Various Artists - Jingle All The Way
- LABEL: BLUE HEART RECORDS
- RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 20, 2023
Merry Christmas baby.
Yes, it's that time of year. Time to think about how to get through Halloween and Thanksgiving without running out of festive holiday spirit before Santa comes to town.
What better way to accomplish that than with music that suits the occasion?
Especially if it's music that's merry, bright, and freshly curated for the season by Blue Heart Records, offering its own version of a blue Christmas with its debut holiday album, a compilation by the artists at Blue Heart and Nola Blue Records.
The Texas Horns tear open this sparkling package with a sharp set of horns and a cheerful vocal chorus, updating the traditionally more solemn “Silver Bells.” Benny Turner makes the soulful plea in the very bluesy “I Want Some Christmas Cheer,” as he struggles for a visit with the one he loves: “Gotta see my baby, she's in Chicago....”
The holiday chestnut “Santa Baby” gets a sultry update from Lil Red & the Rooster, and the equally classic “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” romps with a New Orleans vibe by Teresa James & The Rhythm Tramps. Rick Vito launches a rocking guitar driven “I Was A Bad Boy This Year,” since “all that rockin' put a hole in his stockin'.”
Jim Koeppel offers whimsical advice in “Slim Down Santa,” suggesting he “lose a little wait or you'll need another reindeer Christmas night” and hinting at what a naughty Mrs. Claus has in mind. Clarence Spady offers funkified spirit for the season in “Christmas.”
Bobby Gentilo struts his way through James Brown's “Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto,” and Croatian bluesman Tomislav Goluban creates a dazzling harplaced instrumental version of “Amazing Grace.” Mark Cameron turns in a clever spoken word “Nick's Place,” with a distinctive view of all the hard work at “a place they call the pole...”
No bluesy holiday album should be without a version of the Johnny Moore classic “Merry Christmas Baby,” and Laura Tate doesn't disappoint, with a rousing, sax-spiced R&B version. Vaneese Thomas follows with her own fullthroated plea for “Peace and Goodwill.” Peter Veteska and solo piano backing offer the wistful and poignant “I'll Be Home For Christmas.” Tiffany Pollack, with the help of Johanson, revives the lyrically and melodically gorgeous “River,” in a delightful reading of the too-seldom heard Joni Mitchell song.
The closer finds Teresa James backed by the Texas Horns in a gently swinging, socially conscious, “Even Santa Gets the Blues,” where “Hard times are everywhere you go, even Santa's got the blues....”
So, since Santa knows if you've been bad or good, it's better to be good and listen to this special collection of holiday music. That's the best way to have a merry Christmas, baby.
Jim White (a former music writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette & now writes the Blues Roadhouse)
WEBLINKS
PRONOUNCIATION
- Veteska - veh-tes'-kah
- Tomislav Goluban - Toh-mee-sla:v Go-loo-ba:n
- Koeppel – Ko-PELL
- Johanson - JOE-hans-sin
For more information: : Betsie Brown, Blind Raccoon, betsie@blindraccoon.com
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten