CSI: NY

Yes, I am headed back to NYC this weekend. And for me, CSI stands for Camera Specific Itinerary. I know, it's a stretch, but still... I've got 20-30 places I want to see, spread out all over Manhattan and a couple of spots in the other boroughs. Oh, and two places in Jersey, we'll see how that goes, though. Wish me luck, and I'll try to get some pictures up next week for your enjoyment. This shot is from my last visit in '08, looking back towards uptown from the Brooklyn Bridge. At least I think that's where I was. I need a camera that geotags...

Happy Birthday To Mom

Here's the picture you wanted me to post at the blog. Happy Birthday, Mom!

Cracked Up

Now they're saying that yesterday's earthquake in Virginia damaged the Washington Monument. I guess there's a crack somewhere near the top. That's not a good thing. And trying to fix something that's 555 feet off the ground, that's not going to be a picnic by anyone's definition.  (Look in the window on the left and you can see someone taking a picture of me taking a picture.)

Tick Tock

There's a commercial on TV lately for some cell phone company, and in it, some guy gets a text too late for him to know he's not supposed to be part of some dancing flash mob right at 12:00pm. Something about the commercial has been bugging me and today I figured out what it is. A shot in the commercial shows the big clock in Grand Central Station with a second hand ticking down to noon. Well, that clock doesn't have a second hand, far as I can remember. And I found this picture from my last trip to NYC that seems to bear out my memory. No second hand.  There are some shadows on the face of the clock at 0:19 and 0:41, but those appear to be internal structure.  Zooming way in, I can see the profile of the hands on the left and right faces, and again, no second hand.  Exposure time is 1/40 of a second, so it shouldn't be blurred out of existence.  It's just not there...

Two Of A Kind

These two red-shouldered hawks were carrying on outside my window this afternoon something fierce. No idea why, but they were flying around, squawking, perching on a tree, then on a pole, one would fly in, then the other, then the first would fly off again. I don't think it was a mating thing, since it's the wrong time of year. I suspect maybe they are a couple of newly-fledged juveniles, out for a good time, getting a little exercise. I also spotted a couple more similar hawks in the air nearby at the same time, perhaps that was mommy and daddy. But whatever their backstory, it was neat to watch them right outside my window here. For a while they were much closer than this, on the same palm frond in fact, but this was the best picture I could get with both of them in the same frame.

Christmas In July 2010 Redux, Day 4

And here you go, the fourth of four parts of my revisiting the shares from Christmas In July of last year.  Thanks again for all the comments.  I think this is the last of the Christmas music for a while.  I'm trying to get a whole pile of stuff recorded between now and November, both for myself and for you folks.  Wish me luck!  Here's the download link.

Christmas In July 2010 Redux, Day 3

This is the third set of re-vamped stuff I shared out during Christmas in July 2010.  Much better sounding than the first time I shared it out.  Here's the download link.  In other news, I recorded the first LP for sharing at Christmastime this evening.  It's a 10" from 1949, really classic stuff.  Sounds great!

Christmas In July 2010 Redux, Day 2

Here's the second batch of stuff that I'm resharing from last Christmas in July after running it through ClickRepair, the best software out there for removing the annoying clicks and pops from vinyl recordings.  Here's the download link, have at it.

Christmas In July 2010 Redux, Day 1

For those of you who are still visiting and paying attention, I've got a little treat for you.  Last year, not long before Christmas, I discovered the wonders of ClickRepair, a software that filters out many of the clicks and pops that are a byproduct of vinyl sound reproduction.  And it does a really good job!  Once I became comfortable with it, I went back to my original WAV files of the tracks I'd shared out during Christmas In July 2010, luckily still in a folder on my PC, and processed them.  The difference to my ears is pretty impressive.  They could be better, because they've actually been processed for clicks twice, once by Audacity and then by ClickRepair, and I think that may introduce some issues that shouldn't be there, but if you do a side-by-side comparison as I have, you'll hear an improvement.  Anyhow, I finally got around to copying those improved files off the old PC and onto the new one tonight.  Then I zipped them up into chunks that I could upload to MediaFire, so that means that they're in four separate ZIP files.  It's taking forever to upload them, so I'm just going to share the first one with you tonight.  If you're curious as to what's in there, have a look at the blog archives from last year during July, August and a little ways into September.  All 212 songs that I shared during that period are reprised in the ZIP files I'll share with you in the next few days, even the Chanukah tracks.  Hope you enjoy them.  Here's the download link for part one.

Chanukah In August-The First (And Only) Day

As I spent July rummaging through the record collection in search of Christmas music in unexpected places, I also stumbled across a few tracks that celebrate that other big holiday in December, Chanukah.  Not many, though.  Chanukah songs seem to be few and far between, even compared to the Christmas songs on non-Christmas albums that seem to be pretty difficult to find.  But I've got a few of them, so here they are, I don't want any of my Hebrew friends to feel left out.

1. Chanukah, Oy Chanukah by Harry Ringler And His Orchestra from The Happy Soul Of A People-Jewish Dances (Time S/2124, Stereo).

2. Hannukah Song (Hebrew Folk Song) from one of your favorite junior high school bands, Drexel Hill Junior High School Chorus, from their album Drexel Hill Junior High School Music Concerts 1965-1966 (Recorded Publications Company Z-71661/2, Mono, 1966)

3 & 4. Hanukkah (Regular and Unleaded, err, I mean Vocal & Instrumental) by Hap Palmer from his album Holiday Songs And Rhythms (Activity Records AR-538, Mono, 1971).  I think this guy is still out there actively recording music for the younger set.  I saw a CD by him not too long ago.

5. Chanukah Festival Overture by another junior high school band, Brookside Jr. High School Music Department-Advanced Orchestra-Ernesto Epistola, Conductor, and their album Winter Concert-Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 1971 (Brookside Jr. High School, Sarasota, Florida, United Sound USR 4026, Stereo, 1971).  And you thought I was all done with the junior high stuff a week ago...

6. Chanukah Medley by The Liberated Wailing Wall from the LP We Were Like Dreamers (Jews For Jesus/Hineni H-1002, Stereo, 1976).

And that's it.  Short but sweet.  Now I can get busy recording real Christmas (and Chanukah!) music for Christmas time.  Here's the download link.  Thank you to everyone who left a comment and/or downloaded my shares.  Hope you found something you liked.

Christmas In July 2011-Day 33

OK, I think this is finally the last day of my Christmas in July sharity.  I've given you everything in the folder where I kept the stuff.  Tonight's stuff is a lot of repeat items that I found in better quality later, or found in stereo, or didn't get a good rip, or any of a dozen other reasons.  There are a couple of unique items in here that I recorded too late to share out, so it's not all garbage.  But if you want to skip one night out of the month, this is the one.  It's also the largest download of the month at something over 250 megabytes, too, so it's a doozy.  Now if I can just get the listing up here for you...

1, 2, 3, 4 & 5. The Chipmunk Song, Coventry Carol, Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers, Selections From The Nutcracker Suite and Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, all performed by some orchestras led by James Walker, and all from that 4 LP set The Wonderful World Of Music For Children (Reader's Digest, Mono).  I recorded these before I realized that the 6 LP version I had was all the same tracks (and more), but in stereo.

6. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town-Jingle Bells, a medley from the six LP version of Wonderful World Of Children (Reader's Digest 6xLP RDS38-M, Stereo) by James Walker.  I shared the mono version of this on the first day of the month, but this is the stereo one.

7. Dance Of The Toy Flutes by an unlisted artist from the kiddie LP Ballets For Children (Twinkle (Premier) TW-41, Mono).  I haven't shared this out previously, but do you really need another version, especially one with no artist credited?  I didn't think so.

8. The Nutcracker Suite by Bob Keeshan With Full Orchestra And The Sandpiper Chorus from A Child's Introduction To The Nutcracker Suite (Goldon Record LP 143, Mono).  I was pretty excited about this, and it really is nice.  Captain Kangaroo himself.  Problem is, it skips several times in the middle and at the end from a massive needle dig.  Someone no doubt tried to play it on an old Victrola with a steel needle or something and it really left a couple of huge gouges that I couldn't recover.  I faded it out at the end so you miss some of the music, but I couldn't do much with the skips in the middle.  I think you'll enjoy it except in those areas.

9. Snowfall by LeRoy Holmes And His Orchestra from Candlelight And Wine (MGM E3288, Mono, 1956).  Not the same recording I shared earlier, but instead a rerun from back in the day.  I seem to have dug up a different date for it this time, not sure what the discrepancy is there.

10. Carol Of The Bells (Excerpt) by The Roger Wagner Chorale, Narration by Art Gilmore, pulled from The Stereo Disc (Capitol SWAL-9032, Stereo, 1958).  It's just a short snippet, but I thought it was neat.  You never know when you might need something like this for a mix tape.

11, 12 & 13. Danses Characteristiques by Leonard Bernstein With The New York Philharmonic, a stereo version of a track I shared out earlier in mono, this time from the 3 record set, Bernstein Conducts For Young People (Columbia Masterworks 3xLP D3S 785, Stereo, 1968).  I'm also throwing in Miniature Overture and Waltz Of The Flowers from this set as well.  I took the original shrink wrap off this set, and it still sounded pretty crackly.  Sometimes they sound good, sometimes they don't...

14. Hallelujah by Jim Tyler & Orchestra from Pin Point Percussion (Time S/2016, Stereo, 1960).  Command wasn't the only label putting out percussion-based versions of popular music in the sixties, but they seem to be the best remembered.  The Time label tried to give them a run for their money, fancy LP jackets and all, but they always played second fiddle.

15. Hallelujah Chorus from The Messiah by The Roger Wagner Chorale from Virtuoso! (Capitol SP8431, Stereo, 1959).  A rerun that I didn't get a chance to share out earlier in the month.

16. March Of The Toys by George Melachrino And His Orchestra from The Music Of Victor Herbert (RCA Victor LSP-2129, Stereo, 1960).  Something I should have just deleted, but I didn't.  I recorded this same song twice, and I shared the better of the two recordings earlier in the month.  So if you want to delete this one, you aren't really losing anything.

17.  My Favorite Things by Perry Como With Mitchell Ayres And His Orchestra And The Ray Charles Singers from By Request (RCA Victor LSP-2567, Stereo, 1962).  I gave you this one earlier in the month from a mono LP, but I found the stereo version later.  So here's a nice little upgrade.  This one was also in a fancy sleeve very much like the Stereo Action releases.

18. My Favorite Things by Ronnie Aldrich And His Two Pianos, in a version identical to one I shared earlier, only this time pulled form the LP it originally appeared on, That Aldrich Feeling (London Phase 4 SP 44070, Stereo, 1965).  My earlier share was pulled from a sampler LP, so I wanted to grab it from the original record.

19. Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer from a budget label collection of stuff...  Maybe it will sound familiar.

And that's it.  A little over 400 tracks for the month, and I think it's far enough over 400 that you can delete some of the repeated stuff and still have a library over 400 songs.  Pretty proud of that, it's my best year ever, quality and quantity.  Here's the download link, have at it.  Come back tomorrow for a little Chanukah goodness.  Be sure you leave me a note telling me what enjoy the feedback and knowing what you liked and didn't.  You can tell me what stuff you didn't think was appropriate for a Christmas song, too, if you want.  I think I stretched the definition pretty thin on more than one occasion.

Christmas In July 2011-Day 32

Yes, there are 32 days in July this month.  Err, I mean last month.  Chances are, there will be 33, to tell you the truth.  But tonight I am pretty busy trying to figure out something called jdownloader, so I don't have time to give you a list of stuff.  But there're some good things in here, and a lot of reruns that I didn't get to during the month proper.  Here's the download link, come back tomorrow for even more goodies!

Christmas In July 2011-Day 31

Ta-Da!  Last day of the month!  So around here, that means songs about New Year's, and at least a dozen versions of Auld Lang Syne.  But I've got a couple of special things in here, too, so don't write off the whole day.  Let's see what's in the old download tonight...

1.  Auld Land Syne in a sing-along version by Guy Cherney from Everybody Sing With Guy Cherney (Mercury MG 20131, Mono, 1956).  This sing-along idea seems to be a popular idea when it comes to Auld Lang Syne.

2. Auld Lang Syne with no artist credited, but it came on a promotional record for Suburban Propane, so that's who I'm crediting it to.  The LP is Suburban Propane Presents...Family Treasury Of Songs For Your Listening Pleasure (Suburban Album SCOR_1, Mono).  If you look hard enough, there are promo albums from every industry in the US.

3. Auld Lang Syne from Richard Wolfe, he of kiddie chorus fame.  This is from Many Happy Returns Of The Day (MGM E 4087, Mono, 1963).  Believe it or not, this LP sports a cover by Jack Davis.  You'll probably see some of it come Christmas...

4. Auld Lang Syne, another promo version this time by the Ford-Allen Singers from an oddball 6" flexidisc in it's original paper envelope, Make Winter Driving A Song-Happy Songs For Special Occasions (Auravision, A Product Of Columbia Records 6" 33 RPM Flexidisc in paper folder, Compliments of Esso).  I wound up with two copies of this, one in the envelope, one not, but the one that wasn't in the envelope had never had the center hole punched out.  So I recorded the punched one.

5. Good Night Ladies And Auld Lang Syne (Medley), the first of many medleys this evening that incorporate our New Year's Eve song, this time by Hugo And Luigi With Their Family Singers from By The Fireside (Mercury MG 20153, Mono, 1956).  That Hugo and Luigi went on to bigger and better things after this, producing more than their fair share of records at RCA in the sixties.

6. Happy New Year, Happy New Year (Come To The Party, Do), perhaps the only rerun of the day, by Charlie Weaver, Music Under The Direction Of Charles (Puddin' Head) Dant And The Mt. Idy Symphonette from Charlie Weaver Sings For His People (Columbia CL 1345, Mono, 1959).  Nice little comedy bit from the same guy who did a Christmas bit for you the other night.

7. Let's Start The New Year Right by Bing Crosby With Bob Crosby And His Orchestra from some movie he was in called Holiday Inn (Decca DL 4256, Mono, 1962).  This was part of a reissue series that saw all sorts of old Bing soundtracks brought back to life.

8. Look Ahead by The Mariners With Orchestra And Chorus By Archie Bleyer, Introduction By Arthur Godfrey from Arthur Godfrey's TV Calendar Show (Columbia GL 521, Mono, 1953).  I shared a track from this earlier in the month, and I was happy to be able to finally get any of the songs on this beat-up LP recorded.  But there's still one on there I can't get.  It's a version of this same song done by Arthur Godfrey himself.  Oh, well, maybe next year.

9. Annie Laurie-Auld Lang Syne by Mitch Miller And The Gang from Fireside Sing Along With Mitch (Columbia CS 8184, Stereo, 1959).  As if you could do a sing-along song and not have a version by Mitch and his gang.

10. Auld Lang Syne, this time by Oscar Clinton And His Orchestra from A Salute To The Great Band Leaders (Spin-O-Rama S-27, Stereo).  Budget label goodness.

11, 12 & 13. Auld Lang Syne, the introduction (Countdown To The New Year), the Reprise and the Finale by Guy Lombardo And His Royal Canadians from Every Night Is New Year's Eve With Guy Lombardo And His Royal Canadians-Live At The Waldorf Astoria (London Phase 4 XPS 904, Stereo, 1973).  Really, really late in his career.

14. Happy New Year, whoops, a second rerun, by Gordon Jenkins And His Orchestra With The Ralph Brewster Singers from The Magic World Of Gordon Jenkins (Columbia CS 8682, Stereo, 1962).  Excellent track.  Not only have I shared this version before, I also shared a different version that I pulled from a reel-to-reel tape!

15. Medley: For He's A Jolly Good Fellow-Auld Lang Syne by The Rounders from Good Time Party Songs (Stereo Gold Award (UK) MER 339, Stereo, 1971).

16. New Year's Eve At Times Square, a short snippet of live sound narrated by Art Gilmore from an early stereo sampler The Stereo Disc (Capitol SWAL-9032, Stereo, 1958).  I was hoping to actually get to hear the countdown, but it isn't there.

17. On The Very First Day Of The Year, another great song from Bing Crosby With The Pete Moore Orchestra from his last recorded LP, Seasons (Polydor PD-1-6128, Stereo, 1977).  It's as if he was looking for a rewrite of that other track above.

18.  Happy New Year Twist (Auld Lang Syne), probably my favorite version of this tired old track, by The Lions (with assistance from Billy Mure, I believe) from Twist With The Lions (Metro (MGM) M300, Mono, 1962).  Good stuff.

19. Auld Lang Syne, a later version from Vaughn Monroe from Racing With The Moon (Hamilton (Dot) HLP 137, Mono).  Shame he never did a full Christmas LP, but there are plenty of single tracks, almost enough that you could put a full album together...

20. He's A Jolly Good Fellow-Auld Lang Syne, the last version of the evening, I promise, by Frank '88' Malone from Hail, Hail The Gang's All Here! (Somerset P-900, Mono, 1964).  Yawn.

And there you have it.  Plenty of tunes to play on the next New Year, many months from now.  Put 'em someplace safe you you still have them when the time comes.  Here's the download link.  Oh, don't think we're done.  If history has taught us anything, it's that there's always a day or two worth of songs left in the coffers after the month comes to an official close.  So be sure to come back tomorrow.

Christmas In July 2011-Day 30

Whew!  The end of the month is so close I can almost taste it.  I've got a whole pile of stuff I want to squeeze in before the month ends, so let me see what I can do for you tonight...

1. The Bells Of St. Mary's by Jane Morgan from The Second Time Around (Kapp KL-1239, Mono, 1961).  I know, it's not exactly a Christmas song, but I've done worse.

2. Christmas Child by the Company of Irma La Douce, from the original cast recording (better?) of Irma La Douce (Columbia Masterworks OL 5560, Mono, 1960).  This was one of those records I'd never picked up and scanned for Christmas music until today.  And there it was, the very last track on the album.  Now I'll have add this to the list of records I keep an eye out for.

3. Cold, Cold Heart by Floyd Cramer from I Remember Hank Williams (RCA Victor LPM-2544, Mono, 1962).  Still not Christmas, but I need something to cool me down...

4. Greensleeves by Andre Kostelanetz And His Orchestra from The World's Greatest Waltzes (Columbia CL 1938 "Wonderland Of Sound", Mono, 1963).  Gotta dig this up in stereo...

5. The Iceman Cometh (Skater's Waltz) by Pee Wee Hunt from The Classics A la Dixie (Capitol T846, Mono, 1957).  Possibly the best version of The Skater's Waltz this season.

6. Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring From Cantata  No. 147 by Whittemore And Lowe, Duo-pianists, from the 7" EP Whittemore And Lowe Play... (RCA Victor Red Seal 7" 45 RPM EP ERA-123, Mono).  Sort of an early Ferrante & Teicher type thing...  But without the prepared piano.

7. Medley: We Wish You A Merry Christmas-Silent Night, Holy Night by Richard Wolfe from Many Happy Returns Of The Day (MGM E4087, Mono, 1963).  I love finding actual Christmas music to share with you guys.

8. Rhumba Bells by Jan August from The Wizardry Of Jan August (Mercury Wing MGW 12254, Mono, 1963).  I was hoping this might be a rhumba version of Jingle Bells, but no such luck.  You get to hear it anyway.

9. Troika En Traineaux (Sleigh Ride) Op. 37a, No. 11 by Leonard Pennario from Humoresque (RCA Victor Red Seal LM-2731, Mono, 1964).  Who knew there were so many different Troikas?

10. Virgin Mary by Walter Raim, the first rerun of the evening, I believe, from Hootenanny For Orchestra (Liberty LRP-3332, Mono, 1963).  I'd forgotten all about this song until I saw a copy of the LP again today.  So you get to hear it again.  Looks like that original share was in stereo, but this one is in mono.  Sorry about that.

11. Away In A Manger by some unknown artist from the LP Prayers And Hymns A Child Should Know (Alshire S-5376, Stereo, 1980).  Gotta love budget labels.  The least they could do is make up some fake artist name.

12. Hot Ice by Biddu Orchestra from the self-titled LP (Epic (CBS) PE 33903, Stereo, 1976).  Yes, it's disco.  No, it's not Christmas.  But since it's 95 in the shade outside, I can use all the ice I can get, even if it's hot.

13. An Improvisation On "Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy", another rerun, but a great one from Ray Conniff, His Orchestra And Chorus and their LP Concert In Rhythm-Volume II (Columbia CS 8212, Stereo, 1960).  This was good stuff when I first shared it, and it's good stuff now.

14. Jingle Bells by The Sportsmen from Sing Along With The Sportsmen (Sutton SSU213, Stereo).  Yes, I think those are kazoos.  And no, I don't think I've ever shared a Christmas song with kazoos before.  If I have, I've completely blanked it from my memory.

15. Prayer To The Mother Of God, nominally by Pope John Paul II, from the LP Pope John Paul II Sings At The Festival Of Sacrosong (EOM Records/Infinity Records INF 9899, Stereo, 1979).  I still don't think he's anywhere near this, but what are you gonna do?

16. The Ski Song (Slalom) by David Carroll And His Orchestra from Contrasts (Mercury Wing SRW 12508, Stereo, 1959).  A rerun from the very first year of Christmas In July.  I still love this song.

17. Ave Maria by Armengol And His Orchestra from 29 Strings And Then Some (RCA Victor LPM-1457, Mono, 1957).  Another great rerun that everyone deserves to hear.

18. Toyland by Dick Kesner from his album The New Old Refrain (Coral CRL 757360, Stereo, 1961).  I don't think I've heard this on a violin before.  I guess you never know...

That's it for tonight.  More tomorrow, I promise.  Here's the download link, see you soon.

Christmas In July 2011-Day 29

Coming down to the wire here.  Gotta keep my nose to the grindstone and get this stuff out.  Here we go with tonight's shares.

1. Nutcracker Suite, a rerun from Les Brown and His Band Of Renown from the LP Concert Modern (Capitol ST959, Stereo, 1958).  At least this time I found it in stereo.

2. The First Noel by The Lutheran Seminary Chorus, Henry Veld-Conductor, from To The Glory Of God... (Delta XCTV 96965/96966, Pressed by Columbia Record Productions, Mono).  This may be the last of the church group recordings I have for the year.  At the very least, it's the last one I have from this particular group.

3. A Ceremony Of Carols, OP. 28 (A Grouping Of Five Carols) by The Augustana Choir-Henry Veld Conductor, from Augustana Choir (Word W-4005-LP, Red Vinyl, Mono, 1956).  Notice anything similar between this and the last track, like maybe the same guy leading the group?

4. Hallelujah Chorus by the Trinidad Tripoli Steel Band from Liberace Presents The Trinidad Tripoli Steel Band (Arc ACS 5032, Stereo, 1969).  This may be the same suys I shared before playing the same song, only released under a different name.  But the Liberace tie-in makes it so much better here, even if it's exactly the same music.

5. Dance Of The Sugar-Plum Fairy by Russ Case And His Orchestra from Dances Wild (Vik (RCA) LX-1085, Mono, 1957).  You saw another track from this LP already this month.

6. Holiday by The Four Freshmen from Voices In Modern (Capitol T522, Mono, 1954).  This is the second track from an LP with the word Modern at the end of it tonight.  Must have been a trend.

7. Sleigh Ride by Eddie Higgins from By Request (Statitas SLP 8079, Stereo, 1986).  The full credits are Eddie Higgins-Piano, Milt Hinton-Bass, Bobby Rosengarden-Drums.

8. Fuyu No Yoru (Winters Night) by 101 Strings Orchestra  from Songs Of The Season In Japan (Alshire S-5019, Stereo).  Last track from this one I have for you.

9. Snowfall, this time by LeRoy Holmes And His Orchestra, featuring a piano solo by Dick Hyman, from Theme Songs Of The Great Swing Bands (MGM E3708, Stereo, 1958).  Dick Hyman must really like this track.  Over the years, I've probably shared out maybe five different versions with his name attached somehow.

10. Toyland by the Roger Wagner Chorale from Victor Herbert On Stage (Capitol W1707, Mono, 1962).  Have I shared this before?  Yes, yes I have.

11. Greensleeves by Roger Williams from the English vinyl With These Hands (London (UK) SAH-R 6065, Stereo, 1959).  Second and final track from this LP, and probably from Roger Williams, at least for the month.

12. Angels We Have Heard On High by Larry Seidel from The Glory Of God's Seasons (Grace Unlimited GU-002, Stereo).  Third and final track from this guy and this LP.

13. The Skaters by The Carnegie Pops Orchestra, Conducted By David Broekman from Carnegie Pops Program (Columbia Masterworks ML 4118, Mono, 1949).  This is going back to one of the first LP records ever released...

14. The Bells Of St. Mary's by Kenny Baker from Song Hits Through The Years (RCA Camden CAL-131, Mono).  Not the first Kenny Baker track this month.

15.  The Wooden Soldier And The China Doll by Joe "Fingers" Carr And His Swingin' String Band from his self-titled album (Capitol T1217, Mono, 1959).  Is this a rerun?  I'm thinking maybe I've shared this before, but from a comp, not this LP.  Or maybe I passed it up without realizing the Christmas possibility.  Oh, well...

That's it for tonight.  See you tomorrow.  Oh, wait, you probably want the download link.  There you go.

Can I just say how happy I've been with the sound quality of this years shares?  ClickRepair really works miracles with music from vinyl!

Christmas In July 2011-Day 28

Whew, 28 days, that's a long time...  Not many days left, though.  Here we go...

1.  Sleigh Ride by Bing Crosby With The Pete Moore Orchestra-Vocal Backing: The Johnny Evans Singers,  from the last album he recorded before his death, Seasons (Polydor PD-1-6128, Stereo, 1977).  Seems quite fitting that the man who practically invented the popular Christmas song should record a Christmas song among his final recordings.

2. The Bells Of St. Mary's by Charles T. Chapman from the only 7" of the season, A Carillon Recital From The Luray Singing Tower, Luray, Virginia (Lauck & Co 7" 45 RPM EPM-101, Mono).  This is a 4-song EP recorded from the Carillon near Luray Caverns in VA.  You knew I couldn't go long without throwing in some music on the carillon.

3. Hallelujah Gathering by David Carroll And His Orchestra, Vocal Sounds By The Dick Williams Singers from Happy Feet (Mercury MG 20846, Mono, 1964).  This has been in the stack for a couple of years, and I finally recorded it last night.  Not bad.  I guess this was old-school bandsmens answer to the The Beatles.

4. My Favorite Things again, this time performed by Alfred Newman And His Orchestra from Alfred Newman Conducts Selections From Fiorello! & The Sound Of Music (Capitol T 1343, Mono, 1960).  I'm running out of things to say about the umpteenth version I've shared of a song that is barely related to anything Christmas.  Sorry.

5. Snowfall, by none other than Claude Thornhill And His Orchestra from Dinner For Two (RCA Camden CAL 307, Mono, 1956).  I'm not positive, but I think this may be the actual hit version, collected up on a budget record.

6 & 7. Toyland-March Of The Toys, in both stereo and mono by The Silver Strings, Directed By Aron Michelle, from the LP The Wonderful Warm Mood Of Victor Herbert (Hi-Fi Sales, Library In Sound 9902, Mono or Valiant V-4914, Stereo).  Funny story.  I was all excited because I found the mono copy of this LP, still sealed in plastic.  I brought it home and recorded it, but the cover kept bugging me, I knew I'd seen it before.  So I plundered the record collection until I found where I'd seen it before, which turned out to be a stereo copy on a slightly different label with a slightly different title.  So I went ahead and recorded the stereo copy, and guess what?  Two different versions!  One is accented with a piano and the other with a guitar.  Will wonders never cease!

8. Waltz Of The Flowers, another track from the record Ballets For Children (Twinkle (Premier) TW-41, Mono) for which I do not know the artist.  I probably shouldn't even record stuff like this, but you never know...

9. Angels We Have Heard On High by The Choir Of Saint Luke's Church-Richard Webster, Organist & Director With The Pritzen Brass Ensemble-Mitchell Arnold, Music Director from Music From Saint Luke's (St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Evanston, IL 62281, Stereo, 1981).  It's so late in the month I'm even running out of tracks like these.

10. The Doll Dance by Leo Addeo And His Orchestra from one of his two contributions to the Stereo Action series, The Music Goes 'Round And 'Round (RCA Victor LSA-2353, Stereo, 1961).  The music just goes 'round and 'round the room, then 'round and 'round in your head...

11. Greensleeves, in a vocal, non-Christmas version, by Jane Morgan with orchestra directed by Nick Perito, from the album Lady Jane (Kapp KS-3191, Stereo, 1960).  I guess this just goes to prove the old adage, you can't have too much Jane Morgan.

12. Holiday For Lovers (which turns out to be about the vacation type of holiday, sorry) by Mitch Miller And His Sing-Along Chorus from a collection of soundtrack singles, An All Star Parade-Hits From The Movies (Columbia CS 8218, Stereo, 1960).  You never know what you're going to get when you pick up a collection like this.  Some of them are gold, some just tin.

13. March Of The Toys by Bill Thompson At The Mighty Wurlitzer Pipe Organ from The Music Of Victor Herbert (Sutton SSU 225, Stereo).  Yawn.

14. On A December Night, credited to Pope John Paul II, but I don't hear anything here that sounds like a pontiff.  Perhaps he sang in the background or something, but there's no other credit on the LP Pope John Paul II Sings At The Festival Of Sacrosong (EOM Records/Infinity Records INF 9899, Stereo, 1979).  I believe this is about the birth of Jesus, but it's hard to tell.  I think it's sung in Polish, then for some reason it was translated into German, then into English for the liners notes.  Your mileage may very, but it's not bad.

15. Snowbird (yes, it's the Anne Murray song, as someone mentioned in the comments) by Franck Pourcel from Theme From Love Story (Paramount PAS-5022, Stereo, 1971).  Not too bad.

16.  Sweet Little Jesus Boy, the only rerun I know of this evening, by John Raitt, Orchestra Conducted By Pete King from Under Open Skies (Capitol ST1058, Stereo, 1958).  Nice song.

And that's it.  Here's the download link, come back Friday, Saturday and Sunday for the big weekend wrap-up of this year's Christmas In July!

Christmas In July 2011-Day 27

Day 27.  Time flies when you're having fun.  We'll be wrapping this thing up soon, and I've got a lot of stuff I still want to share.  For that matter, I've still got a lot of stuff I want to record.  Remember that shelf I showed you earlier?  Well, the shelf above it is now almost half full of records I've recorded for you.  Hopefully, when the month is over, I'll show you a picture of the whole thing and you can see what a massive sampling of music I've given you.  But I've still got a few nights to go, so let me get this one out of the way tonight.

1. Santa Claus Calling by Jackie Kannon from Songs For The John (Roulette SR 25187, Stereo, 1962).  Yes, you read that right, Songs For The John.  It's a little comedy bit from an album featuring a plunger on the front cover.  I've got a handful of comedy bits and songs for you tonight, a couple are new but most of them are reruns from earlier years.

2. A Christmas Carol by Tom Lehrer from An Evening Wasted With Tom Lehrer (Recorded During A Concert Performance) (Lehrer TL 202, Mono, 1959).  Good stuff in the same vein as Green Christmas by Stan Freeburg, but not as well known.

3. Merry Christmas, Doctor by Mike Nichols And Elaine May from The Best Of Mike Nichols And Elaine May (Mercury MG-20997, Mono, 1965).  Not from the same LP, but still a rerun.  And still not very funny to my ears.  Hmm, can't find where I shared this one before, but I know I did.  Google must be having a bad day.

4. Xmas In Mt. Idy by Charlie Weaver, Music Under The Direction Of Charles (Puddin' Head) Dant And The Mt. Idy Symphonette, a semi-funny bit from Charlie Weaver Sings For His People (Columbia CL 1345, Mono, 1959).  Another rerun, but I'm sure it sounds better this go-round.

5. The Nutcracker Suite (Story) by an unknown artist from an LP I found in the sleeve for something entirely unrelated.  The label didn't identify an artist but it did tell us the title was Ballets For Children (Twinkle (Premier) TW-41, Mono).  Certainly a chopped up version of the story.

6.  Holiday by Mariano And The Unbelievables, an instrumental cover of the Bee Gees tune, from 25th Hour (Capitol ST 2875, Stereo, 1968).  Interesting, veddy interesting.

7. Holiday (Love Theme) by Lee Holdridge from the soundtrack album The Other Side Of The Mountain Part 2 (MCA MCA-2335, Stereo, 1978).  Obscure, yes.  Christmas, no.

8. Toyland by Jane Conners With Bill Anders & Jack Mitchell & The Happy Time Orchestra from Music From Victor Herbert's Babes In Toyland (Happy Time (Pickwick) HT-1002, Mono).  Another kiddie album with another Victor Herbert cover.  Sigh...  And that sudden jump in there is the way it's recorded, or maybe edited.  It's not a skip, and I didn't do it.  I think they chopped together two different recordings.

9. Ave Maria (Schubert) by Carmen Dragon Conducting The Capitol Symphony Orchestra from the various artists collection Melodies Of The Masters-Volume VI: Music Of Reflection (Capitol SA 8568, Stereo, 1961).  Pretty sure this is a rerun, but from a different LP.  This is part of a series of albums, each of which brings together a series of classical recordings covering similar themes.  I don't have the whole series, but I'm working on it.  Nope, doesn't appear to be a rerun, or if it is, I can't find where I shared it before.  Good.

10. Greensleeves, a nice version by Isaac Stern, Milton Katims Conducting The Columbia Symphony Orchestra from Humoresque (Columbia Masterworks MS 6825, Stereo, 1965).  I shared another track from this LP earlier in the month, and explained my confusion with the sleeve not matching the record label.

11. Of The Father's Heart Begotten (Corde Natus Ex Parentis) by The Choir Of Saint Luke's Church-Richard Webster, Organist & Director With The Pritzen Brass Ensemble-Mitchell Arnold, Music Director, taken from their LP Music From Saint Luke's (St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Evanston, IL 62281, Stereo, 1981).  The last track from this that I'm sharing this year, I think.

12. Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers From "Chauve Souris" by Richard Hayman And His Orchestra from You're Just In Love (Ambassador (By Arrangement With Mercury) S/98059, Stereo).  I think this is a re-issued track from Mr. Hayman and company, as it seems to be identical to another version I've shared before.

13.  Schlafendes Jesuskind (Sleeping Christ Child), another track by Erich Kunz With The Vienna State Opera Orchestra-Anton Paulik, Conductor from his LP Erich Kunz Sings Best Loved German Songs By The Great Composers (Vanguard VRS-1063, Stereo, 1961).  Maybe if it weren't sung in German...

14. Schneeflockchen, Weibrockchen (Little Snowflake, Little White Skirt), more German singing, this time from little girls that were members of  Erich Bender Children's Choir, recorded from The Most Beautiful German Children's Songs (Philips PHS 600-031, Stereo, 1962).  Sweet.

15. Sing We Now Of Jesus by St. George's Choir Of Men And Boys, Frederick Monks-Master Of The Choristers from The Music Of Christmas, Lent And Easter (St. George's Church, Schenectady, NY SG102666, Stereo).  Another nice selection from this LP, and probably the last.

16. Sleigh Ride by Living Strings from their LP Holiday For Strings (RCA Camden CAS-760, Stereo, 1963).  If I'd heard this version before, I didn't remember it.  As the liner notes say, it's "vigorously updated with a twist rhythm".

17.  Twelve Days Of Christmas, another comedy track, and something I shouldn't be sharing.

That's it, seventeen tracks, a couple more than usual, but some of these are a little short.  Lots more to go, but here's the download link for this evening.  See you again tomorrow!

Christmas In July 2011-Day 26

Day 26, not far now.  If my count is right, today is the day I pass 300 songs, so it's probably the most voluminous Christmas in July ever.  And with just under a week to go, who knows where we'll top out at.  Keep those cards and letters coming, they're great encouragement.

1.  Ave Maria! O Maiden, O Mother-Slovak Hymn by The St. Elizabeth Choir-L.P. Valentino, Choir Director from The St. Elizabeth Choir Sings At The Vatican Pavilion (St. Elizabeth, South Huntington, NY, No Label 111765, Mono, 1965).  Still another variation on Ave Maria.

2. O Tannenbaum, great version from The Roger Wagner Chorale from Folk Songs Of The Old World (Capitol 2xLP PBR-8345, Mono, 1956).  This is from the double LP set in a box with a book, but I've also seen the records packaged singly in normal jackets.  But I went all out for you and got the fancy box.  Actually, it looks like I shared this from one of those single LP versions, back in 2008.

3. Summer Frost, sort of appropriate, I think, from Count Basie And His Orchestra from Back With Basie-More Hit Performances Of The '60's (Roulette R 52113, Mono, 1964).  This is by the same guy, Frank Wess, who wrote the other song I shared with you from this LP earlier.

4. Winter Nocturne by Charles Dorian And His Orchestra, another great track from the LP Calendar Sketches (Dot DLP-3046, Mono, 1957).  I think this is the last of the tracks I have to share with you from this record.

5. Greensleeves, featuring extended drum solo, by Buddy Rich Big Band-Rick Stepton, Trombone Solo from Buddy & Soul-Recorded Live In Hollywood At The Whiskey A Go-Go (World Pacific Jazz ST-20158, Stereo, 1969).  If you like drum solos with your Christmas music, this is it!

6. I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony), the hit version, by The Hillside Singers (including Mary Mayo) from I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (Metromedia KMD 1051, Stereo, 1971).  You don't hear this song enough.

7. It's A Holiday by Kay Lande, Alan Cole, Hunter Payne And The Carillon Singers from the very descriptively titled Songs About: The Weather, The Four Seasons, What Time Is It?, The Days Of The Week, Holidays (Children's Records Of America CRA 20433, Stereo, 1974).

8. My Favorite Things by The Hi-Lo's, Orchestra Conducted By Warren Barker from Broadway Playbill (Columbia CS 8213, Stereo, 1960).  Sure enough, another rerun.  I knew this one couldn't have escaped my notice until this year.  I've shared out so much over the years that I've forgotten a lot of it.

9. Parade Of The Milk Bottle Caps, not at all a Christmas song but a nice title, by RCA-assembled studio supergroup The Big 18 and their second album More Live Echoes Of The Swinging Bands (RCA Victor LSP-1983, Stereo, 1959).

10. Snowbird By Burl Ives from an odd LP on Bell, Time (Bell 6055, Stereo, 1971).  I say odd because of the musical backing, very un-Burl-like.  Is this a Christmas song?  No, not at all, but it's a bit seasonal, and it has snow in the title.  I've posted worse, like, oh say, Parade Of The Milk Bottle Caps.

11. That Man Over There by Paul Reed and Chorus from the original Broadway soundtrack of Here's Love (Columbia Masterworks KOS 2400, Stereo, 1963).  This LP comes with a gatefold sleeve and few pages of pictures from the production.  Nice to look and listen.

12. Torches performed by The Choir Of Saint Luke's Church-Richard Webster, Organist & Director With The Pritzen Brass Ensemble-Mitchell Arnold, Music Director from the imaginatively titled Music From Saint Luke's (St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Evanston, IL 62281, Stereo, 1981).

13. Toyland by Bill Thompson At The Mighty Wurlitzer Pipe Organ from The Music Of Victor Herbert (Sutton SSU 225, Stereo), a popular album title among budget labels.

14. Verbum Caro (The Word Was Made Flesh) by St. George's Choir Of Men And Boys, Frederick Monks-Master Of The Choristers from The Music Of Christmas, Lent And Easter (St. George's Church, Schenectady, NY SG102666, Stereo).  Good thing they told me on the back of the sleeve that this was a Christmas song.

15. The Wooden Soldier And The Chine Doll-Rio Rita-I Miss My Swiss, another medley from Lawrence Welk and His Orchestra from that LP The Champagne Music Of Lawrence Welk (Dot DLP 25342, Stereo, 1961).  I first shared a track from this one with you the other day.  I remember that I found this sleeve with the wrong Welk record inside, but I knew I'd seen the sleeve for the record I did find.  So I had to find it again, and sure enough, it had the record in it that I wanted.  I just had to pull the old switcheroo and I was good to go.

That's that, fifteen more great tracks.  Here's the download link, now I have to go back and work on that skimpy post from yesterday.

Christmas In July 2011-Day 25

Quick one tonight, got other stuff to do...

1. Ave Maria (Franck)

2. Away In A Manger

3. Cold, Cold Heart

4. Greensleeves

5. Handel's Alleluia Chorus

6. June In January

7. The Old Woman Who Lived In A Shoe; The Buffoons (From The Nutcracker, Act II)

8. Snowfields

9. The Swingin' Shepherd Blues

10. White Christmas

11. Epiphanias-Epiphany (The Three Holy Magi)

12. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

13. I Wonder As I Wander

14. My Favorite Things

15.  The Nicene Creed (Credo)

16. Sugar Plums

I'll try to get artists and descriptions up on these someday, but for now I gotta run.  Here's the download link, have at it!

Christmas In July 2011-Day 24

What day is this?  They're all starting to run together at this point.  Thankfully, I've got enough stuff in the can already that I barely need to think about it, I can just post willy-nilly.  Most years I get to this point and I have to record all my stuff then immediately put it up, but not this go-round.  So let's see what's in the stack tonight.

1. Overture-The Skaters Waltz, another great track from Pete King, His Orchestra And Chorus from that soundtrack LP Shipstads & Johnson Ice Follies Of 1967-31st Edition (Dot SLP 3757, Mono, 1967).  More greatness.

2. Sleigh Ride on the organ of Richard Ellsasser from Leroy Anderson Favorites-Richard Ellsasser Playing The Baldwin Electronic Organ (MGM 3174, Mono, 1955).  I had planned to give you another track from Richard Ellsasser this month, but when I took the record from the sleeve, it was the wrong piece of vinyl.  I hate when that happens!

3. Wedding Of The Painted Doll by Paul Renard from The Many Keyboards Of The Amazing Paul Renard (Riverside RLP 97507, Stereo, 1961).  In this case, I think the keyboard is from a harpsichord.

4.  Noël by Howard Hanson Conducting The Eastman-Rochester Symphony Orchestra, a modern piece that may or may not have anything to do with Christmas.  This is from the LP Chadwick: Symphonic Sketches-Suite For Orchestra (Mercury MG50104, Mono, 1956).

5.  Oshogatsu-Yuki (Snow And New Year) by 101 Strings, Conducted By Richard Muller-Lampertz, Koto Solos By Shinichi Yuize from Songs Of The Seasons In Japan (Alshire S-5019, Stereo).  Another great seasonal song from this LP, and I think I have one more waiting in the wings

6. Tell It On The Mountain from The Kingston Trio and that budget LP The Patriot Game (Pickwick SPC-3297, Stereo, 1972) from which I shared a track earlier in the month.

7. Holiday by Tom Grierson from RKO Palace Favorites (Deroy ADM 114, Stereo).  Nothing at all related to say here...sorry.

8. June In January by the immortal Bing Crosby With The Pete Moore Orchestra from the last record he made before his death, Seasons (Polydor PD-1-6128, Stereo, 1977).

9. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm by Poliakin, His Orchestra And Chorale from Irving Berlin-Great Man Of American Music-A New Interpretation (Everest SDBR 3058, Stereo, 1960).  I think this is a rerun, only now it's from the original LP, not a collection of hits.

10. Swinger's Holiday by Marty Paich from, of all things, the soundtrack to an Ann-Margret movie.  The album is called Songs From "The Swinger" And Other Swingin' Songs (RCA Victor LPM-3710, Mono, 1966).  This is one of the few instrumental tracks on the album, all the rest actually feature Ann singing.

11. Silver Bells by Leon McAuliff And His Cimarron Boys from Take Off (Dot DLP 3139, Mono, 1958).  This track was confusing me for a while, because it's not the Christmas Silver Bells that you're familiar with, even though it's credited to Livingston-Evans.  Then I found the song by Arthur 'Guitar Boogie' Smith called Silver Bells, and I think it's a cover of that, only mis-credited.

12. Baby It's Cold Outside by Joanie Sommers With Stan Applebaum from Sommers' Seasons (Warner Bros WS1504, Stereo, 1963).  This is the third and final track from this LP I've got for you.  All winners on this one!

13. Christmas In Killarney, a great rerun from Ruby Murray with Norrie Paramor's Music from the LP Irish (And Proud Of It) (Capitol ST 10327, Stereo, 1962).  I shared a track from this album earlier in the month that I didn't share the first time around, so be sure you don't miss that.

14. Snowfall by Roger Williams From With These Hands (London (UK) SAH-R 6065, Stereo, 1959).  Nothing witty here either.  I'm losing my touch, I think...

15. Christmas In Killarney (which means I've shared the same song twice in a day again...) by The Bill Shepherd Singers, a rerun from Irish Sing-Along (Decca DL 74053, Stereo, 1963), this time around it's in stereo.

Another day, another 15 tracks of Christmas.  Hope this helps you beat the July heat.  Here's the download link, catch you again tomorrow.