Christmas 2020

Tracklist:

  1. DAN PUGACH NONET FEATURING NICOLE ZURAITIS “Sleigh Ride”
  2. BROTHER STRUT “Winter Wonderland” (Attic Sessions)
  3. THE BRIAN SETZER ORCHESTRA “Jingle Bells”
  4. CHRIS THILE AND LIVE FROM HERE WITH CORY WONG “Christmas Is Coming”
  5. LES PETITES CHANTEURS DU MONT-ROYAL “Un Flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle”
  6. CATHEDRAL BRASS AND CHOIR “Carol of the Bells”
  7. CATHEDRAL BRASS AND CHOIR “Still Still Still”
  8. BORIS KARLOFF “Welcome Christmas”
  9. MATTEO MANCUSO “White Christmas”
  10. CHRISTMAS IN ROME / THE CHIEFTAINS / THE CAMBRIDGE SINGERS / JOHN GORKA “Gloria/Bells of Dublin/Good Christian Men Rejoice/Christmas Bells”
  11. BILL EVANS TRIO “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”
  12. MARK O’CONNOR “Sleigh Ride”
  13. YO-YO MA AND CHRIS BOTTI “My Favorite Things”
  14. JACOB COLLIER AND JAKE SHERMAN “The Christmas Song”
  15. THE JERRY GRANELLI TRIO “Skating”
  16. TOM WAITS “Silent Night – Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis”
  17. JON ANDERSON “Three Ships”
  18. THE BEATLES “1964”
  19. BOB DYLAN “Here Comes Santa Claus”
  20. BRIAN WILSON “What I Really Want for Christmas”
  21. IAN ANDERSON AND THE CARDUCCI STRING QUARTET “Pass the Bottle (A Christmas Song)”
  22. RINGO STARR “Christmas Time Is Here Again”
  23. NICK LOWE & LOS STRAITJACKETS “I Wish It Could be Christmas Every Day” (Live)
  24. VULFPECK “Christmas in L. A.”
  25. SLADE “Merry Xmas Everybody”
  26. BRIAN WILSON “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”
  27. CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVISITED “Run Rudolph Run”
  28. CHUCK LEAVELL “Merry Christmas Baby”
  29. ALAN JARDINE “Big Sur Christmas”
  30. JON ANDERSON “Ding Dong Merrily on High”
  31. THE EVERLY BROTHERS “Christmas Eve Can Kill You”
  32. KEITH MOON “We Wish You a Merry Xmas”
  33. EAGLES “Funky New Year”
  34. GEORGE HARRISON “Ding Dong, Ding Dong”

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DAN PUGACH NONET FEATURING NICOLE ZURAITIS “Sleigh Ride” Play this track

Here we are again. It’s Christmas time. I just love that this holiday has its own body of music. There is no better way to be introduced to jazz than through a Christmas song. You can already sing the melody. And know your way around the song, so any variations on it are easy to follow. The band swings and you can practically see the smile on the singer. What’s not to like? —John Stix

BROTHER STRUT “Funky Winter Wonderland” (Attic Sessions) Play this track

Sometimes the season swings and sometimes it struts the funk. And that’s what we have here, a major funky bounce. Just latch onto that upbeat syncopation and groove along. I love the Ray Charles version of this song in When Harry Met Sally. This is a close second. —JS

THE BRIAN SETZER ORCHESTRA “Jingle Bells” Play this track

We swing, we strut and sometimes you gotta rock. Brian Setzer has been combining swing and rock for decades, starting with The Stray Cats. He morphed into a Swing Band cat and enjoyed even more success. This guitar ditty has the best of both worlds. —JS

CHRIS THILE AND LIVE FROM HERE WITH CORY WONG “Christmas Is Coming” Play this track

Besides the great music at this time of year, we also have oodles of Christmas cartoons that continue to delight year after year. I can’t pick a favorite but I can say A Charlie Brown Christmas is first among equals. I mean you’ve got the cartoon itself and the classic soundtrack by Vince Guaraldi. The oh-so-tasty guitar of Cory Wong along with the oh-so-tasty mandolin lead Live From Here band is the ultimate PBS taste-fest. —JS

LES PETITES CHANTEURS DU MONT-ROYAL “Un Flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle” Play this track

It’s light, it’s buoyant and sweet. I don’t know what to tell you, it’s French to me. —JS

CATHEDRAL BRASS AND CHOIR “Carol of the Bells” Play this track

This is one of the great Christmas rounds. This is why I love the sound of a choir. —JS

CATHEDRAL BRASS AND CHOIR “Still Still Still” Play this track

Winter nights take on a greater significance. The silence is even more still than usual and if there is snow on the ground, oh so peaceful. —JS

BORIS KARLOFF “Welcome Christmas” Play this track

A cartoon starring the voice of Boris Karloff! Who dreams this stuff up? Perfect for a kids’ chorus, oh yeah, that’s what this is. And it features a made-up word. Festivus wouldn’t come until decades later. —JS

MATTEO MANCUSO “White Christmas” Play this track

I present to you a warm and wonderful guitar solo rendition of a holiday classic. Most of the time Matteo gets props for playing otherworldly electric guitar extravaganzas. So yes, he knows how to dial it down. —JS

CHRISTMAS IN ROME / THE CHIEFTAINS / THE CAMBRIDGE SINGERS / JOHN GORKA “Gloria/Bells of Dublin/Good Christian Men Rejoice/Christmas Bells” Play this track

During this holiday time, I always think of my buddy Mike Connelly, who left us much too soon. We were best buds and musical brothers. Mike loved Christmas music and made me dozens of cassettes and, later, discs. Here is a medley from one of his discs. It has religious songs, Irish songs, secular choirs and a great folk singer. Of course Mike knew just how to segue this all together for maximum enjoyment. I tear up when I hear this because of what he meant to me. I hope you just enjoy the melodies and emotions Mike strung together for us. —JS

BILL EVANS TRIO “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” Play this track

Again we have an intro to jazz, this time by one of its greatest pianist. I used to play this song, all year long, with my buddies Alan Sorensen on piano and Bob Avstreigh on harmonica. I faked my way through on guitar. I would say this is a cousin to the Peanuts music. After all, it is family time. —JS

MARK O’CONNOR “Sleigh Ride” Play this track

Yes this is the 2nd version on this Christmas NHT. I just love it and didn’t want to wait a year to get it out there. Enjoy the ride. —JS

YO-YO MA AND CHRIS BOTTI “My Favorite Things” Play this track

Melody is king and this song has its own kingdom. I can imagine a figure skater choosing this for a ballet-like routine, can’t you? —JS

JACOB COLLIER AND JAKE SHERMAN “The Christmas Song” Play this track

On this duet, Jacob Collier plays the bed for the harmonica of Jake Sherman. Doesn’t Jake sound like Stevie Wonder. That may not be kind to say but musically you could do a lot worse. —JS

THE JERRY GRANELLI TRIO “Skating” Play this track

Yes, we are back with Charlie Brown again. But Jerry is the original drummer who played on the soundtrack, so he is entitled. And we are entitled to smile along. Please join in. —JS

TOM WAITS “Silent Night – Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis” Play this track

The best songs tell the best stories. So this must be one of the best songs. I think so. And to all a good night. —JS

JON ANDERSON “Three Ships” Play this track

Yes. —Rock Stamberg

THE BEATLES “1964” Play this track

You can bet on hearing “1965” next year, folks. —RS

BOB DYLAN “Here Comes Santa Claus” Play this track

Bob at Christmas. —RS

BRIAN WILSON “What I Really Want for Christmas” Play this track

Pure seasonal joy. —RS

IAN ANDERSON AND THE CARDUCCI STRING QUARTET “Pass the Bottle (A Christmas Song)” Play this track

Tull. Sort of. —RS

RINGO STARR “Christmas Time Is Here Again” Play this track

Alas, no “O.U.T. spells out.” You know what I’m sayin’. —RS

NICK LOWE & LOS STRAITJACKETS “I Wish It Could be Christmas Every Day” (Live) Play this track

Me too. —RS

VULFPECK “Christmas in L.A.” Play this track

Like this? Go hear more Vulfpeck. They rule. —RS

SLADE “Merry Xmas Everybody” Play this track

A HUGE hit in the U.K. —RS

BRIAN WILSON “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” Play this track

More Brian. —RS

CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVISITED “Run Rudolph Run” Play this track

Yes, REVISITED. —RS

CHUCK LEAVELL “Merry Christmas Baby” Play this track

I’ve been trying to get this one on for the past three seasons. —RS

ALAN JARDINE “Big Sur Christmas” Play this track

A Web-only surprise from a few years back. —RS

JON ANDERSON “Ding Dong Merrily on High” Play this track

Another gem from Jon Anderson’s 3 Ships holiday album.

THE EVERLY BROTHERS “Christmas Eve Can Kill You” Play this track

They said it. —RS

KEITH MOON “We Wish You a Merry Xmas” Play this track

What to say? —RS

EAGLES “Funky New Year” Play this track

Betcha never heard this one before. —RS

GEORGE HARRISON “Ding Dong, Ding Dong” Play this track

A perennial New Year’s Eve classic. —RS