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+--- Thread: What is your favorite christmas album? (/showthread.php?tid=174355)
Re: What is your favorite christmas album? - particleman - 12-15-2014
Yule Struttin : A Blue Note Christmas
Stanley Jordan does a great version of Silent Night
http://www.amazon.com/Yule-Struttin-Blue-Note-Christmas/dp/B000005HG7/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1418664269&sr=8-4&keywords=bluenote+christmas
Hipsters' Holiday: Vocal Jazz and R&B Classics
A good one to put on and break out the cocktail shaker
http://www.amazon.com/Hipsters-Holiday-Vocal-Jazz-Classics/dp/B0000032QP/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418664677&sr=8-1&keywords=Hipster%27s+Holiday
Re: What is your favorite christmas album? - Mike Johnson - 12-15-2014
“You’re All I Want For Christmas” by The Persuasions.
Re: What is your favorite christmas album? - $tevie - 12-15-2014
I love the old Firestone and Goodyear albums from the 60s and 70s. Corny but so full of memories for me. Unfortunately they aren't available as anything but second-hand vinyl.
Re: What is your favorite christmas album? - h linamen - 12-15-2014
Definitely:
Christmas Wonderland - Bert Kaempfert
Re: What is your favorite christmas album? - MGS_forgot_password - 12-15-2014
I love the Charlie Brown Christmas album, especially the kids singing Hark the Herald Angel Sing
Re: What is your favorite christmas album? - SteveO - 12-15-2014
GRP Christmas (jazz album series) - http://www.amazon.com/GRP-Christmas-Collection-Various-Artists/dp/B000006L5L/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418661079&sr=8-1&keywords=grp+christmas
--sounding a little dated now as a reviewer mentioned, but still good stuff
A Merry Jazzmas - various artists
Harry Connick Jr. - When my heart finds christmastime
George Winston - December
Winter's Solstice V and VI (there are many others obviously, also likely good) - (Wyndam Hill artists)
Elvis' Christmas album
Santa Stole My Lady - Fitz & The Tantrums
Seriously West Coast Vol 2 - (various Canucks)
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - Everything you want for christmas
Sarah Mclachlan - Wintersong
The Killers - various xmas songs
Paste Holiday Sampler - various artists
Re: What is your favorite christmas album? - BernDog - 12-15-2014
In addition to all the others, the Brian Setzer Orchestra one, and Barenaked Ladies-Barenaked for Christmas
Edit: also the old Avon collection from the 80s.
Re: What is your favorite christmas album? - Spiff - 12-15-2014
John Denver and the Muppets - A Christmas Together
Christmas in the Stars - A Star Wars Christmas
Victoria's Secret Christmas - London Symphony Orchestra
Re: What is your favorite christmas album? - deckeda - 12-15-2014
The Guaraldi LP for sure.
I have some others that bring great childhood memories that are also good in their own way.
These both from 1962:
Ray Conniff, We Wish You a Merry Christmas
So very schmaltzy. It's of course "music for squares," in a "Mad Men" suburbia style but a lot of fun.)
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Philly Orch w/ Eugene Ormandy, The Glorious Sounds of Christmas
A standard choral, orchestral set done really well, straight up, "no foolishness." Too good to be boring.
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Now we go back to 1959 with Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians for The Sounds of Christmas (seems there was little imagination for album titles back then).
Again, a "formal, adult" recording but there's huge variety here, everything from stuffy orchestral/choral like the Ormandy, to gospel to almost-Conniff like campy to swanky jazz. "Santa Claus Is coming to Town" here is the sexiest version of it you'll hear.
A little more than a year I ago I emailed the Coordinator at Penn State's Library, where Fred Waring had left many artifacts and recordings. The Sounds of Christmas was OOP but he graciously gave me an MP3 download for free, unfortunately crappy-sounding. I shared with him my better-sounding LP rip ... (got no response about that)
It was later part of a 2-LP and then 2-CD set called "Christmas Magic" also OOP. Apparently, 3 weeks ago Capitol/Universal re-released it. (iTunes link)
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So now back to the '60s with Ferrante and Teicher, We Wish You a Merry Christmas
History wasn't kind to this kind of light "fluff" artistry but for Xmas it works just fine.
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If you like vocal jazz I shouldn't have to tell you about this, you need to own it already:
If you play vinyl seek out both the original mono and stereo versions, black label Verve.
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With a few others that group above formed the core of what I heard growing up for most Decembers.
Now for something completely different: From '91, Brave Combo, It's Christmas, Man!
Polka, waltzes, samba, rock, etc
There's a live recording that's similar, called Christmas Present.
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If you find this, it should be green vinyl. Earlier versions weren't but sound the same: like an old TV speaker ...
There are others in standard rotation here but that should get anyone going.
Re: What is your favorite christmas album? - decay - 12-15-2014
Tijuana Christmas by The Border Brass
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZjQDK7Ysr8