Christmas In July 2026-Part 3

Dunno know about you, but I got the day off of work today since July 4th falls on a Saturday. I know some people who didn't get any holiday this week because of that, but our company moved the day off the Friday. So while I sit at home doing nothing, you can listen to some out-of-season Christmas music. Or if you prefer, just download it and listen to it when the season finally rolls around, it's up to you. So what have I got for you today? Let's dive in and see!

1. Antonio Curbello, Tenor & Cesar Morales, Organist-Ave Maria (Marist Sings AKA Cantos Marianos)

This record probably excites me a lot more than it's going to excite you. The singer here, also known as Tony Curbello used to preform at The Columbia, a fancy Cuban restaurant in Ybor City near Tampa. He released a few records advertising that fact on the cover and I'd buy the records from the cheap bins because I knew about the Columbia restaurant and enjoyed having them. Never listened to them because it wasn't my type of music, but that's the sort of thing you do when you're me. I'd never seen this one before was was excited when it popped up and had some music I could share with you here. Imagine eating your ropa vieja and listening to this guy serenade you.

2. 1969 Clear Fork Concert Choir, Eileen Craven-Director-Snow, Snow, Beautiful Snow (1969 Clear Fork Concert Choir Presents "Good News", 1969)

This record was in a company sleeve with no information other than the name of the pressing outfit on it. Sometimes I take the time to look at those and occasionally I'm rewarded with something worth sharing. I think this was a pretty good find, and it was the only appropriate selection on the record. Enjoy!

3. Claude Thornhill And His Orchestra-Snowfall (Dance To The Sound Of Claude Thornhill And His Orchestra, 1959)

Shared this one with you a bunch in the past, but I can't walk past a Claude Thornhill record without looking for Snowfall. I've got another version of it in the can already for sharing later this month when we need another quick cool-me-down.

4. Bob Bradburn-Jolly Old St. Nicholas (Happy Holiday With CHQT Radio's Bob Bradburn And The Jasper Place High School Stage Band)

A record with one side by a high school band and the other side by a Canadian DJ. For whatever reason, the DJ side is all Christmas music while the band side is not. So that puts it into the Christmas in July pile. You'll hear more from this one as the month goes on. I think you've actually heard one of the songs on the LP here before, actually. If you want to skip ahead, go here.

5. The Concordia College Choir-Victor Hildner, Director-Masters In This Hall (The Concordia College Choir, 1956)

A record from a popular college choir that doesn't show up at Discogs for whatever reason. I should enter in all the stuff I find that's not listed there, but I'm too busy recording new music. Maybe someday. Anyhow, one whole side of this record was Christmas music, so you're going to see plenty of tracks from it over the course of the month.

6. The Choir Of Leeds Parish Church-Directed By Simon Lindley-Michael Harris, Organ-How Far Is It To Bethlehem? (Favourite Hymns And Christmas Carols, 1984)

I found this record in the stacks earlier in the year and was going to record it for Christmas sharing, then I realized only one side was Christmas music and that meant I was able to put it in the July pile. Like the previous LP, you'll be hearing bits from this one all month long.

7. Eydie Gormé-June In January (Love Is A Season, 1959)

A rerun LP, but one I always grab when I see it. This time it has a different cover from what I usually see, though you don't know that because I only started sharing pictures of the records last year. And this copy is mono, so sorry about that. But it's good stuff, and we'll eventually get to the cut that may be one of the best Christmas in July tracks I've ever found!

8. Hope Publishing Company, Somerset Press, Agape-Christmas Gloria (The Very Best Sacred Choral Music, 1979)

Another track from this demo recording designed to sell you on this companies arrangements. I think we're going to see a lot more from this one.

9. The Arlingtones, Jay Giallombardo-Director, Quartet: L. Weaver, J. McCormick, F. Tullar, J. Casaletto-Jingle Bells (A Chorus For All Seasons)

This is the LP shown at the top of the post. Whenever I see an album that talks about the seasons, I pick it up and check for Christmas music. Usually about 25% of the records focuses on winter and the holidays (like Eydie Gorme above), but in this case it featured an entire side of Christmas tunes, all done in barbershop harmony. We'll return to this one a bunch, I promise.

10. Jenson Publications-All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth (Jenson Publications Presents...Warner Bros. Finest For Concert Band, 1983)

Bringing up the rear is another demo record to sell sheet music. But at least it gets us to 10 tracks today, a number I think I can maintain the whole season, which isn't too shabby. Enjoy! 

MEGA