Christmas In July 2020-01

Good morning, and welcome to the official start of Christmas in July for 2020! It seems like just yesterday I finished up with Christmas sharity, and now it's time for another month of fun.  I hope you have a big hard drive because there is plenty of stuff headed your way. I'll talk more as we get into the month, but for now, I'm just going to jump right in.

1. An Irving Berlin Christmas, from the fine folks at Jenson Publications and their demo LP Superior New Works For Concert Band-Advanced Edition-Volume 23 (Jenson Publications 2xLP CB23A88AD, Stereo, 1988).  Yes, I've got plenty of these albums and they have plenty of tracks, so you may as well get used to them.

2. Bugler's Holiday by Frederick Fennell Conducting The Eastman-Rochester "Pops" Orchestra from The Music Of Leroy Anderson, Vol. 1 (Mercury SR90009, Stereo, 1958).  A rerun track, but I can't pass it up when I see a nice copy.

3. Snowball by Paul Robeson from A Man And His Beliefs (Everest SDBR 3291 (Electronically Re-recorded To Simulate Stereo)).  Not really Christmas, but I couldn't pass up a song called Snowball, could I?

4. Skater's Waltz by The Porter Twin Disc Music Box from Music Box Waltzes And Popular Tunes (Porter Music Box Company 102, Stereo, 1982).  You know I can't pass up an album of music boxes.

5. Cold, Cold Heart, the Hank Williams song as performed by The New Band Of Spike Jones from The New Band Of Spike Jones Plays Hank Williams Hits (Liberty LST-7401, Stereo, 1965).  Again, nothing to do with Christmas, but there's a lot of cold in the title. And his new band isn't nearly as interesting as his old band, I'm afraid.

6. Hallelujah Chorus (From The "Messiah") by The Roger Wagner Chorale from Virtuoso! (Capitol P8431, Mono, 1959).  Another rerun, I believe, but there's just some things you have to grab when you see them.

7. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm by Enoch Light And His Orchestra from Enoch Light And His Orchestra At Carnegie Hall Play Irving Berlin (Command RS 840 SD, Stereo, 1962).  You can't go wrong with a little Enoch Light.

8. Greensleeves by Andre Kostelanetz And His Orchestra from Kostelanetz In Wonderland-Golden Encores (Columbia CL 2078, Stereo, 1963).  Remember, it's the same tune as What Child Is This, so it counts as Christmas!

9. That Yonge Child-Balulalow by The Texas Boys Choir-George Bragg, Conductor-Sydney Laudenslager, Harp-Victor Lederer, Soprano, from their album Britten: A Ceremony Of Carols-Gregg Smith: Bible Songs For Young Voices (Vox Turnabout TV-S 34544, Stereo, 1973).  Didn't I share a whole album of Christmas music from these guys last Christmas? No, I think I'm thinking of these folks.

10. A Is For Angels Who Sang Of Jesus' Birth by Anita Bryant-Arranged And Conducted By Robert Mersey from The ABC Stories Of Jesus (Columbia CS 8675, Stereo, 1962).  This is the first of a lot of letters on this album that pertain to Jesus' birth.  Good stuff.

11. The Cherry Tree Carol by The Women's Ensemble Of Bethany Lutheran Church, Melodie Bollman-Director, Eleanor Peura-Accompanist from the album The Ensemble Sings (Century Advent Recording LRS-RT-6062 (Astabula, Ohio), Stereo).  The first of many homegrown albums this year. I've collected so many of these, and some of them are really good.  It's a dying breed, though.  No groups put out hard copies anymore, everything is digital.

12. March Of The Toys by an unknown artist from a budget label album, Songs From Walt Disney & Others (AKA Walt Disney Favorites & Others) (International Award Series KIA-1004 (Distributed By Sears, Roebuck And Company), Mono).  That's right, Sears. You remember Sears, right?  They had a catalog, kind of like Uline.  Well, if you know what Uline is, and their odd desire to send you half a dozen catalogs a month.  You could heat your home with them if you lived in a colder clime.  Here in Florida, we just have to toss 'em.

13. Our Winter Love by Floyd Cramer With The Lea Jane Singers from Super Hits (RCA Victor AHL1-3209, Stereo, 1979). Floyd Cramer released an under-rated Christmas album back in the day.  Give it a listen if you find it.

14. Chilly Winds by Morganna King from the LP Everybody Loves Saturday Night (Ascot ALM 13020 (AKA AM 13020) D.J. Copy, originally issued 1959, Mono, 1965).  Still haven't managed to find a stereo copy or an original issue copy.  The hunt goes on forever.

15. Moonlight In Vermont by Sil Austin from Again Plays Pretty (Wing (Mercury) SRW 16369, Stereo, 1968).  The album title refers back to a previous LP of his called something like Sil Austin Plays Pretty For The People. That one doesn't have any Christmas-related content on it, as far as I remember.

And that's enough for now.  Still trying to get a good handle on how many songs I have to share out this month, but trust me when I say it's a lot.  I haven't planned things out as well as I could have. But I'll get it straightened out, don't you worry.  For now, go grab these first fifteen tracks and enjoy!

MEGA