Christmas Special
Thursday, December 23rd, 2004 by Paul Irish
In the Christmas season, it’s easy to get lost in all the hubbub of shopping and presents; and it’s hard to focus on what really matters: the music. It’s time to bust out the family vinyl, queue up Handel’s complete Messiah, and explain to your little brother that the Trans-Siberian Orchestra is actually a clever marketing ploy trying to pass off a synthesized action movie soundtrack as christmas music. It’s sad but true: musicians want to capitalize on the spirit of the season and end up releasing crappy music to fill our never-ending demand. And then we, as true music fans, have to filter out all that trash and find the real gems.Being the christmas DJ is a demanding job, but here’s some odd songs and safe bets your family is sure to enjoy.
lounge remixed // funky nu-jazz // funk
Bing Crosby – Happy Holidays (Beef Wellington Remix)
contemporary jazz
Zooey Deschanel & Leon Redbone – Baby, It’s Cold Outside (from fluxblog)
pre-war blues // folk country blues
Leadbelly – Christmas is A’Coming
lounge // 1940’s vocal jazz
Frank Sinatra – Jingle Bells
1940’s west coast blues // piano blues
Charles Brown – Merry Christmas Baby