Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!  This will be the final post for this season, as we head into other endeavors, pursuits, and frivolities.  Starting with reading the 1200+ page Tom's Crossing, by Mark Z. Danielewski (author of the mind-trip House of Leaves).

Now is also the time that I can visit with intent and focus on all of the other great Christmas music blogs and sites.  During the season, while I visit many of my good friends' sites frequently, it's hard to find the time needed to truly enjoy them.  So, now I can pour through Tim Neely's Christmas Songs of the Day and soak up his incredible knowledge of his varied and excellent choices.  I can scroll and listen to the out-of-the-mainstream nuggets from Christmas Underground and Christmas-a-Go-Go.  And I can immerse myself in the weeks of music shared by ol' buddy Ernie (Not Bert).  So much great music waiting for me to discover!

My daily home during the holidays is the FaLaLaLaLa Fireside, hosted by The King of Jingaling, and frequented by many, including the Christmas Music Jedi Master Stubby, who keeps us in the know about all the new and re- releases each year.  It wouldn't be Christmas without this community.  Thanks to all who are part of it!

Thanks to everyone who stopped in here at Merry & Bright this season!  If you found something you enjoyed - an old share or a new stream - leave me a comment and let me know.  I'll be back for the 2026 holiday season, maybe with some new ideas on how to share the Christmas music spirit.  Until then, Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Joyous Kwanzaa, and Happy New Year!

Merry and Bright's Best of 2025 Awards

As we wind down the 2025 season, here are my picks for the best Christmas music this year.

Best Album - Sonus Borealis by The Accidentals & Kaboom Studio Orchestra

Song selection, stretching the boundaries of the Christmas music genre, stunningly gorgeous singing, amazing arrangements, superb instrumental partnership with Kaboom Studio Orchestra - all of this makes Sonus Borealis a holiday winter collection my album of the year.  I played it more than any other album, selected a song for my annual comp, selected another song for my annual radio guest-DJ gig, and thoroughly enjoyed the only cover I've heard of Christmas Eve Sarajevo, re-imagined only slightly but significantly.  This CD will go straight to my A List container.

Runner Up - Christmas Is... by Bria Skonberg

Bria Skonberg's Christmas Is... had been on my list of 2025 releases that I was tracking, but with all the things happening during the season, it fell off my radar.  Until Dec 18, that is, when I bought a download of this album.   It's tremendous.  Magnificent arrangements of standards, high energy, reverence to the greats i.e. "Sugar Rum Cherry", the Duke Ellington arrangement of Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.  The opening track "Carol of the Bells" is an immediate attention grabber, and will find it's way onto my 2026 compilation.  

Best Compilation Album: Sleigh the Holidays Vol. 2

Without a doubt, Sleigh the Holidays Vol. 2 is the best compilation album of this season.  Two (yes, two!) tracks from this record made it onto my annual compilation, and I played one song on my radio gig.  All 15 songs are outstanding, and JPOLND even made "Santa Baby" one to enjoy - a lot, actually.  Ten jingles and a peppermint twist to Marilyn from HBM, the label that brought this record to life.  More please!  Volume 3 please!

Best Song:  "The Christmas Song" by Lakecia Benjamin feat. Christie Dashiell 

Grammy nominee and John Coltrane disciple Lakecia Benjamin is vibrant, effusive with energy, and brings a passion to her live performances that is practically unequaled among today's jazz stars.  She channeled her emotional sax playing into a beautiful rendering of "The Christmas Song", with vocals by fellow Grammy nominee Christie Dashiell.  Stunning.  Available on all the streaming platforms, or you can purchase on iTunes.

Runner Up:  "Jingle Bells" by The Blah Blah Blahs

The Blah Blah Blahs version of the revered chestnut "Jingle Bells" is my runner-up for Song of the Year.  This track from the aforementioned Sleigh the Holidays Vol. 2 was the catchiest, highest energy song of the season.  It took a pair of Grammy nominees to bump it from the top spot.

Spirit of Christmas Present Award:  Jingle Bells by PIQSIQ

PIQSIQ's rendition of Jingle Bells (it's been a big year for Jingle Bells) is mesmerizing, haunting, and makes you wonder if you've stumbled onto Lucius from the Upside Down.  Our friends at Christmas A Go Go made us aware of both the song and the sisters duo PIQSIQ.  Their Inuit-style throat singing and layered recording make it a song that you've never heard the likes of before.  PIQSIQ has a few other Christmas releases as well, which will be appearing on my annual comps for years to come.  So, for sounding marvelously ghostly and eerie, PIQSIQ receives the first ever Spirit of Christmas Present Award.

Out of Left Field Award:  Tinsel by Major Metals

Nate Kushner, performing as Major Metals, sent me an e-mail about Tinsel fairly late in the season.  I (finally!) checked it out, and dug it like my dog Whitley burying a half-bagel in the back yard (true story - and I have no idea where the bagel came from).  I could call Tinsel the indie-EP of the year, but I think I'll stick with the Out of Left Field special recognition award.  Don't let 2025 come to a close without listening to Tinsel.  Thoroughly amusing, especially if you're a fan of the off-kilter.

Christmas Eve is Here Again

Good Christmas Eve to everyone!

Another season is coming to a close.  Like the Spirit of Christmas Present, our time here has grown short.  We will be around Merry & Bright until the New Year, with a few more posts to wrap up 2025, and then look forward to the unveiling of the new calendar, a fresh start, and revived energy for 2026.

Here in Kansas City, Christmas Eve started quite foggy, and the fog will return tonight, making Rudolph a necessity for travels.  Our weather is quite unseasonable at present.  Yesterday, Dec 23, I was able to don shorts and a long-sleeved T-Shirt and take a 10-mile e-bike ride.  Today, temperatures are to reach the low to mid 60s.  Christmas Day is also to be in the mid-60s, nearing but likely not breaking the record of 67.  No White Christmas here this year.

Today began with a Christmas Eve brunch at our son's house, where the siblings (our children) did their gift exchange, and the aunts & uncles bestowed many presents to our granddaughter.  This afternoon we'll attend an early Mass, find dinner afterward (we're hoping our favorite Mexican restaurant is open), and then retire back home for a relaxing evening with Christmas movies, and perhaps a smidgen of Drambuie and scotch.

Tomorrow our older son & family will visit us in the morning before heading to California for a week, then the rest of the children & spouses/boyfriends will join us in the afternoon for presents and dinner.  It should be a fine day.

Music, merriment, joy, food, and drink will fill the house on Christmas Day!

To all of you, have a very happy and safe holiday!  Merry Christmas!

Sharin' the Brass

This in my final share of the year.  Not the final post, though.  I have a couple more coming before bringing down the curtain on the 2025 Merry & Bright performance.  

This share is an album that probably everyone reading this blog already has.  It's a thrift store classic, indeed a classic in every sense.  It's fun, it's upbeat, it's rousing.  It can only be Christmas with the Mexicali Brass.

Ten songs, you know them all, mariachi'd up, brassed to perfection.  And (dare I say) what an album cover 😊

Enjoy Christmas with the Mexicali Brass!

Whaddya Know! More New Music!

And the new music keeps rolling in 😊 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nate Kushner and Major Metals - "Tinsel"

Leading off our final new music post for this season is the very interesting, eyebrow-raising, perhaps not for the kiddies, EP from Nate Kushner and Major Metals Tinsel.

Tinsel treats us with four very original songs, "Eyes Wide Shut and Die Hard 2", "Lemmings (Fa la la la la la la Lemmings remix)", "The New Years Shoes", and "This Christmas (Onny Hathaway version)".  

Nate Kushner is a New York based singer-songwriter and producer releasing "experimental and comedy-adjacent" music as Major Metals.  Let me just quote Nate about his songs - it's easier that way.

• Eyes Wide Shut and Die Hard 2: a vibraphone driven Christmas jazz
original about finding comfort in a couple of very unconventional holiday
movies. You'll have to listen to find out which movies.
• Lemmings (Fa la la la la la la la Lemmings remix): a cursed celesta and
jingle bell reinterpretation of an older not-Christmas track.
• The New Year’s Shoes: a short acoustic sequel to Christmas Shoes, taking
the story to its logical conclusion
• This Christmas (Onny Hathaway version): a drop D sludge and doom cover
that keeps the vocal sincere.

This seems like something Christmas Underground would dig, but I haven't seen it there (yet).  I enjoyed this EP a bunch.  Slightly demented, highly amusing, undeniably seasonal.  Don't let the holiday go by without checking this one out.  

Tinsel on Bandcamp

Major Metals website

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bailey Pickles and Shelley Harland - "All I Want Is You"

From Bailey Pickles and Shelley Harland comes a new original composition, "All I Want Is You".  Direct from Shelley's Instagram:

Thrilled to share my new collaboration with the very talented and sweetest
of souls @baileypickles (yes the incredible new composer for @beastgames
@beastgames_season_2 ) we had a lot of fun in the studio writing this for
you and hope it brings all the warm and fuzzies during the Christmas
Holidays.   So grateful Enjoy Shells

Shelley Harland website

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jodi DiPiazza - "The First Christmas Day"

Musical prodigy and autism advocate, Jodi DiPiazza, has just released her debut single, “The First Christmas Day.” Just in time for the holidays, the classically trained composer and singer’s ballad recounts the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem, set to an emphatic piano flourish highlighted by her expressive sincerity and dynamic vocal refrain.

Jodi DiPiazza website

========================================================

Holidays with Skitch

Today's share is Winter Holiday by Skitch Henderson with the New York Philharmonic.  Skitch Henderson had a long, renowned career as a pianist, composer, and conductor of pops-style orchestras, including the house orchestra for NBC's Today Show and The Tonight Show, during both the Steve Allen and Johnny Carson eras (preceding Milton DeLugg and Doc Severinsen).

Winter Holiday is an excellent recording, and one could add a 'wink wink' to 'Winter', as the album's sides are songs for a snow holiday (side A) and a sun holiday (side B).  The Snow side includes old favorites "Winter Wonderland", "Moonlight in Vermont", and "Sleigh Ride", and two by Prokofiev, "Winter Holiday" and "Troika". 

Flip to the Sun side for "Caribbean Polka", "Macarenas" (no, not that), "Never On Sunday", and four others.  What a creative approach to a Winter Holiday album!

For our Christmas song enjoyment, the Snow Holiday tracks are exceptional, particularly "Sleigh Ride".  Skitch arranges and conducts expertly, and the New York Philharmonic performs exceptionally.  This is a fine album for your holiday enjoyment.

Please enjoy Skitch Henderson's Winter Holiday

David, Not Jack

Tonight's share is Merry Christmas, by David Frost and Billy Taylor.  Orchestra, guest soloists, "Special Gift" performances by Gerri Granger, some narration by David Frost.  It's an interesting album, all in all pretty good Christmas music.  Well arranged and performed by all.

The tracks include six (plus a reprise) Christmas standards, mostly the popular spiritual classics and including the beautiful 'Wexford Carol', and four composed by Billy Taylor, plus a poem by G.K. Chesterton, recited by David Frost.

Those of us who grew up in the '70s and '80s must remember David Frost, who passed away in 2013.  His presence as a journalist, host, and entertainer was unmissable.  He touched many areas of popular entertainment, as evident by this record.  I think you'll enjoy the package Mr. Frost and Mr. Taylor put together for us.

Please enjoy Merry Christmas by David Frost and Billy Taylor