New Top 25 list

This will be much shorter than my previous top 10 list from a month or two back as I will not be havin any ties. This isn't a definite list as I'm still debating on some of them whether they should be one or two up and vice-verca..... except for #1. It is definitely #1. So, the list can always change from time-to-time as the more I put on each individual one, the more I either like it or dislike it and thus, the order can change and some that aren't even on the list at the moment may be added at some point while some on the list could actually be deleted (though that would be tough since they're all so good). And bear in mind, this is out of over 200 christmas cd's, records, and cassettes I own.

1) Living Strings - The Spirit Of Christmas (1963)
2) Fred Waring And The Pennsylvanians - The Meaning Of Christmas (1961)
3) John Klein - A Christmas Sound Spectacular (1959)
4) Roger Williams - Christmas Time (1959)
5) Jackie Gleason - Merry Christmas (1956)
6) Mitch Miller - Holiday Sing Along With Mitch (1961)
7) Living Strings And Living Vocies - White Christmas (1968)
8) The Voices Of Walter Schumann - The Voices Of Christmas (1955)
9) Geoff love - The Geoff Love Christmas Album (1972)
10) Perry Como - Seasons Greetings (1959)
11) Kate Smith - The Kate Smith Christmas Album (1966)
12) Connie Francis - Christmas In My Heart (1959)
13) Johnny Mathis - Merry Christmas (1958)
14) Steve Lawrence And Eydie Gorme - That Holiday Feeling (1964)
15) Lawrence Welk - 22 Merry Christmas Favorites (compilation from the 1960's?)
16) Living Voices - The Little Drummer Boy (1965)
17) Percy Faith - Christmas Is (1966)
18) Living Voices - Sing Christmas Music (1962)
19) Living Strings - The Sounds Of Christmas (1970)
20) Henry Mancini - A Merry Mancini Christmas (1966)
21) Ames Brothers - There'll Always Be A Christmas (1957)
22) Fred Waring And The Pennsylvanians - The Sounds Of Christmas (1959)
23) Perry Como - Sings Merry Christmas Music (1950's?)
24) Norman Luboff Choir - Christmas With The Norman Luboff Choir (1964)
25) Guy Lombardo - Sings The Songs Of Christmas (1960)

New Tony Bennett Christmas CD Great

The new Tony Bennett is great. I actually don't have it yet but checked some of it out and it's really great. Very smooth and jazzy. There seems to be some strings (violins, etc.....) in a bit of it too. It sounds very much like the jazzy christmas songs he did on his video back in the mid-nineties with the exception of having brass on this new cd. Very recommended and great to know that he's still got his voice.

Avalon Music Site - Great Exclusive Christmas Music Cd's

www.avalonmusic.com

This site has great, exclusive christmas releases under their own label, I believe. Several big band, jazz, and orchestra christmas music cd's, many with great vocals.

Check out the great female vocalist (with a voice like the wonderful female singers of the 1950's and 1960's), Janice Hagen and her christmas cd, NAUGHTY OR NICE.

And check out the great male singer, TONY PAGLIA, who also has his own orchestra (TONY PAGLIA & HIS ORCHESTRA) with a couple of big band christmas cd's he's released on this label (one cd - possibly a 2 cd set, he shares the singing duties with JANICE HAGEN).

Also check out THE STEVE WINGFIELD BAND and the couple of big band cd's he has out on this label.

A final and very important release to check out is the ROBERTO OCCHIPINTI & HIS ORCHESTRA christmas cd, CHRISTMAS MEMORIES. It's a very lush christmas cd with a pretty large orchestra by the sounds of it. There are lots of strings (violins, etc...) and has a resemblance to the orchestras of yesteryear, the Living Strings, 101 Strings, Nelson Riddle, George Melachrino, Henry Mancini, Percy Faith, Hollyridge Strings, etc......

YouTube - sneeuwstorm (snow storm Dec. 16 2007)

When watching this video, click on the icon to enlarge the screen to get the maximum out of this video.



YouTube - sneeuwstorm (snow storm Dec. 16 2007): "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pM6HP-QgbZY"

The Perfect White Christmas

EDIT: CHECK THE VIDEO ABOVE FOR THIS SNOWSTORM VIDEO IN THIS POST. AND CLICK ON THE ICON AT THE BOTTOM CORNER TO ENLARGE THE SCREEN TO GET THE FULL IMPACT OF JUST HOW BAD THIS STORM WAS.

This video is of quite possibly the worst, most ferocious snow Ottawa has ever had. 15 inches (approximately 37-38 centimetres) to 24 inches (approximately 60 centimetres) fell in Ottawa in this snowstorm, most of it in a crazy 6 hours, between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm. It occured on sunday, december 16, 2007, just 9 days before christmas. You can be sure we had a white christmas in Ottawa. A very wonderful instrumental version of White Christmas plays with this video. Also note the howling winds that can be heard throughout the video. The blowing snow gave blizzard conditions for much of that 6 hour period.

I hope you enjoy this video as much as me as it shows what a perfect white christmas is supposed to look like.

November 1st, Christmas Season Officially Begins

Now that it's november 1st, the christmas season now begins (especially here in Canada since our next big holiday after halloween is christmas - Canada thanksgiving is back in october, remember).

So, let the christmas music begin in earnest.

Naughty or Nice - Naughty Holiday Favorites on CD - eBay (item 180275710295 end time Nov-08-08 03:54:58 PST)

Naughty or Nice - Naughty Holiday Favorites on CD - eBay (item 180275710295 end time Nov-08-08 03:54:58 PST)


This is an absolute wonderful super ultra romantic classical lounge/jazz christmas cd that sounds exactly like a christmas album from the 1950's or 1960's with one of the best to best female voices of that genre, Janice Hagan, singing in every song. Janice really makes me think of Julie London or Peggy Lee at their most romantic best... yet Janice Hagan may be even better than them.

You can also find this cd at www.cdconnection.com or www.cduniverse.com by simply writing 'naughty or nice' in the search engine.

2008 Christmas Releases

2008 important christmas releases are:

1) Tony Bennett - A Swingin' Christmas (2008 recording)

2) Hollyridge Strings - Christmas Favorites (recording from 1960's)

3) Harry Connick Jr. - What A Night! A Christmas Album (2008 recording)

4) Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra - Great Orchestral Music Of Christmas (reissue of 2 LP's from the 1950's and 1960's)

5) Rockettes - Christmas Favorites (2008 recording)

6) Tennessee Ernie Ford - Story Of Christmas (recording from 1960's)

7) Radio City Christmas Spectacular DVD Concert

Getting Closer To Christmas

Only a month to go and then the christmas season begins. Yes, for me, christmas starts on november 1st since here in Canada that is the next big holiday. And the stores really start putting out their christmas stock in the beginning of november (in fact, some have already and one store even since the end of july/beginning of august). That means the christmas music can begin playing full-time for the next 2 months. Can't wait!

Site For Some Cool Jazz Christmas CD's

If you like good old fashioned jazz and Dixieland jazz, then go to http://www.worldsrecords.com/ and by the search engine, go to 'genre' and then type in 'holiday' in the actual space in the search engine. Click on 'search' and some neat jazz Christmas cd's will be advertised.

And if you're looking for lots of easy listening/jazz non-Christmas music, this site is a great source to finding many cd's of those two genres.

The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra - The Music Of Christmas (1958) Set To Be Re-released On CD

Amazon.com is advertising that THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA'S 1958 christmas album, THE MUSIC OF CHRISTMAS, arranged and conducted by CARMEN DRAGON, is set to be released in mid-october. It did have a previous release but became hard to find and expensive to buy. The release on Amazon is being priced at a pre-sale price of $14.99 which saves you $3.00 from the list price of $17.99.

For those who may not know, this THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA - THE MUSIC OF CHRISTMAS album is an orchestra masterpiece of traditional religious christmas songs and I would say that if you like the PERCY FAITH -MUSIC OF CHRISTMAS (volume 1 and volume 2) albums from the 1950's and 1960's, then you should like this THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA christmas album too.

Christmas With The Norman Luboff Choir And Others Available

The 1964 christmas album by THE NORMAN LUBOFF CHOIR titled CHRISTMAS WITH THE NORMAN LUBOFF CHOIR is available from individual sellers on Amazon. This includes a new/sealed copy for 80 some dollars. A bargain considering some on Ebay have gone into the 100's.

Also,

1) Percy Faith - Music Of christmas (Volume 2 - 1965) - but going for $350.90 on Amazon...... and used. Ebay usually has these for less than 100 dollars or just over. I recently got one for much less than a 100 dollars and brand new/sealed.

2) The Lettermen - It Feels Like Christmas (1966) has about 6 copies on Amazon by sellers, a brand new/sealed one is going for 80 some dollars.

DJ's Choice: Tribute To Tony Bennett Christmas

Here is a fabulous cd that was released recently that I think I may even enjoy more than Tony Bennett's own, SNOWFALL: THE TONY BENNETT CHRISTMAS ALBUM from 1968.

The singer on this cd really does sound like Tony Bennett and the backing music and chorus brings this christmas release back to the 1950's/1960's era. However, there are no liner notes telling us who the singer is or just who anybody is. But make no mistake, this is the real deal in 'traditional crooner christmas music.' The unique thing about this cd is that all the songs are songs that Tony Bennett didn't record on his 1968 christmas album (though a couple of them were recorded by Tony Bennett at other times).

On this spectacular recording, you'll find songs such as SLEIGHRIDE - ROCKIN' AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE - WE NEED A LITTLE CHRISTMAS - IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR - LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW and several more for a 10 track cd. It may be hard to get as it sold out really quickly last christmas but you may find a copy on Ebay or some other place. Make sure you check it out. I'm already calling this a christmas classic.

Christmas Albums That Need To Be Converted To CD

These are some christmas albums that need to be converted to cd.

1) Jack Jones - The Jack Jones Christmas Album (1964 - yes, I know it was released before but not for long and it didn't contain every song from the actual album).

2) Geoff Love - The Geoff Love Christmas Album (1972 - this is an orchestra instrumental christmas music masterpiece very similar to the LIVING STRINGS 2 christmas albums from 1963 and 1970).

3) Living Voices - Sing Christmas Music (1962)

4) Living Strings - The Sounds Of Christmas (1970)

5) Norman Luboff Choir - Christmas With The Norman Luboff Choir (1964 - this was also converted to cd before but was not out for enough time).

6) Any christmas album by DAVID ROSE.

7) Any remaining christmas album from RADIO CITY that hasn't been released on cd yet.

8) John Clayton - Merry Christmas (1958).

9) Perry Como - The Perry Como Christmas Album (1968, there was a limited release from Australia I believe, but we need a wider and more general release).

10) Wayne King - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (1958)

11) The Pete King Chorale - Christmas Time (1960)

Favorite Christmas Albums

I decided a top 10 list of my favorite christmas albums and cd's would let people know what I really like. Anything in the top 10 are albums/cd's that I really recommend (with number 1 as my most highest recommendation and my most liked or favorite album and as you go down in numbers, the recommendation and my liking goes down a bit, however, while number 10 is the lowest recommendation, it is still very recommended and very well liked by me). Note that I have many more albums and especially cd's that I have not listed here (since I really don't know where to put them in my top 10 at the moment or they don't quite fit in my top 10) with some of them also being very recommended, but these top 10 are my most highest recommended albums/cd's that every collector of easy-listening/traditional christmas music should have.

Also note that I have several new christmas cd's for this upcoming christmas and once I try them, I may add them somewhere in this top 10 list.

My favorite all-time christmas albums/cd's (as of September, 2008) are (and most are tied as I can't decide on them):

1) Living Strings - The Spirit Of Christmas (1963)

2) Fred Waring And The Pennsylvanians - The Meaning Of Christmas (1961)

3) Tie:
A) Mitch Miller And The Gang - Holiday Sing Along With Mitch (1961)
B) Jackie Gleason - Merry Christmas (1956)
C) Geoff Love And His Orchestra - The Geoff Love Christmas Album (1972)
D) Living Voices - The Little Drummer Boy (1965)
E) Lawrence Welk And His Orchestra And Chorus - 22 Merry Christmas Favorites (1960's?)

4) Tie:
A) Living Strings And Living Voices - White Christmas (1968)
B) Percy Faith And His Orchestra And Chorus - Christmas Is (1966)
C) Henry Mancini - A Merry Mancini Christmas (1966)
D) Arthur Fiedler - Christmas Favorites (compilation cd)
E) Living Strings - The Sound Of Christmas (1970)

5) Tie:
A) Perry Como - Season's Greetings (1959)
B) Connie Francis - Christmas In My Heart (1959)
C) Johnny Mathis - Merry Christmas (1958)
D) Kate Smith - The Kate Smith Christmas Album (1966)
E) Steve Lawrence And Eydie Gorme - That Holiday Feeling (1964)

6) Tie:
A) Fred Waring And The Pennsylvanians - The Sounds Of Christmas (1959)
B) Fred Waring And The Pensylvannians - Now Is The Caroling Season (1957)
C) Living Voices - Sing Christmas music (1962)

7) Tie:
A) Ronnie Aldridge - Christmas With Ronnie Aldrich (1964)
b) Mitch Miller And The Gang - Christmas Sing-Along With Mitch (1958)
C) Percy Faith And His Orchestra - Music of Christmas Volume 1 (1958)
D) Percy Faith And His Orchestra - Music Of Christmas Volume 2 (1965?)
E) Ray Conniff - We Wish You A Merry Christmas (1962)
F) Ray Conniff - Christmas With Conniff (1959)
G) Jerry Vale - Christmas Greetings (1964)
H) Ferrante & Teicher - We Wish You A Merry Christmas (1962)
I) Randy Van Horne Singers - Sleighride (1960)
J) Norman Luboff Choir - Christmas With The Norman Luboff Choir (1964)


8) Tie:
A) Perry Como - Sings Merry Christmas Music
B) Bing Crosby - Merry Christmas (sometimes titled 'White Christmas') (1950's?)
C) Frank Sinatra - A Jolly Christmas With Frank Sinatra (1957)
D) Roger Williams - Christmas Time (1959)
E) Dean Martin - Making Spirits Bright (cd compilation of 2 albums)
F) John Gary - The John Gary Christmas Album (1964)
G) Johnny Mathis - The Sounds Of Christmas (1963)
H) Al Martino - Merry Christmas (1964)
I) Tony Bennett Tribute Christmas CD (2006 or 2007?)

9) Tie:
A) Patti Page - Christmas With Patti Page (1959 or 1960?)
B) Andy Williams - Merry Christmas (1965)
C) Andy Williams - The Andy Williams Christmas Album (1963)
D) Lennon Sisters - Christmas With The Lennon Sisters (1962)

10) Tie:
A) Johnny Mathis - Give Me Your Love For Christmas (1969)
b) The Lettermen - For Christmas This Year (1966)
C) Perry Como - The Perry Como Christmas Album (1968)

Ronnie Aldrich - Christmas With Ronnie Aldrich (1964 album) Re-Released On CD

Vocalion seems to have re-released this christmas classic on cd (which was released on cd back in the 1990's), but it never seems to be available. However, if it comes available again, then make sure you pick one up. Especially if you like ROGER WILLIAMS. You see, like ROGER WILLIAMS, RONNIE ALDRICH is a master piano player in the easy-listening genre who usually has a nice and lush orchestra backing him up.

I really like 'The Christmas Waltz' and 'Toyland,' but every song is dyanmite.

Along with ROGER WILLIAMS, I would say that if you like the LIVING STRINGS and PERCY FAITH, you should like RONNIE ALDRICH. If you can find this on cd and like the style of christmas music I mentioned with the comparisons, then don't hesitate to pick this up. This is easily somewhere towards the top of the pile of my favorite christmas albums, it's that good.

Mantovani - A Song For Christmas (1964 album) Released On CD

This album, recorded in 1963 and released in 1964, is a wonderful christmas album that has been converted to cd. This album features the wonderful MIKE SAMMES SINGERS singing on some of the songs (as the others are instrumental/orchestra). This was released on Vocalion last year I believe (2007).

Mantovani gives us some great music here. I really like 'It Came Upon A Midnight Clear' with the great singing, but especially the instrumental orchestra part somewhere towards the middle where the cascading strings play to an ultra-lush sound.

There's a couple of songs that really don't do much for me and the overall feel lacks at times (lack of power, perhaps), but don't be mistaken, this is a decent christmas release in a kind of easy-listening style (though not limited to just easy-listening) and one that I would recommend if you like orchestra christmas music with chorus singing.

Living Strings - The Spirit Of Christmas (1963 album) Rare CD Release

This is it!

My absolute favorite christmas album of all-time has been released on cd. Actually, it was released at least since last christmas but hardly anybody knows. And hardly anybody may know as it was released in a very rare release from Brazil, South America. But if you can lay your hands on one, snatch it up. However, be prepared to pay a heavy 3 digit price as you will most likely only be able to purchase it at some auction place, if anymore even make it to the auction as only 2 went up for auction last christmas (as far as I know, anyway) and I managed to be one of the lucky ones. One even sold for $356.00 if I recall correctly. No lies. That shows just how great this christmas album is and how bad some people want it on cd.

Many people, myself included, will say this orchestra instrumental christmas album is flawless. The arrangements by JOHNNY DOUGLAS are the greatest ever put to christmas music, in fact, to music of any style (at least as far as I'm concerned) and that's why JOHNNY DOUGLAS is such a genius of a man. There is not one song that is weak including the ones in the several medleys. In fact, I will go as far as saying that each song is among the greatest version if not the greatest version of each of them. I don't think I could say this about any other christmas album I own. Not to this extent anyway. And the conducting of JOHNNY DOUGLAS compliment the arrangements in a most perfect way. And to add, the orchestra that actually plays the songs

The tone of this album is in an easy-listening style (with some older traditional aspects thrown into some of the religious christmas songs). The style is heavy on the strings (as evident by the orchestra's name) and they (the strings) are ultra-lush and so beautiful. All the other instruments are also beautiful beyond words. If you like the christmas albums by the HOLLYRIDGE STRINGS, PERCY FAITH, ARTHUR FIEDLER, and ANDRE KOSTELANETZ, the you should really like this LIVING STRINGS christmas album (and quite possibly even more just like I and many others do).

One extra stand-out thing with this LIVING STRINGS christmas album is the unique backing rhythm that JOHNNY DOUGLAS has come up with, just check out 'I'll Be Home For Christmas' or 'There's No Place Like (Home For The Holidays)' and you'll see what I mean. Quite simply, amazing!

Along with the 2 songs just mentioned above, I'm sure you'll be in a christmas dreamland when you listen to such other songs as 'White Christmas,' 'It's Beginning To Look Alot Like Christmas,' 'Silver Bells,' 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,' 'Away In A Manger,' 'Silent Night,' 'Mary's Boy Child,' and every other song on this most wonderful christmas album.

If you can get it on cd, get it. If not and if you still have a record player or cassette player, then there's a great chance you will find it somewhere and don't hesitate to purchase it. As I said, this is my favorite christmas album (cd) out of over 200 christmas albums/cd's/cassettes I own and I can't recommend this LIVING STRINGS christmas album enough.

Hollyridge Strings - Christmas Favorites (1965 Album) Released On CD

This gem of a christmas album is finally released on cd on Collector's Choice Music. The HOLLYRIDGE STRINGS are a wonderful orchestra that are heavy on the strings and perform their instrumental music in an easy-listening type fashion which this christmas album certainly shows. Though they perform with a bit of a latin influence here in a couple of songs, I would say that if you like the christmas style of the LIVING STRINGS (The Spirit Of Christmas LP) and PERCY FAITH (Christmas Is LP), you would probably like this HOLLYRIDGE STRINGS christmas album (cd).

This HOLLYRIDGE STRINGS christmas album can be very upbeat at times such as in 'Jingle Bell Rock,' but it can be more mellow and lush such as in 'The Christmas Song.' One thing for sure is that it is a most fabulous orchestra instrumental christmas album from the start to the finish

This album receives my highest recommendation and will ship now, in 2-3 days from the Collector's Choice Music website which is: http://www.ccmusic.com/. When you're on the site, go to the search engine area and where you have the choice to pick artist, song, album, etc... click on the 'album' and then in the search engine, type in: christmas. As of this writing, the HOLLYRIDGE STRINGS - CHRISTMAS FAVORITES is on page 3 and it has no album image yet. It is selling for under $15.00.

Introduction

Hello and welcome to my Blog.

While I enjoy almost everything christmas, traditional, easy-listening christmas music is at the top of the pile and with that in mind, I decided to have this blog devoted to that most wonderful style of music.