YOUR Favorite Holiday Albums (and New Picks)

[A&Mguyfromwayback]

A few of the albums we always play (some of these are quite obscure.....) - it isn't Christmas without them!

Steven Curtis Chapman - THE MUSIC OF CHRISTMAS
Cynthia Clawson - CAROLSINGER
Haven - DO NOT BE AFRAID
Donna Summer - CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
Rob Mathes - WILLIAM THE ANGEL
Various Artists - A BROKEN CHRISTMAS RECORD (Broken was a small indie gospel label in the early 90s - nice original songs)
Take 6 - both of theirs
Mari Falcone - UNTO HIM THIS CHRISTMAS/CHRISTMAS PEACE (solo piano)

Herb's album I never heard until last year - so it's a new favorite.......

 

[Mark-T]

Vince Gill's two Christmas albums...

 

[Mike]

Kenny G -- Faith

This album worked really well at our office Christmas party last Friday.

Mike

 

[Mr Bill]

Kenny G...

Oh no, you dinnunt! (you know you're standing by for a berating post by Capt B)

Hi Mike! How's things in Yoko these dayss? I definitely miss Japan (but not the Blue Ridge). Any awesome finds lately at Lucky Records or exciting 'Japan-Only' releases?

--Mr. Bill

 

[Mike]

Hi Bill,

The only new stuff I've picked up lately is the Sergio Mendes SHM CDs that I posted about a week ago. I just returned from a a little vacation in Seoul Korea, no record finds there, but then I wasn't looking for any.

Merry Christmas, buddy, and a Happy New Year too!

Mike

 

[Mike]

Another good one is:

Lisa Ono -- Boas Festas

It's a nice Bosa Nova Christmas CD by Japanese recording star Lisa Ono, who seems to work exclusively in the Bosa Nova realm.

Mike

 

[Captain Bacardi]

Kenny G -- Faith

There's never a terrorist around when you need one....



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Mike]

Kenny G -- Faith

There's never a terrorist around when you need one....


Capt. Bacardi

So true!

Merry Christmas Capt B.

Mike

 

[Rudy]

And the Skafish Christmas album (straight piano jazz as opposed to the punk/new wave he's famous for).

I've been meaning to get that one.

Take 6 - both of theirs

From what I remember, I liked the second one better than the first. I have both of these stored away here at the house.

Herb's album I never heard until last year - so it's a new favorite.......

Well, it's about time!

That reminds me, in "Herb/Lani tour related" info, Bill Cantos has a Christmas CD out also, a duet album with trumpeter Tony Guerrero. I haven't picked it up yet, but it's on my short list.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

There is a group called "Celtic Woman" that has a Christmas album out since 2006. They do a nice version of "Carol of the Bells." If you're into that kind of music, the rest sounds good too...plus the singers and violin player are way hot.

 

[Mr Bill]

...plus the singers and violin player are way hot.

--Mr. Bill

 

[Captain Bacardi]

...plus the singers and violin player are way hot.

I'm soooo there!



Capt. Bacardi

 

[AM Matt]

Sixpence None The Richer "The Dawn Of Grace" (2008) isn't too bad either. The CD runs 34 minutes though. The remake of Joni Mitchell's "River" is good. Matt Clark Sanford, MI

 

[Rudy]

Los Straitjackets' Yuletide Beat is a lot of fun! Someone just sent me a copy of it. If you like instrumental surf rock a la the Ventures, etc., it's very well done. For example, "(I) Deck The Halls" uses an instrumental arrangement like "I Fought The Law". "We Three Kings" borrows heavily from Dick Dale's "Misirlou". It's a short listen, and I'm looking forward to getting their earlier holiday recording now.

 

[Mr Bill]

Los Straitjackets' Yuletide Beat

A friend just sent me downloads of their stuff. Comparisons to the Ventures are spot on! And it's a FUN ROCKIN' Christmas CD!

--Mr Bill

 

[pdxet2]

Los Straitjackets' Yuletide Beat is a lot of fun! Someone just sent me a copy of it. If you like instrumental surf rock a la the Ventures, etc., it's very well done. For example, "(I) Deck The Halls" uses an instrumental arrangement like "I Fought The Law". "We Three Kings" borrows heavily from Dick Dale's "Misirlou". It's a short listen, and I'm looking forward to getting their earlier holiday recording now.

I found Los Straitjackets' version of "Here Comes Santa Claus" last year on emusic.com. Loved it so much I included it on last year's holiday compilation CD. If you like riding the Christmas pipeline, you'll love Los Straitjackets' Christmas CDs.

 

[Rudy]

Tubular! A buddy is actually sending me the other (earlier?) Xmas CD, so I'll give it a listen in the next few days.

One I used to like was Lorrie Morgan's "Christmas in London". She's a pop/country singer, but fortunately lost most of the "twang" when she sang on that one. It got misplaced in one of my moves in the past two years, but I know I still have it.

 

[Harry]

In a random playing of Christmas tunes, my computer just played the new, updated version of "The Christmas Song" by Sergio Mendes. This is the one they did for that Target Store disc called Holiday Jazz a few years ago.

Gracinha really did a nice job on that one.

Harry

 

[Robert P]

My favorite Christmas CD is Jazz to the World, a Blue Note compilation.
The opening track is a Herb Alpert / Jeff Lorber version of Winter Wonderland!
Nice tunes also from Steps Ahead, Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin , Lou Rawls with Dianne Reeves, Dr. John...

Robert

 

[AM Matt]

I listened to Sheryl Crow "Home For Christmas" from last year at Hallmark stores. It seems that the bonus track at: www.sherylcrow.com/hallmark is not available anymore. During the 51 second mark of the song "White Christmas" when I listen to it on headphones, there is a scratch where Sheryl is singing "And children listen.." The CD runs 37:55. Matt Clark Sanford, MI

 

[TonyCurrie]

Julie Andrews & Andre Previn "A Christmas Treasure" (RCA, 1963)
Mason Williams "A Gift of Song" (Real Music, 1992)
Johnny Pearson, his Choir and Orchestra "Come to Bethlehem" (Avant Garde, 1971)
Mantovani "An Album of Christmas Music" (Decca, 1953)

 

[Mike Blakesley]

One of my new favorite Christmas tunes this year is "God Bless Us Everyone" from the movie "A Christmas Carol." (The new Disney version with Jim Carrey) The song is sung at the end of the movie by Andrea Bocelli and is also featured on his album MY CHRISTMAS, which is doing really well in the stores right now.

 

[Rudy]

Many years ago, we had an LP by pianist Roger Williams that featured all solo piano interpretations of holiday classics. I think he played through both sides of the LP without a break. I may have to dig through the old boxes to see if I can find it...I haven't ever see it available online anywhere. IIRC, the front cover had a candy cane motif...

 

[A&M Retro]

Love both "Christmas Portrait" and "An Old Fashioned Christmas" from Carpenters, as well as Bing Crosby's "Merry Christmas". They would be followed by Vince Guaraldi and then the "Very Special Christmas" volumes #1 and #2.
I made my own mix of the two Carpenters Christmas albums, and conveniently left all the Karen tunes in, and deleted about 20 minutes of instrumentals.
I'd have to say the two songs that always stop me in my tracks are "Do You Hear What I Hear" and "He Came Here for Me". Hard to pick just two, as I love ALL the Karen lead vocal performances.
Finally, Richard's "Carol of the Bells" is just as much of a classic too!

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I've thought about making a mix as you describe, but to me those instrumentals really add to the Carpenters albums. The variety aspect of the sounds on their albums is something they pretty much abandoned after the NOW AND THEN album and I was glad to see it come back with CHRISTMAS PORTRAIT. As much as I love Karen's voice, I think hearing her on every track of the Christmas albums would weaken the overall experience. (That's just my own two cents; I know many Carpenters fans would differ strongly on that point.)