Christmas In July 2020-15

Hello!  Welcome back! Or if this is your first visit, welcome in!  It's nice and cool inside, take off your coat, grab some nog and find a seat by the fire.  There's plenty of Christmas music to be heard here tonight, so settle in and enjoy!

1. March Of The Toys-Conducted By Jay Dawson from Arrangers Publishing Company-Marching Band (Arrangers Publishing Company 2xLP APC 107, Stereo, 1991).  That's odd, it's a demo album for your marching band, but it's actually credited to someone.

2. Ave Maria-The Singing Nuns Of Jesus And Mary from The Singing Nuns Of Jesus And Mary (Diplomat/Ambassador XS-1019 (AKA SX-1019), Stereo). A budget label version, but not too bad.

3. Behold That Star-Maplewood Glee Club, Warren G. Schmoll-Director, Rosalind Dobie-Accompanist, David Graf-Solo from Maplewood Glee Club 1965-Maplewood Community Recreation Service (HMR Productions RC-94 (AKA RC-134) Side 2-1965 Winter Concert, Mono, 1965). I'll tell you this, some of these homemade recording aren't too bad.  And they frequently highlight songs that aren't as well known as what you hear on commercial recordings. I think I could easily put together a best-of that's just local group recordings.  Or maybe you could, and share it here in the comments for me.  :)

4. Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers From "Chauve Souris"-Richard Hayman And His Orchestra With Harmonica Choir from Harmonica Holiday (Mercury SR 60953 (Later Reissue of 1961 original), Stereo).  I think on the original release of this, it was just credited to his harmonica orchestra, no chorus involved. Certainly a different and unique version of this old chestnut.

5. Red Silk Stockings And Green Perfume-Ray McKinley And His Orchestra from Ray McKinley's Greatest Hits (Dot DLP 3740, Mono, 1966).  Nothing whatsoever to do with Christmas, except that you hang your stocking by the fireplace.  Maybe it's silk, I don't know... (For more, and much older, Ray McKinley, check out my buddy Buster's blog.  He recently posted some hard-to-find original recordings from Mr. McKinley.)

6. Shiny Stockings-Billy May from Bill's Bag (Capitol "Dimensions In Jazz" ST 1888, Stereo, 1963).  While you're hanging your stocking by the fireplace, you may as well hang a second one.  And I can't pass up a chance to post more by the great Billy May.

7. The Lion In Winter-Sandy Nelson from Rebirth Of The Beat (Imperial LP-12424, Stereo, 1969). I kinda wish that Sandy Nelson had recorded a full Christmas album at some point.  That could have been awesome.

8. Moonlight In Vermont-Larry McNear At The Wurlitzer Electric Organ from Tones And Tempos (Paragon No Number, Mono).  Organ music, because I can!

9. White Christmas-Frank Chacksfield And His Orchestra from Academy Award Hit Songs-All 34 Winners 1934 To 1967 (London 2xLP CHA S-1, Stereo, 1969).  Yep, a bonafide Christmas hit from a well-known artist that I'm betting you haven't heard before.  I get lucky once in a while.  Don't think I'd ever seen this one before this year.

10. Bring Us In Good Ale-The Purcell Singers Conducted By Imogen Holst from Gustav Holst (1874-1934) Songs And Part-Songs (Argo ZRG 512, Stereo, 1969). I imagined this was kind of a riff on The Wassail Song, that's why I grabbed it.  And the conductor is none other than the daughter of the composer, so there's that.

11. Bells Of St. Mary's-Long Island Banjo Society-Plectrum Solo By Fred Ross from Happy Music (Long Island Banjo Society LIBS 2, Stereo, 1970).  Yes!  Christmas on the banjo!  That reminds me, I think Hee Haw is on, I gotta run...

12. Benedicamus Te-South Haven High School Choir from Sixth Annual Albion College Invitational Choral Festival (Delta DRS81-128, Stereo, 1981).  Does this have anything to do with Christmas?  I didn't check, I just saw the Latin name and figured sure, why not.

13. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel-Princeton Theological Seminary Choir-Dr. David Hugh Jones, Director from Princeton Seminary Choir (RCA Victor LPM-1903, Mono, 1959). A Christmas song from the might RCA label.  You know that's worth a listen. Many years ago, I attended the wedding of a college buddy, and there were a bunch of us there who had all gone to UF together.  The bride's side of the tent was all her college buddies from Princeton. It got to be a bit of a contest as the night wore on to see who was going to party harder and later. We gave it a pretty good try, but when they started jumping into the Chesapeake Bay naked, we had to call it a night. Plus they had Einstein on their side.

14. Winter Wail-Johnny Dankworth And His Orchestra from Jazz From Abroad (Roulette Birdland SR 52096, Stereo, 1962). A little jazz break will do you good.

15. Holiday-The Bill Shepherd Singers from Aurora-The Bill Shepherd Singers Sing Bee Gees Hits (Atco SD 33-262, Stereo, 1968).  Bringing up the rear, a cover of the Bee Gees classic.

And that's it for now, maybe I'll get busy and post more later, but I doubt it.  I need sleep more.  Here's the link, see you tomorrow!

MEGA