My song of the year for the 2024 season is "White Christmas", performed by Anais Reno.
Anais Reno is one of the up and coming stars of vocal jazz. Her mature tone belies her 21 years on this earth, and, in my opinion, she deserves to be mentioned in the same sentence as the incredible Samara Joy.
Anais recorded "White Christmas" with Adam Birnbaum. Martin Wind, and Keith Balla. Not only did they create a killer version of the classic Christmas carol that highlights Anais' sublime singing, they wove a tribute to the late Ahmad Jamal into the song, layering Irving Berlin's lryics onto Jamal's treasure "Poinciana". The creativity, the respect for Berlin's composition, and the reverence to Mr. Jamal make this my choice for song of the year.
My choice for Christmas Album of the Year is "Christmastime in Rio" by Romero Lubambo and Pamela Driggs.
"Christmastime in Rio" is my hands-down favorite new Christmas album of the 2024 season. Filled with joyous, happy renditions of old favorite Christmas songs and two original compositions, this album is a happy place for me, a smile with every song.
Romero Lubambo and Pamela Driggs are husband and wife, each with long histories as jazz musicians, especially in the Brazilian jazz genre. They made this into a true family venture, with their daughter Luisa joining in on background vocals and taking the lead vocal part on "Silent Night". Add in masterful piano accompaniment by Peter Martin and an outstanding band, and you've got a beautiful Christmas album.
I got to see Mr. Lubambo perform in Columbia, MO in October, with Peter Martin and Anat Cohen. I had pre-ordered "Christmastime in Rio" for a November 8 release day arrival. After the show I got to meet and chat with Mr. Lubambo and Mr. Martin (as well as Ms Cohen [my favorite musician]). I mentioned this album, and he seemed shocked and very pleasantly surprised that someone knew about it, weeks in advance of its release. Peter Martin called the piano solos beautiful, with a wink wink 😉 It was a pleasure to see them perform and have a quick meet 'n' greet afterward.
Runners-Up
Two other albums stand out to me as a measure of excellence in Christmas music this year. During the season when I listen to maybe 25% of my collection (on CD - nevermind the digital and vinyl), any album that gets multiple plays is pretty darned good. Both of these were excellent new albums this season.
"Tree Jazz The Shape of Christmas to Come" by Matt Wilson's Christmas Tree-O
My best wishes for all of you to have a safe and happy holiday with family, with friends, or celebrating the festive season in your own special way.
Later today all of our children, their spouses, a fiance, a very significant other, and our beautiful granddaughter will come together at our home to celebrate the season, a truly happy time for all of us.
Want to know a wonderful Christmas present? Our five children, all adults, routinely get together for 'sibs happy hour'. They all get along so well and enjoy each others' company. Nothing better than seeing your children having fun together 😀
Here on December 23rd, I'm wrapping up sharing season with a pair of fine vintage albums, guaranteed to boost your Christmas spirit. As I was enjoying the early morning today with my canine buddies, coffee, and Christmas books, I listened to these albums. They were perfect for the moment.
That Happy Christmas Feeling - The Organ Orchestra
"That Happy Christmas Feeling" by the Organ Orchestra on the RCA Camden label, is as aptly titled as any Christmas album in my collection. The ten songs are all Christmas standards, smartly arranged, and indeed very 'happy' in the performance. This is an absolutely festive album, full of the sounds of mid-century America that we in the collector community find so nostalgic and heart-warming. This is absolutely a wonderful record!
I hope that you can find time in these last couple of days before Christmas day to download and enjoy "That Happy Christmas Feeling".
And the final share of this season is "Ring! Christmas Bells" by Arthur Lynds Bigelow, Bell Master Laureate, Carillon School of Mechlin Belgium and Bell Master of Princeton University. As with the Organ Orchestra album, "Ring! Christmas Bells" brings the sounds of Christmas 1960's back into your home. Twelve songs, including a few that are likely new to you, of organ and bells will fill your parlor (does anyone have parlors these days?) with fine performances of spiritual Christmas songs.
Mr. Bigelow performs on hand bells, carillon bells, and sleigh bells, all accompanied by organist Marjorie MacComb. Extensive program and performance notes on the album back cover provide you with a vivid picture of the sessions and song selections.
As you can see, the album has been well-loved over the years. The cover is held together with masking tape, but the album sound was quite good, although it may have a few more residual pops and clicks than usual.
This evening's album is "Weihnachten in Deutschland - Christmas in Germany". Christmas music from around the world seems to be very popular amongst the Christmas Music Collector community, and I share that affection. I love hearing the traditional songs from all over the globe. So "Christmas in Germany" is one of my favorites this year.
This is a German-produced record from the Electrola label. I believe the actual album title is "Von himmel hoch, da komm ich herr", which translates to "From heaven high, here I come, Lord".
The album contains 14 songs, performed by the Wolfsburger Chorgemeinschaft. Some will be familiar, some perhaps not. All are very enjoyable, and the album will make a fine addition to your Christmas music collection.
Please enjoy "Weihnachten in Deutschland - Christmas in Germany"
I have another interesting share for you today, as we're nearing final approach before Christmas Day. "The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas" is a 1983 record on the Starland Music label. It's a musical story album featuring nine songs interwoven into the story of the Ted E. Bear, who decides to stay up one year, even though it's bears' hibernation time, to see what this Christmas thing is all about.
What caught my eye in the record store was that Tommy Smothers is the voice of Ted E. Bear, and he does a wonderful job voicing the character. Vocal acting legend June Foray is also past of the cast, as are Louie Nye and Sue Raney.
This is an enjoyable little record. Those of us of a certain age will enjoy Tommy Smothers, and the rest can cozy up for a pleasant little Christmas tale.
Please enjoy "The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas"
Here we go with another new music roundup! These are some of the new music submissions to Merry & Bright for the 2024 season. Please check them out, and if you like what you hear, follow the artist's links to learn more and support the musicians. Thanks!
The good folks at Grey Duck Music have released an eleven song album titled "Echoes of the Season" This collection features a range of holiday-themed instrumental tracks that have all been featured in TV Holiday Films, all arranged by various artists. Music ranges from solos to small ensembles - all used as background source music for various movies in the past couple of years.
"Three Miles from Christmas Eve” is a hopeful and uplifting holiday original co-written and co-produced with Stephan Oberhoff (Quincy Jones, Jason Gould, Melissa Manchester).
Singer/Writer Jake McRawlings has been performing and recording for many years, living in many parts of the U.S., including Virginia, Tennessee and New York. He brings his special blend of voice and vantage point to make a unique blend of musical experience.
Charissa is a singer/songwriter from Burlington, Ontario, Canada, and is excited to share her first original Christmas song - "Wrapped in Paper". “Wrapped In Paper” celebrates the simple joys that make the holidays unique—those moments wrapped in love, family, and shared memories.
Dance R&B Pop Siren Max Rae suddenly has gone from undiscovered singer-songwriter to bursting on the scene in an explosive way. Now in honor of the holiday season, she is releasing her Christmas Now EP, featuring “ First Cry (A Christmas Song)” and cover of “Holly Jolly Christmas.” Rae states, “This cover really shows the quirky side of myself that I love to tap into and that my fans have really engaged with. With this song being so “Holly Jolly” I thought this picture would create the perfect marriage and cover to the song. “
"Countdown to Christmas" invites listeners to revel in the joyful anticipation of the holidays. With a catchy melody and an energetic beat, Brett takes us on a merry journey that's a delightful reminder of the magic of the season, making it the perfect addition to any holiday playlist.
"Christmas is my favorite holiday and that anticipation during the entire month of December is pure magic no matter how old you are," Brett shared. "'Countdown to Christmas is all about celebrating those moments that bring us joy - the first snowfall, the anticipation of Santa coming, or decorating the Christmas tree."
The track showcases Brett's signature style, combining pop sensibilities with heartfelt lyrics that evoke cherished memories while embracing a modern flair. Produced by Michael Cummings, formerly of 80's hairband, McQueen Street, this single promises to be a festive anthem that everyone can sing along to.
I'm very excited to share tonight's album with you. It is the Original Cast Recording of the NBC Broadcast of Gian-Carlo Menotti's "Amahl and the Night Visitors". Premiering on the NBC Television Theatre on Christmas Eve, 1951, "Amahl and the Night Visitors" was the first opera commissioned specifically for television broadcast.
The story is of Amahl, a young crippled shepherd boy who lives with his mother. They are visited one night by the Magi, on their journey to Bethlehem. The Magi are in need of food, drink, and rest when they encounter Amahl and his mother. The story of their visit is a wonderful, uplifting tale. The opera is performed by extraordinary singers, accompanied by an excellent chorus and orchestra.
Here in Kansas City, the Lyric Opera presented "Amahl..." for several years, with an interesting twist. The character performances were done by the Paul Mesner Puppets, his talented puppeteers bringing the story to life (I know one of the puppeteers, who had the role of "mothers right arm"). Members of the Lyric Opera were to the left of the elevated stage performing the singing, and an ensemble from the Kansas City Symphony was to the right for the musical score. The production was in a small venue, seating only about 200 persons at most, so we were very close to the performers and set. I attended this amazing production twice, always feeling like it was one of the best events of the Christmas season.
In addition to a digital transfer from the vinyl album, I have scanned and added as a PDF the program notes brochure that was included with the album, featuring the entire libretto as well as information about the opera and the original production.
I believe that this recording is available on CD, so I'll ask that if you listen to this and fall in love with it, please go ahead and make a purchase of the CD or other digital media. My audio files are simply Side 1 and Side 2 - I didn't feel right trying to break it up into smaller tracks.
The Wildwoods, a folk/Americana trio from Lincoln, Nebraska, have released a new EP of Christmas songs for the 2024 holiday season. Christmas Through the Years features the Wildwoods' original song "Somewhere in the Snow", a wonderful cover of Fleet Foxes "White Winter Hymnal", and three traditional Christmas songs, "White Christmas", "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", and "Christmas Time is Here".
Astute readers of Merry & Bright may recall that we featured the Wildwoods' Christmas song debut in 2023, for their release of "Somewhere in the Snow". We are thrilled that they have come back in 2024 with the EP.
"White Christmas" is an adaptation for folk trio of The Drifter's version, and it's exquisite. "White Winter Hymnal" gloriously shows their talents as performers and arrangers, putting a Wildwoods touch on the Fleet Foxes song, with vocals that are beautiful and tightly complementary with their instruments. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is soft, sublime, and touches the heart.
Christmas Through the Years is available to stream on all the usual streaming services.
Tonight's share is an interesting one, and one that I was thrilled to acquire from a local record store in the process of closing up shop (the owner was retiring, and all stock [except for a few that he was holding back to sell on Discogs] was 70% off on the day I found this).
The Alcoa Singers, a choral group of employees of Alcoa, was first formed in 1961, according to internet resources. This album, "An old-fashioned Christmas", features 11 Christmas favorites performed by the chorus. However, the headlining songs are eight numbers from "The Stingiest Man in Town".
Alcoa has a long history with "The Stingiest Man in Town". In 1956, Alcoa was the presenting sponsor of a television presentation of "The Stingiest Man in Town", starring Basil Rathbone as Scrooge, and also featuring Vic Damone and the Four Lads. This was the first musical adaption of "A Christmas Carol", and also a very early color television broadcast (probably before there were many television sets that were capable of color reception).
Alcoa kept ties with "The Stingiest Man in Town" over the years, and songs from the production became staples of the Alcoa Singers' repertoire. In 1979, this album was released, featuring the Singers' performances of highlights from the musical, and the collection of other holiday favorites.
I had no idea that "The Stingiest Man in Town" had a life before Rankin-Bass. We never stop learning about our Christmas musical history!
Please enjoy The Alcoa Singers "An old-fashioned Christmas"
Wow! I am falling behind in the ol' bloggersphere this year. I'll make it up over the next week, for sure. To catch up just a bit, I'm going to give you two secret shares tonight. These are albums I prepped for sharing, and then found them on Spotify. I think that both of them are not highly played and probably lack the recognition that they deserve. So, I'm going to go ahead and share them without fanfare (or identification). Do me a favor - once you download and listen, if you love them, go to Spotify and give them a play or two, add them to a playlist, do whatever you can do to support the artists.
Good Sunday evening (or whenever you may be reading this) to everyone. Here is the first (of a meager few...) share of the 2024 season, "Christmas Time with the Harlem Children's Chorus".
I found this record earlier this year at Willa's Books and Vinyl, a black-owned business here in Kansas City, focusing on books by black authors, books about black persons, and records by black musicians. Miss Willa, the store owner, is a local treasure, and has an immense knowledge about black literature and music. When I was in her store, we had a great conversation about jazzman Sonny Stitt and the great author/poet Langston Hughes (in fact, I came away with an excellent edition of Hughes' "Tambourines to Glory"). Willa is looking to retire in the upcoming year, and the fate of her store is as yet unknown. KC people - if you're aiming to make a visit to Willa's, do it quick.
Back to the record -- this is a really outstanding collection. Many times 'chorus' records can be a little tough to enjoy, but this is an exception. Great song selection, excellent performances and recording. There's a lot to like here.
There are some of the usual Christmas carols, but also some welcome surprises, such as "Black Christmas", "Donde Esta Santa Claus", and "Christmas is for Children".
Please enjoy "Christmas Time with the Harlem Children's Chorus".
The Honey Badgers, Erin Magnin and Michael Natrin, have been making beautiful music for over 13 years. Calling Delaware their home, they take their duet harmonies and guitar/fiddle driven Americana-folk music all along the Eastern seaboard, with regular forays westward, performing at folk music gatherings, house concerts, and in intimate venues across the USA. A few years back the Honey Badgers recorded a few Christmas tunes which captured the attention of the Christmas music collector community, as well as the folk music audience.
Erin and Michael returned to making holiday music in 2020 and 2021, with the release of two singles, "In the Bleak Midwinter" and their original "Warm Winter". Along the way they have released a steady stream of outstanding folk albums and singles, all available from their Bandcamp site.
I've been a fan of the Honey Badgers for many years, and earlier this year I got to meet them at the fabulous Australian bakery/cafe Banksia. They were passing through Kansas City on the route between Manhattan KS and Knob Knoster MO, and made time for a quick lunch and meet 'n' greet. You will never meet nicer folks than Erin and Michael. During our lunch I pitched the idea of a blog interview, and they enthusiastically agreed. And so, here we are - my interview with the Honey Badgers!
Der Bingle meets The Honey Badgers
Links to all of their web presences follow the interview. Please take a few minutes to listen to the Honey Badgers and (as I always say) if you like what you hear, do your part to support these excellent independent musicians (i.e. buy their music!).
Merry & Bright Interview with The Honey Badgers
Merry & Bright: Hello Erin & Michael! Thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions for Merry & Bright!
The Honey Badgers: Thanks for chatting with us. It feels like we just saw you in person, but somehow that was all the way back in February! MB: Let’s start with a quick ‘getting to know you’ question. How did The Honey Badgers get started? How long have you been doing the music thing as a duo?
HB: We started performing together as a duo in July of 2011, which means we’ve been performing for 13 years now. Our first gig together, where we jokingly came up with our name, was a competition to play the local folk festival. We made the finals and have been performing with the name since then. In 2019, we both quit our corporate jobs and began performing music as a full time job. MB: Back in 2012, you released a Christmas EP, “Christmas with The Honey Badgers”, featuring “What Child Is This”, a short but reverent “Silent Night”, and a lovely performance of “O Holy Night”, plus a very amusing “Meowtro”, your closing message to your fans. It’s been a few years ago now, but what can you tell us about choosing the songs and creating this EP?
HB: Great question! We found a list of public domain music and picked a few of our favorites. Those are all songs that we grew up singing along to. We tracked that EP in my college apartment and pulled the whole project together pretty quickly. It was a lot of fun. It’s definitely a snapshot in time - I think we’d both perform those songs quite differently today.
MB: Let’s move ahead a bit: in 2021 you gave us a wonderful original single, “Warm Winter”. While not technically a Christmas song, it’s full of wintry imagery – ice, cold winds, bare branches, footprints in the snow. Can you tell us the story of “Warm Winter”?
HB: We wrote Warm Winter in February of 2014 as both a love song and an ode to winter, centered on how even a freezing winter can feel cozy and warm with the right person. Erin was experimenting for the first time with the alternate guitar tuning of DADGAD, and thought it sounded just like a quiet winter day, sparkling with snow. For a few years we only performed it every once in a while during holiday-adjacent shows. Late in the first winter of the pandemic we decided that it was about time to finally record and release it. We bundled up and filmed a music video for it as well, immediately following a snowstorm, which resulted in us both almost freezing our little fingers off.
MB: I’ve saved my personal favorite for last – your just-before-Christmas 2020 release of “In the Bleak Midwinter”. This is one of the seasonal songs that I love most, and your rendition is simply beautiful. Christmas 2020 was the (first) pandemic Christmas. Did the circumstances of that year lead to your choosing to record and release this, as, for many of us, the year and season were bleaker than most?
HB: The weight of the pandemic was definitely a huge part of what made us decide on recording this song. Earlier that year, we were guests on a podcast and the host asked us to contribute a tune for the holiday episode. Our usual cheery favorites didn’t feel quite right in 2020. We landed on this after again looking at a list of public domain holiday tunes. It was certainly topical for the year and we’re really happy with how the final version sounds.
MB: Your arrangement of the song seems so heartfelt. Christina Rossetti’s lyric “Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow on snow” is so perfect. What was your approach to arranging this canonic song into a Honey Badgers’ tune?
HB: Thanks! Making something fit our specific folky sound is sometimes challenging, but always fun. We were originally playing this with a traditional 4/4 timing, then Michael jokingly started playing the song with the 6/8 guitar part that is on the recording. He was just messing around, playing it really fast and silly, but then we realized - wait a second, that sounds kinda cool! With that guitar part the song has a bit more movement, feels more hopeful, and maybe a little less solemn. After that it felt natural to fit in the rest of the folky instruments; Erin on violin, and Michael with the “tasteful” banjo. We can never resist doing a signature Honey Badger trade-off of verses, and ending with some sweet harmonies. “Snow on snow on snow” is our favorite part too, especially with Erin’s high harmony at the very end of the song.
MB: You’re really good at this Christmas-music thing. Do you have any other Christmas songs in the works? Merry and Bright totally supports more Honey Badgers holiday music 😃
HB: You’re too kind! I think we’ve finally almost recovered from releasing a full length (non-Christmas) album this past June, so maybe it’s time to start thinking about our next project… maybe a “Christmas with The Honey Badgers: Part 2” next year? Stay tuned! Speaking of the new album, there are a few songs on it that could be fun for this time of year: “Bring With You Nothing”, our ode to community and being there for each other, and “She Awakes”, a reminder that out of the dark winter comes new life and light.
MB: Erin & Michael – thanks again for your time and your music. Have a very happy holiday season!
HB: Thanks so much for the interview! Have a great holiday ❄
Saint Nick is a new holiday release from jazz pianist Nick Bhalla. Hailing from Minneapolis, Nick describes his music (on his Bandcamp site) as "sad jazz". While his arrangements are more solemn and serene than, say, rousing New Orleans style jazz, his song selections for Saint Nick are perfect fits for his reserved piano lounge style.
"Saint Nick" album cover art
A particular favorite of mine from the album is "My Favorite Things". Nick begins this piece with the classic song from "The Sound of Music" that has made its way into the Christmas music canon*, and skillfully segues into the beautiful "Edelweiss". It's a lovely performance.
Saint Nick is eight contemporary Christmas carols, including the fine selections "The Christmas Waltz", "Christmastime is Here" and "Toyland" alongside standards "White Christmas" and "The Christmas Song". Nick's interpretations and performances are excellent, making for a very enjoyable addition to 2024's new Christmas releases.
Please enjoy Nick Bhalla performing "Christmastime is Here"
Four songs from Saint Nick are available on all streaming platforms, but the entire Saint Nick album is available exclusively on Bandcamp. If you enjoy what you hear, please consider purchasing the album and supporting an independent musician with a few of your holiday dollars. Der Bingle thanks you for supporting independent music.
* It's taken me a while to come around, but yes, I now consider "My Favorite Things" to be a Christmas song. If Tony Bennett sings it for Christmas, then it is.
I am very excited to bring you this interview with Lola G, also known as her band name Death Hags. Late in the 2023 holiday season I received a message from Lola about her Death Hags album Exit to Winter Planet, and it made an appearance in the final New Music Roundup last year. I really loved Exit to Winter Planet, with its immersive, space-y vibe, and so after the season concluded I dug into the music of Death Hags more, and I absolutely loved what I found.
Death Hags' music sits at the other end of the spectrum from Christmas pop songs and hummable ditties, like those from our friend Make Like Monkeys. The music of Death Hags is empyreal, surrounding, and is something you experience rather than merely listen to. There are times when this exactly what I want - a mood rather than a song. Mentally combine Weather Report, George Harrison's Electronic Sound", and Suzanne Ciani and you get something like what Death Hags delivers.
Death Hags has released two Christmas/Winter themed albums, Frozen Santaand Exit to Winter Planet. There is a lot to like on these, from the pure original compositions, to the cover of Roger Miller's "Old Toy Trains", to the interjection of popular carol motifs within near-supernatural musical wrappers.
Her Bandcamp bio describes Death Hags music as "genre-bending world of dreamy noir pop, dark ambient, and experimental electronic music." Lola G, originally from Los Angeles, is now "currently living in the woods near New York City, working on the epic seven-album project Big Grey Sun."
Lola enthusiastically agreed to an interview with Merry & Bright! about her music, and so we dug into not only her Christmas/Winter work but also her multi-album project-in-progress. Lola is fantastic, and is exactly the type of artist I like to support. I hope that you all take a liking to Death Hags as much as I have. It'll definitely be something new for you to to add to your musical library.
Links to Death Hags' Bandcamp and Facebook pages follow the interview. Please take a moment or two this season to treat yourself to the incredible, original music from Death Hags.
Merry & Bright! Interview with Lola G.
MB: Let’s start with getting to know more about you and your music. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your musical persona Death Hags? What should listeners new to your music know about you?
LG: The name Death Hags came out of a brainstorming session and appealed to me because it wasn’t taken and sounded weird enough to be just about anything. I wasn’t sure where I was going with the project, I thought it might turn into a space rock band Hawkwind style or a super experimental electronic project. I’ve been told that I should change it because it’s ugly and I make pretty music, but that’s kind of the point! Subvert expectations. It does require a bit of an adventurous mind but once you’re in, it’s comfortable for the heart and expands the mind. I sometimes call it interstellar psychedelic noise pop, and one of my London fans came up with "Future sound of dystopian romance" which I really like. More prosaically, there's guitar pop, synthesizers and ambient soundscapes. And bass, I am a bass player first and foremost.
MB: Your first album with a Christmas theme was “Frozen Santa”, released in December 2020. “Frozen Santa” bends and expands what we call “Christmas Music”. I get a strong sci-fi vibe, especially on “Titan Icy World”. Can you tell us about the album overall and how you created the sound portrait of “Frozen Santa”?
LG: Yes, it is supposed to be a “Christmas in space” album which I guess also applies to my other Christmas releases. I had always wanted to do a Christmas album and with the pandemic happening it seemed like the perfect time. The city was still largely on lock down in LA over the holidays and there was something both eerie and inspiring about it. LA is not exactly cold in the winter so it’s the perfect place to romanticize cold weather and frozen landscapes. Frozen Santa is both about Christmas in space on a very cold Saturn moon (Titan, which incidentally has been rumored to harbor life) and about the isolation of the pandemic.
MB: The songs “Frozen Santa” and “Xmas on Your Own” have a melancholy spirit in the lyrics. Given the timeframe (2020), were these songs created as a portrait of our first pandemic Christmas?
LG: Yes, I wrote them both during that time and they are about a pandemic Christmas. I’m a huge fan of Phil Spector Christmas songs so they’re sort of my version of a Phil Spector Christmas song. Xmas on Your Own came out pretty fully formed, it was one of those moments where it just happens. I wrote Frozen Santa in my head during my morning walks in Griffith Park.
MB: Your one cover on the album, the great Roger Miller’s “Old Toy Trains”, is fantastic – I absolutely love it. Can you tell us the story behind choosing this song for the record, and giving it a uniquely Death Hags sound?
LG: I wanted to do a cover that wasn’t obvious and I’ve always loved that song. I remember it from childhood -- someone used to sing it to me or something and I find it so beautiful and melancholic. I tried making it sound like me and it somehow worked so I was very excited. Ironically I did it in GarageBand on my iPad as a demo and I could never replicate it well in a more hi-fi version so I used my iPad version on the album. That’s why it’s so lo-fi.
MB: “When the Snow Starts to Fall” and “North Pole Chaos”, mostly instrumental but with gorgeous vocal motifs from Christmas standards, are ethereal and enveloping. What experience do you hope that your listeners have when hearing these songs?
LG: I love the idea of putting something that belongs to popular culture in a very experimental track so if they’re curious enough to listen to them, there's a bit of a twist and I hope they will go - wait is that Jingle Bells? And appreciate the mix of two things that are so different.
MB: “Supersonic Noel” was your release in 2022, with an expanded edition in 2023 titled “Exit to Winter Planet”. The music on these albums, to me, hearkens to an other-worldly, atmospheric soundscape for the listening experience. Can you share your thoughts on these linked projects as the creator?
LG: That was indeed the idea, so I'm glad it came through. It was an expansion of the more experimental tracks on Frozen Santa, with the Christmas-in-space-on-a-frozen-planet theme. I wanted to do something more dreamy and ethereal with some of the same motifs. I get really mystical around Christmas and I wanted to make music that reflected that. More generally, I like to make music that is a bit mysterious and create my own world.
MB: Do you have any more Christmas or Christmas-adjacent projects in the works?
LG: I was actually going to do one this year but I had to stop myself so I can keep working on my Big Grey Sun project otherwise it will never be finished! I find Christmas inspiring because I have a hyperactive mind and it gives me something to focus on, it narrows down the options and yet it’s also so wide you can do just about anything. Even the Cocteau Twins have done Christmas songs.
MB: I want to touch on your magnum opus-in-progress, your seven album project titled “Big Grey Sun”, with the first four Big Grey Sun albums currently available. Please tell us about this project, its inspiration, and your musical goals for the album series.
LG: Yes, the Project! I have been stuck on a few tracks from Big Grey Sun #5 and #6 that I keep rewriting because I'm not happy with them so it has been delayed. I love epic projects -- trilogies, series, box sets, like Sufjan Stevens' one album for each State project that he will never finish. So a few years ago when I was starting Death Hags, I was trying to put together a band for a show and I was attacked by a dog at the practice space. Really bad dog bite, I spent two days with a fever hallucinating and recording a bunch of instrumentals that I have no memory of writing. I also wrote some lyrics, and the idea of a seven album project came to me then. Seven being a magic number, part of the collective unconscious, it made sense. I had a song called Big Grey Sun that was about always wanting to know what’s beyond the hill, always seeking for something else, it was perfect as an anchor so that’s how it started. Once it’s done it will fit together as a whole because there are recurring themes musically and lyrically but each chapter can be listened to separately. The main themes are the unknown and the various archetypes of transformation - the journey through the underworld, the dark night of the soul, the alchemy of the self.
MB: I find your music to be amazing, filling the need for particular moods and moments. Who are some of your musical inspirations? If I were to guess, I might say Suzanne Ciani, but I could be wrong.
LG: Thank you!! I do like to think that I am not genre-focused but mood-focused. And yes I do like Suzanne Ciani. She is a true pioneer, I love artists who are entirely unique. I spent a year once only listening to musique concrete and avant-garde music like Suzanne Ciani, Eliane Radigue, Pierre Schaeffer. I haven’t listened to music the same way since. I highly recommend it. But I listen to so much stuff it’s always hard to point to a particular influence. I think I’ve been influenced mostly by British artists, from Wire to Eno to The Cure to Broadcast to Aphex Twin, early synth bands like OMD and Pet Shop Boys, plus industrial music and Sonic Youth. One of my greatest musical moments was discovering Drexciya, a pioneer duo that came out of the Detroit techno scene of the 1980s and made incredibly inventive electronic music, had a whole concept to their art and an anonymous persona so you could say they tick all my boxes. Most of all though, I think I'm influenced by cinema. If I had to describe my music with film I would say it's a mix of Wong Kar-Wai, David Lynch and Blade Runner.
MB: Lola – thank you so much for your time. I hope that this interview serves as an introduction to you for many new fans. I’ll surely be staying connected and following your work. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!
LG: Thank YOU so much for listening and caring. In our crowded noisy world, it really means a lot. I'm hoping to have Big Grey Sun #5 finished around the holidays, which will come with a lathe-cut release so if anyone is interested they should keep an eye on Bandcamp.
Lance Allen and Avery Bright, Nashville-based musicians for nearly 30 years combined, have released a new album of Christmas music this season, titled "Christmas Vol. 3". Avery Bright, the violin (fiddle?) half of the duo, has played and recorded with Dolly Parton, U2, One Republic, and many others. Lance Allen is the guitar player, and has toured with, among others, Tommy Emmanuel CGP. These gentlemen have some serious cred as instrumentalists.
"Christmas Vol. 3" is an outstanding album of Christmas standards, smartly arranged for the unique sound of Allen & Bright. The song selection is varied, ranging from the traditional "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "The First Noel", to the standards "Jingle Bells" and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas", to more modern Christmas pop such as "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and, yes, even "All I Want For Christmas Is You". Added in for whimsy is "The Chipmunk Song", and selected for a more modern spiritual flavor is "Mary Did You Know".
There's joy and energy in Allen and Bright's performances on this record. Their top-notch skills as musicians come through on the superb arrangements, making this a terrific new album.
With a title of "Christmas Music Vol. 3", one would presume the existence of Volumes 1 and 2. And indeed, they are alongside Vol. 3 on all the usual streaming platforms.
Listen to Allen & Bright's "Christmas Vol. 3" on Spotify, and enjoy their video for "Jingle Bells", on YouTube.
This past January our Christmas Music community was shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of Mitchell Kezin. Mitchell's enthusiasm for Christmas music collecting was unsurpassed, and equaled only by a few select members of our brotherhood. "Jingle Bell Rocks!", Mitchell's love letter to our collective passion, brought this love of the music and the drive to collect and share to a wide, appreciative audience. We saw ourselves in Mitchell's film (some of us literally Rob Martinez), and we were as excited as Mitchell himself to watch The Mighty Sparrow record "The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot".
I met Mitchell in 2014 in Overland Park, KS, at a screening of "Jingle Bell Rocks!". I and fellow Christmas music collector Greg Steele met Mitchell before the screening, and then he accompanied us to a local bar afterward for a beverage (or two, or so...). We (of course) talked a lot about Christmas music and collecting, and Greg and I were treated to a few backstories that didn't make it into the final cut of the film. Our hometown baseball team, the Kansas City Royals, were in the playoffs that October evening, for the first time in 29 years, and Mitchell energetically joined Greg and I as we cheered on the team while chatting about the music, the movie, and the musicians. We learned that Mitchell had been set to connect with James Brown, but the Godfather of Soul tragically passed away on Christmas Day 2006, before they could get together.
After the evening concluded, I gave Mitchell a ride to his hotel in midtown Kansas City. We talked about going crate-digging the next day, but unfortunately I had conflicts, so I missed out on the chance to hit the local record stores with Mitchell.
In addition to sharing the Christmas music collecting itch, Mitchell and I shared a birthday - August 10. Mitchell was a year older than I, and every year I would wish Mitchell a "Merry Birthday!" and he would respond with a hearty "Thank YULE!!!!". I missed that this year.
Like many others, Mitchell and I traded our annual compilation CDs each year. Being a First Class Unearther of Obscure Christmas Music, his annual MerryMix was always full of new (to me) music, and was a treat to be enjoyed year after year.
Christmas 2024 will have a void - the first time in many, many years to be without a MerryMix. Last year's MerryMix had a strong Las Vegas/Elvis theme, and definitely had that special Mitchell touch to it. If you were lucky enough to receive his 2023 MerryMix, take some time to give it a listen, and lift a glass of eggnog to our kinsman in Christmas Music, Mitchell Kezin. Rest in Peace brother.
Hello good readers! The 2024 Holiday Season is upon us. Summer may have finally given up its hold on us here in Kansas City and we're into seasonably cool weather as we get into mid-November. I'll be back at it here at Merry & Bright for another season with the usual cornucopia of festive bloggery (and questionable talent for creative English writing 😄).
I have a few artists interviews planned, a handful of interesting albums to share with you, perhaps a special feature or two, and as always I'll let you know about the great new music that comes to me from the musical community across the globe.
Welcome back for another year! Leave a comment or two if you like what you see!
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