Re: christmas music

[kevin j hopp <khopp@garbersoft.net>]

> I just have a general thought on Christmas music.  The least meaningful
> Christmas music to me is when an artists does something that's trendy at
> the time but ends up sounding dated years later.  Just a thought...

ouch, a couple on my list might fit in this category, depending on your 
definition of trendy... That can get pretty wide. Is a disc of bands doing
80's R&R renditions of xmas tunes trendy? 
Would it follow that any sound that became dominant 
in a particular decade is trendy - after the originator of course?
Then perhaps the only bands that aren't trendy are ones doing music from 
another decade! LOL.

Anyway, thanks for the recommendation all!
here's a pretty big list of discs I've gathered over the years that I like
to rotate this time of year, not nessarily in fave order: (yea, I like Christmas music)

0) Bruce Cockburn Christmas. Been mentioned a couple times but I thought
I'd chide in. In my top 3. Great disc.
1) Merry Axemas: great guitar god lineup doing instrumental versions of
xmas tunes. Eric Johnson, Steve Morse (two of my faves and worth and the price
of admission alone) Jeff Beck, Joe Satriani, Alex Lifeson, among others.
2) Merry Axemas Vol. 2: not as good as the first but still worth it. Includes
Trevor Rabin, Stu Hamm, Robin Trower, Ted Nugent, Al Di Meola.
3)John Fahey: The new possibly guitar soli christmas album. Some very original
acoustic renditions of classic and not so classic tunes.
4)Acoustic Christmas: A CBS records compilation that usually can be had pretty 
cheap but has a great lineup of music: T-Bone Burnett, Laura Nyro, Poi Dog Pondering,
Rosanne Cash. There are a few creepers on the disc but the good ones outweigh the bad.
5)Noel: Via records release with some of the better bands to come out of CCM sharing 
writing credits on some new ones and working together on some old ones. Includes Derri Daugherty and Steve Hindalong of the Choir, Riki Michelle from Adam Again, Mike Pritzl of the Violet Burning, Jerry Chamberlain or DA, Jenny Gullen of Hoi Polloi,Carolyn Arends, among others.
6) the Gift: very nice laid back collection of tunes from the defunct Weathervane. Highlight is 
two original tunes by Bill Mallonee. Also Jason Harrod, Claire Holly, John Austin, among others.
Get it at Pastemusic.com. (they also have some intriguing xmas discs listed I don't know)
7) the broken Christmas: artists from the now defunct Broken records. Riki Michelle, Adam Again, Gene Eugene, Undercover, Ojo, among others. Highlight is Adam Again doing Angels we have heard on high and Gene and Riki doing O come O come Immanuel. Very hard to find though.
8) The Carols of Christmas (my only light jazz entry) Windam Hill did it right this time by including Michael Manring, Steve Morse, Michael Hedges, Nightnoise among the usueal suspects.
One of the best in the light jazz glut of entrees.
9) The Cheiftans: the Bells of Dublin: great disc with a few unconventional things thrown in the mix. Includes Elvis Costello doing St. Stephen's day murders, Marianne Faithful doing I saw Three Ships, Ricki Lee Jones and Suzie Katyama doing O Holy Night, Nanci Griffith doing the Wexford Carrol, Jackson Browne doing The Rebel Jesus among others. One disc - 25 tunes. Good buy.
10)Street Carols (small distributor - done in Gary Indiana, my neck of the woods. can possibly be got here http://www.accessorl.net/streetgold/moresgr2.htm) some great acapella, doo op, r&b, and early motown vibe stuff. My boss is an old music promoter from Gary and knows Billy Shelton whom I've met a few times, great guy! been in the music biz since the 30's and worked with a slew of legends. his stuff with his son under the name 11th avenue (acapella do op) is wonderful. Billy is center here:  http://centerstage.net/music/whoswho/11thAvenue.html.
11) the best Christmas...ever. Virgin records compilation of oldies and newies. Double disc, can sometimes be had pretty cheap. Nice comp of tunes along with some creepers but again, the good ones outweigh the bad. Where else you gonna find David Essex, Enigma, the Waitresses, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Steeleye Span, Slade, the Spinners, Willy Nelson, Mike Olfield, the Carpenters,  among others all under the same roof and actually enjoy it!
12) the Crossing: the court of the king. Mostly original stuff with a couple very nice narratives among a couple classics. Excellent celtic (not bandwagon celtic) release by JPUSA's
the Crossing.
13) Happy Christmas vol's 1-3. If you want some rock, alternative, ska, with a few lighter things thrown in for banance, a few,  and who knows what else all done by some aggressive trendy wildhare small Christian bands try these 3 discs out.  Don't listen to practically any of these bands myself but in this context they're fun. Not a lot of Christmas discs with aggressive adrenaline pumped rock and roll out there. Five Iron Frenzy, Plankeye, Sarah Masen, Chasing Furies, Denison Witmer, Starflyer 59, Aaron Sprinkle, and a slew of others,with many I've never heard of. ***disc 2 has Sixpence doing 'your a mean one mr. grinch' and the Lost Dogs doing 'the chipmunk song'. Can all be had fairly cheap at Tooth and Nail I think.

kevin


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