A Christmas Yuleblog

A Christmas Yuleblog Sampler - 2011

2011-12-21T13:10:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas!

We've had quite a year here - digitizing all of our Christmas music, a radio show, and remastering yuleblog samplers past. But I can't complain.

Taking the nine months to get every album and MP3 onto my hard drive (and an external hard drive for backup) was the best decision I may have made in my Christmas life. To have every song at my fingertips saves me time and led to discoveries of songs I never knew I had. I thought that what the CD was supposed to do but that only shows you how far in the past I was living.

The radio show was very satisfying. The folks at the radio station were very supportive and thrilled with the end results. Will it happen again next year? I'm hopeful but only time will tell. Lots of things are in store at the station...

Okay... enough about you Capt... where's the samplers?

During a break in digitizing in June, I went back and remastered the Yuleblog Samplers from 2008 and 2009. Every 45 was re-recorded, washed through Sound Forge, and saved at a bitrate of 256k - none of that wimpy 128 or 192 stuff.

What makes me proudest of this remaster was my work on the MP3 tags. I finally found an MP3 tagger that was easy to use and I packed each one with info - I did deep Google searches for the first names of obscure composers and came up with quite a few.

Umm... Capt? You're rambling... WE WANT SAMPLERS!

Okay, okay. Be nice. It's Christmas.

A Christmas Yuleblog Sampler - 2008 (REMASTERED)

A Christmas Yuleblog Sampler - 2009 (REMASTERED)

A Christmas Yuleblog Sampler - 2010 (updated files & link)

Yeah, yeah, them's old news. Where's the new stuff? Where's the compilation of all-new stuff from the 45s you found from record shows, garage sales, record stores in three or four different states? It's always here at Christmas time...

Come onnnnnnnn!

Alright, already! Sheesh. twenty three tracks this year. Some disco, some polkas, two new Vietnam Christmas records, two imports from Canada, all very obscure... until now.

Your 2011 Christmas Yuleblog Sampler:

Track 1 - Clayton Toman - Christmas, A Time For Everyone

CMS Records - 4805 (38076) (1980)

Simple songs are usually the better songs - and this one, despite its obscurity, is pretty better than most.

Track 2 - Fred Astaire - Once A Year Night

Dick Clark Productions - DCP 201 DJ (DCP 201 AS) (1979)

The classiest dancer of all time sings a song for a made-for-TV Christmas movie. And according to the label, Astaire is a Dick Clark Production - who knew?

Track 3 -Jackie & The Cedrics - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

Norton Records - 054 (45-054-B) (199?)

Wicked surf guitar cover! Recorded in Brooklyn by a band from Tokyo, Japan. Their picture sleeve is a masterpiece!

Track 4 - Desiree Shane - Jingle Bell Disco

Rollins Records - RO-87 A (1978)

I've got a weakness for Christmas disco. I don't seek them out - they find me. And this record show find certainly lives up to the title. Even came with a response card, asking program directors if they'll play the song!

Track 5 - The Salas Brothers - Donde Esta Santa Claus

Faro Records - 625 (45-ATE-126) (1966)

At least it's not Augie Rios singing this tune... and I love how one of the Salases added their name to the songwriting credit! Love the fuzz solo!

Track 6 - Tom Manche - Santa Used To Be A Baker

Les Howard - CPS 8701 (WRC3-5509) (1987)

I just can't picture Santa kneading dough while wearing a hair and beard net. A Canadian Christmas novelty from Calgary.

Track 7 - Marv Herzog - Round And Round The Xmas Tree

Sound Inc. - 291 (IRM 291-B X) (1972)

Get-a down, get-a funky! Nothing like Christmas polka to brighten your holidays! And Herzog's serving it up like kielbasa at a PolishFest.

Track 8 - The Scot Lad Singers - I Love A Christmas Song

Martin's Super Market - SoN 2212 (2212 18) (19??)

Martin's is a regional chain of supermarkets in Indiana and Michigan. Scot Lad Foods was a company near where I grew up - lived on their canned veggies as a tyke. Found this at a flea market in Warsaw, IN.

Track 9 - N-F-ECT - Radical Reindeer (Vocal)

Cold Express Records - 001 (001 A) (1988)

An old-school rap song that never found the big time. And after about 30 seconds, you'll know why. Rather spend Christmas in Hollis...

Track 10 - Jane Carter - The Best Part Of Christmas

World Renowned Sounds - 2005 (WR7-72005B) (1991)

How many non-classical Christmas waltzes can you name that were recorded in 1991? Not many. Definitely different from the rest.

Track 11 - Califone - Silver And Gold

Numero Group - Numero 008 (008B) (2003)

The most recent song to appear on any of my samplers, this cover will make you forget Burl Ives for a while... and that's a good thing no matter how you look at it.

Track 12 - Jimmy Neil - My Letter To Santa

Martin Records - 101 (MR 101-A) (19??)

The first of two Vietnam Christmas records I found this year. You know the story - a boy writes to Santa asking his daddy to come home. Hard to swallow since it's a singin' schoolteacher asking the request...

Track 13 - Miss Sza'vee - A Prayer For Christmas

Soular Records - 501 (S-501-A) (1969)

The other Vietnam Christmas record. This one's sincere. If you need further proof, the picture sleeve says it all.

Watch for the flip side on my Christmas CD next year.

Track 14 - The California Raisins - Hark!

Atlantic Records - 89008 (ST-A-56042-SP) (1988)

Strictly for the California Raisins completists...

Track 15 - Larry Klevos - When Santa Does The Polka

World Renowned Sounds - 2005 (WR7-72005A) (1991)

The A side of track 10 (see above). Yep, another Christmas polka.

Track 16 - Nat Stuckey - How Can Christmas Be Merry?

Paula Records - 288 (SL-1295) (1967)

This record was a NIGHTMARE to capture. Lots of pops, cracks, and scratches but Sound Forge did a great job cleaning it up. Glad it came out okay - very good tune!

Track 17 - The Rovers - Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer

Attic Records - 275 (AT 275-A-2) (1982)

Before Elmo & Patsy assaulted the airwaves with this one, the Rovers released this cover in Canada. Not too many covers of this song out there... you surprised?

Track 18 - David Whitfield (with Stanley Black & His Orchestra) - Santo Natale(Merry Christmas)

London Records - 1508 (DRF-19622) (1954)

Whitfield was the first UK male vocalist to have a gold record, a Top Ten hit on the Billboard Top 100, and the first to sell 1,000,000 copies in America. The oldest song on this year's sampler.

Track 19 - Little Jimmy Osmond - If Santa Were My Daddy

MGM Records - 14328 (71-L-2780) (1971)

The youngest of the Osmond clan, this is hardcore Christmas bubblegum. Not for the faint of heart. The following year, Jimmy has a Christmas Number One in the UK with "Long Haired Lover From Liverpool".

Track 20 - Bob Morrison - It's Christmas

Columbia Records - 43786 (ZSP-115994) (1966)

One of the rare instances in which the B side ("Santa Mouse") is far better than the A side.

Track 21 - Peter Foldy - My Christmas Wish For You (Vocal)

Nightflite Records - 108 (NFS 108-A) (1982)

Another Canada track - this one's on the easy listening side. Has a Neil Sedaka feel to it, complete with multi-tracking vocals from Foldy.

Track 22 - Scott Grimes - We Believe In Christmas

Jamex Records - 017 (J-45-017A) (1984)

Grimes was a kid actor with a singing career in the early 1980s. This epic single was produced by Rick Segall, a kid actor of the 1970s!

Track 23 - Art Walunas & His Orchestra - Silver Bells

Dearborn Records - 528 (ZTSC-107352) (1970)

The third and last Christmas polka to grace this year's sampler.

The obligatory two secret bonus tracks.

Possibly my favorite tracks on this year's sampler.

A Christmas Yuleblog Sampler - 2011

Okay, here's the part where the Capt talks about his year, what's next, how he's gonna re-invigorate this blog again by adding new remastered titles, updating the template, giving it a fresh look, and start writing reviews again.

We've heard it all before...

There's not a lot I can add this year, folks. I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Wait... what about the promises, the updates, all of that?

I made those promises in the past and nothing came of them. I'm not going to promise or commit to anything with the yuleblog. If it happens, I trust you'll be around and I hope you'll like what I have to offer.

So, you are going to make changes, re-add the titles, etc.?

I appreciate all the kind comments about the music left here (not keen on the spammers) and you've been terrifically loyal through these many years. I'd love to add all the changes but that takes a commitment of time and effort.

I can't commit to that. Only time will tell. Be patient and hope for the best.

Whatever, Capt.

If you're one of the people in red, thanks for stopping by. If you're a fan of the yuleblog, thanks for sticking around all these years and for appreciating the music. I'm glad you understand what I've tried to do here since the beginning.

To you and yours, a sincere wish for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Rob Martinez

aka CaptainOT

See you next Christmas Capt. Peace.

2011-12-09T23:26:00.005-05:00

Did you receive one of these?

If so, click here.

What's the deal with this place?

2011-12-08T00:32:00.001-05:00

To the readers of the yuleblog,

I appreciate all the non-spam comments I've received here (over 150 comments) since my last blog post in March. Or the last month when the Cubs were in first place. Each of the comments were published and posted to their individual blog entries.

At some point in time, I hope to get to answer them. At some point in time, I hope to rework this blog - correct the grammar errors caused by glitches in the code and by the author, upgrade the template, expand the columns to add more stuff, etc, etc, etc.

Then there's the little matter of sharity.

All of my shares were hosted by Rapidshare since the beginning. About two years ago, they reworked their plans and upped their yearly fees. I had banked enough Rapid points based on download hits that allowed the shares to be carried without cost to me until June of this year.

I made the decision not to renew my account with RS for the following reasons:

1.) Many of the shares were recorded on my old turntable on my old computer. They sounded like, for lack of a better word, sh-t.

2.) I've been slowly (and I mean slowly) re-recording my albums for future use. SOPA is lurking around the corner so we'll see what the future brings.

My time away from this place has seriously diminished my blog skills. If I update this interface and the template, it might help me make up for it but, again, it requires time to do so. I started at 4 PM to make three changes to my blog tonight (added the 2011 playlist to my study guide, added an entries announcing that, and this announcement post here). It's currently 11:45 PM.

I should be at one of my daughter's basketball games right now but I made the decision to post this tonight. In all matters, my family comes first over a blog.

From day one, I've tried my best for every entry a cut above my normal standards. I've tried to provide the best info and a level of writing that many of you find entertaining. Anything below that isn't fair to you.

It would be very easy to click on the "DELETE THIS BLOG NOW" button that Blogger has provided and say "hey, I've had a great run."

But I'm not going to throw in the towel just yet.

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On to some encouraging news:

The question I keep getting asked repeatedly online and at my PO Box is "Where can I find back copies of the Yuleblog Samplers?"

Backstory: The first samplers from 2006 and 2007 are gone. They were simply repeats of songs I had already posted in other shapes or forms here. If you got an album share of my old stuff, you got the tracks within these samplers.

And they sounded like sh-t. So I pulled them from rotation - they won't be offered by me again.

The 2008 sampler and 2009 sampler are still up (I think). Even if they're not, they sound like sh-t and they're not worth your time downloading. And since I'm not on Rapidshare, I couldn't take them down if I tried.

The 2010 sampler was the first to be recorded on my new turntable with the new computer and is worth your time and effort to go get.

In about two weeks - the weekend before Christmas - I will be posting REMASTERED versions of the 2008 and 2009 samplers along with the 2011 sampler.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

The King of Jingaling at FaLaLaLaLa.com is taking this Christmas off but the keepers of the forum are putting together a Christmas sampler in his stead. They were very kind to ask me to contribute a track to the mix - click the link, sign up to become a member, and feast upon lots and lots of amazing Christmas music, information, and some of the friendliest internet forum members on the planet.

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And now, for the big finish...

A major portion of the year was spent working on my Christmas digitization. The other part of the year was spent volunteering at WBOI-FM 89.1 FM / NIPR.fm here in Fort Wayne. I've been editing movie reviews, interview segments, and learning about all aspects of the station.

Since it went public today, I'm excited to announce... well, click on the link:

http://www.nipr.fm/common/more.php?m=15&r=2&item_id=249

Heading out tomorrow for our annual Christmas weekend in Chicago. The kids are trying deep dish pizza for the first time and there's a famed record shop in the shadow of the hotel we're staying at.

I'm in heaven...

Capt

A Towering Project; or What I'm Doing Rather Than Working On This Blog

2011-03-05T10:24:00.004-05:00

“I respect the man who knows distinctly what he wishes. The greater part of all mischief in the world arises from the fact that men do not sufficiently understand their own aims. They have undertaken to build a tower, and spend no more labor on the foundation than would be necessary to erect a hut.” - Goethe

What you are looking at is approximately two and one-half years in the making. The tower of CDs represents the 240+ Christmas albums I've downloaded in that span of time from various Christmas blogs and sharity sites around the Internet. Various blogs? Half of these came from that mad genius Ernie (not Bert)... thanks for doing your part for the economy Ern!

At the beginning of 2009, I was overwhelmed by the task of getting everything organized and burned. So it began to pile up here, some over there, and everything that was downloaded was uploaded onto a Western Digital 500 GB external hard drive.

After getting a new computer last year, I began cataloging all of the albums onto my master spreadsheet; a task that probably would have taken me a month if I really worked at it. But I didn't work at it that hard. I took a rather leisurely pace, causing it to stretch on and on well into the summer and fall.

As soon as the cataloging was done, I began assembling and labeling the CD-Rs for each CD, printing out the artwork for each CD, and keeping each CD in alphabetical order so the burning process would be streamlined.

About a month into this phase, the 2010 Christmas season was underway. Another 100+ albums were added thanks to Christmas gifts, my own purchases, several donations to my PO Box, and the generous (and boy do I MEAN generous) Christmas sharity community. Back to square one with more cataloging and assembling.

In the middle of all of this physical assembly and organization, I made an important decision. Since 1/3 of my collection had come from Christmas shares and was digitized already, I bit the bullet and began to make plans to digitize the other 2/3 of the collection - possibly eliminating the need for burned CDs in the future.

So while I was adding new entries onto my spreadsheet, I was working on FOUR other spreadsheets: the first was keeping track of all the Christmas downloads for the past year, the second was organizing what Christmas shares I needed to burn to CD, the third was determining what Christmas albums (including artwork) that are or aren't digitized.

Armed with the lists, I now go forth. Starting with A&M's 1997 In Store Christmas Sampler and ending with Christmas With Zamfir, I will be working on digitizing all of the Christmas CDs in my collection.

Count as of 3/5/2011:

1,572 albums

25,508 songs

During this process, I will try to post links of the albums I've downloaded over the past four years. This way, the two or three people who read this blog will be able to listen to the albums I've burned or will be burning.

I'll actually be able to listen to some of these albums for the first time (remarkable, huh?) and maybe add a one or two line comment on each album.

The whole purpose of this blog was to keep track of new additions to my collection. In posting the links, I'll be doing two jobs at once. We'll see how this will end up... Stay tuned.

Capt

Mae West - Wild Christmas (A REMASTERED CANCELLATION)

2011-01-25T17:13:00.001-05:00

The album you are looking at holds a special spot in my collection. It was one of the first Christmas albums I actively searched for when I seriously began collecting Christmas music. It also was the first album I ever shared online (first at FaLaLaLaLa.com, then here).

And it's still one of the most popular shares in my sharity list (over 800 downloads since I first posted this).

Since I'm a sentimental guy, I decided when I got my new USB turntable in hopes of remastering many of my older shares that this would be the first album that would get the star treatment.

I think Mae West would have been pleased.

I had rescanned the covers (300 dpi) and the record labels and was getting ready to drop the needle to re-record the glorious tones of Ms. West.

But...

I was reading my new copy of Goldmine Magazine and discovered a vendor selling a new Canadian import 2-for-1 CD. In addition to this album, you get West's 1970 album "The Fabulous Mae West" that features 11 songs and was issued in conjunction with her appearance in the dreadful movie "Myra Breckinridge".

Best Buy's online site tells us that this was released on January 4, 2011. Soooooo, I've taken the old share offline and sadly, I won't be posting the new remastered version.

Do us a favor - read through my sharity list and see which titles jump out at you. Which of these albums should be given the full remastered treatment?

Leave us a comment and let me know your choices... who knows, I might be able to post something new!

Capt

Billy Taylor - 1921-2010

2010-12-30T11:04:00.000-05:00

The jazz and musical world lost a great friend two days ago when Dr. Billy Taylor died at the age of 89 in Manhattan.

Taylor was born in Greenville, North Carolina and had his first piano lesson at the age of seven. His family later moved to Washington D.C. and attended Virginia State College for Negroes (now known as Virginia State University) where he studied music.

After graduation in 1946, Billy moved to New York City at a time when jazz and bebop was about to explode onto the music scene. Within two days of his arrival, he began working with noted jazz musician Ben Webster and later became the house pianist at the famous Birdland Jazz Club.

He formed his own jazz combo in 1951, toured all across the United States, and even put his music degree to good use; lecturing at schools on jazz, writing extensive articles for DownBeat magazine, and even had a long tenure of concerts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC.

Taylor's diverse resume deepened with stints on television (musical director of the 1958 NBC show called "The Subject is Jazz") and on radio (several positions as DJ and program director on NYC radio throughout the 1960s).

In 1969, Taylor was asked to become his musical director of "The David Frost Show" - going head to head with Johnny Carson. It was a good four year run from 1969 to 1972 and even spawned a full-fledged Christmas album:

After the show ended, Taylor went back to school and received a Doctorate in Music Education from the University of Massachusetts in 1975. The doctor did house calls: teaching gigs at Long Island University, the Manhattan School of Music, and then back to UMass.

Dr. Taylor has a long career at National Public Radio, first as the host of "Jazz Alive" in the late 1970s and then "Billy Taylor's Jazz at the Kennedy Center" from 1994 to 2002 (Taylor was the artistic director for jazz at the JFK Center for many years).

Early risers on Sunday mornings knew Taylor as a correspondent on "CBS News Sunday Morning", profiling nearly 250 interviews with jazz musicians. His work garnered him an Emmy.

The list of accomplishments can go on and on - his absence will be sorely felt.

I was fortunate to find a copy of his Christmas album sealed at at a record show earlier this year. This was one of the first albums I transferred using my Stanton T.92 USB turntable.

To honor the memory of Billy, I'm posting the Christmas album for a limited time:

Merry Christmas From David Frost & Billy Taylor - Bell Records - 6053 (1970)

Rest in peace, Dr. Taylor.

Capt

A Christmas Yuleblog Sampler - 2010

2010-12-15T10:02:00.011-05:00

Merry Christmas!

Usually at this downloading season, I would be posting new Christmas albums that I would have rummaged for at thrift stores, haggled for at record shows, and sniped at the last minute on eBay.

Several things prevented me in doing that this year - I could bore you with the details but I'll refrain. I did want to continue the tradition that I started five Christmases ago - the annual Yuleblog Sampler.

Normally, this would have been posted on Christmas Day - my present to you. But I decided to move the release date up by 10 days since I don't have anything else to post this season.

I'm excited about this release for two reasons: 1.) Many of the 45s and 78s I found for the sampler were nowhere to be found in my 22,000+ Christmas song library. 2.) These singles were the first vinyl transferred on my new Stanton T.92 USB turntable and captured to digital on my new Dell PC.

None of the vinyl I've transferred before has sounded better than this. Welcome to the 21st century Capt.

Your 2010 Christmas Yuleblog sampler:

Track 1 - Franklin MacCormack - I Like Christmas
Chicago Federal Savings Promo - ZTSC-9044-1A - 195?

MacCormack was a longtime Chicago radio host who helped to pioneer the spoken word album back in the 1950s.

Open a Christmas club account, get this record - sweet!

Track 2 - Dick Roman - Christmas Village
Harmon Records - 1011 (NO7W-0796-2) - 1962

"Pretty song about a dream of childhood days is sung with much feeling by the lad, while the ork lends good support. Could grab spins". - - Billboard Magazine, 12/1/62

I agree!

Track 3 - The Di Mara Sisters - Santa's Italian Wife
Pip Records - 100X-A - 1971

Did you that wife that Santa comes from Italy? And your presents on Christmas morning could have a very cheesy smell? Every Italian stereotype is thrown in good measure on this song - eh cumpari!

Track 4 - Johnny Long & His Orchestra (Vocal by Francey Lane and the Ensemble) - Winter Wonderland
Signature Records - 15150-B (SRC-434) - 1947

Found this 78 at a local thrift store - I've since discovered this came from a larger set of Christmas 78s that featured other artists. Keep watching...

Track 5 - Frank and Jack - Twas The Night Before Christmas (Breaking Through The Sound Barrier)
Bergen Records - 100A - 1957

Taking a cue from Buchanan & Goodman, two radio guys decided to have some fun in the radio studio. Instead of break-ins with Elvis and Fabian, they chose sound F/X and celebrities. Strange...

Track 6 - Hank Crawford - Merry Christmas Baby
Atlantic Records - 45-5032 (A-8326) - 1964

Crawford has a long career in the R&B/jazz world and was astounded to find this at a garage sale for a dime.

If you want some Christmas sax this holiday, look no further than this.

Track 7 - David Hill (with Ray Martin & His Orchestra) - Christmas Bride
RCA Victor - 47-7430 (H2PW-7812) - 1958

I've never heard of a song that combines wedding proposals and Christmas before. Not exactly rock-n-roll, not exactly pop... love the sax solo.

Track 8 - Red Buttons - Bow-Wow Wants A Boy For Christmas
Columbia Records - 40384 (CO 52652) - 1954

I won a promo 45 of this record several years ago on eBay. Found this 78 RPM earlier this year - one of the first 78s on the new turntable.

I think the songwriter on this is Steve Allen - can anyone confirm that?

Track 9 - The Gus De Wert Trio (with Gay LaComb) - Space Age Santa Claus
Ross Records - WW1004-B (SJW-3524) - 196?

This one has floated around cyberspace for a long time with Jeannie Jay listed as the singer.

Jay was the credited singer on side two ("When Christmas Bells Are Ringing"), LaComb on side one. Hope this clears up any confusion.

Track 10 - Monica Lewis (with Ray Bloch & His Orchestra) - The Christmas Song
Signature Records - 15151-B (SRC-540) - 1947

This was the other 78 RPM I found (see track four above). The third 78 in this set was Ray Bloch & His Orchestra doing "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" and "Let It Snow x 3".

Artwork anyone?

Track 11 - Judy Storey - Christmas Cheer From Heaven
Breaking Records - IRDA 576-A - 1979

A Christmas song from a dead wife singing to her husband from heaven.

Who gave the green light to this one? Truly inexplicable.

Track 12 - Consuela & Luisa Valdez - This Xmas Day
Mosaic Records - 210419A - 1970

Mother/daughter duo who self-produced and wrote this tribute to a family member at Christmas.

Found at Wooden Nickel Records in Fort Wayne (thanks Tim!).

Track 13 - The De John Sisters - The Only Thing I Want For Christmas (Is To Keep The Things That I've Got)
Epic Records - 5-9133 (ZSP 37226) - 1955

The second 45 to feature a sister singing act. This is yet another song I'd nominate to get more radio airplay at this time of year.

Track 14 - Joel Grey - Santa's Little Sleigh Bells
Majar Records - 137-X45 - 1954

Recorded at the beginning of his career, Grey was primarily known as an comic actor/dancer. His comic sensibilities are showcased in this silly song about a rogue sleigh bell.

Track 15 - Mona Abboud - I Should Have Left The Light On For Santa
Mona Records (Phonograph Records) - 100180-B - 1980

The flipside (listen to audio, ignore video) of this song was considered for "The FPT Christmas Revue". Spoke to Ms. Abboud who gave me her blessing to use the song (theater rejected it). Her voice hasn't aged a day - thanks Mona!

Track 16 - Lois Lynn - Every Christmas We Know
Concept Records - 45-896 - 1956

Purchased at a record show, this is either a haunting Christmas song or a bizarre experiment gone wrong.

Think I'm kidding? Check out this Billboard ad...

Track 17 - Heavy Duck - A Wonderful Christmas
Derrick Records - 45-DRC-113A - 1976

Okay, so Rick Dees scores big with "Disco Duck" in late 1976 which obviously prompted this Christmas single trying to cash in on its popularity several months later...

Things can never be explained...

Track 18 - Prof. Anonymous & The Marshalls - Christmas Elf
Isabelle Records - IS 0003-A - 1986

On nights when I can't sleep, I'll surf eBay for hours. While half-asleep one night, I purchased this. It was the sleeve I tell ya...

Later included on a cassette-only Christmas compilation with lots of other Boston Christmas garage rock - wow!

Track 19 - Dick Haymes & The Song Spinners Choir (with Jesse Crawford at the Organ) - Joy To The World
Decca Records - 24120A (73992) - 1948

Frank Sinatra made it big after he left Tommy Dorsey's band in 1942. His replacement was Dick Haymes. Haymes tried mightily (radio, records, movies) but never gained Sinatra's popularity - great voice on this 78 RPM, just not "The Voice".

Track 20 - The De Castro Sisters - Snowbound For Christmas
Abbott Records - 3012-A - 1955

The third 45 to feature a sister act (new record).

Lush, beautiful, wintry ballad - the sisters De Castro do a very nice job with this one.

Track 21 - Ken Griffin (Sung by Karen Ford & Bill Snary) - Our Christmas Waltz
Rondo Records - R-206-A (UB-9-1142-R) - 1949

Say what? When I was handed this 78 and noticed Ken Griffin, the king of the roller rink organists, had VOCALS?

And nice vocals they are - thanks to my wife's family for this one!

Track 22 - Eddy Howard & His Orchestra - Dearest Santa
Majestic Records - 1173 (T-1289) - 1947

Another amazing 78 from Mr. Howard and his band.

Dedicated to Dian B. Brown of Scottsdale, AZ. Type in "Eddy Howard Dearest Santa" into Google and her Amazon.com request for this song is the first thing to come up. Glad I could help!

Track 23 - Joe Walega & His Happy Hearts - Request To Santa Claus
Chicago Polka - 512-B - 19??

The flipside ("Christmas Without Daddy") is everywhere to download on the Internet. But this B-side isn't...

Sweet mother of God, what evil have I just unleashed?

Track 24 - George Bowers - Lonely Christmas
Nashville Talking Machine - M-001 A (PRP 34272) - 1971

Ernie (not Bert) shared out side A of this song a few hundred shares ago - he's mad, MAD I tell ya! But in a good way...

Here's side B - recorded in MONO just as the label states!

Track 25 - Lucho Gatica (con Los Cuatro Soles y la Orquesta de Jose Sabre Marroquin) - Noche De Paz (Silent Night)
Capitol Records - F71060 (45-X41854) - 19??

A foreign 45 in scratchy condition that I paid peanuts for at a thrift store - I can't find a thing about this one anywhere.

Pretty version in Spanish - a testament to the new turntable and computer how this one cleaned up.

Track 26 - Franklin MacCormack - My New Year's Wish For You
Chicago Federal Savings Promo - ZTSC-9043-1B - 19??

We come full circle with Side B from Mr. MacCormack.

What he wishes for New Year for you goes for me too.

Two not-so-secret Bonus Tracks

You knew these were coming... don't play coy!

A Christmas Yuleblog Sampler - 2010

UPDATE: 12/22/11

Don't forget - the 2008 Yuleblog Sampler and the 2009 Yuleblog Sampler are still available to download. Lots of great rare tracks!

Oh, by the way, did you know about these sharity items?

Next month will mark the fifth anniversary of this blog. The occasion will not be marked by a retrospective, a self-congratulatory pat on the back, or anything else special. In the five years we've been online, I've probably have two years' worth of material.

I started this as a way for me to keep track of the new additions to my Christmas music collection. It mushroomed into a Christmas review blog, a sharity site, and home to Christmas videos and advertisements. It's been fun, harrowing, time-consuming, and one of the best things I've done in my life.

There's so much that I want to upgrade here. I want to continue to post Christmas ads, videos, and Christmas music reviews. I want to remaster all of the shares I have here - I finally have the equipment and the understanding of that equipment to do that.

Sitting down in front of the computer to do anything is, for me, a challenge.

Every school day for the past year, I drop the kids off at school and then head to the gym. I like this routine and it has served me well - I've lost weight and kept it off. My cholesterol is low, my back is finally pain free, and I'm eating healthy and sensibly.

An unfortunate by-product of this lifestyle change is the fact that I can seldom sit longer for one hour behind the computer. I'm too active to allow myself to do more than that - I take walks, run errands, volunteer my time with my best buddy Joel and his theater activities, anything to stay away from the desk where I used to sit for hours on end; snacking, typing, drinking soda after soda, typing, eating...

As my children have grown from day-care tots to the precocious kids they are now, school activities like scouting, cheerleading, and basketball stretch my time tighter and harder than Joan Rivers' face.

I re-read my notes from last year's Sampler:

I realize I'm in a Catch-22 situation: I can continue to lose weight by being away from the computer but can only work on all these projects if I'm in front of the computer. I have to to find a balance inbetween somehow...

When I find the balance in 2011, I will post an entry here. It won't be as bad as the drought this year - 2010 was a learning year. I'm hoping to put some of that knowledge into practice with the aforementioned projects I want to complete for the blog.

The big finish:

Rob Martinez
aka CaptainOT

2010-12-12T06:12:00.000-05:00

To my family and friends:
Still haven't found the playlist? First time receiving the CD?

If so, click here.

Vintage Christmas Ads Pt. 22 - LIFE Magazine / December 5, 1949 (43 Christmas Ads!)

2010-12-11T08:29:00.001-05:00

Several years ago, I started a feature on this blog that showcased selections from my vintage Christmas ad collection.

In years past, my collection of ads had come from antique malls and flea markets. Vendors would take old magazines of LIFE, TIME, Look, Saturday Evening Post, Collier's, Newsweek, Ladies Home Journal, and dozens of older vintage magazines and rip the ads out one by one to sell individually.

The profit margins were substantial and a huge market began. Many people still sell ads on eBay, the antique stores and flea markets still peddle them. Then someone noticed the effect it had on the used magazine market - old magazines that normally sold for $5 or less were now $20 or more. Thanks to the continued shredding of older magazines, finding complete magazines are getting more scarce in the marketplace.

I began to look at the ads I had collected and noticed the uneven cuts out of the magazine with a box cutter. The quality of many of the ads were good but could have been better. I had no system of organizing my ads and it was a nightmare dealing with them.

Early in 2009, I began purchasing the December issues of vintage magazines. Full, complete issues in excellent to mint condition that have sat untouched on a shelf, preserving the ads inside.

By the end of this year, I have well over 100 magazines, each containing on average 50 - 60 ads in each issue. When a new magazine comes in, I take a trip over to my local FedEx Store (formerly Kinko's) and make color copies of each full page, half page, and page length ads in each issue. The smaller column ads are scanned in later at my home.

My most recent acquisition was:

The late 1940s and 1950s was the peak in regards to magazine advertising. Newspapers, radio, or (if you could afford one) television were all in black & white. Many issues from this period were overflowing with advertising: this issue contains 171 pages. A typical issue of LIFE in 1939 or 1959 would have been 100-120 pages.

Normally in the past, I would post one strange or unusual ad here. However, since the cataloging or these magazines have been all I've been doing for the better part of this year, I've decided to post ALL of the ads I scanned out of this issue:

I was able to upgrade my PhotoShop software this year and I'm now able to finally stitch together double page ads that have eluded me for a long time:

You may notice that there are no "Click on image to enlarge" captions under any of the images like before. In the past, I would post the high-resolution ads, allowing you to download the images free of watermarks so Christmas enthusiasts and collectors would appreciate them.

However, many people have been appropriating my ads for their own without crediting the source (me). If you choose to use these ads, just give the blog a little shout-out and I'll be cool with it, k?

I'm still offering high-res images - each ad is between 3 to 6 MB each (300 dpi) so I didn't include all of them into one big ZIP file - it would be over 200 MB and you'd be downloading for almost 90 minutes. So...

LIFE Magazine - December 5, 1949 Pt. 1
LIFE Magazine - December 5, 1949 Pt. 2

And in the past, I've asked people to leave a funny comment or remark and I'd post it. That part of the feature will return at some point, just not now.

Hoping the Christmas clip art contained within will decorate hundreds of Christmas CD covers everywhere... what do you think?

Capt

Christabel & The Jons - The Christmas Album (A TWO-FOR-ONE REVIEW)

2010-12-06T15:34:00.001-05:00

Received an interesting package at the PO Box a few weeks ago. Inside was an advance copy of a Christmas album (in a clear DVD case) from a band I had never heard of before.

The cover letter read thusly:

I quickly added December 3rd to my calendar as I sat down trying to figure out more about this band. From their bio:

CB&J has been performing their distinctive style of folky swing since the spring of 2005. They released their first full-length album, “Love and Circumstances” in November of 2006. Their second and most recent album, “Custom Made For You,” was released on December 12th, 2008.

In addition to headlining many shows, Christabel and the Jons has also performed at numerous festivals in the US including Bonnaroo, Riverbend, Bele Chere, Blue Plum Festival, Shakori Hills Festival, Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion, and Sundown in the City. They’ve also opened for many national acts including The Brazilian Girls, The Be Good Tanyas, The Red Stick Ramblers, The Wilders, and Loudon Wainwright.

TRACK REVIEWS:

1.) Best Kind of Friend
Original Christmas song written by the lead singer - it's a great showcase for the band's Tennessee swing sound and Christa's amazing sultry voice.

2.) Winter Wonderland
The pedal steel guitar by Brock Henderson gives this one a island feeling which goes well with the overall band sound. Seth's trumpet solo made me laugh out loud!

3.) The Christmas Song
Very straightforward version of this classic. Nicely done.

4.) It Won't Cool Off

I've never heard of anyone covering this old Dean Martin classic until now. Kudos to the song selectors - this one's flat out perfect!

5.) I'd Like You For Christmas

More kudos to whomever chose this song. Written by Bobby Troup ("Route 66") for his wife Julie London, no one ever dared covering this song. Another outstanding song!

6.) What Will Santa Claus Say?

Even more kudos to the person who picked this Prima pasterpiece (okay, I stretched). If Louis Prima was from Tennessee, I'd imaging his Christmas song would sound like this. Great, great, great!

7.) Christmas Island

More pedal steel guitar, Seth's great ukulele, Christa and the band's amazing vocals on this track make this one remarkable.

8.) Santa Baby

Another great version of a Christmas classic. More on this one later.

9.) Baby It's Cold Outside

The interplay between Christa and Andy Bean of the Two Man Gentleman Band adds a special Tennessee touch to this song. Very nice.

10.) Christmas In Prison

I'm admittedly not a fan of this song but this John Prine song given the full CB & J treatment makes it one to listen for.

11.) Silent Night

A very distinctive version that will make you re-listen to this one three or four times. I enjoyed this quite a bit.

12.) Christmas Time Is Here
What better way to go out on than with Vince Guaraldi? Seth and the band reworks the Guaraldi sound to their advantage - I'm a fan of this band's sound.

After I had heard this album for the 19th time, I was inviting all of my friends out to The Brass Rail on December 3rd. Not many wanted to come fearing the bar's former reputation. But owners John Commorato Jr and Corey Rader have done a great job transforming the former dive bar into an alternative band showcase since 2007.

The show started at 10 PM with local band Buffalo Jump playing a lively, 45 minute set before CB & J took the stage. No Christmas songs from Buffalo Jump but I definitely enjoyed the song about the Brass Rail.

Christabel and The Jons took the stage to set up - down time, a chance to get another drink, visit the restroom, or a quick smoke for those so inclined. We waited. And waited. And waited.

Seems the band had difficulty setting up their synthesizer and electric guitar hooked up - many of the effects they showcased on the Christmas album wouldn't be available for the show.

After 45 minutes, the band started with several of their non-Christmas songs that quickly won the Fort Wayne crowd over. Their sound was fast, impactful, and full of swing that you couldn't help tap your toes and sway to the rhythm.

First Christmas song of the night: "Merry Christmas Baby", a song that wasn't featured on their album. From where I was positioned in the back of the bar, I failed to capture it on my cell phone camera.

However, not wanting to make the same mistake twice, I moved up into the crowd and closer the stage:

Other Christmas songs played were "Best Kind of Friend", "Blue Christmas", and "Winter Wonderland". The rest of their amazing two hour set (yeah, these guys wailed) was more of their patented Tennessee swing.

Around 1 AM (this stay-at-home dad's eyes were bleary), I made my way up to the band members and thanked them for an amazing show and an even more amazing Christmas album. Seth, Christa, and Jon (who was about as tired as me when I caught him out dragging a butt) were personable and charming throughout.

This band has one of the best Christmas albums of the 2010 season.

Their other album that I bought at the show - "Custom Made For You" - has won some airtime on my boombox here at my home. It's the first non-Christmas album to do that in December in about fourteen years.

Not digitally dead yet at the ol' yuleblog...

Capt

A Christmas Yuleblog Sampler - 2009

2009-12-25T00:01:00.028-05:00

Merry Christmas!

Here it is - my last share of the 2009 downloading season. I look forward to this one just as much as some of you!

While I'm searching for albums throughout the year, I'm looking through 45s and 78s to locate those lost Christmas singles that might have fallen through the cracks. When I find a certain record, I purchase it and place it on the " TBD sampler" pile.

Although my vinyl search and rescue missions this year didn't yield as much as I would have liked, I did manage to locate several vintage jewels. With the care of a gemologist, I carefully transferred them over to digital and packaged them in one nifty package.

Your 2009 Christmas Yuleblog Sampler:

Track 1 - Miss Frances - 'Twas The Night Before Christmas (Part I)
RCA Victor - WBY 28 (F2CW-5193)- 195?

Long before "Sesame Street", "Mr. Rogers", and even "Captain Kangaroo", there was "Ding Dong School" with Miss Frances on NBC. Here she gives us part one of Clement Moore's classic tale.

Track 2 - Don Mason - Here's Wishing You A Merry Christmas
Scepter Records - S12372A - 1971

I wish I knew more about this single - it was 1971, the Vietnam War was still ongoing, the label states this is a special release, and who is Don Mason?

BTW, the song is pretty good!

Track 3 - Susan Dodd & Steel Wheels - Merry Christmas I Love You
ARC Records - IRDA 571A - 1979

Either Susan and Co. were aspiring artists who got a shot to record a Christmas song or they were a group of session musicians given a chance to record a Christmas song as their bonus that year. Interesting...

Track 4 - St. Nick (Performed by Just For Laughs Players) - Jingle Bells WB Records - WBS 49877 - 1981

Here's a novelty single that even Dr. Demento rarely plays. If that doesn't set off your warning alarm, I can't help you...

Track 5 - Lu Ann Simms - I Dreamt That I Was Santa Claus
Columbia Records - J 4 170 (ZSP 14477) - 1953

Found this on eBay for a remarkable low price - couldn't pass it up. Little Lu Ann is backed by the one and only Percy Faith!

Check out the delicious picture sleeve here!

Track 6 - The Gorman Sisters (Barbara & Viv) - Jesus Is My Santa Claus
Arrow Records - Record No. 721 (H715) - 1957

This is a lovely little Christmas single that tries to refocus Christmas away from Kris Kringle. It only sounds preachy...

Track 7 - Spike Jones & His City Slickers - Santa Brought Me Choo Choo Trains (But Daddy's Having Fun)
RCA Victor - 47-5497 - 1953

There's a handful of Spike Jones Christmas singles that haven't seen the light of the CD laser; this is one of them. The Spike Xmas catalog needs an update and new release! Another great vocal by George Rock and featuring Thurl Ravenscroft as the dad!

Track 8 - Tommy Wills (man with a horn) - Blue Christmas Juke Records - JB 2020 (JB 2020A) - 196?

According to his website, Wills is still playing his horn! Based in the Indianapolis area, I tried several times to contact him about this single - no response.

Track 9 - Lynn White - If You Can't Come Home For Christmas Waylo Records - Waylo 125 A - 198?

I was set to write this one off as a 1970s one-hit wonder - but this website states Lynn's career was active on Waylo Records in the late 1980s!

A blues-influenced soul Christmas song - all right!

Track 10 - The Music City Chorale - Hark The Herald Angels Sing
Hit Records - Record No. 909 (6203) - 196?

Straight-forward rendition of this Christmas carol. The music label was based out of Nashville and specialized in sound-alike version of (you guessed it) hit records. Sam Moore (of "Sam & Dave" fame) and Ray Stevens ("The Streak") both got their start on this label.

Track 11 - Eddy Howard & His Orchestra - There's A Christmas Tree In Heaven
Mercury Records - 5752 (4519) - 1951

The first selection off two 78 RPMs on this sampler. This is a great (but somber) Christmas song!

Track 12 - Loy Blanton - Christmas At The Jersey Lily Lounge Soundwaves Records - SW-47444-NSD - 1984

This 45 came with its own unique jukebox label that catches your attention! If someone ever asks you what old school country sounds like, try this one on for size. Watch carefully - another Soundwaves label is coming up soon!

Track 13 - The Keynotes (with Primo Scala And His Banjo And Accordian Orchestra) - The Mistletoe Kiss
London Records - 302 - 1948

This is the second 78 RPM on the sampler. I thought this was another early 1950s product but this Google Books result informed me otherwise.

Billboard called this one a "pleasantly hoky seasonal ditty done with proper bounce" - a correct description!
Track 14 - Bobby Starr - Jake The Flake
Continental Arts Records - 575A - 196?

I wish I knew more about this amazing Christmas single! It has everything - a teen idol voice, an easy guitar that could work as rock or easy listening, choral and small orchestra backing, and even some Chipmunks-like voices for Jake!

One of my favorite sampler songs.

Track 15 - Julius LaRosa - The Christmas Gift
GP Records - GP 592 - 1981
LaRosa took a moment from appearing on the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon to record this lush, easy-to-listen Christmas song circa 1981.

I wish Julie had recorded more Christmas music... but what counts is that he recorded it - that's the important thing!

Track 16 - Don Mason - Shepherd Boy
Scepter Records - S12372B - 1971

The flipside of track two (see above).

This one's a mini-soft rock opera! Be careful - I've been humming this one incessantly since I heard it. The melody can get trapped in your skull...

Track 17 - Lu Ann Simms - I Just Can't Wait 'Til Christmas
Columbia Records - J 4 170 (ZSP 14478) - 1953

The flipside of track five (see above) and I think it's better than Side A! A great little Christmas ditty - great work Ms. Simms and Mr. Faith!

Be sure to check out the great picture sleeve as well!

Track 18 - The Vel-Mars - Jingle Bells
Continental Arts Records - 575B - 196?

This is the flipside of track 14 (see above). Was this a double "A" side single? Hmmmm...

Great surf instrumental version of " JB" by an unknown group based out of New York City (???). Hang ten, dudes!

Track 19 - The Gorman Sisters (Barbara & Viv) - Silent Night
Arrow Records - Record No. 721 (H716) - 1957

The flipside of track six (see above).

Interesting arrangement... the girls are really singing their hearts out on this one!

Track 20 - Shell Bowling - Born On Christmas Day Soundwaves Records - NSD/SW-4690 - 1982

The 1970s ended two years earlier but someone forgot to tell the label makers at Soundwaves!

Mr. Bowling wrote himself a Christmas song and tries to sing it a la Vegas Elvis circa 1972. No kidding!

Track 21 - Tommy Wills (man with a horn) - What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? Juke Records - JB2020 (JB2020B) - 196?

I need a song with absolutely no singing after hearing track 20. This fits the bill perfectly.

Thank you, man with a horn!

Track 22 - Eddy Howard & His Orchestra - Auld Lang Syne
Mercury Records - 5752 (4520) - 1951

It's not Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians... but Eddy and Co. do a great rendition!

Try this one at your New Year's Eve party!

Track 23 - Miss Frances - 'Twas The Night Before Christmas (Concluded)
RCA Victor - WBY 28 (F2CW-5194)- 195?

Miss Frances finishes the story that she started at the beginning of the sampler.

Around the 1:07 mark, you will notice a definite skip in the narration - that's where a nasty divot took up residence on the 45. Tried like mad to get past it... but couldn't make it work (sorry).

Two Bonus tracks...

Wonder what these could be???

A Christmas Yuleblog Sampler - 2009

UPDATE: 12/22/11 - REMASTERED

As with samplers past, this is the segment where I share some personal info with you, the readers of this blog.

For starters, I have approximately 130 comments that have been left here that I haven't responded to since April of this year. I wasn't purposely ignoring them, I was simply beyond busy this year. At some point down the road, I will respond to all of the comments - both new and old.

I mentioned last year that I wanted to shed some excess weight. My exercise regimen really didn't take off until this autumn when all three of my children started school. I found myself dropping the kids off at 7:15 AM and heading to the gym by 7:30 AM.

It was during this time that I began to feel some tightness across my chest after workouts. I was able to find a cardiologist who discovered two arteries in my heart partially blocked. He told me that the diet / workout regimen is a good start and he's monitoring me well. My cardiologist even began working out himself at the same gym I use!

I'm happy to report that I am under 300 pounds for the first time in over a decade. I can't wait for school to start again - I haven't been to the gym in over a week and I feel horrible. Here's hoping I'll be around 250 next year and my cholesterol will be normal!

As for the blog... big changes are coming. This is due to the fact that Santa will reward me this year with a brand new Dell Inspiron desktop to replace my eight-year old Compaq Presario 5250. And my wife tells me that come tax return time in several months, I'll probably get a new USB turntable to go with it.

I've done the best I could do with an eight-year old computer and a crappy turntable. I'm hoping to turn that around in 2010 by changing the format of the blog and remastering all of the albums I've posted here.

Along the way, I've got a BOATLOAD of album reviews I need to post here - some dating back to 2006! The Christmas sharity network has really outdone themselves in the past several years and it's time I honored their work with some hard work of my own.

As I type these paragraphs, I realize I'm in a Catch-22 situation: I can continue to lose weight by being away from the computer but can only work on all these projects if I'm in front of the computer. I have to to find a balance inbetween somehow...

In any case, I want to thank you for visiting us and sampling our wares and shares. If you read the back cover of this year's sampler carefully, you'll discover that this year's edition is dedicated to Christmas music enthusiasts around the world. This means you.

I want to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year wherever you are. Peace...

Rob Martinez
aka CaptainOT

It happened again... Journal Gazette, Part Deux

2009-12-24T08:46:00.001-05:00

I received a phone call this morning from my father-in-law, a hearty fellow with a dry sense of humor. If you happened to see "The FPT Christmas Revue", you might remember a character from Act II - a retiree who was spending his first Christmas in an assisted living facility.

That character was loosely based on my father-in-law (you gotta write what you know about).

Ed called here early this morning as I was waking up: "I wanna thank you for scaring all the mice out of our house..."

Huh? I'm not sure what he was getting at...

"They printed your interview in the morning paper... Front page too!" he stated plainly.

Then I really woke up. A few weeks back, I was interviewed by Frank Gray, a gent who works for the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, for a piece I had hoped would run before the run of the revue ended. As it turned out, they pushed it back to run today (of all days).

If this seems familiar, this was the same newspaper that ran a Christmas Day article two years ago about my Christmas collection and my annual Christmas CD that I send to family and friends.

So... I'm in the paper... Again... I sound like Forrest Gump... Again...

Capt

Last Call for Links and All...

2009-12-23T16:14:00.010-05:00

Here's is my final UPDATED list of what I have shared - click on a link to explore:

1983 Air Force Public Service Spots - Disc V

The Alcoa Singers - An Olde-Fashioned Christmas

Marian Anderson - Christmas Carols

Anonymous - Two Christmas Songs

Around The Christmas Tree - A Special Christmas Day Program

Jan August - Christmas Favorites

The Banjo Barons - Selections from "Play Music For Happy Times"

Ben Best - Happy Christmas Party

Bielefelder Kinderchor - Christmas In Germany

Pat Boone - White Christmas

Bowen & Csehy - Christmas Steepletime

Owen Bradley & His Quintet - Joyous Bells Of Christmas

The Bravo Singers & Instrumentalists - Christmas Sing-Along

Bobby Breen - Songs At Yuletide

Anita Bryant - The Miracle Of Christmas

Al Caiola & Riz Ortolani - The Sound Of Christmas

The Canterbury Choir - Christmas Hymns And Carols Sung By

Capitol Production Music

The Chicago Swedish Glee Club - Songs At Christmas

Christmas 1953 Veteran's Administration Hospital Program

Christmas 1954 Veteran's Administration Hospital Program

Christmas 1965 Veteran's Administration Hospital Program

Christmas 1966 Veteran's Administration Hospital Program

Christmas 1971 Veteran's Administration Hospital Program

Christmas 1976 Veteran's Administration Hospital Program

Christmas Favorites EP (Mercury Records)

A Christmas Greeting (L.A. Unit of Recording For The Blind)

Christmas Greetings (U.S. Navy)

Christmas In Italy (Capitol Records)

A Christmas Yuleblog Sampler - 2008

CLM Industries - Christmas 1961 - SINGLE

Dorothy Collins - Won't You Spend Christmas With Me? (STEREO)

A Country Christmas

Vic Dana - Sings Little Altar Boy & Other Christmas Songs

Jimmie Davis - Going Home For Christmas

Jimmy Dean - Jimmy Dean's Christmas Card

Bill Doggett - 12 Songs Of Christmas

Dragnet - The Christmas Story

Fogwell Flax & The Ankle Biters From From Freehold Junior School - Christmas 45 - SINGLE

Pete Fountain - Candy Clarinet: Merry Christmas From (STEREO)

DeWayne Fulton - Christmas Greetings From

Funky Christmas (Cotillion Records)

The George Mitchell Minstrels - The Magic of Christmas

Will Glahe & His Orchestra - Christmas On The Rhine

Earl Grant - Winter Wonderland

Ken Griffin - Christmas Organ

Walt Harper - Open Pantry Presents Christmas Eve With

Heino - A Festive German Christmas

The Hollywood Pops Orchestra - Great Instrumental Christmas Music

Alex Houston & Elmer - Here Comes Peter CottonClaus

Irwin The Disco Duck - Christmas & New Year's Party

Åke Jelving - Christmas In Sweden

Sammy Kaye & His Orchestra - I Want To Wish You A Merry Christmas

Jim & Tammy - Christmas With Love

KFUO Presents Christmas Hymns

KFUO Presents Christmas Hymns and Carols

The Kid's Bible Club - At Christmastime

The Klaudt Indian Family - Peace On Earth; Christmas Greetings

Carmen Le Nard - Jolly Snowman - SINGLE

Liberace - 1954 Christmas Greetings (w brother George) - FLEXI

L'il Wally - Dance Around The Christmas Tree With

L'il Wally & The Harmony Boys - A Polka Christmas

Joe Longstreth & John Escosa - Christmas With

Vincent Lopez & His Orchestra - Christmas Music

Fred Lowery - A Family Christmas

The Lutheran Voices Children's Choir - Silent Night

Vera Lynn - Christmas With

Ruth Lyons - Selections from "It's Christmastime Again"

Sy Mann & The Malvin Carolers - Let's All Sing Christmas Carols

The Manhattan "Pops" Symphonic Band - The Sound Of Christmas

The Manhattans - Christmas 45 - SINGLE

The Bob Mantzke Choralaires - Christmas Songs

Robert Maxwell & His Harp - 40 All-Time Christmas Favorites

Mary Mayo - The Magic Of Christmas

Mickey & Bunny - Sing English Xmas Carols in Ukrainian

The Mom & Dads - Merry Christmas With

The Murk Family - Christmas With

Selections from "Nashville Christmas Party" (RCA Victor)

NORAD Tracks Santa - Christmas 1968

Pat O'Brien - A Quiet Christmas

O Tannenbaum - Christmas On The Rhine

The Pac-Man Christmas Album

Frank Pellico - A Spirited Christmas

The Piano Rolls & Voices - All Time Christmas Hits

A Pink Panther Christmas

A Power Pak Christmas - THREE ALBUMS

Bob Ralston - Christmas Hymns & Carols

RCA Victor Holiday Promo 45

Bobby Roberts & His Orchestra - Holiday Music For Happy People

Mickey Rooney - Merry Merry Micklemas

Del Roper & The Mason Swiss Bell Ringers - I Heard The Bells

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and David Arnold - Hooked On Christmas - SINGLE

The Royale Story Tellers - Christmas EP

Marlin L. Ryan - York, PA Traditional Christmas Carols

Sacred Heart School Choir - Sings Croatian & English Christmas Carols

Carlos Salzedo - Christmas Carols in Hi Fi

Orion Samuelson - Christmas 45 - SINGLE

Sebastian's Zither - Christmas Dreams

Harry Secombe - White Christmas

Seeburg Corporation - The Sound & Color of Christmas

The Sing 'N' Do Company - Christmas Windows

Shirley & Squirrely - Christmas With

Ethel Smith - Silent Night-Holy Night

The Soulful Strings - The Magic Of Christmas

The Sounds Of Christmas (Warner Bros. Records) (MONO)

Phil Spitalny & The Hour Of Charm - Christmas Carols By

The Stonemans - A Stoneman Christmas

Paul & Nancy Steffen - Christmas Bells

The Three Suns - The Sounds of Christmas EP

The Town That Arrested Santa Claus

Les Troubadours du Roi Baudouin - Christmas In The Congo

Bobby Vinton - Christmas Promo EP

Jimmy Wakely - Christmas On The Range

The West Creighton Avenue Christian Church Bell Choir of Fort Wayne, Indiana - Selections from

We Three Bings: Vital Music's N.Y. Trash Xmas Comp

Patricia Wilde - Christmas Carols In Percussion

Justin Wilson - A Cajun Christmas With

Ingvar Wixell - Christmas Music of Sweden

Merrill Womach - Sings Christmas Carols

Archie Wood & His Friends - Christmas Album

Woody The Woodchuck - Christmas Sing Song (STEREO)

Happy listening...

Capt

Frank Pellico - A Spirited Christmas

2009-12-21T16:28:00.001-05:00

Okay... you're probably saying to yourself "Self, that cover looks awfully familiar. Have I seen that somewhere before or have I just drank too much eggnog???"

Before you dial up the EggNog Anonymous hotline, this identical cover was used as an alternate of The Murk Family's Christmas album. It later appeared as an alternate cover for Mickey Rooney's Christmas album (but if you saw the other cover, you'd understand why this one was used... you've been warned!).

When I saw this album at a thrift store in Chicago, I was half tempted to pass it up - who needs yet another Christmas organ album and I don't need a THIRD album with the same cover in my collection. Or did I? I read the back and kept asking myself "Why does the name Frank Pellico ring a bell?"

I added the album to the pile and continued on my merry way (you can never beat 25 cents for an LP). Only after I left the city limits of my former hometown and got back to my current hometown of Fort Wayne did I discover the treasure that made the 150+ mile trek east.

Frank Pellico grew up in Chicago during a time when roller rinks regularly featured live organists playing skating music. In high school, Frank studied the organ under the tutelage of Al Melgrand, the legendary organist of the massive Barton organ installed in Chicago Stadium during Chicago Blackhawks hockey games.

Pellico began playing at roller rinks throughout Chicago and played nightly at the Matterhorn Supper Club in Palos Hills, IL. His reputation as a top-notch organist was secured when in 1970, he was hired by the Chicago Cubs to play the Lowrey organ at all of their home games at Beautiful Wrigley Field.

It was around this time that Frank recorded an album entitled "Touching" that featured his amazing organ skills on the Hammond X-66 organ:

In 1976, Pellico and the Cubs parted ways (the new organist was Vance Fothergill - real Cub fans know this stuff). Frank continued to play all over Chicago as well as continue his recording career. That takes us up to 1978 - the year of the Christmas album you're looking at.

Disco was ruling the airwaves at the time and Frank wanted to stay current. Click on the back album cover to read what you're about to listen to.

When you hear the very first notes of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel", images of "Hill Street Blues" will immediately come to mind. Then the cool organ kicks in and transforms the experience to a whole new level.

It's a unique album - a true testament to its times. Any sports bar in Chicago would be proud to have this album in their collection and would gladly play it on their speakers during happy hour.

Frank Pellico - A Spirited Christmas

As the 1980s began, Frank still recorded his music and played the organ wherever and whenever he could. It was around this time that amazing things were happening for the occupants of Chicago Stadium.

The Blackhawks sported a new look with youngsters like Jeremy Roenick, Ed Belfour, and Chris Chelios. The Bulls were putting a nucleus of talent together around a kid from North Carolina... some guy who wore #23... name of Jordan...

In the early 1990s, the Blackhawks and Bulls were packing them in at the Stadium as a vacancy opened up for an organist on the old Barton organ. They needed someone who understood the massive organ, someone who had experience, someone who could rile up the crowds.

One last note: as many sports arenas around the country move toward the school of "ESPN Rock Jams" and phase out organists altogether, Chicago stands alone as one of the few sports towns that openly embrace their organists.

Nancy Faust has been playing for the White Sox since the mid-1970s and is credited with introducing the "Na Na Na Na Hey Hey Goodbye" song to sports. Gary Pressy has had the Chicago Cubs job since 1987 and played with Harry Caray all those 7th inning stretches. He now plays with tone-deaf celebs during the stretch (GROAN!!)

Frank Pellico's been with the Blackhawks since 1991 and the ownership recently tried to cut into his playing time. The fans quickly rallied to his side and he's still a fixture above the home ice.

You've got the last word Frank:

Happy listening...

Capt

The FPT Christmas Revue in Review & Stan Freberg Revues All!

2009-12-20T21:23:00.001-05:00

Several hours ago, the curtain came down on the run of "The FPT Christmas Revue". It was a project that I was closely involved with since the beginning of this year; a journey full of challenges, frustrations, joy, and remarkable achievements while bringing a totally new work to the stage.

I must thank Thom Hofrichter and Joel D. Scribner for this amazing opportunity. These two gentlemen gave me a chance to showcase my perspective on Christmas and they were supportive of the whole process. I owe them a lot and I look forward to working with them on other shows at First Presbyterian Theater.

Over 1000 people came out to see the show over its run and saw a plethora of talent. We had 30+ people in the cast, ages ranging from five to 70-something. We had members of five different families within the cast, a wide range of Christmas songs to sing, and each member of the cast gave it their all every night on the boards.

To my fellow cast members, thank you so much. I got to know many of you in those small moments of waiting around for another go around on a particular song or waiting for your moment to rehearse your lines. I shared your moments of accomplishment, swapped the latest jokes about Tiger Woods, and laughed with all of you throughout the whole process.

Thanks to all of you wonderful people for making this Christmas incredibly special. I say to all of you:

Of course, we can't forget this guy either...

Imagine answering a voicemail left on your cell phone in July and hearing the legendary voice of Stan Freberg returning your phone call! It was that phone call that began the process of securing the right to perform "Green Chri$tma$" for possibly the first time live on stage anywhere.

Stan and his wife Hunter provided our little theater group the greatest gift of the year. We had enormous fun putting it on the stage and the audience immensely enjoyed the work. Every night, you could hear a pin drop when our Bob Cratchit reminded everyone about "whose birthday we're celebrating".

Freberg revealed to us a never-before hilarious story behind the creation of "Green Chri$tma$". Ever wonder what cash register they used for the end of that song? Download to hear the story for yourself along with a Christmas greeting from Stan himself:

Stan Freberg - Green Chri$tma$ Greetings

Happy listening...

Capt

The FPT Christmas Revue - December 3 - 20, 2009

2009-12-18T06:27:00.002-05:00

FINAL PERFORMANCE TODAY!

If you live in the NE Indiana / NW Ohio area and want to
see a Christmas revue like no other you've ever seen,
then this is your LAST chance!

Come on out!

Call the number on the poster to reserve your tickets!

If you've seen the show, leave us a comment
and tell us what you thought about it!

See you on the stage!

Rob
aka Capt

Dorothy Collins - Won't You Spend Christmas With Me (STEREO)

2009-12-17T09:09:00.001-05:00

In yesterday's post, I gave props to Buster over at Big 10-Inch Record for posting some darn good shares this downloading season. Late last month, I posted an entry that mentioned that two albums I originally had planned on sharing out were already posted to Buster's blog.

One of those two albums was this gem of a Christmas album. I was ready to file it away for the winter and move on to other shares when our friend Ernie (not Bert) pointed out in a comment that Buster had posted a high-fidelity copy of the album whilst mine read STEREO!

It's commonplace here for me to miss small things like that. Maybe it's the early stages of Alzheimer's... Thanks for bringing that to my attention Ern!

Backstory: Marjorie Chandler was born in 1926 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada - just across the river from Detroit, Michigan. She developed a love for music and began singing on radio stations on BOTH sides of the river in her teens. It was also during this time she adopted a new stage name: Dorothy Collins.

On a trip to Chicago in 1940, 14-yr. old Dorothy met bandleader/composer Raymond Scott and was quickly hired into his band. Throughout the 1940s, Scott mentored, tutored, and taught everything Collins needed to know about phrasing, breath control, etc., and became a popular vocalist of the day.

In 1949, CBS asked Scott to take over the bandleading duties for one of its popular shows, "Your Hit Parade". Just as they were getting their feet wet in radio, NBC decided to create the television version of "YHP". With her good looks and style, Dorothy quickly became a fan favorite and rose to stardom.

"Your Hit Parade" was a huge hit on television throughout the 1950s. People tuned in weekly to see and hear the popular songs of the day with male vocalists Snooky Lawson, Russell Arms, and another popular female Canadian vocalist named Gisele MacKenzie!

Then came rock-n-roll. With the advent of Elvis, Ricky, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and others climbing the charts, "Your Hit Parade" tried desperately to stay in touch with the times.

Needless to say, "Your Hit Parade" took a dive in the ratings. Before its run ended, Collins went into the recording studio to create the album you're looking at. With the backing of Nathan Van Cleve & His Orchestra, she recorded twelve straightforward rendtions of Christmas songs.

Nothing really jumps out at you, style wise. Except Collins' wonderful voice.

After the demise of "YHP" in 1959, Collins appeared on television shows and in musical theater. In 1971, she was one of the original cast members in the Stephen Sondheim landmark musical "Follies" and was nominated for a Tony Award for her role.

For five years (1974-1979), she was co-host of a syndicated version of "Candid Camera" with Allen Funt. One such stunt that I remember was Dorothy driving a Volkswagen bug into a gas station and asking the attendant to fill it up. They had replaced the gas tank with a 55-gallon drum inside the car! One guy stood there for 20 minutes in bewilderment!

After "Candid Camera" ended, Collins settled into semi-retirement and made occasional public appearances after that. She had suffered with asthma for most of her life and as she got older, the disease took its toll in 1994. She was 67.

Dorothy Collins - Won't You Spend Christmas With Me (STEREO)

Happy listening...

Capt

Bobby Breen - Songs At Yuletide

2009-12-16T10:05:00.001-05:00

"My mother is in pictures,
You've seen her on the screen.
She gave chicken pox to Alan Ladd
And mumps to Bobby Breen."

Excerpt from "Ode from a Germ's Eye Viewpoint" by Percy Dovetonsils (aka Ernie Kovacs)

I first encountered the genius of Ernie Kovacs on my local PBS station in 1977. In those days, my brothers and I would place a tape recorder next to the speakers of the TV, record the audio, and listen to it repeated in lieu of a VCR. I quoted this poem frequently, placing the same emphasis on "Bobby BREEN" they way Percy Dovetonsils did.

That was the first time I became aware of someone named Bobby Breen. Curiosity got the the better of me and I went to my local library to consult its newest collection of World Book Encyclopedias. Breen was born in Canada and made his way to Hollywood as a youngster.

His first big break was several appearances singing on Eddie Cantor's radio show in the late 30s. His natural soprano voice separated him from many of the other child singers of the day and led him to RKO Studios. RKO featured him in several singing roles (go figure) in nine movies between 1936 and 1942.

His last film was "Johnny Doughboy" that featured 15-year old Bobby as one of several has-been child stars who want to put on a USO show for the troops! With his voice changed permanently thanks to puberty and a fading movie career, Breen turned to the stage and radio throughout the 1940s and 1950s.

This 10-inch record was released by London Records in 1950 and features nine Christmas songs by Breen (competently backed up by Bruce Campbell & His Orchestra - no, not THAT Bruce Campbell!). Most of the songs are standard Christmas carols and Breen fully sounds like a young adult as he sings; no evidence as a boy soprano here.

In later life, he appeared as a guest pianist with the NBC Symphony Orchestra and hosting a local New York TV show in the early 1950s. He continued to get work in nightclubs and television spots well into the 1960s.

Amazingly, in 1964, Breen signed with Motown Records and released several singles that sold very little. A full album was recorded but never released... anyone have a copy of that album?

Three years later, Breen gained immortality by making the cover of The Beatles "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". He appears over George Harrison's left shoulder (unlike the hand over Paul McCartney which either belongs to a priest blessing a corpse or is a signal of death in Norway - I forget).

In the late 1970s, Breen retired for good and moved down to Tamarac, Florida. Restless, he started a local talent agency in 1978 and continues to run this enterprise today - at the ripe ol' age of 82!

Merry Christmas, Bobby!

Bobby Breen - Songs At Yuletide

Happy listening...

Capt

P.S. This 10" share is dedicated to Buster, the gent who runs the darn good blog Big 10-Inch Record. Check out his blog for other rare and exotic 10" records, included some amazing Christmas shares!

The George Mitchell Minstrels - The Magic of Christmas

2009-12-14T11:24:00.002-05:00

To modify an anonymous quote that has become famous: "Never judge an album by its cover".

Earlier this year, I was surfing through the holiday album listings at eBay when I discovered this album. I was shocked two different ways - the first being that I was able to track this album down at a reasonable price, the second was that stupefying cover.

Let's start at the beginning to fully understand this.

George Mitchell had come from a musical family - his grandfather was a well-known Scottish choir master and both of his parents were singers as well. He learned piano at an early age and during World War II, he organized military choirs and made a name for himself throughout the armed forces.

After the war, Mitchell went to work for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and organized radio choirs and shows utilizing his own handpicked glee club entitled "The George Mitchell Choir". As television began its ascent in popularity over radio, Mitchell began working on variety shows and specials for the new medium.

In 1957, the BBC decided to run a special entitled "The 1957 Television Minstrels" and called in Mitchell. With female dancers called "The Television Toppers" and a rechristened male choir called "Mitchell's Minstrels", the basis was formed for the show. It was a ratings winner.

The following year, the BBC and Mitchell decided to expand the special into a regular weekly series. The newly named "Black And White Minstrel Show" began broadcasting on Saturday nights, featuring a Mitch Miller-type singalong format for the home audiences.

In addition to solo and group minstrel numbers (complete with red make-up which looked black on camera), folk, foreign, and country/western songs were featured as well. The show was an instant hit and became a Saturday night tradition in England.

It was around this time that the Minstrels began a successful recording career. Their first album, "The Black and White Minstrel Show", was released in 1960. Other top-selling albums were "Another Black and White Minstrel Show" from 1961, and "On Stage with the Black and White Minstrels" in 1962.

If this wasn't enough, Mitchell began a stage show in 1960 that featured live performances by the Minstrels. It ran successfully throughout the entire decade and beyond. By 1964, the BBC TV audience had reached a staggering 16.5 million viewers each week - the same year the civil rights movement here in America was reaching its peak.

In 1967, the BBC decided that "The Black And White Minstrel Show" would be one of the first shows to shown in colour. Bad mistake.

John Lennon described it as "a stupid show". A group called "The Campaign Against Racial Discrimination" regarded the show as "insulting" and delivered a petition to the BBC requesting that it be taken off the air. Mitchell's solution to the problem was inviting actual black performers onto the show to sing with the others in blackface.

The controversy never fully went away and the show remained on the air. However, it began a long, slow slide in popularity and its regular viewership was now around eight million every Saturday night.

In 1970, Mitchell decided the time was right for a full-blown Christmas album. Rounding up his minstrels and his talented soloists John Boulter, Margaret Savage, and Dai Francis, they recorded the album you see before you.

When you drop the needle on this album, all controversies and preconceived notions instantly disappear. This is a remarkable album that grabs you from note one and doesn't let up until the very end. There's not one bad track in the lot.

Each side contains two amazing medleys of Christmas songs and each soloist is given plenty of room to shine. Mitchell's exceptional arrangements really come across well in each song. This is, by far, the album I'm most proud of presenting this Christmas.

The George Mitchell Minstrels - The Magic of Christmas

As the show entered the 1970s, the format remained the same and the once-acceptable blackface aspect of the show was dropped in an effort to qualm the controversy. It didn't matter - the ratings still were dropping slowly thanks to raised racial awareness. The fact they were playing music that dated back to the American Civil War undoubtedly hurt as well.

The stage show ended its run in 1972 after an amazing 6,477 performances and went onto the road, touring the English countryside with live shows. On one such tour, a young British comedian named Lenny Henry appeared with the troupe and has regretted the move ever since.

In 1975, George Mitchell was made an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II and continued with "The Black And White Minstrel Show" for three more years on TV. The BBC finally decided to cancel the show in 1978 - an incredible twenty year run for the program.

Mitchell handed the reins of the "Minstrel" show empire to his son Rob, and retired to America. The Minstrel show was kept alive on tour for another decade or so. One Internet source claims the final show was in 1987. Another source puts the date around 1992. It might still be running somewhere (who knows?).

Never judge an album by its cover... How true, how true.

Happy listening...

Capt

Have you sampled some of these?

2009-12-13T16:47:00.005-05:00

Here's is an UPDATED complete list of what I have shared here - click on a link to explore:

1983 Air Force Public Service Spots - Disc V

The Alcoa Singers - An Olde-Fashioned Christmas

Marian Anderson - Christmas Carols

Anonymous - Two Christmas Songs

Around The Christmas Tree - A Special Christmas Day Program

Jan August - Christmas Favorites

The Banjo Barons - Selections from "Play Music For Happy Times"

Ben Best - Happy Christmas Party

Bielefelder Kinderchor - Christmas In Germany

Pat Boone - White Christmas

Bowen & Csehy - Christmas Steepletime

Owen Bradley & His Quintet - Joyous Bells Of Christmas

The Bravo Singers & Instrumentalists - Christmas Sing-Along

Anita Bryant - The Miracle Of Christmas

Al Caiola & Riz Ortolani - The Sound Of Christmas

The Canterbury Choir - Christmas Hymns And Carols Sung By

Capitol Production Music

The Chicago Swedish Glee Club - Songs At Christmas

Christmas 1953 Veteran's Administration Hospital Program

Christmas 1954 Veteran's Administration Hospital Program

Christmas 1965 Veteran's Administration Hospital Program

Christmas 1966 Veteran's Administration Hospital Program

Christmas 1971 Veteran's Administration Hospital Program

Christmas 1976 Veteran's Administration Hospital Program

Christmas Favorites EP (Mercury Records)

A Christmas Greeting (L.A. Unit of Recording For The Blind)

Christmas Greetings (U.S. Navy)

Christmas In Italy (Capitol Records)

A Christmas Yuleblog Sampler - 2008

CLM Industries - Christmas 1961 - SINGLE

A Country Christmas

Vic Dana - Sings Little Altar Boy & Other Christmas Songs

Jimmie Davis - Going Home For Christmas

Jimmy Dean - Jimmy Dean's Christmas Card

Bill Doggett - 12 Songs Of Christmas

Dragnet - The Christmas Story

Fogwell Flax & The Ankle Biters From From Freehold Junior School - Christmas 45 - SINGLE

Pete Fountain - Candy Clarinet: Merry Christmas From (STEREO)

DeWayne Fulton - Christmas Greetings From

Funky Christmas (Cotillion Records)

Will Glahe & His Orchestra - Christmas On The Rhine

Earl Grant - Winter Wonderland

Ken Griffin - Christmas Organ

Walt Harper - Open Pantry Presents Christmas Eve With

Heino - A Festive German Christmas

The Hollywood Pops Orchestra - Great Instrumental Christmas Music

Alex Houston & Elmer - Here Comes Peter CottonClaus

Irwin The Disco Duck - Christmas & New Year's Party

Åke Jelving - Christmas In Sweden

Sammy Kaye & His Orchestra - I Want To Wish You A Merry Christmas

Jim & Tammy - Christmas With Love

KFUO Presents Christmas Hymns

KFUO Presents Christmas Hymns and Carols

The Kid's Bible Club - At Christmastime

The Klaudt Indian Family - Peace On Earth; Christmas Greetings

Carmen Le Nard - Jolly Snowman - SINGLE

Liberace - 1954 Christmas Greetings (w brother George) - FLEXI

L'il Wally - Dance Around The Christmas Tree With

L'il Wally & The Harmony Boys - A Polka Christmas

Joe Longstreth & John Escosa - Christmas With

Vincent Lopez & His Orchestra - Christmas Music

Fred Lowery - A Family Christmas

The Lutheran Voices Children's Choir - Silent Night

Vera Lynn - Christmas With

Ruth Lyons - Selections from "It's Christmastime Again"

Sy Mann & The Malvin Carolers - Let's All Sing Christmas Carols

The Manhattan "Pops" Symphonic Band - The Sound Of Christmas

The Manhattans - Christmas 45 - SINGLE

The Bob Mantzke Choralaires - Christmas Songs

Robert Maxwell & His Harp - 40 All-Time Christmas Favorites

Mary Mayo - The Magic Of Christmas

Mickey & Bunny - Sing English Xmas Carols in Ukrainian

The Mom & Dads - Merry Christmas With

The Murk Family - Christmas With

Selections from "Nashville Christmas Party" (RCA Victor)

NORAD Tracks Santa - Christmas 1968

Pat O'Brien - A Quiet Christmas

O Tannenbaum - Christmas On The Rhine

The Pac-Man Christmas Album

The Piano Rolls & Voices - All Time Christmas Hits

A Pink Panther Christmas

A Power Pak Christmas - THREE ALBUMS

Bob Ralston - Christmas Hymns & Carols

RCA Victor Holiday Promo 45

Bobby Roberts & His Orchestra - Holiday Music For Happy People

Mickey Rooney - Merry Merry Micklemas

Del Roper & The Mason Swiss Bell Ringers - I Heard The Bells

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and David Arnold - Hooked On Christmas - SINGLE

The Royale Story Tellers - Christmas EP

Marlin L. Ryan - York, PA Traditional Christmas Carols

Sacred Heart School Choir - Sings Croatian & English Christmas Carols

Carlos Salzedo - Christmas Carols in Hi Fi

Orion Samuelson - Christmas 45 - SINGLE

Sebastian's Zither - Christmas Dreams

Harry Secombe - White Christmas

Seeburg Corporation - The Sound & Color of Christmas

The Sing 'N' Do Company - Christmas Windows

Shirley & Squirrely - Christmas With

Ethel Smith - Silent Night-Holy Night

The Soulful Strings - The Magic Of Christmas

The Sounds Of Christmas (Warner Bros. Records) (MONO)

Phil Spitalny & The Hour Of Charm - Christmas Carols By

The Stonemans - A Stoneman Christmas

Paul & Nancy Steffen - Christmas Bells

The Three Suns - The Sounds of Christmas EP

The Town That Arrested Santa Claus

Les Troubadours du Roi Baudouin - Christmas In The Congo

Bobby Vinton - Christmas Promo EP

Jimmy Wakely - Christmas On The Range

The West Creighton Avenue Christian Church Bell Choir of Fort Wayne, Indiana - Selections from

We Three Bings: Vital Music's N.Y. Trash Xmas Comp

Patricia Wilde - Christmas Carols In Percussion

Justin Wilson - A Cajun Christmas With

Ingvar Wixell - Christmas Music of Sweden

Merrill Womach - Sings Christmas Carols

Archie Wood & His Friends - Christmas Album

Woody The Woodchuck - Christmas Sing Song (STEREO)

Happy listening...

Capt

Jimmie Davis - Going Home For Christmas

2009-12-10T09:48:00.001-05:00

Last Friday, our good friend Ernie (of the famed Ernie (not Bert) blog) reposted a share of a great album recorded in 1965 by Jimmie Davis, who in addition to being a fairly good country singer, was the bonafide, duly-elected Governor of the great state of Louisiana!

I found this album at Laurie's Planet Of Sound in Chicago. I was extremely surprised to find it and never once paid attention to the background picture until I read the sticker placed directly next to the subtitle "Featuring the song "Forgive Me Santa". Someone on the staff of Planet of Sound wrote:

"Forgive Me Santa - for hanging you with a ribbon!"

As for the album, it was recorded in 1967 and features more of the same from ex-Gov. Davis - you can't get more old school Christmas country than this. In addition to the standard Christmas fare ("White Christmas", "Silver Bells", etc), Davis includes several new original songs.

"Forgive Me Santa" and The Priceless Gift of Christmas" which feature Davis narrating stories as the band plays. I must mention the song that ends side one. "Sniffles (Santa's Pet)" is the simple story of yet another character that Santa has at the North Pole... you get the idea.

Go get a copy of the first album from Ernie (if you haven't done so) and add this one. You'll have an instant Jimmie Davis Christmas collection - not too shabby!

Jimmie Davis - Going Home For Christmas

Happy listening...

Capt

Li'l Wally - Dance Around The Christmas Tree With

2009-12-09T08:02:00.001-05:00

Last year, we shared out a great Christmas album (Jay Jay 1080) chock full of Polish Christmas songs and polkas by L'il Wally and his backing band The Harmony Boys. This album was discovered at Beverly Records in Chicago - one of the greatest vinyl stores left on the planet.

Earlier this year, I raided Beverly Records' famed WALL of Christmas music and came up with another gem from Chicago's very own polka king!

This album you're looking at was released a year or two earlier judging by the label numbers (Jay Jay 1026) and contains mostly Christmas standards with the full L'il Wally polka treatment. You've never lived until you've heard "Frosty", "Rudolph", and "Jingle Bells" with a polka beat!

However, the tracks you really need to listen to are the original tunes. "Merry Christmas Mom And Dad", "How Lovely Is Christmas", and "Dance Around The Christmas Tree" all have that familiar polka flavor but if you stop and listen to the lyrics, everything else fades away and you get some pretty Christmas tunes.

You be the judge... ah one, ah two...

Li'l Wally - Dance Around The Christmas Tree With

Happy listening...

Capt

VA - The Town That Arrested Santa Claus

2009-12-07T08:31:00.001-05:00

It is no secret around here that I am not a kiddie Christmas type of guy. While other kids were listening to the Caroleers, Captain Kangaroo, and Peter Pan Christmas records, I was listening to a steady diet of easy listening Christmas music.

Over the years, I have shared out a few kiddie Christmas titles that many of you have enjoyed (i.e. A Pink Panther Christmas, The Pac-Man Christmas Album). Others I've posted because they struck me as odd (i.e. Alex Houston & Elmer, Irwin The Disco Duck).

This one I'm not sure what to think.

First, we have the jaw-droppingly inhumane cartoon cover that shows two cops hauling poor St. Nick off to the slammer. Directly above Santa, we can see two kids wailing in agony over the fact that Santa is about to get strip-searched and booked. Add an evil nemesis directly from the Snidley Whiplash School of Villains wringing his hands in delight off to the side and the stage is set.

As for the story, you can make up your own scenario judging by the cover. Obviously, the snake charmer has concocted a scheme that gets Santa arrested for his own personal agenda, only to be outwitted by a quick thinking kid or parent in front of a judge in a court of law, and Santa goes free just in time for his trip around the world.

Again, this is just guesswork. I merely dropped the needle on the record and ran. I didn't hear more than five seconds of this album during the transfer from vinyl to digital. And that five seconds was long enough for me.

How could anyone in their right minds buy this and play it for their kids at Christmas? Obviously someone did because I had to rebuy the album at a thrift store in Chicago for 50 cents.

Someone out there will find this album and say "WOW! I had this as a kid!" I'm interested in hearing from those people. To find out if this was a great album and listening experience for them or was it just the opposite. Don't be shy; we will have counselors on standby in case you need to talk to someone about this.

So without further ado...

Various Artists - The Town That Arrested Santa Claus

Happy listening...

Capt

The Chicago Swedish Glee Club - Songs At Christmas

2009-12-02T07:42:00.001-05:00

This second share for the 2009 Christmas downloading season is special in many ways. Let me explain.

The origin of the album is my original hometown of Chicago - home of my beloved Cubs, deep dish pizza, and multi-ethnic neighborhoods that blend together seamlessly into one giant melting pot by Lake Michigan. The fact this album was performed by Chicago Swedes should come as no surprise.

Another reason this album is special is because it's Swedish. Over the past several years, I've become friends with a fellow blogger/Christmas obsessive named Anna-Lena Lodenius. Hailing from Stockholm, Anna-Lena has been posting amazing Swedish Christmas fare at her blog Jul Igen - Christmas Again - be sure to visit and say hello! Hope you like this one Anna!

The final reason why this album is special is because it allowed me to re-establish an old acquaintance from my days as a used CD store manager. If you lived in the south suburbs of Chicago back in the day, you knew there was truly one record store for all of your rock/pop/R&B/indie needs.

That place was Record Swap in Homewood. It was one of the last great independent record stores of its era. And the man whose hand was on the throttle was its manager, John Laurie. I knew of John through my brother John - they were running buddies at the same high school and we were friendly competitors when I ran CD Exchange ("into the ground" as John would say).

Shortly after I left the Chicago era, Laurie left the store and its collapse was soon to follow. John decided to open up a new record store in the Lincoln Village area of Chicago and called it appropriately Laurie's Planet of Sound.

Earlier this year, I found the store, reacquainted with John, and found this album in their bin of Christmas music. Click on the link to see what I mean - heads up, most of those albums are LONG gone (darn it!) Still sealed in its original shrink wrap, this was in pristine condition and it was $4.

I wish I knew more about the Chicago Swedish Glee Club. It did have a website that I looked at several months ago but it seems that's been taken down. I would love to know more about the year it was recorded, what studio did they record it in, etc..

In any case, you're in for a treat. Side one is chock full of Swedish Christmas carols sung to the hilt by the fellows in the glee club. Side two is American Christmas carols and one gleeish version of "It's Beginning To Look Like Christmas"!

The Chicago Swedish Glee Club - Songs At Christmas

Happy listening...

Capt

Carlos Salzedo - Christmas Carols in Hi Fi

2009-12-01T12:02:00.002-05:00

Ta daaaaaaa!

Here's is my very first share of the 2009 Christmas downloading season. While on a search and rescue mission earlier this year, I found this album in a thrift store on the north side of Chicago. It was the only Christmas album in the entire pile of albums (and with this economy, 50 cents ain't too shabby!).

Released in 1956 on the Mercury label, Carlos Salzedo, a well-respected and renowned harpist of his time, plays 20 favorite Christmas carols ranging from "Adeste Fideles", "Jingle Bells", and "Silent Night". And as the cover states, they are in "Hi Fi", making the whole album THAT much more special!

Salzedo was a child prodigy, composing his first piece of his at the tender age of five! His love of music is in full evidence here as many of these tracks are "Concert Variations on..." (code for his own arrangements of the songs). Many of these last under 1:15 - this is a quick but fun listen!

Judge for yourself:

Carlos Salzedo - Christmas Carols in Hi Fi

If you are a fan of the heavenly instrument known as the harp, don't forget the other harp albums I've offered for your listening pleasure - DeWayne Fulton, Robert Maxwell, and Longstreth & Escosa.

Happy listening...

Capt

Nothing In Moderation... except comments!

2009-12-01T10:17:00.003-05:00

Longtime readers of this blog will notice that comments haven't been popping up as fast as they once did in months past.

That's because the Christmas season is here and the Xmas robots are out in force. These are the people responsible for insightful comments like "I love Christmas. Too. I love Christmas Cards. Get them at (WEBSITE LINK)."

I reset the comments so that your comments must be approved by me before it gets to the blog. However, thanks to operator error, I've deleted quite a few REAL comments (do'hhhh!). So if you've posted a real comment here and you don't see it, feel free to post it again.

I've got the "Publish / Reject" buttons all figured out now... thanks for understanding!

Capt

Three Days Late and Several Dollars Out

2009-11-29T07:24:00.002-05:00

The 2009 Christmas downloading season is under way. I'm saddened to learn that my friend Ernie (Not Bert) had a computer hard drive crash and burn (I feel your pain - same thing happened to me five years ago.) Don't fret - his collection is so huge that anything he posts is worth a first or second look. In my case, it's the 203rd look.

Two days in and there are new releases all over the place. If you haven't bookmarked it yet, Santas Working Overtime does just that - finding all these new releases and highlighting them faster than any RSS feed can ever hope to do.

During these same two days, I discovered that two albums I was preparing to share... were already shared out! The first is this amazing chestnut:

Recorded in 1954, this 10" was the first full-length Christmas album for Messrs. Ferrante and Teicher. All of the eight songs on this album were later re-released on their "Adventures In Carols" album from 1956 (available to download @ FaLaLaLaLa.com).

Turns out Buster, who runs the great blog entitled Big Ten Inch Record, posted this album last Christmas and I just discovered it this Christmas. Disappointed? Yeah, a little. But his cover of this album looks way better than mine. And I'm sure his copy sounds better too.

But... I got him trumped. He didn't include a BACK cover. And I have one, yes I do! I sure do... well, I have SORTA a back cover... okay, I'll fess up. I have a damaged back cover... honest. You sure you want me to continue with this?

I found my copy at the bottom of an immense stack of vinyl at a flea market in northwest Indiana. It must have been down there for an eternity because anytime the stack shifted, was moved from a dusty shelf to a moldy carpet, the back cover bore the brunt of the friction.

You have been warned:

Well worth the $2.00 I paid for it, no?

As for the second album, I found this at Beverly Records in Chicago and thought I had won the lottery. Of all the nine or ten albums I'm planning on sharing out this Christmas, this was THE one that would wow the general public. That is until yesterday. A certain someone who's been mentioned here posted it to his blog.

Buster, you did it again! And Dorothy Collins asks that eternal question, "Won't you spend Christmas with me?":

This is a great album - easy on the ears as well as the eyes. For a great listen, go check out Buster's blog entry and get yourself a copy. You won't be disappointed. Hope this didn't cost you as much as it did for me (we're talking Andrew Jackson territory, folks!).

So this leaves me with about nine new Christmas releases that I'm hoping to start sharing just as soon as my schedule permits, including my 2009 edition of the Yuleblog Sampler.

There's plenty of Christmas music to be had... get out there and find it!

Capt

Happy Thanksgiving 2009!

2009-11-26T12:20:00.001-05:00

Doris Day

Marilyn Monroe

Just wanted to sign on quickly to wish all of you a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

Capt

The FPT Christmas Revue - In Rehearsal

2009-11-21T07:18:00.004-05:00

What is today? Saturday... okay. I've lost track of time!

For the past several weeks, a bunch of local Fort Wayne actors (myself included) have been furiously working on an upcoming Christmas production I had previously mentioned back in September.

It's under two weeks now until we are in front of an audience and the whole production is beginning to gel. It's been an amazing process and the cast is having loads of fun getting this on its legs.

I've been meaning to post some pictures that I took at rehearsal the other night... it SEEMS like it was the other night...

Gee, a guy with a white beard and a kid sitting on his lap - I wonder what this could be all about?

The staging of a large group sketch that leads off our show.

Another staging of a musical number. Note another guy with a white beard in the center. Forgive the silhouetted foreground figure - he's the director and I couldn't very yell at him to stay out of the shot.

During a rehearsal break, Joel D. Scribner, the director of the show, gives out notes and information to the attentive actors hanging on his every word.

Psst... Joel... this one's for the blog so look REAL important like...

We just discovered the other night that interest in the show has been strong. So strong that we added TWO extra shows to the schedule. Performances are now December 3rd through December 20th. For more info, check out First Presbyterian Theater's website.

Hope to see you down there - I think you'll love the show!

Capt

Vintage Christmas Ads Pt. 21 - Paul Jones Whiskey, 1942

2009-11-13T08:31:00.004-05:00

(Click on image to enlarge)

I'm hoping there are other Paul Jones Christmas camel ads out there... the search will continue!

What do you think?

Tito says: "Unbeknownst to Camel, 'Effendi' came from a family of Bedouin immigrants who were about to enjoy a marvelous meal of Camel Biryani for Christmas. 'God bless us everyone', exclaimed Little Jimmie."

Jonathan says: "How much PJ can your dromendary store?"

Any other opinions?

Capt

The Hipwaders - A Kindie Christmas

2009-11-06T08:23:00.004-05:00

This is the last of four new Christmas releases that I received at my P.O. Box that I'm reviewing this week. Ironically, this was one of the first of those four that arrived. It's been sitting patiently while I reviewed Emmanuel Shall, Kevin Koelbl, and Silvia Fleming, eyeballing me the entire time, tempting me with its artwork.

To quote the press sheet:

"Since 2004, The Hipwaders have performed their own original Christmas songs along with their 'wader-ized' versions of Christmas classics. Finally, the band got around to recording their original compositions for the holidays.

"Christmas music has traditionally always been "family music" and The Hipwaders carry on this tradition with their songs celebrating all aspects of Christmas with a special admiration for Santa Claus and his exploits. Some say The Hipwaders 'exploit' Santa - but that's for you to decide..."

Indeed it is... and I must admit, I'm pretty intrigued already...

TRACK REVIEWS:

1.) Santasploitation
Quick, fun 49 second track that opens the CD. Don't take my word for it:

2.) There's Too Much Good
Not sure if this qualifies as a Christmas song ("Silver Bells" is mentioned) but its sound is great and leads into...

3.) It's Wintertime
Again, not too heavy on Christmas but the winter sounds make up for it. Everybody dance...

4.) Santa's Train
WOW! Great song with a definite country feel to it! Well worth the train trip.

5.) Goodnight
A Christmas lullaby that I wished was sung to me when I was a kid (instead of the usual cries of "SHUDDUP AND GO TO SLEEP!").

6.) Wake Up
Natural follow-up to "Goodnight". I love this track but you decide for yourself:

7.) Yes, It's Christmas
For a brief moment, I thought this was R.E.M. - it has that sound! Standout track.

8.) Tinsel & Lights
There's not many modern songs that detail Christmas decorations, photos, and the small nuances that make up Christmas. Until now... Another standout track.

9.) Wake Up (reprise)
Quick instrumental version of track six (see above) that has a video game feel to it that has me chuckling.

10.) Christmas Vicuna
GREAT JUMPIN' ICEBERGS!!! Latin-flavored tale of a lonely vicuna in Peru who wants to join Santa's sleigh. Amazing, clever, and a whole lotta fun!

At their official blog this past Tuesday (official release date of this album), head Hipwader Tito Uquillas writes "It's the day that's been over 20 years in the making. Really. A couple of tracks from "A Kindie Christmas" date from the late '80's and, like a good fruitcake, have been properly aged to perfection. OK, I can't believe I just wrote that either."

I can't believe I cut and pasted that, either.

The album is a genuine gem of Christmas tunes - all original, some more Christmas than others, fantastic sounds throughout. It was worth the 20 year wait. Well done, 'Waders, one and all!

XM Satellite has been playing The Hipwaders' kiddie CDs for some time now and I suspect their seasonal Christmas stations will be cranking out their holiday fare. I only wish several of the tracks make it onto terrestrial Christmas radio to give us a break from the same 20 - 30 Christmas songs on shuffle mode.

Capt

Emmanuel shall come to thee - Noël

2009-11-05T09:07:00.002-05:00

This was the third new Christmas release to arrive at my P.O. Box. Unfortunately, no press sheet or additional material accompanied the CD. So it was off to their Facebook page to find some threads of info off their wall. A post on October 25th states "this album is currently the top-selling holiday album at CD Baby!"

I clicked on the CDBaby link and found the answer to several of my questions:

"Emmanuel Shall Come to Thee is a Chicagoland collective of musicians led by composer Matthew Prins. The group incorporates classical, folk, new-age, orchestral, jazz, and minimalist influences into their progressive interpretations of familiar works.

"Featuring 19 new holiday arrangements and compositions by composer Matthew Prins, Noël fuses a myriad of influences into a Christmas album quite unlike any heard before. Performed primarily by Prins and multi-instrumentalist A.J. Nelson, Noël features a harmonious blend of hand bells, hand chimes, carillon, strings, woodwinds, and brass, as well as the talents of vocalist Amy Yassinger."

While there, I found yet another review from the good folks at ChristmasReviews.com:

"With just a hint of new age drama and a gentle heart, Nöel is touching in its understated brilliance....[T]he most striking fact about Nöel is its integral construction and execution. The tracks flow seamlessly, one into the next, and remind one of butter being stirred into hot fudge, swirling and glistening, warm and sweet."

Well... this could be interesting...

TRACK REVIEWS:

1.) Verbum supernum, prodiens.
Played on the carillon and lasting 39 seconds... understated intros are sometimes the best!

2.) O come, all ye faithful.
The different arrangements sound amazing but as it moved past the four minute mark, I was done.

3.) The holly and the ivy.
This instrumental is beautifully constructed and executed with all elements firing on all cylinders.

4.) Good Christian men, rejoice.
A 21st century take on a 14th century carol - excellente!

5.) Who mourns in lowly exile here.
Take the first few measures of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" and repeat. Different.

6.) Infant holy, infant lowly.
Another well-constructed carol - very good work all around.

7.) Carol of the bells.
Harp, hand bells, chimes, carillon, soft piano all meld together into a great instrumental version of this song. Skipping back to hear it again...

8.) God bless ye merry, gentlemen.
Right as I was thinking "it's stretching a bit" around the 2:30 mark, Yassinger's sweet vocals arrive. Good save!

9.) And ransom captive Israel.
The woodwinds on this track make the song - a definite change of sound! I like the way they keep playing with the arrangements...

10.) Let all mortal flesh be silence.
The steady cannon drumbeat and church bells with snatches of "The First Noel" coming through gives this one ambiance deluxe!

11.) 'Twas in the moon of wintertime.
I thought I had switched on Mike Oldfield for a moment... another well done, well arranged carol!

12.) O come, o come, Emmanuel.
This one lasts just around 1:30... why so short?

13.) What child is this?
Shades of Philip Glass! This one's going to need several re-listens as well... Amazing track from start to finish!

14.) Bring a torch, Jeanette, Isabella.
At 36 seconds long, this is the shortest track on the CD.

15.) Sleep, holy babe.
Very pretty - I will need to look for this carol in my church hymnal and show it to the music director there.

16.) Until the Son of God appears.
Some of these tracks have a transition feel to it (see tracks 5, 12, and 14 above) and I'm guessing this is one of them.

17.) Holy night.
A re-working of "Silent Night" that I didn't warm up to at first. After another listen, it clicked - nicely done.

18.) Rejoice, rejoice... o Israel.
The transitions culminate with this loop track that repeats over and over and over...

19.) Benedictus Agnus Dei (hundredfold).
Which leads into this loop track (6:45 !!) that's a disappointing way to end the CD.

When I first got this CD, I had my doubts - the track list looked very public domain. The fact that really scared me was CDBaby's recommendation that if you like Mannheim Steamroller, you'd like this album. After listening to this, I'm glad to report it's nothing like Steamroller's synthesized purile pop.

Producer/arranger/musician Matthew Prins really deserves a congratulatory pat on the back. There are some tracks on this album that are sheer artistry and deserve to be heard. He chose some wonderful carols forgotten by the passing of time (when was the last time you heard "Good Christian men, rejoice" on the radio at Christmas time?) and given them new life.

Yes, there were some tracks that rambled but I'm willing to overlook them. Emmanuel Shall could have made a Christmas CD with the usual mix of safe carols and Christmas pop standards. Instead, they made a unique album that mixes new age, jazz, orchestra, and even minimalism with Christmas. Listen for yourself - click on the link!

Kudos to Prins, A.J. Nelson, and Amy Yassinger for top notch work!

Capt

Kevin Koelbl - This Is Christmas Time

2009-11-04T10:08:00.002-05:00

This is the second of four new Christmas releases that I recently received at my P.O. Box. Thanks to the good people at Phil Putnam Public Relations for sending me the CD and cover sheet.

Kevin Koelbl (pronounced "cable") has had a long and varied career in music. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance, Kevin went on to leading roles at various regional theatres across the country.

Some of the shows Kevin's appeared in include "Carnival", "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat", "The Fantasticks", "A Little Night Music", "Beauty and the Beast", "Oklahoma", "Anything Goes" and "Show Boat" with legendary MGM star Van Johnson in the early 1990s.

This led to his co-starring role with Michael Crawford ("Phantom of the Opera" no less) in the Las Vegas megashow "EFX", once the most elaborate and expensive show ever to play in Vegas. After Crawford left the role, Koelbl took over the role and held it down until the producers brought in ex-Partridge Family heartthrob David Cassidy.

Several years later, Koelbl recorded his first album. "Somewhere In Time" was released in 2000 to good reviews and opened more doors in the music industry for Kevin. Along the way, he never lost his love for live performances and his time was split between the studio and the stage.

Earlier this year, Kevin went into the recording studio and recorded the album you are looking at. Working in L.A. with some master professionals (John Bisharat, Matt Harris, Ray Brinker), he wanted an album of lush collection of Christmas classics re-imagined with a modern twist. Drawing on his deep love of jazz, cabaret, and Christmas, this is the end result.

TRACK REVIEWS:

1.) The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Smooth, jazzy, upbeat version of this song - Kevin's voice reminds me a little of John Davidson. Fine rendition.

2.) Snowfall / White Christmas
The two songs are perfect counterparts. Koelbl sandwiches "White Christmas" with "Snowfall" It works!

3.) This Is Christmas Time
Original title track written by Steven Santoro. Lyrical walk through the Christmas season that meanders but stays on the path.

4.) Snow (duet with Heidi Godt)
Move over Bing, Danny, Rosemary & Vera-Ellen... Kevin and Heidi have a trainload of fun with this rendition!

5.) Welcome Christmas / Christmas Time Is Here
Dr. Seuss meets Charles M. Schulz, at last. Another teaming of Christmas songs complemented by Kevin's fine singing.

6.) Happy Holiday
This one's so closely associated with Bing Crosby that many artists don't even attempt it. Kevin's jazzy version will open some ears.

7.) O Holy Night
This one's a little too Manilow for me (arrangement wise).

8.) The Little Drummer Boy
WOW! The drums, percussion, and bass give this a Caribbean feel throughout. A standout track.

9.) The Christmas Song
As in yesterday's post, any version that adds the intro gets extra points. Nicely done.

10.) Count Your Blessings (duet with Tami Tappan Damiano)
What was a small intimate duet in "White Christmas" is a full blown Broadway love ballad on this album - disappointing.

11.) Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Add an acoustic guitar accompaniment, the long lost intro to the song, and you get an excellent rendition.

12.) Sleigh Ride
Starts with bass and Kevin's voice - then they crack the jazz whip and off on a great sleigh ride. Nice trip!

13.) Silent Night
The press sheet states "and an arrangement of 'Silent Night' like you've never heard before". Yep. You can hear every production dollar in every note. And inbetween, the intimacy and power of the song gets drowned out by Michael Bolton-type swelling and singing. Ouch indeed. The song is called "Silent Night" for a reason.

14.) Merry Christmas
In 2006, Bette Midler led off her Christmas album with this long-forgotten song written by Fred Spielman and Janice Torre. Here, Kevin ends his album with it, very stylishly and elegantly.

Koelbl writes on his liner notes: "Every year there always seems to be the usual hustle and bustle leading up to Christmas." To which I agree. During this journey, there are always a thousand and one things to do and process while preparing for December 25th.

And in a sense, that's what this album is. There are some fine moments on this drive with some occasional jolts that assault your attention. Like any good driver, you don't take your eyes off the road and the drive continues one smoothly.

Koelbl is a very talented singer and some of the arrangements left my head scratching. But never once does his voice fail to deliver and his time behind the wheel was pretty good.

If you live in the Los Angeles area, he will be performing a special concert on November 20th to celebrate the release of this CD. For more info on the concert and where to order of copy of this CD if your local music store doesn't have it, visit Kevin's website.

Capt

Silvia Fleming - Love For Christmas

2009-11-03T07:47:00.001-05:00

Silvia Fleming has been surrounded by music all her life. That's not surprising considering she had a mother who was a professional singer and a father who was an electronics engineer and a music manager for his wife.

Needless to say, her mother's influence instilled a deep love of Big Band tunes, jazz, and all of the great American standards by George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, Harold Arlen, and Irving Berlin. Fleming combined her love of singing with the study of classical piano and received a B.A. in Music Education from California State University, Fullerton.

Last November, Fleming released this album which got a tremendous review from our friends at Christmasreviews.com:

"Silvia Fleming has one of those honey-sweet voices that are just made for singing jazzy, romantic easy listening pop tunes. And with occasional support from the great Sam Levine on alto sax, she is able to deliver a sound that supports the romantic aspirations of 'Love for Christmas'.

"Although Ms. Fleming is primarily striking a romantic pose, she delves more into sacred music here than one might expect. I particularly enjoyed her sweet and reverent More Than A Child. The Joy of Christmas was also quite quite lovely. Though her voice is a bit more sultry, these renditions are reminiscent of Karen Carpenter, and fans of Carpenter will most likely enjoy Silvia Fleming's 'Love For Christmas'."

A voice of reminiscent of Karen Carpenter? Oooooo...

TRACK REVIEWS:

1.) Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Silvia's voice is rich and mellow (like Karen's) and the longing in her voice suits the song's mood perfectly.

2.) Christmas Time is Here
With a great arrangement by Tim Hayden and another dose of Fleming gives this Vince Guaraldi chestnut a new spin that I enjoyed.

3.) Love for Christmas
The title track was written in 1998 by two Caroles (King & Bayer Sager) and recorded for King's 2007 deluxe album. The message is timely in this economically depressed season.

4.) Santa Baby
Silvia won't make you forget Eartha Kitt but she'll definitely hold your attention with this Christmas classic.

5.) The Other Side of Christmas
Unique original Christmas song (written by Tim Hayden) that reminds us about the secular side of Christmas intruding on the real meaning of Christmas. Enjoyed this one quite a bit.

6.) In a Lowly Manger Sleeping
Lovely reworking of this standard Christmas carol. Her voice gets more rich and mellow as I continue to listen.

7.) I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
If only more artists would make standard Christmas carols like this more accessible... wonderful rendition.

8.) More Than a Child
Different arrangement showcases Fleming's vocal attributes to a "T".

9.) My Grown Up Christmas List
CONFESSION: I've never been a fan of this song (too adult contemporary for me). Silvia does a great job but I couldn't warm up to it.

10.) The Joy of Christmas
WOW! We need more original songs like this - the Christmas songbook needs new blood! Very, very nice!

11.) What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?
Any version of any Christmas song that adds the intro gets an extra star from me. This is exquisite - my favorite track on the album.

I must admit, the review from Christmasreviews.com made me think of Karen Carpenter quite a bit when I listened. However, if I hadn't read that first before listening, I would have declared the second coming of Karen Carpenter.

Fleming has a wonderful Christmas album here and should you want a copy for yourself, CD Baby has it for sale or you can head over to Silvia's website to listen to samples from this album and learn more about her.

Thanks for the CD!

Capt

OFFICIAL DISCLOSURE - (Thanks, FTC!)

2009-11-02T09:54:00.003-05:00

On September 21, 2009, I typed a blog entry that dropped a hint that I would be interested in reviewing new Christmas releases BEFORE December 25th. Indeed, I received four new Christmas releases that were sent to my P.O. Box by members of the music industry.

Then the other shoe dropped.

On October 5, 2009, the Federal Trade Commission issued new guidelines regarding the blogging community: "The long standing principle that "material connections" (sometimes payments or free products) between advertisers and endorsers – connections that consumers would not expect – must be disclosed."

Failure to do so could mean fines up to $11,000 per post.

I quickly called my lawyer (a genial fellow whose name I can't use - otherwise he'd sue me) and asked what I needed to do. He informed me these new FTC guidelines take effect December 1st of this year. All posts after this date will need a quick disclosure clause - no statement is needed on any prior posts.

After driving home from his office (a shabby place), I began to think about all of the CDs I've received and reviewed here. Only one came to mind that caused an ethical dilemma.

Back in 2006 - the first year of this blog - I received at my P.O. Box a package from an unknown person. Inside was a Christmas CD (with some tantalizing artwork), a cover letter, and a business card. Paper-clipped to the business card was a neatly folded $10 bill.

I placed the entire package into a US Mail priority mail envelope and sent it back to the return address listed with a note: "Sorry, I do not review anything by or with a dead president".

OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF FACTS:

1.) I swear or affirm all of the following statements are true.

2.) Many of the albums or CDs I have reviewed at this blog since January of 2006 have been my own purchases, gifts given to me by friends or family, or have been downloaded online.

3.) In each blog entry since January of 2006, I have always disclosed the origins from which the albums or CDs came from - usually in the first sentence or paragraph of the entry.

4.) There have been 14 specific past blog entries in which I have received a promotional CD - either from the artist themselves or from a member of the music industry who had the authority to send the CD to me.

In each of these cases, I received a FREE promo CD and occasionally various press materials (cover letters, business cards) to review the CD. Nothing else additional was included in any of this packages.

5.) I have added a new label entitled "Promotional CD" below - you may click on this link to read all of the entries in which I have received nothing other than a free CD in exchange for a review. All future posts in which I receive a CD via the P.O. Box will have this label as well.

Having said all that, the four new reviews will be posted starting tomorrow.

Capt

A Yuleblog Timely Reminder

2009-10-31T08:01:00.000-04:00

Daylight savings time in the United States
is coming to an end this year.
It ends Sunday morning at 2 AM.

Be sure to adjust all of your clocks
before you go to bed tonight -
remember fall back - an extra hour of sleep!

Capt

Vintage Christmas Ads Pt. 20 - Montgomery Ward & Co., 1924

2009-10-30T01:53:00.004-04:00

In addition to collecting Christmas music, I have collected nearly 1000 vintage Christmas ads over the years. Many of these include celebrities, radio, television, cigarettes, liquor, modern appliances, and the like.

I will attempt every Friday from here until I run out, I will feature an ad from my collection.

I invite you to add a fun comment, witticism, clever remark, or observation in the comments section provided. Any comments deemed worthy of repeating will be included into this entry where all the world will see it.

Several months ago, as I was attempting to complete the reorganization and cataloguing of all of my vintage Christmas ads, I visited Antiques on Broadway near downtown Fort Wayne. This shop usually has a gem or two to be unearthed.

In the basement of the store sits a booth that contains three folding tables of vintage ads, all carefully organized and wrapped in plastic for your protection. Many was the time I browsed the table that contained "Christmas ads" and "Celebrity ads".

I would seldom look at the other tables because each ad was usually in the $4 to $10 range. The double paged ads were always on my wait list but at $10 - $15 a pop, I could wait a long time. Once in a blue moon, I would break down and purchase an ad at full price.

On the day of my visit, I approached the table and noticed a yellow piece of paper with crude handwriting attached to one of the tables: "SALE - ALL ADS - $1". My transformation into Fred C. Dobbs was instantaneous and I nearly shrieked with delight.

For the next 45 minutes, I thumbed through every ad at every table, finding nuggets along the way. In addition to the usual LIFE, Look, and Saturday Evening Post ads, this dealer had sliced up vintage magazines dating back as early as the 1910s!

I was delighted but saddened as well. Any issue of any magazine printed before 1935 are becoming more and more rare and expensive. Being a collector of December issues for their Christmas ads, I would have loved to seen the entire issues from which these ads came from.

Which brings us to our ad of the day. It's hard to imagine now but back in 1924, the retail industry was dominated by two stores - Sears, Roebuck & Co. and Montgomery Ward & Co., both headquartered out of Chicago, Illinois. Ward's revolutionized the business by introducing their legendary catalog in 1872, the first mail-order business of any kind in the world:

(Click on image to enlarge)

In essence, this was the first Internet - the catalogs allowed anyone to order anything and have it shipped anywhere in the USA and Canada. Catalog sales accounted for nearly 60% of Montgomery Ward's business at one point and kept their coffers flush into the 1960s.

Ask anyone over the age of 30 about those magic Fall / Winter catalogs, overflowing with toys and games. These were dream books - the perfect way to create a list for Santa. I can recall one year making a list, complete with catalog numbers, and handing it to Santa. I never did understand the incredulous look on Santa's face.

And there's something to be said for pre-1930s advertising. Usually in black & white, great detail work, a not too dominant picture, and lots and lots of text for you to read. No pretention whatsoever. This is an ad you definitely need to see close up.

What do you think?

Capt

Anonymous - Two Christmas Songs - UPDATE

2009-10-25T00:46:00.002-04:00

We got a response!

Click here for the updated story and link!

Vintage Christmas Ads Pt. 19 - 1847 Rogers Bros., 1938

2009-10-16T11:45:00.004-04:00

(Click on image to enlarge)

The giving of silverware as Christmas gifts is seldom done in this day and age. Several decades ago, it was all the rage. Whenever I think of silverware, images of Harpo Marx and Curly of the Three Stooges trying to conceal stolen silver on their person come to mind.

But what caught my eye on this ad was the caption above the picture of the "happy" family and that very same picture. Study this carefully for a moment... I'll wait for you.

The sardonic part of my mind studied this picture for a long time and came up with dozens of alternate captions of my own. This led me to believe you might come up with your very own captions or comments as well. Give us your best shot...

What do you think?

DivaMom says: Dear, I've brought home my secretary to stay with us this Christmas. Surprise!

Jonathan says: I love it! It’s the very least you could do after I’ve slaved over a hot stove all week so that you may eat with proper silverware!

Tom says: We can melt them down into bullets when the werewolves attack.

Any other opinions?

Capt

Anonymous - Two Christmas Songs

2009-10-10T09:20:00.007-04:00

My thoughts exactly, Grommit!

A few weeks ago, I posted an update that got quite a bit of response both online and off. More updates are in the works as well as reviews of several upcoming Christmas releases that arrived at my P.O. Box.

However, there was one package that stood apart from the rest. There was no return address and no post office markings anywhere on the envelope. The presumably Pitney-Bowes label had no evidence of its origin. I could post a photo of it but after reading the cover letter, I won't.

The cover letter was informative. The Times New Roman font was utilized, printed from MS Word (again presumably), and was left unsigned. I suppose I could go all "CSI" and dust for fingerprints and DNA while doing my best David Caruso impersonation but I won't.

The text of the letter:

"Hey Capt! Long time reader here - love the blog!

You are putting on a Christmas play and I wish you have a great run! I've been involved in theater nearly all my life and wanted to share something with you that I know you'll appreciate.

I was involved with a dinner theater for many years that put on an annual Christmas show. We spent many hours fine tuning the songs, the choreography, and putting on a great show up on its legs.

The owner of the theater thought he was a great talent. Every year, we had to deal with him inserting himself into the show several weeks after the start of rehearsals. His involvement usually threw the delicate balance of the cast into chaos and slowed the gathering momentum of the rehearsal process.

But what could we do? He was the guy who signed our checks. We were forced to tolerate it year after year.

During the last Christmas show I was involved with, the longtime sound board guy had had enough. He purposely recorded the theater owner's isolated body mike which was always kept low and buried behind the cast - listen and you'll know why. This was shared it out among several of the cast members and has become a cult classic in our theater community.

(LAST SENTENCE WITHHELD)!"

Shades of Linda McCartney!

I listened to the two songs and they are... hmmm... let's say they rank right up there with Johnny "Bowtie" Barstow, Wendy Rose, and the infamous version of "O Holy Night" that's been floating around cyberspace.

However, I'm puzzled - I'm not sure what the intentions of the sender of the package. Did he want to share this with me to play in the comfort and privacy of my own home? Did he want to get back at the theater owner in some small way and sent it to me so I could share it online?

I am asking the person or persons involved who sent me this package to send me an additional letter to seek out what their intentions are.

Please note that I removed the last sentence of the letter in the text above. Supply me with the last sentence word for word and I'll be able to spot the real person and their true intentions.

This hopefully should prevent 200 letters coming in saying "I'm the guy who sent you the package and it's okay to post it!" If you're tempted to try and guess, I ask you to save your postage for something else.

Let's hope we get a real response!

UPDATE 10/25/09: I received only one response and it was from the person (or persons) who sent it to me. They indeed did provide me with the last correct sentence of the aforementioned letter which was "Break a leg this Christmas!"

This new letter also provided me with an e-mail address that put me in touch with the gentleman who made the serendipitous recordings. The sound man asked me not to share one of the songs since it contained elements within it that would easily identify the source.

He gave me permission to share the other song and sent me an excerpt of another that I could use as well. So here is my first offering for the 2009 Christmas downloading season - brace yourself, William Hung. You got competition!

Anonymous - Two Christmas Songs

Happy listening...

Capt

A New Yuleblog Update? Really?

2009-09-21T17:20:00.002-04:00

Yeah, really! Let me see if I remember how to do this...

Several months ago, I decided to make a few changes in my life. I wanted to work less behind the computer, get into a diet and exercise regiment to lose some weight, work on ten different projects that I have neglected for far too long, and participate in two special projects with two lucky rolls of the dice.

My batting average so far: 3 for 14 = .214 average.

I succeeded in working less on the computer and did start working out at the gym right before school ended and summer began. Have you ever tried to take your three kids to the gym for a workout? It ain't pretty. However, a month ago, my youngest daughter began kindergarten and I've been hitting the gym pretty regularly. It's a work in progress.

The ten projects I wanted to accomplish are mundane things like what to transfer to DVD from my 1,500+ VHS tapes in my collection, etc.. There were a few Christmas projects on the list as well: transfer new Christmas albums to digital, start burning some of the 100-125 Christmas albums I downloaded over the past two years, etc..

This would have meant spending a significant amount of time - you guessed it - behind the computer. So I went 0 for 10 in this respect - a big fat goose egg.

As for the two special projects. The first came and went in May. It was a disappointment that I wasn't included in the project but after hearing from people about the final result (what a sad, sad story), I'm glad I wasn't involved. And to quote Mr. Gump - "That's all I have to say about that."

Now to the second special project. Towards the beginning of 2009, several of the higher ups at the theater group I volunteer for knew of my love for all things Christmas. They approached me and asked if I would be interested in collaborating with them on a Christmas play.

Throughout most of the summer, I've been gathering material suitable for a church theater revue. Tracking down the sheet music for obscure Christmas songs has been daunting at times. I've also been writing skits, researching Christmas origins and traditions for adaptation, and squeezing all of it into a two hour show.

One of the highlights for me has been contacting several of the artists of the songs I wanted to use. Mona Abboud, the woman behind the song "The Pretty Little Dolly" (ignore the video and listen to the song), gave me her blessing to use the song in the show.

Larry Nestor, the clever gent who wrote and performed "Santa Doesn't Smoke Anymore", sent me a trunk load of songs to use for the show. Two of his songs (including his anti-tobacco holiday ditty) will be used. Larry has promised to even drive down from Chicago to Fort Wayne to see the show!

Last but certainly not least, I made the decision to include "Green Chri$tma$" into the show. Several phone calls were placed to Stan Freberg's office but I got no response. I was ready to remove it from the show when a voicemail on my cell phone in July changed all that.

I'm pleased to announce that we have permission to dramatize his 1958 masterpiece - quite possibly for the first time on the stage. Uncle Stan also confided to me a never before told story behind the making of "Green Chri$tma$" that will be revealed on stage as well (Thanks Stan and Hunter!).

For those theater people around Northeast Indiana and Northwest Ohio, auditions for the show will be held Saturday, September 26, 2009 at First Presbyterian Theater (downtown Fort Wayne) at 1 PM. We're looking for 25 to 30 people in the cast (all ages) and eight to ten children (ages eight to fourteen). Hope to see you there!

Since I'm going to be extremely busy with this show in the next several months, this means the yuleblog will be subdued leading up to Christmas. I will be posting some pictures from rehearsals of the show and what really goes on in the green room backstage (future cast members: you've been warned).

I have about five or six new Christmas albums ready now to add to the sharity list. I don't expect to be posting much more than that. I will attempt to post some new vintage Christmas ads that I've rediscovered sitting in my basement but can't promise a thing.

To the good people in the record industry who sent me new Christmas releases last year: I thank you for sending me the CDs and I didn't review as many as I wanted to. I will do everything in my power to review new submissions to my P.O. Box BEFORE the calendar reaches December 25 even if this means banging them out at show rehearsals (hey, I know the director, okay?).

Now you're caught up. Maybe I can start production on my annual Christmas CD now...

Thanks for visiting and reading!

Capt

Vintage Christmas Ads Pt. 18 - Borg, 1955

2009-04-03T16:10:00.005-04:00

In addition to collecting Christmas music, I have collected nearly 1000 vintage Christmas ads over the years. Many of these include celebrities, radio, television, cigarettes, liquor, modern appliances, and the like.

Occasionally on Friday from here until I run out, I will feature an ad from my collection.

I invite you to add a fun comment, witticism, clever remark, or observation in the comments section provided. Any comments deemed worthy of repeating will be included into this entry where all the world will see it.

It's been quite a while since I've posted something here. After my Chicago trip, I began to look at the calendar year ahead and plan out what needs to be done in the upcoming weeks and months.

All that took a back seat to my back seat. It's been nearly 10 years since I became a stay-at-home dad. Whenever I was done tending to my kids or in between laundry cycles or whenever I got a free day home from my theater volunteer work, I would sit at the computer.

At times, I would work on my Christmas music collection. Sometimes I would work on this very blog. A lot of times I would surf the Internet as a means of escape from my daily duties. Once a day is fine. When you're doing it six or seven times a day for nearly a decade, your body does some strange things.

In short, I'm fat and I need to get healthy. I'm finally devoting my free time to working out. I've found a fitness club that I like and I'm doing my best to get there at least three times a week. If this means no updates here at the blog now, next week, month, or for the rest of the year, so be it.

In that spirit, I recently purchased this ad that I originally found online at Flickr. When I saw this ad there, I knew I had to get it - it perfectly sums up my current battle of the bulge:

(Click on image to enlarge)

When I showed this ad to my wife, she rolled her eyes - it was the first time I got her to do that with anything Christmas related in a long time.

What do you think?

Ernie says: Resistance is futile! Ha-ha. Get it? Borg...

Lauren says: Although if my significant other gave me that ad (or a scale) as a Christmas gift I think he would get more than an eye roll!

John Marshall says: That is pretty crazy to think some advertiser felt that a good gift would b a weight scale. I am guessing they didn't sell to many of those scales that year.

RachelFranco says: Merry Christmas! You weigh a whopping 400 pounds! Eat less turkey and dance more!

Any other opinions?

Capt

When Irish Eyes Are Searching ... for Christmas LPs

2009-03-16T16:32:00.002-04:00

In March of 2007, I travelled to Chicago sans wife & kids to search through the bowels of Chicago thrift stores, flea markets, and rare record stores to search for Christmas LPs for my collection. This past weekend, I travelled again to Chicago sans wife & kids to do the exact same thing.

Upon learning the news, the Chicago River turned green with envy (keep reading).

My weekend trip began last Friday and I stopped at various flea markets and antique stores along the Lincoln Highway from Fort Wayne to Chicago. I walked away with two Christmas albums (both have been shared out by our friend Ernie (Not Bert) - keep reading).

After getting to Illinois, I went to a thrift store location that two years ago had just opened, had one entire corner of their store reserved for LPs, and yielded a good portion of the titles I shared out last year. Upon my return this year, their selection was reduced to an eight ft. folding table with about 10 milk crates full of LPs. Sadly, I walked away with nothing.

Such was the case at many of the Goodwill and Salvation Army stores that were once my salvation when it came to Christmas LPs. I pressed on to the next location, then then next, and the next only to discover little to nothing for my troubles.

These stores used to have teeming vinyl bins, so fully compact that you couldn't slide your fingers inbetween albums. They are now being replaced by two or three milk crates with a smattering of LPs and only when they are empty will the stores accept more donations of albums. One suburban Goodwill store has not only stopped carrying vinyl for resale - VHS and CDs are strictly forbidden as well.

I was getting majorly depressed. So I decided right then and there to head to the mecca of all Chicago vinyl stores - Beverly Records on Western Ave. I spent nearly 45 minutes going through their nine boxes of Christmas 45s then asked entrance to the backroom and its famous wall of Christmas LPs.

I wrote about this wall in July of 2007 when I posted "A Polka Christmas" by Li'l Wally. Then the wall measured eight feet in height, 12 feet in length. I'm happy to report it's still there and OVERFLOWING onto other temporary shelves. After spending two hours at the wall, I was euphoric and came away with a good pile of albums.

I had originally planned on coming to Beverly on Sunday before I left for home but overheard one of the employees talking about the South Side St. Patrick's Day Parade. This was a March 17th Chicago tradition that I had forgotten about. "You won't even get near the store" was the direct quote.

Indeed, Irish eyes were smiling on my decision to head to Beverly Records that day - still the best place in Chicago for vinyl (thank you Dreznes family!).

On Saturday, I headed into Chicago to visit even more thrift stores and ran into the phenomenon known as the St. Patrick's Day parade and traditional dying the Chicago River green for the day:

This made travelling by car through Chicago miserable thanks to the many streets closed for parade prep and the parade itself. Thankfully, I stayed north of the river and searched through thrift stores there. Again, not much luck of the Irish in the way of LPs or Christmas albums.

I then headed to Laurie's Planet Of Sound in the Lincoln Square section of town. The owner of the store was a former acquaintance of my brother John and I and it was good reconnecting with him again. He did manage to have a good selection of Christmas LPs (including a mono copy of the Three Suns "A Ding Dong Dandy Christmas!" for $2) and I walked away with a short stack of LPs.

By now, I was getting tired of driving the streets of Chicago. I needed a pick me up. So I headed over to Nuts on Clark, several blocks from Wrigley Field, and home to the best caramel & cheese corn on the planet. I picked up some gift bags for the wife & kiddies (and a small taste o' my own), and kept driving south on Clark Street.

There are some places in the world that are truly heaven on earth. One such place for me is 1060 W. Addison Street. I have spent many days there with my family and friends. I have encountered joy, heartbreak, misery, anger, hysteria, nausea, and ever-flowing optimism from this corner on the North Side. It's a landmark, it's Valhalla, it's a ballpark. Its name is Wrigley Field:

On this day, Wrigleyville was alive thanks to the hoards of returning residents and tourists fresh off the "L" from the parade, wearing leprechaun derbies and green beads, heading to various bars for more alcohol consumption and mating rituals. Wrigley sleeps knowing that more of the same is coming in under a month when the Cubs return for another season.

I headed west on Addison to a little curio store 3/4 of a block from the ballpark called Yesterday's. It continues to sell old LIFE magazines, movie stills, film posters, vintage memorabilia, and baseball collectibles - a nod to its famous neighbor up the street. I picked up a few magazines that contain vintage Christmas ads that will continue to be a feature here.

After spending a full morning and afternoon in the city, I headed back to my hotel room to nap and get ready for another trip. That night, I spent an evening with Groucho at the Rialto Square Theater in Joliet, Illinois.

Frank Ferrante is perhaps the greatest Groucho Marx interpreter / impersonator this planet has known since the original Groucho was still smoking cigars. His recent tour brought him to Joliet and I couldn't pass up the chance to take in his wonderful show and laugh again and again at the genius of the one, the only...

I got a great front row seat (thanks Frank!) and watched as Jim Furmston, his pianist, played a rickety, badly out of tune grand piano to perfection. Frank hit the stage, transformed into Groucho, and explained that he was sharing the same stage Groucho, Chico, and Harpo used back in 1935 to fine tune their upcoming movie "A Night At The Opera".

The audience and I had a great time and it was great catching up with Frank and Jim after the show. We exchanged gifts (two vintage Marx Brothers stills from Yesterday's went to Frank - Jim gave me a copy of a children's book he did the music for), more laughs, and danced until the cows came home.

Yesterday morning, I awoke late and went to my final two thrift stores that were on the road to Indiana and home. I came away with nothing thanks to the minuscule selection of LPs both carried.

I stopped at one flea market and found a copy of Spike Jones' "Let's Sing A Song Of Christmas" in fair condition. I asked the elderly vendor for a price and he quoted $15. "Nope, too much money" I thought out loud. The vendor was a wee bit miffed - "That is the book price for that album."

Certain flea marketers strictly go by the book - anything Elvis is always $10 to $15 more expensive than anything else on his ship shod table of treasures. My weekend of trying to find Christmas albums was ending in an argument over a Spike Jones record. It was time to call it quits. Later that evening, I arrived home to many hugs from my family.

Overall, I came home with about 20 albums in total - half of which have already been posted along the sharity network:

(Click on image to enlarge)

Albums pictured from top to bottom (my reviews where applicable):

The Three Suns - A Ding Dong Dandy Christmas (MONO)

Eddie Dunstedter - Christmas Candy (review)

Jan Garber - Christmas Dance Party (STEREO) (review)

Robert John Carwithen - The Bells On Christmas Morn

Lorne Greene - Have A Happy Holiday (review)

The King Family - Christmas With

Thurlow Spurr & The Spurrlows - Christmas: Time For Song (review)

Peter Wood Singers - Jolly Christmas Songs (review)

Andre Kostelanetz - Wonderland Of Christmas (review)

The Holiday Bells - Ring The Bells On Christmas Day

One moment - that "Holiday Bells" album of mine is different than the one I just linked. Hmmm... And my King Family album is in stereo while the linked copy is mono... differences, differences.

So I have several new albums to add to the share stack - which all depends on my schedule with my family, two special projects that are beginning to see the light of day (details will be released when I'm officially able to), and the production of my annual Christmas CD. Wait and see.

I didn't find as many new Christmas LPs like I hoped but the wild Irish ride was well worth it. Thanks you wife and kids for allowing me a few days of R & R - back to the regularly scheduled life already in progress.

Capt

Old Hawaiian Christmas (SeaWest Records)

2009-03-11T13:51:00.002-04:00

Last week, I reviewed a Christmas comp that was the last present I received last December. This CD was the very first present I received.

Back in November, my good friend Martin Johns sent me his annual Christmas comps (which I'll be reviewing some time down the road). Inside the box was a wrapped Christmas package that read "DO NOT OPEN 'TIL DEC. 25". I dutifully tucked it under the tree and there it remained until Christmas morning.

What went through my mind on Christmas morning as my kids tore through their gifts with this CD staring at me in the face? I remembered reviewing Martin's 2005 comp "No Rain, No Rainbow: A Contemporary Hawaiian Christmas" and mentioning this very CD when reviewing a version of "Jingle Bells" in Hawaiian:

WOW! "Jingle Bells" in Hawaiian! Featured on the 2001 comp "Old Hawaiian Christmas" which is OOP? I'm about to cry here...

I also remembered that a year earlier, I sampled a track from Martin's comp for my 2007 Christmas CD - the hilarious track of the SeaWest Artists trying to record "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" played on the ukulele that came from this very CD.

I wanted to give Martin a hug - this was totally unexpected, I was thrilled to no end, and it added another great Christmas memory to a long line of Christmas memories. Without a doubt, it was the best wrapped Christmas CD I had ever received:

As you could tell by the date on the picture, I had a hard time opening this one up - the wrapping was such a festive part of the CD. But how does one listen to the music? I finally opened the CD and the cats had a field day with the ribbons.

I wish there was more I could tell you about SeaWest Records - their website seems to be offline, their recording studios in Pahoa, Hawaii are still open by all accounts, and searching for other releases on their label has come up short. Can anyone add any details?

I did manage to find a mini-review of this album from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin along with other Hawaiian Christmas releases in 2001. But nothing else much. Sooooo...

TRACK REVIEWS:

1.) Leka & D Nui of Ka'u - Old Hawaiian Christmas
This reworking of Lee Greenwood's "Lone Star Christmas" isn't too Hawaiian nor too Christmas. Next...

2.) Kevin & Joe of Pa'ani Pila - Mele Kalikimaka
This is a fool-proof song; you can't really screw it up and Lord knows many have tried. These guys do a fine job with their version.

3.) Bryan Kessler - What Child Is This?
A simple acoustic guitar with added surf effects gives it just a touch of a Hawaiian feel. Okay.

4.) Bradshaw Ellis of Pu'uwai - Po Hemolele
A lone ukulele, Bradshaw's fine tenor, add some great backing vocals, and you have an amazing Hawaiian version of "O Holy Night".

5.) Bruddah Smitty - Please Come Home For Christmas
With a great song and above par singing voice, how can you go wrong? From note one, it sounds like the entire band is on a programmed synthesizer churning out the beat (despite a fine harmonica solo). A canned feel throughout...

6.) Ken Emerson & Jordyn Pung - (Walking In A) Winter Wonderland
Ken plays the lap steel guitar and Jordyn shows an amazing maturity for a then-8th grader on vocals! The end result is a great version of this winter song!

7.) D Nui & Leka of Ka'u - Pretty Paper
Now we're talking - the guitars give it the Christmas feel and the fine Willie Nelson lyrics are sung well!

8.) Bruddah Smitty - Christmas Big Island
WOW! Very good original song by Smitty - no band in a can here!

9.) Ken Emerson & Orchestra - O Holy Night
Ken's guitar talents are on full display with both acoustic & lap steel guitar - the orchestra is fully synthesized and detracts whenever Ken isn't playing.

10.) Alicia Bay Laurel - Festival Of Lights
Man, this is so tranquil and Christmas-ey, I can't stand it! Laurel especially composed this song for this album and it deserves to be heard! Absolutely wonderful.

11.) Na Leo 'o Leilani - Jingle Bell Rock
To quote the liner notes: Na Leo 'o Leilani are a group of friends who got together at the recording studio... just for fun. [Producer] Rick played the guitar, ukuleles, and bass (all at the same time)... what a guy. Why not join us and 'sing along' with Jingle Bell Rock! I pass judgement on this one.

12.) Kevin & Joe of Pa'Ani Pila - Po La'i'e / Silent Night
Sung in English, Hawaiian, and both toward the end. Very reverent and Hawaiian all at once.

13.) Lindsey Trinidad - Merry Christmas Darling
Lindsey was a 16 yr. old high school student at the time of recording. Many synthesizers in effect.

14.) Ka'u featuring D Nui - Kani Na Pele / Jingle Bells
Sung straight in Hawaiian - this is more fun than a one horse open sleigh ride!

15.) SeaWest Artists - We Wish You A Merry Christmas
It gets funnier every time I hear it. Aw nerts!

This Christmas CD is out of print so if you can find a used copy, grab it because the pluses outweigh the negatives on this comp. Some tracks were great, others good, a few bad. But even the bad tracks have their moments to those without a Hawaiian Christmas ear.

"Old Hawaiian Christmas" is the 17th Hawaiian Christmas CD in my collection - Christmas organ took over as the largest sub-genre in my collection a while back. If I were to add two or three more Hawaiian Christmas CDs, it's right back at the top of the list. I have found a new goal for 2009!

Martin, many many mahalos for this gift. I'm glad to have it but even more happier to have you as a friend.

Capt

Vintage Christmas Ads Pt. 17 - Westinghouse, 1940

2009-03-06T09:12:00.003-05:00

(Click on image to enlarge)

We get a kid mentioning Santa Claus, some other mentions of Christmas throughout the ad, and that's it - no fat guy in the red suit, no reindeer, not even a Christmas tree!

Take a closer look at some of those state-of-the-art 1940 appliances - especially the "washer" and "ironer (???)"! And I thought my vacuum cleaner looked archaic!

What do you think?

Capt