As I prepared to make a few notes about this “new” album, I took a look at the date on which it was released…and am still in disbelief that The Christmas Album was released almost 20 years ago! Time flies, and yet this recording still sounds as fresh as the day it was released. While you might expect a Manhattan Transfer recording to feature four-part vocal harmonies and jazz, they reached a bit beyond and enlisted the great Johnny Mandel to handle orchestrations and arrangements, and what you end up with is a beautifully warm and lush holiday recording that transcends musical boundaries. The rockers and headbangers probably would never warm to it, but it is one of those nice “family” discs that, thanks to the Mandel/Tim Hauser production, can sound lush without straying into sappy Muzak. Even Tony Bennett pops in for a guest appearance on “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)”. What really impressed me was the disc opening with the lesser known “Snowfall,” a wintery song penned by Claude Thornhill decades ago. And, the album closes with the Lennon/McCartney “Goodnight.” As with any ManTran album, the harmonies are smooth, and each of the members gets their turn in the spotlight. Warmly recommended!
Various Artists: ¡Something Festive! [Christmas Album Countdown]
No music collection is without some favorite obscurities that most haven’t heard of. Today’s album pick is no exception: this is a various artist compilation on A&M from the late 60s entitled ¡Something Festive!, originally a promotional tie-in with the B.F. Goodrich tire company. This LP features ten tracks from an assortment of artists on the A&M label, most of which have never appeared on other albums (either unique songs, or unique versions of songs).
The Tijuana Brass bookends the album with “Winter Wonderland” (with the vocal introduction edited off), and “Jingle Bell Rock” (which features bells in place of the marimba figure at the beginning of the song). Brasil ’66 gives us “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts…),” a non-album track for them. Liza Minnelli’s “Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy”, the Baja Marimba Band’s “Partridge In A Pear Tree” and We Five’s “My Favorite Things” all hail from previou A&M album releases. Side two opens with the rare Burt Bacharach track “The Bell That Couldn’t Jingle,” followed by the non-album Pete Jolly track, “It’s The Most Wonderful Time”, Claudine Longet’s “Snow” and the non-album “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” cover by the Baja Marimba Band.
It’s a shame A&M never reissued this on CD, as there are several more classic A&M tracks that could be added to fill it out. Wes Montgomery recorded “Greensleeves” on one of his CTi albums, as did Kai Winding and J.J. Johnson with “The Little Drummer Boy” on their album Betwixt & Between. Both of the early 70s Carpenters single tracks “Merry Christmas Darling” and “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” fit on here also, as does the Shawn Phillips “A Christmas Song.” Claudine Longet recorded another Christmas song as well: “I Don’t Intend To Spend Christmas Without You,” and they could have grabbed the Baja Marimba Band version of “Las Mananitas” from their For Animals Only album (as the same track appears on the Tijuana Brass Christmas album).
This wasn’t the most popular album, yet it appears to be easy enough to find online for sale. If you fancy that A&M family sound, this album will fit the bill. It usually gets an annual spin here at Casa Rudy, either in LP form or in my own expanded CD version.
A Merry Henry Mancini Christmas [Christmas Album Countdown]
At the holidays, we often look back to our childhood fondly for favorite things we enjoyed back in those simpler years. I have my share of memories, including a handful of holiday albums that even today, get at least one spin during the busy holiday season. One of those I spin is A Merry Mancini Christmas. Thankfully, RCA has chosen to commit that album to CD, but has also released an enhanced version (featuring a new transfer from the 3-track masters) called Greatest Christmas Songs. The running order has changed, and a few tracks have been added, but the music remains the same. (It’s nothing a programmable CD player can’t fix!) One of those extra tracks is the lush and jazzy “Snowfall” which hails from the Mancini Touch LP from the late 50s. The music is what you’d expect from mid 60s’ Mancini: a few medleys of popular upbeat Christmas songs strung together on one side in more of a jazzy pop-standards vocal configuration, and the quiet and more reflective songs with strings on the flip side. The vocalists, incidentally, include Mancini’s wife Ginny, who was an in-demand singer herself back in the day. One true highlight is the Mancini-penned “Carol For Another Christmas” which opened the second side of the original LP. Well worth seeking out if you’re a fan of Mancini’s!
Peggy Lee: Christmas [Christmas Album Countdown]
If you are a fan of the classy 60’s Capitol sound of Peggy Lee, this Christmas compilation will be right up your alley. Thing is, there are a few variations on this CD out there, that it is difficult to find one that covers all of the bases. This particular disc covers eight of the twelve tracks from Peggy’s Christmas Carousel album (the title track of which appears on this disc), and three additional tracks. Arrangements are by Billy May. What I enjoy most is Peggy Lee’s voice–I am not a fan of many female singers, but if they sing in a lower register such as Lee’s, I’m often smitten. She has always gone beyond being a mere vocalist on her albums: her own knowledge and touch to the music bring such touches as the “I Like A Sleighride” phrase injected into “Jingle Bells.” The classy arrangments also help keep the proceedings from being generic or sappy (as much holiday music can be). This is a welcome holiday play around the house, and you can’t go wrong with Christmas (pictured) or the more modern release Christmas with Peggy Lee.
Christmas discussions aplenty at A&M Corner and Speakeasy Forums!
We have a lot of holiday music discussions happening at A&M Corner–a lot of A&M favorites, and a new thread with your own holiday picks. The Speakeasy is also running a thread as well. Feel free to drop by and tell us about your holiday favorites! And, we have a couple more entries posting here over the next couple of days, so stay tuned!