Although the Christmas period should be one where rest and relaxation come first, putting together the festive meal or looking for the right presents can also cause a lot of stress. To shake off that stress, composer Mark, designer Alf and quality advisor Franky, together with the entire team of Atomicat Records, present you 'Seasons Greetings'. 28 tracks that, provided you give the volume knob a good jerk to the right, will quickly make you dance and wave your stress away. The pace is immediately good with the swinging 'Dig That Crazy Santa Claus' by Ralph Marterie and Lola Dee, a song from 1954, after which Paul Anka presents a catchy and very personal version of the classic 'Jingle Bells'. Anka returns with the crooner-like 'Christmas In Japan'. In 1959, The Lollipops changed the well-known 'Mr. Sandman' into the more appropriate 'Mr. Santa'. 'Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!' may have been heard in many versions, but this swinging, slightly jazzy version by Ella Fitzgerald stands head and shoulders above the others. For beautiful gospel you can always contact The Staple Singers. Pops Staples and his children are here with 'The Last Month Of The Year'. We previously indicated that many associate doo-wop with Christmas. Well, they will definitely enjoy 'The Robin' by The Holidays.
Nice instrumental songs come from The Guitars, Inc. and their version of 'Sleigh Ride' and the sax-driven 'White Christmas' by Bill Robbin and The Blue Jays. You get the flip side of that single later with the equally instrumental 'Rockin' Bells', a remake of 'Jingle Bells'. It is rather cheerfully twisting in Jay Matty's 'Merry Twist Mas'.
An 'all time Christmas classic' is 'The Bells Of St. Mary's', although the lyrics have no direct link with Christmas, the melody clearly does. You get a nice version here from Lynn Taylor with The Peachettes. Fans of a cappella will certainly find something to their liking in the gospel 'Born In Bethlehem' by The Famous Blue Jay Singers Of Birmingham Alabama.
Also very atmospheric work by Louis Armstrong and The All Stars with 'Christmas Night In Harlem', beautiful harmonies by The King Sisters And Family with 'Over The River (And Through The Woods)', The Bookends in 'Christmas Kisses' and from The Voices Of Walter Schumann in 'Christmas Gift'. The country-like 'Cowboy Santa Claus' by Bill Lacey with Lil Armstrong and Her Ebony-Aires also sounds pleasant. Country is also the basis of Homer and Jethro's 'Santa's Moving On', which is based on Hank Williams' 'I'm Movin' On'. The flip side of 'Santa's Moving On', namely the 'Nuttin' For Christmas' with a dose of hillbilly, is also on this compilation. Kay Martin and Her Body Guards often performed on stage in nightclubs, no wonder that 'Come On Santa, Let's Have A Ball' evokes the prevailing atmosphere there. The 'Happy New Year To You' by vocal group The Qualities announces itself at the door, which immediately heralds the end of this album. With 'Seasons Greetings' the entire team of Atomicat Records sends you 28 atmospheric tracks bathed in various music genres for the upcoming Christmas period. Highly recommended!

With 'Santa Swings……The Windup', the German Bear Family label launches a very special Christmas CD. 'The Windup' refers to the time when one still had to wind a record player, or rather gramophone, with a handle and 78 rpm records had to be played with a steel needle. It is therefore understandable that the album does not contain any obvious interpretations of Christmas songs, including the sound of the necessary bells. Instead you get 27 tracks from the thirties and forties of the last century by renowned orchestras. Naturally, these songs were released on fragile shellac records. So you can expect stylish swinging jazz, which is also ideal for doing some dance moves. Well-known names that come into the spotlight on this album include Glenn Miller, Paul Whiteman, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Chick Webb and Stuff Smith. Among these well-known and lesser-known orchestras we also find The Ramblers, from the Netherlands, who, together with the Belgian singer Marcel Thielemans, recorded an orchestral arrangement of 'Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!' There is also a wonderful track with 'And The Angels Sing' by Count Basie's orchestra with that other legend, namely Helen Humes behind the microphone. The same song follows later in the version by Jan Savitt and His Tophatters. Legend Glenn Miller and his orchestra are present with a special version of 'Jingle Bells' that he recorded on December 24, 1941, one day before Christmas, for the legendary radio, Chesterfield Broadcast. Ella Logan's version sounds even more special, but also extremely original, as 'Jingle (Bingle) Bells'. Ella Fitzgerald can shine together with Chick Webb's orchestra on 'There's Frost On The Moon', a song from 1937. A swinging instrumental is undoubtedly 'Freeze And Melt' by Joe Turner and His Memphis Men, a pseudonym for Duke Ellington and his orchestra for the recordings at Columbia Records. You don't hear Big Joe Turner on this recording. He was already active as a blues shouter.
The album contains both instrumental and sung tracks, but the 'swing' is always present.
Although the recordings date from the thirties and forties, they sound impressively good. In addition, you will receive all information about the tracks in the accompanying booklet. It will not surprise you that many of these tracks appear on CD for the first time. However, if you like vinyl, there is also good news. Bear Family distilled 14 tracks from this CD and released them on red colored vinyl (BAF18074).
Of course you have to have a soft spot for authentic swinging jazz to enjoy this album to the fullest. If you do that, you have a pearl in your hands with 'Santa Swings…The Windup'.

​With 'It's Doo Wop Christmas Time' the KokoMojo label continues the tradition of doo-wop marinated Christmas albums. In 2020 the label surprised us with 'Let's Have A Doo Wop Christmas' and the following year we got more of that beauty with 'More Doo Wop Christmas Gems'. The album that now takes possession of our playback device extends a nice sequel to that. Through 30 tracks from the fifties and early sixties you will be immersed in beautiful vocal performances.
'It's Doo Wop Christmas Time' is formidable doo wop, both in its pure form with a minimum of instrumental accompaniment, and in a more rhythm & blues, blues or rock 'n' roll form. Excellent soundtrack for the upcoming festive season!

​As promised in the review of 'Christmas Around The World', let us now be surprised by the choice of Little Victor who had to put together this album in the middle of summer. The 28 tracks he has chosen can be classified as blues, rhythm & blues and rock 'n' roll. After the spoken Christmas wishes of Johnny Otis, Little Esther & Mel Walker in the half-minute long 'Christmas Greetings', the tone has been set for more than 70 minutes of atmospheric songs from the middle of the last century.
It is not always easy to choose the right album with atmospheric Christmas songs. However, if you are enamored with rhythm & blues, blues, rock 'n' roll or doo-wop, then you will certainly find something to your liking in the rich selection of Christmas albums in the catalogs of KokoMojo and Atomicat. Merry Christmas!

​In the run-up to Christmas, we once again receive several albums that form the soundtrack for the end of the year period. KokoMojo and Atomicat come up with 3 albums. KokoMojo continues down the doo wop road with ‘It's Doo Wop Christmas Time’ and Little Victor compiled ‘Seasons Greetings From The Mojo Man’. The Atomicat label presents 'Christmas Around The World'. You can expect the review of the KokoMojo release here soon, but first it’s time for 'Christmas Around The World'. You can take that title literally, because the 28 tracks on this album are interpreted in various languages. Typical Christmas songs are complemented by twistin’ Christmas songs and some evergreens.
'Christmas Around The World' is certainly a valuable addition to your previously purchased albums of Christmas songs. Moreover, given its diversity, this album will delight the whole family.

​This Midwinter wake contains songs from Greece, Middle East, Haiti and Morocco. It’s a project by two Swedish singing groups, Kaja & Tetra. A nice idea for the coming Christmas at the end of this year, but for now a bit out of date. 

​This second Christmas album from sax man Kirk Whalum is filled with spiritual Christmas tracks. Some tracks are sung by guest vocalists, but most are instrumental in a slow rhythm. Recommended to those who love gospel!

​At the beginning of this year, Mick still had the successful album 'Wasted Youth' in the stores. So now there is the release 'Uncle Mick's Christmas'. With his bluesy voice he brings the Christmas atmosphere into the right soufflé. And yet this Christmas album was recorded in a scorching summer heat in Memphis. Mick reunites with Jeff Jensen and opens the album with his own interpretation of Mariah Carey's 'All I Want For Christmas Is You'. We're not really big fans of Christmas albums, ditto Christmas singles, but for 'Uncle Mick's Christmas' we like to make an exception.

Together with 'More Doo-Wop Christmas Gems', of which you could already read the review on this site, the KokoMojo label is releasing two more Christmas compilations. Those are ‘Meet Mrs. Santa Claus' and 'Bronze Christmas', of which you can expect the review later. Now it's the turn to 'Meet Mrs. Santa Claus'. Mrs. Santa Claus is personified in 28 Christmas songs performed by female singers. Tracks that feature both big and lesser known names.
With ‘Meet Mrs. Santa Claus', Little Victor has found a nice angle again. It becomes clear more than once that the ladies are certainly not inferior to their male colleagues when it comes to Christmas songs. Awesome rhythm & blues, blues and rock & roll!

​This is the long awaited Christmas album from superstar Norah Jones. She composed songs herself and added covers of Christmas classics. It thrives on her lovely voice and soft piano play. To cherish and listen to every year!

With 'Let's Have A Funny Little Christmas' Little Victor presents the soundtrack of how he musically enlivens the Christmas period. As the title of the album already indicates, it is in a funny and maybe even hilarious way. If you go over the track list for a while, you soon come to the conclusion that 'White Christmas', 'Silent Night', 'Jingle Bells' and 'Rudoph The Red Nosed Reindeer' do not find a place here. The artists on this disc have different wishes, some more hilarious and extreme than others.
All this is wrapped in rock and roll tunes that were recorded in the middle of the last century.
'Let's Have A Funny Little Christmas' gives the Christmas period a humorous touch and perfectly complements the other Christmas albums by KokoMojo and Atomicat. With these albums, the end of the year period will be like never before.

​You just got the review of 'More Doo-Wop Christmas Gems' or the next Christmas CD is already taking possession of our playback device. Santa could count on his loyal helpers Mark Armstrong and Henrique San for the composition. Without grumbling, the two went to work. As always, Mark selected the tracks with expertise and Henrique was commissioned to make the packaging as attractive as possible, which both did with verve. Once finished, the CDs were pressed, the covers printed and the albums shipped to the dealers. As always, Santa first sent us a copy to know what we think, because he is curious too. We put the CD in our player and got to work. The Christmas season is traditionally associated with cold days when thick flakes of snow cover everything. In reality, however, this does not happen very often, but for once let's put our imagination to work. Once that's done, we'll be ready to enjoy what 'It's Christmas Once Again' has to offer and that's a lot.
'It's Christmas Once Again' combines traditional Christmas songs with rocking Christmas tunes, giving everyone what they want. A relaxed Christmas or do you prefer a Christmas party? With 'It's Christmas Once Again' you are in the right place in both cases.

Following on from the Bear Family's 'Heading For The Christmas Ball', released last year, that album will receive a successor with 'Here Comes Santa Claus, 29 Swinging Chestnuts'. This album also contains 29 tracks that include swing jazz, rhythm & blues and light pop. In addities to the well-known songs, this CD also contains a number of rare recordings that are also being released on CD for the first time. A total of 29 songs that will appeal to both the danceable and the more relaxed Christmas lovers.
‘Here Comes Santa Claus, 29 Swinging Chestnuts’ is not just another Christmas album, filled with songs that you already have in your collection several timet. The thoughtful mix of classic songs, supplemented with rare tracks and surprising versions of well-known songs, make this album the ideal soundtrack for the coming Christmas season.

​This Christmas EP from American jazz singer June Bisantz contains 6 tracks by American composers Connie Pearce & Arnold Miller from 1960-61. It’s a fine, cool jazz celebration of winter and the upcoming holidays!

​Simone Kopmajer knows how to capture the magic of Christmas with this album full of Christmas joy. This is an album that I recommend!

​Stephen Wallack uses subtle fragments of culturally familiar melodies. A new way of listening to the famous Christmas carols. Recommended to those who wish to combine solo piano music with Christmas. 

​This acoustic Christmas CD from singer-songwriter Camille Nelson is a quiet album, that brings the spirit and joy of the Christmas season. She arranged Christmas classics, with elements of folk, classical and New Age. An album that brings also warmth and joy during this special Corona Christmas. 

​An outstanding Christmas album, that you can now buy before the holidays. 

​This album is the fifth release in the series ‘Outside The Box’ with different recordings from artists all over the world. A fine way to celebrate the holidays!

​With this exciting release we are about to drive away the winter blues! The Gulf Coast Records label is also coming up with a Christmas album, with many renowned artists. The release "A Gulf Coast Christmas" is a record that contains seven original songs as well as many cover versions. The combination of some traditional Christmans songs  and modern stories produces the most original Christmas album in decades. If you like blues, this is probably the best Christmas album for you. Put that stuffed turkey in the oven!

​It is not a must to only insert this album into the cd player during Christmas. The danceable and relaxed atmosphere of the mix of nostalgic swing, jazz, rhythm & blues and crooner songs, recorded between 1940 and 1967, ensures listening pleasure all year round. Bear Family’s ‘Headin’ For The Christmas Ball’ is a wonderful holiday collector.

​This beautiful Christmas album must bring back the reason in the season. 

​This is one of the best Christmas albums this year! Buy it!

​A nice Christmas compilation filled with contemporary and smooth jazz. 

​A nice take on Christmas songs, with undoubtably a jazzy flavor.