SwingDJs

Oscar Peterson's Christmas Album is wonderful.

I did my annual Holiday music shopping today, browsing the extensive collection at Amoeba. I could have spent all day going through it! I settled on three compilations: Yule B' Swingin', Yule B' Swingin' Too! and Hipsters' Holiday (thanks Tina for mentioning that great Pearl Bailey tune on there). All three have a ton of overlap with other albums I already own (probably why I hadn't picked them up before), but each has a few novel gems. They'll add nicely to the collection.

While I'm at it, let me mention Christmas Cookin' by Jimmy Smith which I have been listening to quite a lot lately. I really dig his versions of "Silent Night" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". The album is worth it for the cover alone.

Jesse

i like several of the songs on CHRISTMAS CARAVAN by the squirrel nut zippers

if you dig slow raunchy blues, Asylum Street Spankers do a great "Red Nose Reindeer Blues" I downloaded a while ago. (It's just "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" done as a 12-bar blues with breaks)

gatorgal wrote:Not to mention it's a fine line to walk between putting dancers in the holiday spirit and making them feel like they never left the mall.

True, but all the stores I've hit this season so far have had the crappiest holiday music EVER - like beyond MUZAK. I wish I could program their sound system with good holiday music.

Lawrence wrote:

djstarr wrote:I remember dancing at Christmas time and I got really annoyed everytime a Christmas song would come on, so I'm going to keep them to a minimum.

It is quite possible to put together a solid set of danceable Holiday music. I tend to avoid playing anything that I would not play outside the season. Just as with any swing music, it just takes a bit of searching to get past the campy, crooning stuff. You need not abandon it just because you have memories of DJs who did not rise up to the task.

so a bunch of us are Dj'ing tomorrow for a "Christmas Bash" - I'm curious to see how much holiday music is played; luckily for me I'm playing towards the end of the night, so I can either heap on a lot or a little depending upon what happens before I spin.

you'd think folks going to a "Christmas Bash" would hope to have some holiday tunes to dance to eh?

djstarr wrote: you'd think folks going to a "Christmas Bash" would hope to have some holiday tunes to dance to eh?

Well SOME Christmas music anyway Brenda!


I've got one I'm going to be breakin' out but's that's only because swings' harder than hell! Which is a huge feat seeing as how 99.9% of the Chirstmas swing music makes me want to jump out a window while clutching my ears.

By the way Brenda which Christmas party are you going to tomorrow?

Soma-Guy wrote:By the way Brenda which Christmas party are you going to tomorrow?

I'm going to Joel and Louise's Christmas Bash in Vancouver! Considering the fact that at least half of Seattle is driving up and our Canadian friends are as cool as ever, it's going to be a great time! Hope the border patrol is up to the challenge.....

"sleigh bells ring, are you listening?...."

My favorite x-mas album is Have Yourself a Jazzy Little Christmas [Verve], although i not sure if any of it is danceable.

My favorite Christmas album is the Ramsey Lewis Trio's More Sounds of Chrismas, from which Jingle Bells, Plum Puddin', and Eggnog are all great.



Unfortunately, it's only out on vinyl and cassette.

Duke's Nutcracker Suite is about as Christmas-y as...well the original Nutcracker Suite.



Though, some of them aren't very suitable for dancing.

My favorite Christmas swing song is Man with the Bag by Kay Starr on that Yule B Swingin CD. Mid-tempo, catchy melody, and its not been overplayed to death in malls.

Just took my X-mas CD's out of my little storage place to rip them on my hard drive.

I enjoy playing the Drifters "White Christmas." It's the a capella song you hear on "Home Alone"

The Moonglows "Hey Santa Claus" is a nice Jump Blues X-Mas song.

I just made a CD with some that I might play tonight if the mood strikes:

Merry Christmas Baby - Lionel Hampton & Orchestra; Sonny Parker, Vocal
Please Come Home for Christmas - Charles Brown
I Want My Baby for Christmas - Jimmy Liggins
Christmas Time Blues - Roy Milton
Winter Wonderland - Wynton Marsalis
Little Jack Frost Get Lost - Frankie Carle & His Orchestra
Winter Weather - Benny Goodman
I Told Santa Claus to Bring Me You - Red Norvo & His Orchestra
Winter Wonderland - Red Garland
Jingle Bells - Benny Goodman & his orchestra
What Will Santa Claus Say - Louis Prima (yes, Louis Prima)
Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Tommy Dorsey
Swingin' Them Jingle Bells - Fats Waller

Again, to allay any fears, i will play some...not all. _d

I just found "Stay a Little Longer, Santa" by Shemekia Copeland on Alligator Record's "Genuine Houserockin' Christmas." On the slower groovy side. Only Xmas song that I have gotten multiple requests to play again.

JesseMiner wrote:I did my annual Holiday music shopping today, browsing the extensive collection at Amoeba. I could have spent all day going through it! I settled on three compilations: Yule B' Swingin', Yule B' Swingin' Too! and Hipsters' Holiday (thanks Tina for mentioning that great Pearl Bailey tune on there).

Jesse

I found Hipsters Holiday during a recent trip to Austin... so I finally got my Pearl Bailey song! Been playing it almost everyday since I got back to So Fla. I've even played it at work and the folks love it.

Tina