/ LITTLE
CINDY: Happy Birthday Jesus (A Child's Prayer)/ RUDOLPH & GANG: Here Comes
Fatty Claus/ STORMY WEATHER: Christmas Time Is Coming (A Street Carol)/
TINY TIM: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer/ RITA FAYE WILSON: Sleigh Bells,
Reindeer and Snow
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Night Train 7005 |
Swing Time Christmas |
● CD $14.98 |
16 bluesy Christmas delicaies - mostly from the Swing Time
label.
CHARLES BROWN: Merry Christmas Baby/ LOWELL FULSON:
Christmas Party Shuffle (instrumental)/ Lonesome Christmas (part 1)/
Lonesome Christmas (part 2)/ CECIL GANT: Hello Santa Claus/ It's Christmas
Time Once Again/ LLOYD GLENN: Sleigh Ride (alternate Take)/ Sleigh Ride
(instrumental)/ DEXTER GORDON: Jingle Jangle Jump/ PETE JOHNSON: Pete's
Holiday Boogie (instrumental)/ JOHNNY MOORE'S THREE BLAZERS WITH FRANKIE
ERVIN: Christmas Eve Baby/ Christmas Everyday/ MABEL SCOTT: Boogie Woogie
Santa Claus/ JESSE THOMAS: Christmas Celebration/ BIG JOE TURNER:
Christmas Date Boogie/ JIMMY WITHERSPOON: How I Hate To See Christmas Come
Around
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Paula 12 |
Merry Christmas, Baby |
● CD $9.98 |
23 tracks, 69 min., recommended. What I like about this is
that it has plenty of songs that aren't usually on such sets. Sure it has
the usual Charles Brown cuts - not the King Records versions - but how
often do you hear Bobby Powell sing Bing Bong? And while it's not
often on such compilations, what Yule would be complete without Johnny &
Jon's Christmas In Vietnam? Other artists include the Violinaires,
Uniques, Sugar Boy Crawford, Louis Jordan, Oris Mays, Ernie Johnson, Jimmy
Reed, Ronnie kole Trio, Albert Washington, Hot Rock Mays, and Big Joe
Williams. Shalom, y'all. (JC)
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Putumayo 256 |
New Orleans Christmas |
● CD $13.98 |
A collection of soul, jazz and blues holiday classics from
the Big Easy. 11 tracks featuring Big Al Carson, Ingrid Lucia, Banu Gibson
& the New Orleans Hot Jazz Band, John Boutte, New Birth Brass Band, Dukes
Of Dixieland and others. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this
CD will be donated to the Habitat for Humanity Musicians Village Project
in New Orleans.
JAMES ANDREWS: Christmas In New Orleans/ JOHN BOUTTE:
White Christmas/ BIG AL CARSON: Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town/ TOPSY
CHAPMAN: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas/ THE DUKES OF DIXIELAND:
Holiday Time In New Orleans/ BANU GIBSON & THE NEW ORLEANS HOT JAZZ: I'll
Be Home For Christmas/ THE HERITAGE HALL JAZZ BAND: Silver Bells/ INGRID
LUCIA: 'Zat You, Santa Claus?/ ELLIS MARSALIS: God Rest Ye Merry
Gentlemen/ THE NEW BIRTH BRASS BAND: Santa's Second Line/ PAPA DON
VAPPIE'S NEW ORLEANS JAZZ BAND: Please Come Home For Christmas
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Rhino 70568 |
Blue Yule |
● CD $17.98 |
18 Christmas blues tunes from the 40s through the 80s
including Santa's Messing With The Kid by Eddie C. Campbell,
Christmas Blues by Canned Heat, Christmas Day by Detroit
Junior, Christmas Time, Part 1 by Jimmy McCracklin, Santa Claus
by Sonny Boy Williamson plus tracks by John Lee Hooker, Texas Pete Mayes,
Jimmy Liggins and others.
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Rhino 70910 |
Hipster's Holiday: Vocal Jazz & R&B
Classics |
● CD $17.98 |
For the coolest Xmas ever, groove on the grooves on this
baby! Satchmo- Cool Yule & 'Zat You, Santa Claus, the
Marquees- Santa Done Got Hip, Leo Watson- Jingle Bells,
Lambert, Hendrix & Ross- Deck Us All With Boston Charlie, Oscar
McLollie- Dig That Crazy Santa Claus, Mabel Scott- Boogie Woogie
Santa Claus, John Greer- We Wanna See Santa Claus Do The Mambo,
Pearl Bailey- 5 Lb. Box Of Candy, Babs Gonzalez- Be-Bop Santa
Claus + Miles Davis, Eartha Kitt, Lionel Hampton, and others.
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Rounder 1719 |
Songs Of Christmas - From The Alan Lomax
Collection |
● CD $15.98 |
31 tracks, 68 mins, highly recommended
Beautiful
collection of traditional Christmas music from around the world recorded
by Alan Lomax and his associates on location between the 1940s and 60s.
Includes excerpts from a mummers play from England, toasts from the West
Indies, a midwinter horn solo from Holland, bagpipe tunes from Italy, a
Christ Child lullaby from Scotland, a liturgical chant from Italy, the
legendary Copper family from England, Sacred Harp singing from Alabama,
cumulative song with friction drum accompaniment from Spain about the
Virgin Mary, a song from the Georgia Sea Island singers, choral singing
from Italy, a fiddle tune from Virginia and a whole lot more. A wonderful
collection including a 40 page booklet with notes on the music and the
performers, song lyrics and photos of some of the performers. (FS)
CHARLEY BATE: The Gower Wassail Song/ CAGGIANO PIPERS:
Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle/ JOSE CALDEZ, JUAN MARTOELL & OTHERS: Aguinaldo/
BOB & RON COPPER: Shepherds Arise/ The Twelve Days Of Christmas/ NORMAN
EDMONDS: Breaking Up Christmas/ SEAMUS ENNIS: A Warm Drink For The Baby/
TOM EVELEIGH: Singing The Travels/ GEORGIA SEA ISLAND SINGERS: O Day/ Walk
Billy Abbot/ VERA WARD HALL: No Room At Theinn-last Month Of The Year/
LOCAL GROUP, IBIZA, SPAIN: Caramiles/ Exit Tune From Midnight Mass/ LOCAL
GROUP, HUNEDOARA, RUMANIA: Rumanian Midwinter Carol/ EWAN MACCOLL:
Christmas Rhyme/ MANUELA MORENA: Tan Tan/ JULIO RAMOS POLO: Las Doce Por
La Virgen/ PONTE LANGARINO GROUP: New Year's Song/ PUTIPU BAND OF CAPRI:
New Year's Day Tarentella/ THE RED ANTS: The Motion Tune/ SACRED HARP
SINGERS: Sherburne/ SCOTTISH CROFTER GROUP: Taladh An Leinibh Losa/ THE
SYMONDSBURY MUMMERS: Conclusion Of Symondsbury Mummer's Play/ Entrance Of
Father Christmas/ MARGARETTA THOMAS: Mari Lywd Description & Farewell
Verse/ DAVID THOMAS & PARTY: Mari Lywd Cermony/ TRINIDADIAN CANTIQUE
SINGERS: Bon Nouvelle/ La Fils Du Roi De Gloire/ UNIDENTIFIED PRIEST,
ABRUZZI, ITALY: Venite Adoremus/ UNKNOWN DUTCH PLAYER: Midwinter Horn
Solo/ VARIOUS ARTISTS: Conch Shell Horn On New Year's Eve In Positano,
Italy
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