As always, I fretted over what to share first this year. It's an entirely meaningless decision, but I still worry that if I don't start out with something strong, it will affect the whole Christmas season in a negative way. But when I remembered this Canadian record I got from a
Discogs order earlier this year, I knew we had a winner. Certainly the Christmas music of The Three Suns is a favorite of myself and many blog visitors (though it's mostly all been reissued at this point, thus not something I'm sharing anymore), so this album by The Four Suns should be 33-1/3% better! Well, it's good, but not that good. All the expected instrumental flourishes are there, but the over-the-top craziness found on The Three Suns' best albums isn't there. It's still a very enjoyable listen, though fairly short. So to get the 2023 Christmas season off the ground in a good way, here is
The Four Suns-Arr. et Orch.: Pierre Nolès-
Xmas Mood Music With The Four Suns (Trans Canada TC-A-68, Mono, 1963). When I first saw that director's name, I misread it as Pierre No
ël and thought for sure it was a pseudonym, but I believe he was a
real guy working in Canada at the time.
1. White Christmas
2. Jingle Bells
3. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa
4. Jingle Bell Rock
5. Christmas Song
6. Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer
7. Home For Holidays
8. Winter Wonderland
9. I'll Be Home For Christmas
10. Here Comes Santa Claus
MEGA
The Four Suns? As if three weren't enough. (As you can tell, I'm not a Suns-worshiper.) However, this is certainly a highly unusual item, not that I would expect anything less from you!
ReplyDeleteYou're off to a flying start. Every four hours, you say? My posts take that long to read!
I love the Three Suns, and this one is pretty good, too! I'd love to do long detailed posts like yours, but I'm sure they take far more than four hours to research and write. I'm too lazy so I depend on readers to share their knowledge in the comments (I hope...).
DeleteBut do they play 246 bells?
ReplyDeleteHigher, higher...
DeleteThis sounds more like the kind of Three Suns sound Ethel Gabriel would use for her Suns copycat group the Living Trio in the late-'60's and early-'70's, with several albums arranged by another Al, Al Caiola. The Living Trio albums give us a glimpse of how the group would have sounded with the songs of the day had Al Nevins lived longer. Mostly good arrangements here.
ReplyDeleteif a stray copy shows up in my neck of the woods at the thrift stores in my area, I will most certainly pick this one and add it to my extensive Three Suns album collection. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThere are at least 3 cuts on here that the "real" Three Suns never recorded: Home For the Holidays, I'll Be Home For Christmas, and Here Comes Santa Claus, the latter of which is probably the closest this album gets to reaching Charles Albertine-arranged -era Suns musical wackiness. Still a great album. 3 out of 5 stars from me.
ReplyDeleteI was pleasantly surprised by it, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I liked it. Good luck finding a copy, it's a Canadian release, so it might be hard to find.
DeleteHey, Ernie! Just checking in to thank you for (once again) making the season merrier and brighter with these shares... So excited for all the listening to come!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by!
DeleteAside from Ding Dong Dandy Christmas and a handful of cuts from the RCA Camden Sounds of Christmas, the rest of the Suns Christmas sides have never come out on CD. I am still waiting for Import companies like Jasmine, Sepia or Acrobat to release twofers of their classic 1955 to '62 albums.
ReplyDeleteSomeday...
DeleteYes. Agreed.
ReplyDelete