On the Playlist 24DEC2018…

As I will be travelling and may not get to post I am going to post this one a bit early. My final installment of Christmas music.

Growing up in Edmonton in the 80s there was a cultural phenomenon that later gained worldwide prominence that was recorded in Edmonton - Bob and Doug McKenzie and Second City TV. Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas went on to fame as comedic actors but their original Great White North segment on SCTV was filler to meet Canadian content rules and was filmed with just the two of them and one camera improvising. They became the most watched segment on SCTV and later released an album called "Great White North" which went to number one in Canada and included a song that I have already included in the run up to this holiday list - "Twelve Days of Christmas". Bob and Doug's version is hilarious and my final Christmas song on the playlist. I was in high school when this came out and everyone knew this album. 

Incidentally this album also features another classic song that includes Geddy Lee from Rush (another Canadian music Icon). Moranis and Lee went to school together. The song "Take Off" is the highest single in the US that Lee ever had including any Rush song. 

Bob and Doug McKenzie - Great White North

On the Playlist 21DEC2018…

Second to last post before Christmas and another holiday album on the playlist - Diana Krall and her album "Christmas Songs". This is Diana Krall's first album with a Jazz Big Band and also her first holiday album. I have been a fan of DIana Krall as she is Canadian (definitely checked and confirmed this) although I went off of her as her music got a bit boring and a bit too jazz standardy. Well this album is an album of holiday standards done with a big band. It is good straight ahead big band with no surprises. If you enjoy the Bing Crosby Christmas album this will suit you very well. It is upbeat snappy and swings. Some interesting trivia about Dian Krall is that she is married to Elvis Costello. 

I got this album at a holiday gift exchange the year it came out. It was a white elephant gift exchange with the QA department at Quintiles. My turn was early in the exchange. I forget what I originally drew as a gift but this album came up later. I knew I wanted it but had resigned myself to not getting it. Then on the last round someone took my gift which meant I was able to take the CD from whomever had got it. 

Diana Krall - Christmas Songs

On the Playlist 20DEC2018…

While technically not the 20th yet I am going to take advantage of being on the West coast and trust most readers won't see this till the 20th. Another must listen Christmas album going back to a huge name in rock and pop music - Phil Spector and the compilation album "A Christmas Gift For You from Phil Spector". Originally released in 1963 it was not an instant success but now is 142 on the top 500 albums of all time list by Rolling Stone. The album gives the wall of sound treatment that Phil Spector was famous for to a bunch of Christmas favorites as sung by artists he was working with at the time. A classic holiday album!

A Christmas Gift To You From Phil Spector

On the Playlist 19DEC2018…

Another great instrumental Christmas album today to follow-up with the one from yesterday with The Ventures and "The Ventures Christmas Album". Appropriately and simply named the music is guitar rich in the style of the Ventures. The best track on the album in my opinion is Frosty the Snowman set to the tune of Tequila. Yes, sounds strange but it works - trust me! This album is fun and playful with interesting takes on a log of the holiday classics.

The Ventures - The Ventures Christmas Album

On the Playlist 18DEC2021…

Today I pulled out one that I discovered last year from the radio - Joey De Francesco and his album "Home For the Holidays" and my favorite track from this album - Twelve Days of Christmas. This track which features flute, drums and organ is an amazing jazzed up funky version of this classic song that is the best version I have ever heard. If you haven't ever heard Joey De Francesco before, you will recognize his music instantly with his very specific organ playing style. Originally from Philadelphia he is the most amazing organ player out there.

Joey DeFranceso - Home For the Holidays

On the Playlist 17DEC2018…

Continuing on with the Christmas theme I was listening to Nick Lowes "Quality Street - A Seasonal Selection For All the Family". I loved the name of this album as it is a throwback to my childhood and Quality Street chocolates which were a brand of chocolates that we would get around Christmas time when I was growing up. What I really enjoyed about this album is that is was very Christmassy but didn't have any Christmas standards except Silent Night which was a really different version that didn't sound like the usually sappy version. So while this is most definitely a Christmas album it sounded new and different. Although I know of Nick Lowe this is the first music I have from him and really enjoyed so I think I will need to look into more of his music. I really like this one and recommend it. 

Nick Lowe - Quality Street

On the Playlist 14DEC2018…

Okay, I am cheating a bit here as I was out of the office and travelling on the 14th but I have an album I want to make sure gets on here for my Christmas lists and I have listened to it recently in the run up to the holiday season. The album by Ray Charles "The Spirit of Christmas" is another one in my holiday rotation. This is more of a classic Christmas album featuring Ray Charles' amazing voice.

Ray Charles - The Spirit of Christmas

On the Playlist 13DEC2018…

Technically listening to this on the 12th but already posted for today and will be travelling tomorrow which is the 13th so posting it now for tomorrow. Discovered something very interesting today and keeping with the theme that I hope to keep going till Christmas this is an improvised jazz album based on Christmas standards. The band called Ill Considered and their album "An Ill Considered Christmas" was recorded in a day with all the musicians live in a small studio in London. This album was just released a couple days ago. Something a bit different to get you into the Christmas spirit (or not).

Ill Considered - An Ill Considered Christmas

On the Playlist 12DEC2018…

As you might guess I am going to roll with the Christmas theme for as long as I can. On the playlist today is an album from Elvis Presley but unfortunately not "Elvis' Christmas Album" but rather "Christmas Peace". The former album was alluded to yesterday as it is the highest selling Christmas album in history. Today's album is a compilation of reissues put together long after Elvis passed away. It is a good collection of a lot of Christmas standards in a 2 CD set. Perfect to put on and get into the Christmas spirit with Elvis and what could be wrong with that. The first CD includes pretty much the whole holiday repertoire in chronological order while the second CD is more gospel and inspirational music that is not the traditional Elvis rock music.

Elvis Presley - Christmas Peace

On the Playlist 11DEC2018…

Since I started the run of Christmas music yesterday I am going to continue that theme for the next couple days at least. My daughter last night asked to hear some Christmas music and where else would I start than with the most classic Christmas music of all time. I remember listening to this album when I was a child. My parents had this album from as long as I can remember and played it extensively during the holiday season. When I was filling out my own music collection it was a required album to add to the collection. I am talking about the album by Bing Crosby "Merry Christmas". I am not sure if this is the first Christmas album or not but it was originally released in 1945 and since then the single "White Christmas" is the best selling single of all time at more than 50 million copies. Interestingly, the album is the second best selling Christmas album at about 15 million copies. My favorite track is the last one, "Meli Kalikimaka", but I can pretty much recite all the songs in order in my sleep. This is a classic!! How many of you have this album or remember listening to it during the holiday season?

Bing Crosby - Merry Christmas

On the Playlist 10DEC2018…

Not sure when is too soon to start playing Christmas music but I started today with a new CD I just got in. It took him 22 studio albums before he made his first Xmas album, I am talking about the new album from Eric Clapton call "Happy Xmas". Have to say I did enjoy it as all the songs are really done in Eric Clapton's relaxed blues style and don't sound like the traditional sappy Christmas songs. The album includes one original song and the rest are covers of Christmas standards. If you like Eric Clapton and feel you need to listen to Christmas music this is a good album. Personally, I really like the simplicity of the cover as well. 

Eric Clapton - Happy Xmas