Posted in Favorite Things, Music, tagged A Charlie Brown Christmas, Christmas, Christmas Music, Mel Torme, Vince Guaraldi on December 25, 2019| 2 Comments »
Wishing everyone out there a good day and a Merry Christmas. Just going to let the soothing tones of Mel Torme‘s lovely version of the Vince Guaraldi classic, Christmastime Is Here, from A Charlie Brown Christmas. It seems almost sacrilegious to play something other than that sparkling original. But this version, with Torme’s older and even mellower voice and a gorgeous arrangement, is a worthy alternate.
Hopefully, your day will have that same kind of pace and mellowness.
Enjoy the day.
Posted in Favorite Things, Music, tagged B.B. King, Christmas Music on December 22, 2019| 1 Comment »
For this week’s Sunday Morning Music, I figured since we are just a few days from the holiday that the selection should reflect that. So, I picked out a favorite that has been done by many artists over the years in a variety of styles. I like most of them but some get played much more than others on radio stations. I wanted a version that wasn’t overplayed and came across this version of Merry Christmas Baby from the late great B.B. King.
The thing I like most abut this version is that it is so typically B.B. While it’s a song that has other people’s fingerprints all over it, you could imagine B.B. playing this at the Regal Theater and getting the same sort of feedback from his frenzied audience, the screams and yellbacks, as any of his own classics. It has those clear, ringing guitar licks from his Lucille and the vocals are bellowed in his inimitable style.
It’s a great song done by a great artist.
I could go on, but I think I am just going to give a listen and get on with all the things that need to get done. Hope you do the same. Enjoy.
Posted in Favorite Things, Music, Neat Stuff, tagged Christmas Music, JD McPherson on December 23, 2018| 6 Comments »
This time of year it seems like so many radio stations play nothing but Christmas music. It’s a constant rotation of the same old holiday standards, often remade by singers from every genre. Flipping the channels around I seem to bounce from one version of Santa, Baby or Jingle Bell Rock to another. And mixed in are some new holiday songs that are usually saccharine sentiments set to some pretty blah music.
It’s hard to get too excited about a month of this stuff.
But I saw there was an album of new holiday songs from retro rock and roller JD McPherson called Socks. The title intrigued me. I definitely had childhood memories of opening Christmas presents that revealed brand new pairs of pale yellow or blue socks from my grandmother or an aunt. It was hard as a selfish little kid to paste on a grateful smile.
So I listened to the song. Then the next. And the next, and on and on. What a great fun album! They were all very catchy, easily accessible tunes with sharp, humorous lyrics, well produced with not a trace of sappiness. Found myself singing along by the end of most of them thanks to their videos that run the lyrics.
Here are three from the JD McPherson album that jumped out at me. There are several others that are as much good fun that aren’t here, most notably Claus vs Claus and Hey Skinny Santa with its R&B Big Band sound. If you feel like some holiday music that doesn’t necessarily feel like holiday music, give a listen. Hey, any fun we can wring out of these days is a good thing.
Have a great day.
Posted in Favorite Things, Music, tagged Christmas Music, David Bowie, Leon Russell, Turner Classic Movies on December 20, 2016| 4 Comments »
I saw a short segment on TCM (Turner Classic Movies) that they run between their films at this time of year. It’s their look back at all of the people associated with filmdom who have died this past year. Every year it seems that I find myself being surprised at the number of well known actors, directors, composers, etc who have passed away in that year.
This year was no different.
But they flashed a shot of David Bowie and it reminded me of the musical talents that passed away this year. Bowie. Prince. Leonard Cohen and so many more that some were lost in the shuffle.
One who slipped away somewhat unnoticed in those surreal days after the election [sic] was musician and songwriter Leon Russell. A wonderful writer and a gifted pianist, he collaborated with just about everybody in the recording industry in a career that spanned almost 60 years.
I never thought he got his rightful appreciation after his death so I thought I’d share a Christmas song of his that also goes under the radar in the great flood of holiday music that overwhelms every year at this time. It’s called Slippin’ Into Christmas and has a bluesy edge that kind of fits this year.
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Redtree Times 