Category: Alt Jazz

VARIOUS - THE CHVRCH OF SANTA

12/11/2018

Late in every season, all these great free comps come out and I almost never have time to listen to them all the way through. Well I listened to "The Chvrch of Santa" all the way through. It's the latest in a long line of annual Christmas offerings from Friends Friends Friends Records. The Nova Scotia "label" evolved from the Raw Rock Militia. That's why "The Chvrch of Santa" is only Friends Friends Friends IV, even though there are Christmas comps dating back to 2010. These days, the Raw Rock Christmas project works like this: early in November, they send out a call to anybody and everybody to send in their Christmas tunes. A month later, they've got an album. It's worth noting that, most years, a limited edition CD will follow (given the turnaround time and all, the CDs usually get listed a few days before Christmas).

1.   Whisperhawk - Merry Christmas (I'm Sorry)
2.   Rawrwar - Christmas Miracle
3.   The Holly Jollies - Daddy's Really Santa Claus
4.   Up n Adam - Snowglobe Inverted
5.   Blue Acres - If We Make It Through December
6.   Alex Babineau - First Christmas Alone
7.   Brett Redshaw - Christmas Is The Best
8.   Rawrwar - Cuba
9.   Nicholas Burgess - Santa Planet
10. The Super-Krewe - Xmas Potpourri
11. Katie King - Gingerbread Man
12. Alex Babineau - Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy
13. Jeremy Waterman - Father Christmas
14. Sprout - What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

DOWNLOAD FROM BANDCAMP

Although I listened all the way through, I'm not going to do a track-by-track. But this year's set is a good one. There's our old friend Nicholas Burgess with "Santa Planet". And I'm always happy to see Katie King on these; I love her stuff. The Holly Jollies go all Neo-Beach Boys on "Daddy's Really Santa Claus". There's an acoustic "Father's Christmas" from Jeremy Waterman, a straight-up Folk cover of "If We Make It Through December" by Blue Acres, some very nearly Punk Country from Alex Babineau covering Buck Owens, and even some Second Line Jazz from The Super-Krewe, "Xmas Potpourri". But beyond Nicholas and Katie, my favorites were the two tracks from Rawrwar and the Indie Pop tune up top, Whisperhawk's "Merry Christmas (I'm Sorry)". Importantly, there wasn't a single track where I was even tempted to pick up the virtual needle and move on. Great work, as usual, Friends Friends Friends. Find "The Chvrch of Santa" on Bandcamp.

0 Comments

VARIOUS - THE 2018 PASTE HOLIDAY SAMPLER

12/5/2018

0 Comments

1. JD McPherson - Bad Kid
2. Lucious - Christmas Time Is Here
3. Rodney Crowell - Christmas Everywhere
4. The Gregory Brothers - I Don't Want Anything For Christmas
5. Aloe Blacc - The Mrs. Saved Christmas
6. Lola Kirke - Cross You Off My List
7. The Mavericks - I Have Wanted You For Christmas
8. Say Sue Me - Christmas It's Not A Biggie
9. The Squirrel Nut Zippers - Mardi Gras For Christmas
10. P.J. Morton - This Christmas
11. Caroline Jones - The First Noel
12. Old 97's - Love The Holidays
13. Taken By Trees - Holiday

DOWNLOAD FROM PASTE

The first of, hopefully, many holiday samplers has arrived--this one from Paste Magazine. As Lie In The Sound correctly notes, the Paste Holiday Samplers had lost a little luster in recent years, but they've put together a solid package for 2018. Yes, I fully expected to see selections from the excellent albums from JD McPherson and Rodney Crowell as they've been everywhere this year (and the great thing for them is that, even if they gave away every track for free, you'd STILL want to buy the CDs...they're that good). Other major acts pitching in include The Mavericks and Old 97's. But we also get selections from the Soulful dishes being served up this year by P.J. Morton and Aloe Blacc. And, for Indie fans, there's great music here from Say Sue Me, Lola Kirke and Taken By Trees. And let's not minimize the selections from Lucious, The Gregory Brothers, Squirrel Nut Zippers, and Caroline Jones. Gee, I think that's everybody. Not a throwaway in the bunch, though some tracks will appeal more to one audience and others to another. But very nice balance on that score. Well done, Paste! Keep up the good work.

0 Comments

THE GIFTED CHILDREN - CHRISTMAS, VOLUME 08

12/23/2016

0 Comments

1. Christmas Is The Time To Say I Love You
2. Wonderful Christmas Time
3. December Will Be Magic Again
4. Christmas Was A Friend Of Mine [Ambient Redux]
5. Driving Home For Christmas
6. Thank God It's Christmas
7. Christmas In Hollis
8. Last Christmas

THE GIFTED CHILDREN WEBSITE
THE GIFTED CHILDREN ON FACEBOOK
DOWNLOAD FROM BANDCAMP

Rochester Indies The Gifted Children take some 80s Christmas classics out for a spin. I think they're at their best when completely reimagining the songs as on the Shoegazey and Dream Poppy "Wonderful Christmas Time" and "Christmas In Hollis". Their Loungey Chill "Last Christmas" works well, too. Happy to see someone cover Kate Bush's "December Will Be Magic Again," but I would have liked to see them get a little crazier with it. All in all, not a bad little record to name your price for. Poke around a bit and you'll find Volumes 5 & 7.

0 Comments

NICHOLAS & BRI - EVERYDAY IS CHRISTMAS

12/22/2016

0 Comments

Nicholas Youngren is a Seattle based Folk singer/songwriter and sometime comedian and I believe Bri is his wife, though that isn't stated and Nick doesn't seem to have a web site. The pair have FOUR collections of holiday songs on Soundcloud (and a cool looking cat) and it's probably dumb luck that I first landed on "Everyday Is Christmas", which is, to me, more Indie Pop (with a bit of Blues and Jazz nutmeg mixed in). Can't say I was crazy about the rest. But this one I love. Feel free to check out all 4 collections, or their non-holiday music. But this is the one I'm keeping.

0 Comments

2016 CIGAR BOX NATION CHRISTMAS

12/20/2016

1 Comment

DOWNLOAD FREE AT CIGAR BOX NATION

1. Waiting for the Wise Men by Jim Morris
2. Sleekit Santa by C# Merle
3. Silent Night by Mark Jeghurs
4. Steve's Christmas Log by Jamie MacBlues
5. Christmas Credit Card Blues by Clint Lavens
6. A Cold and Snowy Night by CDA Ramirez
7. Wickerbee the Wannabee by Chuck Otto
8. Bug's Xmas Song - Have a Thought for Christmas by Buggy
9. Christmas Wishes by Eric Denton
10. Christmas Comin' Round Again by Glenn Kaiser
11. Christmasses Long Ago by Derek Rose
12. Doin' Shots with Santa Claus by RTZ Guitars
13. Into the Light - a Song for Advent by Henry Lowman
14. Love Love Love for Christmas by Mississippi Crawler Andries D
15. Coventry Carol (Trad. 15th Century) by Robert Killen
16. Away in a Manger by Henry Lowman
17. I Had A Beer With Santa Claus Today in My Lonely Christmas by Big Fat Tom
18. Kickin' the Snow Off My Boots by RTL CBGs
19. Kampusnacht by James Conder
20. Merry Cigar Box Christmas by James O Lunsford
21. Oh Yes It's Christmas by Smilingdog

One of my favorite annual holiday collections of the last few years is "A Cigar Box Nation Christmas". Cigar Box Nation is a place where musicians who build and play instruments out of cigar boxes gather together and compare notes, swap stories, share songs. If you've never turned a cigar box into an instrument, but would like to try it, you'll find plenty of people there more than happy to help you on the journey. Honestly, hang out for a while and you get the feeling that these cigar box musicians and instrument makers are like kids who get to celebrate Christmas every day. And the instruments can range from the simplest you can imagine to concert ready electric guitars (here's a tip for you; if you're making your first one, start with the simpler designs). Since 2009, Cigar Box Nation's denizens have been putting together these Christmas music collections featuring cigar box instruments--for their own enjoyment and the enjoyment of anyone who stops by. They've always been free and they all still are. The music runs the gamut from Bluegrass to Blues to Hard Rock, although this year's set is heavy on Blues. It's amazing what you can do with a cigar box guitar (acoustic or electric) or banjo. Some of these folks are professional musicians and some are just hobbyists, so you get a full range of sound quality (although one basic rule they employ is that you have to be able to hear it; good rule).

Unlike some postings in past years, I've actually had the chance to listen to the "2016 Cigar Box Nation Christmas". This year's collection is a relatively (for them) modest 21 tracks (last year's, in comparison, was 31). You'll find that's just about one song (3 or 4 minutes) too long for a single CD. The members, this year, were pushing each other to submit original songs, so the majority of these tracks are, indeed, as homemade as their instruments.

Jim Morris opens the set in style with an original Folk Gospel number (with Celtic overtones), "Waiting For The Wise Men". I actually had to go back and read the discussions to make sure it was original because it sounds so much like all those old Folk carols, I initially thought it had been with us for a couple hundred years. Just a great, great song.

My favorites, though...some tracks that truly blew me away...were C# Merle's "Sleekit Santa" and "Silent Night" by Mark Jeghurs. C# Merle's number feaures a Jazz flute playing over a Blues cigar box guitar/bass bed. Of course, I'm a sucker for flute, anyway, but the Jazz-Blues pairing works so much better than you'd imagine it would if someone (like moi) tried to explain it to you. But even "Sleekit Santa" was no match for Mark Jeghurs' Delta Blues "Silent Night". Oh, sure, you think you know "Silent Night", but I guarantee you've never heard this. This "Silent Night" is merely based on the one you know. It is a completely original song--original music (well...Delta Blues), original lyrics. Awesome squared and my pick for the collection's best. "A Cold And Snowy Noght" by CDA Ramirez is a stripped down Progressive Rock tune--another highlight. Eric Denton's "Christmas Wishes" is a wonderful Americana Christmas instrumental that legitimately makes you feel like Christmas. Glenn Kaiser's "Christmas Comin' Round Again" is perfect front porch Blues. I enjoyed Big Fat Tom's contribution, which I'd call Vince Guaraldi inspired Pop. And the one song that bothered me a little was Derek Rose's "Christmasses Long Ago". And it bothered me because it's on the cusp of being a great song, but it needs some collaboration--someone to tighten up the lyrics and music a bit. Do that, record it in a professional studio, and you've got a Jimmie Rodgers Folk Pop hit (the "Honeycomb" dude, not the other one).

Of course, you have to remember that most of these folks are not professional songwriters and performers. Some of the music and words are probably very much off the cuff. But these are people having a blast and that always shines through. And, every year, a few of the tunes on "A Cigar Box Nation Christmas" will be among my absolute favorites of the season. Mark Jeghurs' "Silent Night" is going straight into the Stubby's Hall of Fame (or it would if there were one). I'm pretty sure all the old volumes are still available as well, but I don't have links handy (check the Stubby's archives; you'll probably find most of them). Poke around at Cigar Box Nation and you'll find some nice Christmas videos not on this collection. But, first, grab the free download of the "2016 Cigar Box Nation Christmas".

1 Comment

ENGLEWOOD - 8 DAYS OF HANUKKAH

12/17/2016

0 Comments

Well, look, it's just a cover of the great song delivered last year by Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings and Englewood doesn't really do much with it. But Hanukkah is coming up and we've been woefully short on providing tunes for the celebration this year (I'm kinda hoarding them for the eight night celebration since they're a little hard to come by). For all I know, that's Sharon singing and they just tossed in some beats. But it is the second best version of "8 Days of Hanukkah" we've yet heard. Also, it's the second version of "8 Days of Hanukkah" we've yet heard. Unless you count the Dap Kings' instrumental version, in which case this is the third best version we've yet heard. And it's free!

Actually, the Englewood band from Wisconsin has an entire 7-song "Christmas Special" EP available as a free download from Bandcamp and the remaining mix of Hip Hop, Trap, and Chill Jazz is probably far more worthy of your download. Just sayin'. But we wanted a Hanukkah free download to offer you, so here it is.

0 Comments

BEN SMITH - OLD MAN WINTER, VOL. 6

12/6/2016

1 Comment

Every year, Indie Folk/Chamber Pop artist Ben Smith gives us a new digital Christmas single (with an "A" and "B" side, no less). As you can see, we're up to Vol. 6.

The "B" side, "She's Christmas Eve" I have mixed feelings about. I like the concept--that Joseph loved Mary just like any of us would love someone.

He's no wiseman
searching the sky,
He's found every star
in Mary's eyes

See? That's nice. I like that. But the song begins taking on a feel that Joseph is being played for a fool. I don't think that was Ben's intention, but, after a while, it starts to feel that way. I mean Joseph is standing in the corner with the ox and the ass while heavenly hosts are attending to Mary. At some point, you gotta figure the donkey is gonna look at Joseph and say, "Which one of us is supposed to be the ass, again?"

But the "A" side--"Last Needle"--I can totally get behind. It's a Funky Jazzy rundown of all the "lasts" in a relationship...specifically this relationship. The way its put together, it sounds as though she ended the relationship. By the end of the song, he can't wait for it to be over.

Last needle on the tree
this Christmas is the end for you and me.

Last pose for Christmas cards,
smile through our teeth and our filthy hearts--
Hmmm hmm hmmm

Last time for first noels,
last time you tell me “Go to hell!”
(right in front of my mother’s house)

Last curse and our last fight,
never ever ever had a silent night
with you.

Sure, it's an anti-Christmas song. But I get it and I like it. Speaking of getting it, stop by Bandcamp to download "Old Man Winter, Vol. 6". And, while you're there, have a look around. There's 5 more volumes of "Old Man Winter" to gather while ye may.

1 Comment

RANDI FAY - LITTLE BABE

12/1/2016

2 Comments

Louis, I hate you. Well, no, not really, but...

So I got an email the other day and I honestly hadn't had time to read it until just now. And Louis points me to Randi Fay. Randi's a Green Bay, Wisconsin artist noted for Blues and Jazz, primarily. She's won the WAMI (no, seriously--Wisconsin Area Music Industry--WAMI) two years in a row as best Jazz artist. She just released this gorgeous tune, "Little Babe", which is a song that attempts to capture Mary's view of this little miracle she'd carried for 9 months and the world, which of course is different now, immediately after the birth of Jesus. And when I say "little miracle", I don't even mean that in the sense of "virgin birth" and all that. All children are miracles. Just sayin'. Neither a religious or political view on my part, I promise.

The song is just beautiful. I'd have to believe, as Randi wrote this, that she is, herself, a mother. And, as I was typing that, I checked her web site and she's not only a mother, but a grandmother. Respect.

"Little Babe" is nearly 7 and a half minutes long and not nearly long enough. Best of all, it's FREE! But wait... I look over to the right on Randi's music page and she's got an entire Christmas album, "Noel" (from 2011). Dang it, Louis. What are you doing to me? Another Christmas album I'm gonna have to buy? I hate you, Louis. I really really hate you right now. (Nah! Just kidding)

Head on over to Randi Fay's web site to grab the free download of "Little Babe" just for signing on to the mailing list. Stay long enough to check out "Noel", too (it's here). And, if you're paying attention, there's another free Christmas song for you. Nope, not even gonna tell you which one it is.

2 Comments

ARMAN AYVA - OH CHRISTMAS TREE X2

11/21/2016

1 Comment

Oh, jeez. That's the end of the world for sure. When the suits start making music...

Arman Ayva is a business analyst by day. But he's many other things as well. And though photography would seem to be his passion, he's been messing around with the musics as well. See what happens when you elect a Donald Trump?

My take--based upon an admittedly small sampling--is that Ayva is, so far, still experimenting with sound. Odds are this is all computer generated. But, just as photography is largely a matter of "composition", so is music (obviously).

Ayva currently has three Christmas themed tunes posted on his Soundcloud feed and I do not at all get the impression that's he's done. Of the three, this is the one that tells me there is, in fact, potential, here. "Welcome To My Christmas Party" is part funk, part EDM, and part goof. "Feliz Navidad" starts out quiet Jazz, then switches to full EDM mode. But "Oh Christmas Tree X2" is a fully original Jazz piece. And it works and clearly required some thought and the ear of someone attuned to the genre, albeit at the avant garde end of the scale. I've listened to it more than a few times, now, and I'm still digging it. It doesn't present as terribly Christmasy, but it makes my cut as Jazz. "Oh Christmas Tree X2" and Arman's other Christmas tracks are available as free downloads via Soundcloud.

1 Comment

VARIOUS - THE CHVRCH OF SANTA

VARIOUS - THE 2018 PASTE HOLIDAY SAMPLER

THE GIFTED CHILDREN - CHRISTMAS, VOLUME 08

NICHOLAS & BRI - EVERYDAY IS CHRISTMAS

2016 CIGAR BOX NATION CHRISTMAS

ENGLEWOOD - 8 DAYS OF HANUKKAH

BEN SMITH - OLD MAN WINTER, VOL. 6

RANDI FAY - LITTLE BABE

ARMAN AYVA - OH CHRISTMAS TREE X2

The FREE List

Archives

Categories