Christmas Music That Doesn’t Suck
December 22nd, 2009 Posted in General, Travel music
There’s a lot to dislike about Christmas music. Let me count the ways: 1) Stores that hasten the continued rise of Internet shopping by bombarding us with Christmas music long before Thanksgiving. 2) Sappy elevator music versions. 3) Josh Groban. 4) Kenny G.
I didn’t think that by this point in the month a Christmas song not produced by South Park could still make me smile. But then I popped in A Family Christmas by Putumayo while baking cookies with my daughter and all of a sudden everything was right in the world.
I’ve ragged on a few recent sub-par Putumayo collections lately on Perceptive Travel’s world music reviews, but this one is downright magical. It starts out great, with Johnny Bregar singing Santa Claus is coming to town, then keeps delivering one great song after another. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy does an awesome version of “Is Zat You Santa Claus?” Leon Redbone does “Let it Snow,” then in come Deana Carter, Sam Bush, and Brave Combo. Then something really pushes the envelope and comes out perfect: a ukelele and tuba duo of the Hawaiian holiday song “Mele Kalikimaka.” (Yes, the one on the classic Bing Crosby album.)
And just to prove Putumayo’s A Family Christmas wasn’t a fluke, pull out last year’s release A Jazz & Blues Christmas. If the former is for gathering kids around the tree (but keeping them away from sap), the latter is for the late-night revelry with the adults.
The album veers more to blues than jazz, apart from few like a great torch song gem from Emilie Claire-Barlow. If you’re a fan of the blues you’ll dig it and if you’ve been known to vaguely like the blues with a few beers under your belt you’ll probably enjoy it too. Ray Charles, B.B. King, Ramsey Lewis, the Dukes of Dixieland, and less famous players that turn in great performances. Combine Santa with a loud smoky bar and you’ve got the general feeling.
Sample A Family Christmas or get it at Amazon.
Sample A Jazz & Blues Christmas or get it at Amazon.
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3 Responses to “Christmas Music That Doesn’t Suck”
By gary on Dec 22, 2009
There’s a whole catalog of Christmas CD’s on the Rhino label, from James Brown to compilations like Hipster’s Holiday, Punk Rock Xmas, Blue Xmas and Cool Yule that are guaranteed to satisfy.
And for those that prefer the blue, Redd Foxx like material, there’s Rudy Ray Moore’s ‘This Ain’t no White Christmas.’
All on Amazon.
I’m still lookin’ for the barking dogs doing ‘ Jingle Bells.’
Merry Christmas!
g.
By Kerry Dexter on Dec 22, 2009
Tim,
you might like the sort of music I write about over at Music Road. as to Christmas music Matt and Shannon Heaton, Tish Hinojosa, Jerry Douglas, Eileen Ivers, Gretchen Peters, Albert & Gage all have holiday albums you might enjoy that I’ve written about there.
By tim on Dec 22, 2009
Thanks to both of you for more suggestions of Christmas music that doesn’t suck. I agree Rhino puts out some great stuff and the Music Road ones sound good too—Jerry Douglas is a musician’s god here where I live in Nashville.