Dig That Christmas Music

And now the Brian Setzer (former lead singer of the 80's band, Stray Cats) Orchestra...



...a modern rendition of the Nutcracker Suite.

His Christmas albums are very good: my favorite song is 'Angels We Have Heard on High' off of his Dig That Crazy Christmas.

Rockabilly Legend Bo Diddley: 1928-2008

Another legend passes...

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Bo Diddley, a founding father of rock 'n' roll whose distinctive "shave and a haircut, two bits" rhythm and innovative guitar effects inspired legions of other musicians, died Monday after months of ill health. He was 79.

He was called 'The Originator' — Bo Diddley, who with his signature rectangular guitar 'The Twang Machine' built the bridge from blues to rock and roll.

My dad taught me how to play the guitar, and some of the first songs I learned were Bo Diddley songs. I still enjoy breaking out my Fender Stratocaster and strumming away on 'Bo Diddley.'

My favorite Bo Diddley album...

Forget the silly cowboy costume on the front cover -- because this is a heck of a great album! Bo might have gotten saddled (no pun intended!) with a silly gimmick for the title and image of the set -- but the album's one of his best from the early Chess years, and features a rip-roaring batch of tracks that really cut it up in his classic scratchy guitar mode of the time! Lyrics are great -- nearly all originals by Bo himself, with that hip swinging, and hard-wailing approach that was always a lot of fun -- and cuts include "Gunslinger", "Diddling", "Cheyenne", "Cadillac", and "Doing The Craw-Daddy".

And now...The Doors

I was a big Beatles fan in junior high and high school. My dad gave me some of his original Beatles LPs (Rubber Soul was one of my favorites) and I started listening to them, on vinyl; and they sounded great. And now...Somewhere between college and the present, I've become a fan of The Doors, probably one of my favorite bands of all time. I had heard them before, as I grew up listening to classic rock-n-roll, but somehow during my college days, I became drawn to their unique sound. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame notes:

"The Doors emerged amid the turbulence of the late Sixties with music that was as intense and complex as the times that spawned them...The group’s dark, brooding personality came largely from singer Jim Morrison. Musically, the other members of the Doors - keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer Jon Densmore - combined classical rigor with freewheeling, jazzy improvisations, providing Morrison a platform from which to declaim his poetical lyrics in a portentous baritone."

My favorite song is none other than 'Love Me Two Times' from the album Strange Days. It's also one of my favorite songs to perform at the local karaoke joints. Good times, great oldies.

Top 10 Christmas Albums

I'm a music aficionado. I like to listen to many different types of music (however, I'm still not into Rap) and I enjoy Christmas music; be it traditional Christian hymns, modern remakes of the classics, or contemporary "hits." Each year various artists put out their Christmas or 'Holiday' albums (I'm not sure they're marketing Festivus albums yet) for consumers. Sometimes these holiday albums become classics. One of the all time-sellers is "Elvis' Christmas Album" which of course includes "Blue Christmas". I've decided to post my top ten Christmas Albums (which I naturally believe are already or will become classics!). Here they are:

1. The Sinatra Christmas Album. See my earlier post on Ole Blue Eyes.
2. Elvis' Christmas Album.
3. The Ventures' Christmas Album. Killer "surf" guitar instrumentals.
4. A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi.
5. Dig That Crazy Christmas by The Brian Setzer Orchestra. Brian Setzer was the front man for the 80's band, The Stray Cats. The best song on the album is "Angles We Have Heard on High."
6. Christmas Caravan by Squirrel Nut Zippers.
7. Ultra-Lounge Presents Best of Christmas Cocktails. This is a compilation of Ultra-Lounge Christmas Cocktails, Parts 1 and 2. Various artists (Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Peggy Lee, Wayne Newton, Lena Horne, et al.) sing Check out the entire Ultra-Lounge collection here.
8. WOW Christmas: 30 Top Christian Artists and Holiday Songs. The best songs are "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman" performed by Jars of Clay and "Do You Hear What I Hear? performed by
Third Day.
9. Happy Holidays (A Very Special Christmas Album) by Billy Idol. Yes, the Billy Idol of the 80's who scored such hits as "White Wedding," "Rebel Yell," and 'Dancing With Myself."
10. Twisted Sister's Twisted Christmas. I admit, I was a little skeptical at first. I didn't like this particular "big hair" band back in the 80s and was sure I still wouldn't. However, one of my Warrant Officers brought this album into work to get the "young 'ens" into the Christmas spirit. We listened to the album for a good portion of the day as we worked. Needless to say, it was a hit. I liked the tunes; they were well done and fun. My favorites were "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "Heavy Metal Christmas (The Twelve Days of Christmas). Am I now a Twisted Sister fan? Not really. But I do dig the album.

Enjoy!

Ol' Blue Eyes Christmas

WASHINGTON - Ol' Blue Eyes will get his own postage stamp next spring. The stamp commemorating Frank Sinatra was announced Wednesday by Postmaster General John Potter, who called the crooner "an extraordinary entertainer whose life and work left an indelible impression on American culture." Fox News 12/5/07

Frank Sinatra received his first Academy Award in the mid-forties for singing, not acting, in a patriotic World War II short featuring the song "The House I Live In". Thirty years later, at a Nixon White House dinner in 1971, Sinatra performed the song accompanied by the Marine band. The performance so enchanted Nixon and the assembly gathered that the President asked him to sing it again as an encore. Sinatra spoke movingly of how, as a small boy, he never dreamed he would one day speak to a President, and sing in the White House. He choked up before regaining command of himself and began to sing once again.

"The house I live in,

a plot of earth, a tree,

the grocer and the butcher,

and the people that I see, ...

...That's America to me..."

This "voice" of 20^th century America was born in Hoboken, New Jersey this week (December 12^th) ninety two years ago. Frank Sinatra, the boy crooner, movie star, ridiculed has-been, swinging saloon singer, recording star, thug, philanthropist, friend of presidents and gangsters, has been gone for nine years now. His over-the-top life and legend has obscured his greatest gift. He was the best singer of the age. His peers never disputed it. Bennett, Como, Cole and Fitzgerald acknowledged it as a fact. Dean Martin, his pal, gave him a characteristic backhanded compliment, " I hate guys who sing serious." And Bing Crosby, no slacker in the singing department himself, said, "A talent like Sinatra's comes along once in a lifetime. Why did it have to be my lifetime?"

Although he could wow the crowds in live performances with chaotic scenes rivaling the likes of Elvis and the Beatles, Sinatra at his best and most lasting is the Sinatra of the recording studio. Musicians, without exception, speak with awe of the artistry and essential musicianship of Sinatra at work. His voice was respected as a unique instrument played with the utmost skill and thoughtfulness. His legendary concept LP's from the fifties were symphonic in conception. Songs were handpicked from the best the American music songbook had to offer. And his taste was impeccable.

New Sinatra fans (or ones who've enjoyed his crooning for some time) will surely enjoy his Christmas music. I'd recommend adopting a seasonal mood and get out the Sinatra Christmas Album.


Listen to the Gordon Jenkins arrangement of The First Noel. Sense and feel the Sinatra magic. Hear the beginning of Sammy Cahn's Christmas Waltz, "Frosted window panes, candles gleaming inside..." with the almost imperceptible hesitating accent on the word "inside" and appreciate what a truly great vocalist can impart to a song. Swing with the playful and surely only, grown-up, version of Jingle Bells. And enjoy and appreciate the unique artistry of one of America's greatest musical talents.

Entertainers Who Support the Troops

Every once in awhile you hear about celebrities, be they movie stars or musicians, who praise the troops, visit the troops, or put together special projects for the troops. Here is one recent example:

John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting has brought together many musicians to produce a CD for the troops. Here's the skinny:

Just in time for the holidays, 13 major recording artists have created a musical “Thank You” for the troops.

“CD for the Troops” will be available for anyone with a valid military identification card to download at no cost from the Army and Air Force Exchange Service Web site, www.aafes.com, beginning tomorrow.

Getting this project, which combined the music of Billy Joel, Brooks & Dunn, the Goo Goo Dolls, Jewel, Josh Groban, Los Lonely Boys, Melissa Ethridge, the Neville Brothers, Sarah McLachlan, the Lt. Dan Band, Montgomery Gentry, The Fray, and Five For Fighting, to troops’ ears took true teamwork. John Ondrasik, the singer-songwriter who performs under the stage name “Five For Fighting,” was intimately involved with making sure that happened.

Several times during deployments, I had the opportunity to see and interact with celebrities. Although, I might not have agreed with their political leanings or really liked what they had to offer as far as entertainment goes, I took the time to visit with them and tell them how much I appreciated what they were doing to support the troops. I certainly admire those who support the troops, and tend to, more often then not, support them by listening to their music or seeing their movies.