![]() |
Kansas City White Christmas 2022, 7:00AM |
![]() |
One of our many Christmas trees |
A Christmas Music blog, plus the occasional musings about books, movies, and other mental ephemera
![]() |
Kansas City White Christmas 2022, 7:00AM |
![]() |
One of our many Christmas trees |
Today I have a double-share for you to wind up sharing season here at Merry & Bright. I'll be back with at least a couple more posts to wrap up 2022, but this is the grand finale for shares.
First up, "A Virgil Fox Christmas" 14 Carols for Organ and Chimes. But, best of all (as the cover art reveals) there are Sing Along Lyrics, and instructions for the at-home carolers anticipating a joyous, rousing evening of caroling by the stereo! Here in the 21st century, with the downloaded music and the ability to bring up the back cover image on your preferred mobile device, no longer must you be shackled to the room with the phonograph. You can have Virgil Fox's organ and chimes accompany you throughout your neighborhood, caroling from door to door!
The back of the album has Instructions for Carolers (watch out for the modulations between verses!), and also a directive on which carols You Don't Sing. Don't be caught singing these four (but, who can resist singing Silent Night?), lest the spirit of Virgil Fox (1912-1980) come a-calling. Sing those four at your own peril.
Fortunately, the approved sing-along carols are the beloved, familiar songs we all know and love, so most of you won't need the words.
Please enjoy singing along to "A Virgil Fox Christmas"
The second share is "1000 Strings at Christmas" by Al Goodman and his Orchestra. "1000 Strings..." has eleven popular carols, a magnificent retro (well, it wasn't retro back in the day) cover, and a place on the back cover to write your name, if you were giving this album as a Christmas present. Too bad folks! I know what Mrs. Der Bingle is getting for Christmas now! :-)
The music on this record is quite well done and very enjoyable. Most Christmas music collectors span many genres of the music, but many (born no later than the first half of the '70s) drift back toward the classic sounds of their youth, at least at some point each season. These were the sounds of Christmas we grew up with, and Al Goodman's "1000 Strings at Christmas" is a perfect fix for our nostalgia cravings.
Enjoy Al Goodman's "1000 Strings at Christmas"
Today's share answers the pressing questions "Is 'Get-together' one word, two words, or hyphenated, and is 'together' capitalized? Now we know...
"Holiday Get-together', a 1974 album by the Living Voices, is another fine entry in the "Living _______" series. The music is delightful, splendidly produced, and performed with gusto. Much like the Living Trio from earlier this season, it is what an experienced Christmas music collector would expect.
There are 10 tracks on the record, 8 of them medleys. The medleys are labeled 'Medley 1', 'Medley 2', etc in the download files. The two solo songs are "Do You Hear What I Hear" and "Out of the East", a less familiar carol.
Not much else to say, except I think you'll enjoy "Holiday Get-together" by the Living Voices.
Jessy J, California sax player extraordinaire, released one of the top new Christmas albums this season, California Christmas 2. The contemporary and Latin jazz musician has emerged as one of the top musicians in SoCal. Jessy released "Blue" earlier this in 2022, an 8-song album of original compositions, prior to California Christmas 2, with it's 9 traditional songs, reimagined as soulful Cali-jazz tunes. Jessy is also a member of Ray Chew's house band for Dancing with the Stars.
This isn't Jessy's first venture into the world of Christmas music. She released California Christmas in 2016, and was a featured performer on Merry & Bright favorite Rehya Stevens' song Fly Past My Roof on Rehya's album Celebrate.
Jessy has been very busy this season, performing gigs across the county and playing selections from California Christmas 2. Between shows, Jessy found time for a 20 Questions feature for Merry & Bright, a fun little exercise in rapid-fire Q&A, so you can learn a little bit more about Jessy!
Visit Jessy J's website
"Merry Christmas from Blood City, USA" is the latest album from Kansas City musician Jason Beers. Much like the "NOW That's What I Call Music!" series-in-perpetuity, it's another year, another Christmas, and another Christmas album from Jason Beers.
From the mind what gave us "Garth Dohlie's Christmas Party", "Music for Seasonal Affective Disorder", "Having a Marfy Christmas" (Mrs. Helen Marf, tympani virtuoso) and "Still Having a Marfy Christmas" (Mrs. Helen Marf again) comes the 4th soundtrack for the Blood City, USA movie series.
Yes Virginia, there is such as thing as Christmas Music Noir, or perhaps Christmas-electronica-noir, because here it is, in all its glory. And smack me upside the head with a dadgum mistletoe, this music works! I've heard Jason say about a million times "the bongos really tie this whole thing together." Well, this time it's not bongos (bongoes? bong-gos?) it's sleigh bells. "Sheila Undercover" is as noir as you can get, and there are sleighbells for rhythm throughout the whole song. And it's perfect! It's Mike Hammer skulking down a dark alley wearing a Santa Hat.
"Merry Christmas From Blood City" opens the album with a familiar Christmas melody, accentuated and enhanced with electronic moods. Party on!
"Slay Ride" - I swear the Spirit of Mort Garson Past invaded the soul of Jason Beers for this one, composed and performed a masterpiece of electronic music, and added sleigh bells. So many sleigh bells. But they really tie the whole thing together.
"Billy Stagger and the Sex Elf" - well, this is a family blog...
"Snowball Fight" - the intensity builds. With sleigh bells. It's like Quarry lining up his hit while wearing an elf costume.
"Ho Ho Ho" - there's a lotta ways to interpret that title in the context of "Blood City USA". Remember that time in another song when Santa Lost a Ho, and all he said was 'Ho Ho'. I digress. "Ho Ho Ho" is groove-funk, with a sleigh bell/drum break. Remember the Zeppelin Christmas tour of '71 when Bonham did "Moby Dick" entirely with sleigh bells and a slide whistle? Oops - digressed again. "Ho Ho Ho" is danged cool.
The album wraps up with "Blood City Christmas Party". Listening to this, you can just imagine Nero Wolfe sittin' on his XXXL keister knockin' down a gallon of eggnog.
To all my Christmas mixtape buddies out there, who are always looking for something different: You want different for your 2023 mix? Add "Slay Ride" - I dare you. It has sleigh bells, therefore, it IS a Christmas song.