This one's sort of a mystery to me. Given that there is nothing (and I mean nothing) online about "The Lewis Family", their digital album "Happy Holidays" or Bookey Woods, I'm going to say this was the project, overall, of a family that enjoys Christmas music and are not without ability. Good for them. It'll be something for your kids and grandkids to look back on proudly. Perhaps someone from the family will read this and read me in. But the two songs from this collection that stand above are the two songs by Carter "Bookey" Woods. Bookey's "Yesterday" is a Gospel infused Soul ballad. But "Merry Christmas Baby", a cover of the Charles Brown classic, is just solid Blues, expertly played and sung. And I luvs me some Blues. Bookey is apparently joined on this track by Scott Woods and Calvin "Royce" Stevenson. Hmm. Google's got nothin'. Download "Merry Christmas Baby" on Soundcloud. (I don't care where the Blues comes from...as long as it comes.)
 Syminn (as in Simon, I presume) brings us the gift of R&B from Northern Ireland. He's currently working on an EP and he's cleaning house of some demos and songs he wrote that weren't previously recorded. "Will You Still Be Here (Next Christmas)" was written in 2012. Its got an infectious hand-clapping beat and some pretty soulful crooning. Sort of Motown on synth (or Motown-esque). Get it on Bandcamp.  Yay, mon! Is another Christmas song weh da reggae riddims, donchano. "Light It Up Ghetto Christmas" was written by Linroy Wallace and recorded in 1999. Linroy currently lives and works in Canada and I gather he performs as Sweetsap (which, you know, makes sense--it being Canada and all). Linroy was nice enough to put "Light It Up Ghetto Christmas" on Soundcloud as a free download. Is de holiday speerit, mon.
You'll get the gist of the song quickly enough. It's a familiar theme in the genre. But Sweetsap does it so well. I gotta say, it was mighty thoughtful of Santa to bring extra. And now we know why Rudolph's nose glows.  "Green Christmas To Me?" is a Deep Funk groove from Javier Vazquez. For your average mix, it might be a bit long at seven and a half minutes. But, if you're trying to get that Christmas party moving and the dance floor full, a track like this could come in handy. There are lots of little touches and flourishes that I really like in "Green Christmas To Me?" And it not only bounces booty; its soulful, too. But you're probably going to love it or hate it and that's your call. If you find you love it (or like it just enough), you can download via Soundcloud free.  Nehzuil is Zhen Liu backwards and Zhen Liu is an artist currently working out of Australia. Most of Nehzuil's work (at least what's up on Soundcloud) are covers of R&B/Hip Hop/Soul tracks, infused by Zhen with a sprinkling of Jazz and fortified with Pop sensibilities. The result is music which fits comfortably in most any setting.
U-Ness is a Hip Hop Pop artist from Belgium and this cover of U-Ness' "Where Will You Be (This Xmas)" was posted to Soundcloud a year ago. Its fairly faithful to the original but Nehzuil's cover is free (along with a bunch of other tunes, if you like) in exchange for a "Like" on Facebook. Works for me.
 I'm as guilty as anybody else, in my own way. I try to convey to you what the music sounds like to hopefully trigger an interest. So I'll say "this artist reminds me of that artist" to, hopefully, get you to say, "Oh. I like that artist. I'll try it, then." I get it. But, as an industry, that wouldn't be what I'm looking for. I wouldn't be looking for "the next" whatever; I'd be looking for the first whatever. I'd be listening for something "special". A voice, a sound, a quality--whatever it is. And I know "special" when I hear it. I like to think I do, anyway. "Special" haunts you in a way few other things do. You go back to "special". You can't help but go back to "special". "Special" sticks with you.
All an annoyingly long and indecipherable explanation of why I'm drawing your attention to this cover of "Away In A Manger" from Armand & Imani Hutton. Imani Hutton has something special. I'm not even sure what it is, but I feel it. If I had a label, I'd sign her up in a heartbeat. Maybe it's the whole package. She writes, she sings, she produces. She's got a message. She's got a vision for the music (or whatever the audio version of a vision is) and she frequently and unselfishly shares or cedes the spotlight to others if its better for the music (or maybe she's doing it for the people, rather than the music, which would be even more spectacular). She has a quiet confidence that you can feel. Her voice is not what you'd expect. Forgive me for doing what I just criticized, but I'm going to go with Sade meets Tracy Chapman on the voice. Her music is flowingly free, original and organic. She's not artificially restrained by a view that says music has to be neatly labeled and categorized. She paints outside the lines and does so beautifully. You could call her music R&B or Jazz or Gospel or Pop or Electro-Pop--its all those and more--but I think I'm just going to call it Imani music. I don't remember how I came across "Away In A Manger" by Armand & Imani in the first place. And I was busy with other things at the time. But I do remember thinking, "Ooh, I really like that. I'm going to have to get back to that and put it on the Free page." Unfortunately, the way I work, there are so many "bookmarks" on this computer that that's a sure way to bury something and never see it again. About a week went by. And, every day, the desire to "get back to that" grew stronger until it became, "I need to get back to that." And, after searching a bit, and finding it again, I then needed to hear more. Special will do that to you. So, yes, please check out and download "Away In A Manger". It's on both Noisetrade and Bandcamp. But, man, you really need to hear "Go The Right Way", Imani's most recent album. Here's a review of the album that I pretty much agree with. I'd just add that one of my favorites was "Circuit Dialog/Dance With You". But go find your own favorite. It's an amazing album. Its a masterpiece of aural bliss. And the artist who painted that masterpiece is Imani Hutton. I'd tell you to remember that name but I have a feeling you will. That kind of special is unforgettable.  Listening to "One Gift", the title track of Noel Gourdin's free Christmas Mixtape from last December, makes me feel regret I wasn't around much last year. 'Cuz I'd have sent your ass straight over to grab it.
Noel Gourdin is a Soul singer from Boston who rose to attention with "The River", a big charting R&B track, in 2008. Noel strives to make music that's "Timeless, Real and Soulful" and, from the little I've heard since stumbling on "One Gift" the other day, he's succeeding mightily. Noel's sound, to me, is old school; while he doesn't ignore the modern day hip-hop sensibilities, he never forgets the soul in Soul music. Not to say something some might think bordering on blasphemy, Noel inspired the same warmth in me as a young Marvin Gaye did, once upon a time. Noel's current album--only his third national release--is "City Heart Southern Soul", released in February. And I'm sure the best is still to come. But "One Gift" isn't a bad place to start. And it's free. Of the 5 tracks on "One Gift", only the title song is overtly a Christmas song, but the other tracks are great listening, too. It's as good a place as any to become acquainted with an artist you're going to want to hear more of. Don't forget to pay the man a visit at his Internet home and say "Hi", sometime. |
The FREE ListHere we hope to direct you to some of the Christmas music on the web that can be yours absolutely free. We will not direct you to mp3 or sharity sites, here, but only to artist sites, label sites, and other authorized and unquestionably legal locations. Archives2010 FREE List Categories
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