THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 10, 1995 TAG: 9512080092
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICKEY WRIGHT, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines
WHO SAID CHRISTMAS music has to be staid? Not James Brown.
The Godfather was never one to let decorum stand in the way of vision. He said what he meant, praising those who gathered 'round his ``soulful Christmas tree'' and demanding that ``Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto.''
His ``Funky Christmas'' is one of 12 essential CDs gathered here for those who've had it with shopping-mall carols and that ballet little kids are supposed to like.
1. Various artists, ``A Christmas Gift for You From Phil Spector'' (Phil Spector). Wishing to bring ``something new to the music of Christmas,'' the legendary rock 'n' roll producer threw a stack of seasonal gems to his Wall of Sound. This truly joyous 1963 classic is testament to the fact that they all stuck. The Ronettes bring out all the innocent sexuality hidden in ``I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.'' Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans ring ``The Bells of St. Mary's.'' And Darlene Love's ``Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)'' is among the most yearning lover's prayers on record.
2. Various artists, ``The Original Soul Christmas'' (Rhino/Atlantic). All the emotional range of vintage Southern soul, all in the service of the last week of the year. Solomon Burke's ``Presents for Christmas'' is a masterpiece of generosity (literally), Clarence Carter's ``Back Door Santa'' is a predecessor to his later ``Strokin','' and these versions of ``White Christmas'' (Otis Redding) and ``What Are You Doing New Year's Eve'' (King Curtis, with a Duane Allman solo) are definitively, gorgeously aching.
3. Elvis Presley, ``If Every Day Was Like Christmas'' (RCA). Reverent hymns, plus Elvis as slave of appetite on ``Santa Claus Is Back in Town'' (in a Cadillac, natch) and ``Merry Christmas Baby.''
4. James Brown, ``Funky Christmas'' (Polydor). Any album with J.B. in a rented St. Nick suit is a must, and that goes double for this set of tracks cut between 1966 and 1970. Lots of funk, and a few reminders that even in the midst of inventing that genre, he indeed came from the church.
5. Vince Guaraldi Trio, ``A Charlie Brown Christmas'' (Fantasy). And a little beatnik shall lead them: Considered a mistake by CBS-TV suits upon its 1965 debut, this lithe piano-jazz soundtrack has proven its merit as one of the most indelible parts of Charles Schulz' touching animated special.
6. Tony Bennett, ``Snowfall: The Tony Bennett Christmas Album'' (Columbia). What can it mean that so many of these albums come from the '60s? Maybe because the era allowed someone like Bennett to bring forth a set of big-band Yuletide swing that hardly seems dated at all. Thank his unfettered delight in such less-likelies as ``My Favorite Things'' and ``I Love the Winter Weather.'' This 1994 reissue also features a recent version of ``I'll Be Home for Christmas,'' cut with the Ralph Sharon Trio.
7. Various artists, ``Jingle Bell Jazz'' (Columbia). This moves from superb early-'80s takes by the likes of Dexter Gordon and Wynton Marsalis to a batch of '60s cuts (Miles Davis and Bob Dorough's ``Blue Xmas,'' a slammin' Duke Ellington ``Jingle Bells''). Buy this one.
8. Various artists, ``Mas! A Caribbean Christmas Party'' (Rykodisc). This selection of reggae, calypso and Haitian sounds, plus the inimitable Bahamian folk guitarist Joseph Spence is guaranteed to get your office party moving. You might even find yourself playing it on the beach next summer.
9. The Ventures, ``The Ventures' Christmas Album'' (Razor & Tie). Ditto for this giddy romp. The basic idea is that the Ventures tack intros copped from early-to-mid-'60s hits (``I Feel Fine,'' ``Wooly Bully'') onto surf-inflected versions of the usual standards. Think it's a cool concept? It's an even cooler album.
10. Frank Sinatra, ``A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra'' (Capitol). Wonder what Ellington thought of this ``Jingle Bells.'' Frank does it his way, and ends up with the surliest rendition imaginable.
11. Willie Nelson, ``Pretty Paper'' (Columbia). The title cut is a remake of his downcast classic, the last is a hip guitar-showcase instrumental called ``Christmas Blues.'' And the rest is as sweet, mellow and ruminative as whatever your favorite Willie happens to be.
12. Various artists, ``Bummed Out Christmas'' (Rhino). Sometimes it just ends up like this. The Everly Brothers sing mournfully about a guy hitchhiking through the Christmas Eve snow alone, the Staple Singers wonder ``Who Took the Merry Out of Christmas?'' and Seattle proto-punks the Sonics and the Wailers just sneer at the whole thing. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Rock producer Phil Spector brings something new to holiday music
with his latest release.
Graphic
NEW HOLIDAY RELEASES
[For complete graphic, please see microfilm]
by CNB