This year, the re-issue label Contrast Records is issuing a series of titles of vintage Jazz, Blues, R&B and C&W. I don't know that much about Contrast (though likely a British label taking advantage of more favorable copyright laws) and it's taken me awhile to track down the track lists. As usual, there isn't much I don't already own. But, for all you fortunate kids who haven't filled out your holiday library as yet, these new collections offer you the chance to build your vintage holiday library in an instant. These are all anticipated for an October 20 release. And I do dig the cover art. Let's open a few presents, shall we?
CHRISTMAS IN JAIL Here's a vintage Pre-War Christmas Blues collection. At this late date, there shouldn't be anything here you haven't heard before. But all your "must haves" are here. And there was a time that Tampa Red track was quite the find for some of us. Don't sell Eva Taylor short, either. | 1. Santa Claus Blues - Eva Taylor & Clarence Williams Blue Five 2. Santa Claus Blues - Louis Armstrong & Red Onion Jazz Babies 3. At The Christmas Ball -Bessie Smith 4. Christmas Eve Blues - Blind Lemon Jefferson 5. Papa Ain’t No Santa Claus (Mama Ain’t No Christmas Tree) - Butterbeans & Susie 6. Christmas In Jail (Ain’t That A Pain) - Leroy Carr 7. The Wrong Way To Celebrate Xmas - Edward W. Clayborn 8. Santa Claus Crave - Elzadie Robinson 9. Christmas Mornin’ Blues - Victoria Spivey & Lonnie Johnson 10. Jingle Bells - Benny Goodman Orch 11. Christmas Man Blues - Bertha “Chippie” Hill 12. Lonesome Christmas Blues - Blind Blake 13. Santa Claus, Bring My Man Back - Ozie Ware & Duke Ellington’s Hot Five 14. Christmas Mornin’ Blues - Kansas City Kitty & Georgia Tom 15. Santa Claus Blues - Clarence Williams’ Trio & Eva Taylor 16. Christmas, Christmas Blues - Charley Jordon 17. Christmas And No Santa Claus - Bumble Bee Slim 18. Christmas Night In Harlem - Jack Teagarden & Johnny Mercer 19. Happy New Year Blues - Mary Harris 20. Happy New Year Blues - Blind Lemon Jefferson 21. Christmas & New Year’s Blues - Tampa Red |
1. Far Away Christmas Blues - Little Esther & Mel Walker/Johnny Otis 2. Hey Santa Claus - The Moonglows 3. Lonesome Christmas Pt.1 - Lowell Fulson 4. Sonny Boy’s Christmas Blues - Sonny Boy Williamson 5. All I Want For Christmas - The Larks 6. Christmas Time Blues - Roy Milton 7. Merry Xmas - Little Willie Littlefield 8. Mr. Santa’s Boogie - The Marshall Brothers 9. Hello Santa Claus - Cecil Gant 10. No Room At The Inn - The Fairfield Four 11. Boogie Woogie Santa Claus - Sonny Parker & Lionel Hampton 12. Oh Holy Night - The Orioles 13. Christmas Blues - Larry Darnell 14. I Need A Man - Thelma Cooper 15. Gonna Have A Merry Xmas - The Nic Nacs (Robins) 16. I Want My Baby For Christmas - Jimmy Liggins 17. It’s Christmas Time - The Five Keys 18. Christmas Celebration - Jesse Thomas 19. Empty Stocking Blues - Floyd Dixon & Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers 20. Children Go Where I Send Thee - The Victory Five 21. Merry Christmas Baby - Sonny Parker & Lionel Hampton 22. Jingle Jangle Jump - Gladys Bentley & Dexter Gordon 23. Christmas Morning - Titus Turner 24. Christmas Boogie - Sugar Chile Robinson 25. Merry Christmas - Lightening Hopkins 26. What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve - The Orioles | MR. SANTA'S BOOGIE R&B from the 40s and 50s. Some of this territory was well covered by the Savoy collection of similar title, but this set also includes gems from The Larks, Thelma Cooper, and Dexter Gordon that once required deeper searches. Hopefully, "Far Away Christmas Blues" is the longer version including the holiday greeting up top (cuz that's the one you want). |
MR. SANTA CLAUS Some classic Christmas Soul, y'all, including tastes of Motown and Spector. Johnny Flamingo's "Drive Slow" might be new to some of you and there are Holiday Greetings from Gene McDaniels you'll enjoy having. Poppa Hop's "Merry Christmas Darling" is Must Have Texas Blues, if you don't (have). Nathaniel Mayer's "Mr. Santa Claus" is another holiday essential. A lot of folks overlook the Shirelles "Blue Holiday". Don't. The track I'm still looking for isn't here, alas (Phil Spector's instrumental "Winter Blues"...the original flip to Darlene Love's "Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)"), but this is a solid set. | 1. Gee Whiz, It’s Christmas - Carla Thomas 2. Go Tell It On The Mountain - The Swan Silvertones 3. Blue Holiday - The Shirelles 4. Santa Claus Is Coming - The Midnighters 5. The Christmas Song - Big Dee Irwin & Little Eva 6. White Christmas - Darlene Love 7. The Last Month Of The Year - The Staple Singers 8. Merry Christmas Darling - Poppa Hop 9. Merry Christmas Darling (And A Happy New Too!) - The Uniques 10. Mr. Santa Claus (Bring Me My Baby) - Nathaniel Mayer 11. Don’t Cry For Me This Xmas – The Marcels 12. Christmas Time - Jan Bradley 13. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - The Crystals 14. Christmas Greeting - Gene McDaniels 15. Drive Slow - Johnny Flamingo 16. The Christmas Song - The Miracles 17. I Wish You A Merry Christmas - Big Dee Irwin & Little Eva 18. Christmas Blues - Charles Brown 19. There’s Trouble Brewin’ - Jack Scott 20. Silent Night - Patti LaBelle & The Blue Belles 21. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Darlene Love 22. Wish You A Merry Christmas - Kim Weston 23. Christmas Time For Everybody But Me – The Midnighters 24. All I Want For Christmas Is You - Carla Thomas 25. Christmas Everyday - The Miracles 26. Sleigh Ride - The Ronettes 27. New Year Greeting - Gene McDaniels 28. I’ll Stay Home (New Years Eve) - The Jaynells |
1. Rock & Roll Santa Claus - Huey Smith & The Clowns 2. Can This Be Christmas - Eddie Floyd & The Falcons 3. Run Rudolph Run - Chuck Berry 4. Santa - Lightnin’ Hopkins 5. Christmas Time Pt.1 - Jimmy McCracklin 6. Christmas In Jail - The Youngsters 7. Go Tell It On The Mountain - Marian Williams 8. Christmas Letter - La Fets & Kitty 9. It’s Christmas Time - Marvin & Johnny 10. Oh Holy Night –- The Blue Notes 11. Twas The Night Before Christmas - Huey Smith & The Clowns 12. Blues For Christmas - John Lee Hooker 13. Rock & Roll Santa Claus - Babs Gonzales 14. Santa Claus - Sonny Boy Williamson 15. Great Day In December – The Swan Silvertones 16. Please Come Home For Christmas - Charles Brown 17. Christmas Celebration - B.B. King 18. White Christmas – The Golden Gate Quartet 19. Christmas Tears - Freddy King 20. The Christmas Song - Skip Jackson & The Shantons 21. Christmas Comes But Once A Year - Amos Milburn 22. Merry Christmas Baby - Chuck Berry 23. When Was Jesus Born - Marian Williams 24. All I Want For Christmas - Huey Smith & The Clowns 25. After New Years Eve -– The Heartbeats | BLUES FOR CHRISTMAS Well, this is a personal disappointment. As Christmas Blues is my passion, there's nothing remotely new, here, to me. I've had all of this for 30 years, give or take. Also bothers me that "Blues For Christmas" is rounded out with so much Gospel when there's so much good Blues they could have used (and Gospel could have had its own volume in the set). But less fanatical Blues fans should find some good stuff here. And I'd bet it's a solid listen, front to back. |
SANTA CLAUS IS FROM THE SOUTH In contrast to Blues, Country & Western was never my passion, so this volume of Contrast Christmas music offers at least a few tracks that I haven't previously stumbled across (I'm looking at you, Coy McDaniel & Smokey Warren). If your 40s Country collection cupboard is a little bare, there are some real diamonds in the rough, here, like Tommy Scott's "Santa Claus Shuffle" and the tracks from Hylo Brown, Billy Briggs, and Kitty Wells. And it's a toss-up, for me, whether Homer & Jethro or Lonzo & Oscar offer the bigger hoot (and just a little bit of nanny). | 1. Santa Is On His Way - Bob Willis & His Texas Playboys 2. Cowboy Santa Claus – The Prairie Ramblers 3. Jingle Bells - Cowboy Copas 4. You’re The Angel On My Christmas Tree - Faron Young 5. The Christmas Cannon Ball - Kenny Roberts 6. North Pole Boogie - Billy Briggs 7. Christmas Time’s A-Coming - Bill Monroe 8. Reindeer Boogie - Hank Snow 9. No Place Like Home On Christmas - Jimmy Dickens 10. Santa Claus Shuffle - Tommy Scott 11. I’m Gonna Tell Santa On You - Faron Young 12. Jangle Bells - Lonzo & Oscar 13. Christmas Roses - Kenny Roberts 14. Christmas Choo Choo Train - Coy McDaniel & Smokey Warren 15. I’ll Be Walkin' The Floor This Christmas - Ernest Tubb 16. Barefooted Little Cowboy - Jimmy Dickens 17. We Wanna See Santa Do The Mambo - Terry Fell 18. New Baby For Christmas - George Jones 19. Santy's Movin' On - Homer & Jethro 20. Christmas Doll - Jim Eanes & The Shenandoah Valley Boy 21. Christmas In The Hills - Hylo Brown 22. Blue Christmas - Hank Snow 23. Christmas Time Is Near – The Stanley Brothers 24. They Shined Up Rudolph’s Nose - Johnny Horton 25. Old Fashioned Christmas - Jimmy Martin 26. Christmas Time Is Near - Nelson Young 27. Christmas Ain't Like Christmas Anymore - Kitty Wells 28. Christmas Doll - Reno & Smiley 29. Santa Claus Is From The South - Benny Martin |
1. Merry Christmas, Baby - Charles Brown & Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers 2. Boogie Woogie Santa Claus - Mabel Scott 3. Christmas Time Blues - John Lee Hooker 4. Santa Claus Blues - Champion Jack Dupree 5. Christmas Blues - Gatemouth Moore & Tiny Grimes 6. The Holy Baby - The Dixie Humming Birds 7. Xmas Blues - Harmon Ray 8. My Christmas Baby - Smokey Hogg 9. Bring That Cadillac Back - Harry Crafton 10. How I Hate To See Christmas Come Around - Jimmy Witherspoon 11. Jingle Bells - Leo Watson 12. (It’s Gonna Be A) Lonely Christmas – The Orioles 13. Christmas Date Boogie - Joe Turner 14. Christmas Time Blues - Boll Weevil 15. Christmas Spirits - Julia Lee 16. When Was Jesus Born - Sons Of Heaven (Selah Jubilee Singers) 17. White Christmas - The Ravens 18. Christmas Blues - Washboard Pete 19. Love For Christmas - Felix Gross 20. Christmas Time - Little T-Bone (Goree Carter) 21. I Want A Present For Christmas - J.B. Summers 22. Let's Make Christmas Merry, Baby - Amos Milburn 23. New Year’s Eve Blues - Smokey Hogg 24. Happy New Year, Baby - Johnny Otis 25. Happy New Year Darling - Lonnie Johnson 26. New Year’s Resolution - Roy Milton | BOOGIE WOOGIE SANTA CLAUS A much better collection of holiday Blues than is "Blues For Christmas", not only were some of these more difficult to hunt down back in the day, a few only entered my collection in the last 15 years or so (which makes them fresher than 30). You might still be unaware of Little T-Bone or Harry Crafton. And, if nothing else, "Boogie Woogie Santa Claus" contains my 2 favorite Christmas Blues of all time--Charles Brown's original version of "Merry Christmas Baby" and Amos Milburn's smooth as silk "Let's Make Christmas Merry, Baby". |
WE FREE KINGS A handy collection with most of the "musts", but it is hard to imagine listening to an album with THREE versions of "Greensleeves" and FOUR versions of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town". I don't think you need TWO from Lockjaw Davis, either. Why no Carmen McRae? And Lionel Hampton had other holiday tracks that wouldn't require repeating "White Christmas". I also prefer Count Basie's "Jingle Bells" to Ellington's. Still...most of these are Jazz tracks you need in a well rounded Christmas collection. | 1. White Christmas (live) – Charlie Parker Quintet 2. Sleigh Ride - Herb Geller Quartet 3. Winter Wonderland - Chet Baker Quartet 4. The Christmas Song - Charlie Ferguson Orch. 5. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Paul Bley Trio 6. Greensleeves - Coleman Hawkins 7. We Free Kings - Roland Kirk Quartet 8. Winter Wonderland - Red Garland Trio 9. Greensleeves - John Coltrane 10. The Christmas Song - Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis 11. Here Comes Santa Claus - Ramsey Lewis Trio 12. Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town - Dave Brubeck Quartet 13. Jingle Bells - Duke Ellington 14. Greensleeves - Bill Smith Quartet 15. White Christmas - Lionel Hampton 16. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis 17. Blue Christmas (To Whom It May Concern) - Miles Davis 18. Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Pony Poindexter 19. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Bill Evans |
1. Dig That Crazy Santa Claus - Oscar McLollie 2. Christmas In Heaven - Jackie Wilson & The Dominoes 3. Chincy Old Scrooge - Phil Moore 4. We Wanna See Santa Do The Mambo - Big John Greer 5. Just A Lonely Christmas - The Moonglows 6. Santa Claus Baby - The Voices 7. I’ll Be Home For Christmas - The Pilgrim Travelers 8. Be Bop Santa Claus - Babs Gonzales 9. White Christmas - Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters 10. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer – The Cadillacs 11. It’s Christmas Time - The Castelles 12. Cowboy Santa Claus - Bill Lacey & Lil Armstrong 13. Trim Your Tree - Jimmy Butler 14. A Christmas Prayer - The Penguins 15. Rockin’ & Rollin With Santa Claus - The Hepsters 16. Rock Around The Christmas Tree - Big Bud 17. Blink Before Christmas - Phil Moore 18. A Cool, Cool Christmas - The Sabers 19. No Room In The Hotel - Lou Rawls & The Chosen Gospel Singers 20. Christmas Prayer - The Valentines 21. Santa Claus Boogie - The Voices 22. I Want You With Me Christmas - Jesse Belvin 23. Wait ‘Til After Christmas - Big John Greer 24. Happy New Year - Lightening Hopkins 25. Watch Them Resolutions - Babs Gonzales 26. On New Year’s Eve - The Heartbeats | DIG THAT CRAZY SANTA CLAUS Closing out the Contrast collections with a super satisfying selection of 50s R&B. This one looks like something I'd have put together...what with BOTH SIDES of the rare Phil Moore classic, the seldom heard Babs Gonzales flip "Watch Them Resolutions", and the highly sought after "Cowboy Santa Claus" from Bill Lacey. While there's nothing here I don't own already, I'm tempted to spring for this one anyway. |