Christmas In July 2018-Day 32

That's right, July has 32 days this month (and counting)!  I'll see how long I can keep this up, but as of now I've got about another week in the can.  What's in the pile tonight?

1. Salvation Is Created by The Lycoming College Choir-Walter G. McIver, Director, from Let Us Break Bread Together (Lycoming Records LLP 500, Mono).  As good a place to start as any.  I spent the weekend grabbing a bunch of tracks of these little locally produced records because I didn't think I'd shared out enough with you this year.  So prepare for an onslaught!

2. Blue Holiday by Ralph Burns And His Orchestra from Warwick Records Presents Sight And Sound Percussion Sampler (Warwick-No Number, Stereo).  Is this the same Blue Holiday as the one by David Rose and Andre Previn?  I didn't listen close enough to see, and it's a promo type thing with no writing credits attached.  I suspect the percussion bits at the beginning were tacked on after the fact as a sales gimmick.

3. Hong Kong Holiday by Robert Maxwell And Orchestra from Spectacular Is The Sound For It! (MGM SE3883, Stereo, 1960).  Another track from a percussion sampler, but at least this one is a little more professional and nothing feels tacked on.

4. Ice Run by Rick Wakeman from White Rock (A&M SP-4614, Stereo, 1976).  This is the soundtrack to a film about the Winter Olympics from that year, so if it makes you think of ice, it must be doing it's job.  And there's Moog!

5. I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony) by Chet Atkins from Chet Atkins Picks On The Hits (RCA Victor (Canada) LSP-5754, Stereo, 1972).  I told you there were still Christmas treasures to be found in the Chet Atkins discography.

6. Penguin Polka by Myron Floren from Myron Floren On The Accordion-Polkas, Schottisches, Waltzes (Brunswick BL 754053, Stereo, 1960).  I know penguins are from the wrong pole, but they still remind me of Christmas for some reason.

7. Russian Dance (Trepak) by Dom Frontiere from Mr. Accordion-Dom Frontiere Plays Classical Favorites (Liberty LST 7008, Stereo, 1958).  Can't have a night without a Nutcracker track!

8. Satin Doll by Morty Craft And The Singing Strings from Percussion In Hollywood, Broadway, Television (Warwick W5000ST, Stereo).  Another track that seems to have tacked on percussion, from the same label as the other one...

9. White Christmas by St. Albans Childrens Chorus-Lucille Burney, Director-Ruth Perkins, Accompanist, from St. Albans Childrens Chorus Sings (No Label SXB-600/-601, Stereo).  More local stuff, but I thought this one was pretty good.  Got lots of tracks from this one to share.

10. Wintertime Of Love (From "Wintertime Of Love") by Richard Hayman And His Orchestra from Great Motion Picture Themes Of Victor Young (Mercury SR-60012, Stereo, 1958).  I know I've shared this one out before, but I found a nice stereo copy of the LP and figured why not.

That's it.  Ten more tracks. I haven't asked in a while, but do you have any favorites so far this year?  Leave me a comment and let me know what you've liked.  Or, if you have a strong opinion, tell me what you didn't like!

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 31

As is my custom, the 31st of July is when I celebrate New Year's Day in July.  Now I know it's August, but we're just going to keep on pretending.  One thing I will not pretend about this year is the fact that I'm going to keep going for a while longer.  I've got plenty more to share, and I've spent the weekend doing almost nothing but ripping records to make sure I can keep up for a while longer.  If for no other reason, I've got to make these piles smaller.  I can't carry this many record until July of 2019.  I've got to make room for new stuff!  Anyhow, happy fake New Year!  Let's see what's in the pile.

1. Auld Lang Syne by Jimmy Shand And His Band With Chorus from the Robert Burns tribute LP The Immortal Memory (Parlophone (EMI) PMC 1077, Mono, 1959).  Three more years and this little label would be the biggest thing in the world!  But at this point, they were releasing some pretty dodgy stuff.

2. Happy New Year by Chris Connor And Maynard Ferguson from Double Exposure (Atlantic 8049, Mono, 1961).  For my money, this is the best track in the pile today.  I've shared out several versions of this track over the years, including three different recordings by it's author, Gordon Jenkins.  So maybe I just have a soft spot for it.

3. January: Look Ahead by The Mariners With Orchestra And Chorus Under The Direction Of Archie Bleyer, Introduction By Arthur Godfrey, from Arthur Godfrey's TV Calendar Show (Columbia CL 521, Mono, 1953).  I've shared it before, and I'll share it again, but it's still good stuff!

4. New Year's Eve And Day by Ray Middleton-Choir & Music Under Direction Of Howard Barlow from Ten Protestant Holy Days (Candle CAN-111, Mono, 1957).  Once again, he's the worst track of the day.  Was there a script to this?  At times it seems he's making it up as he goes.

5. Violets; Tell Me Why; Auld Lang Syne by Living Voices from Living Voices On The Campus (RCA Camden CAL-715, Mono, 1962).  Didn't think we'd go allmonth without hearing from the Living series, did you?  Not sure if this is the only time, but maybe.

6. Auld Lang Syne by The Banjo Barons-Arranged And Conducted By Teo Macero And Marty Manning from The Banjo Barons Play Music For Happy Times (Columbia CS 8889, Stereo, 1963).  Last track from this record, I'm afraid.  Shame they didn't do an entire Christmas record.

7. Auld Lang Syne by Bob Johnson And The Lonesome Travelers from Twelve Shades Of Bluegrass (Parkway SP-7017, Stereo, 1963).  Good bluegrass from the same label that was pushing out Chubby Checker.  Imagine what a duet that could have been!

8. Auld Lang Syne; Vieni Sul Mar by Eddie Williams And His Orchestra from Fiesta Non Stop Vol. 2 (Polydor (Germany) 236791, Stereo).  Not sure I want to hear volume 1 of this.

9. For The Sake Of Auld Lang Syne by The Vocal Majority from All The Best From The Vocal Majority (Private Pressing VM-5000, Stereo).  One more barbershop song I've been saving for you.

10. To The Year That's Away (Scottish) by The Belafonte Folk Singers-Robert Corman, Conductor, from the LP Cheers-Drinking Songs Around The World (RCA Victor LSP-1992, Stereo, 1959).  A Scottish New Year's track that's not Auld Lang Syne?  Well I'll be! BTW, his name was really Robert DeCormier, not sure when/why he swapped back and forth, but I've seen it credited both ways.

And that's it.  again, Happy New Year to you and yours!

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 30

Happy Saturday!  Yes, I know it's August, but I'm still busy celebration Christmas In July, and I will be for maybe about another week or so.  Still lots of music in the pile, and I put new stuff in the pile today, so I've got the tunes.  It's just a matter of finding time to record stuff.  And since today was Saturday, I took the time to rip a big stack of records.  A big chunk of today's share is new stuff, or at least newly ripped, so let's take a look, shall we?

1. Ave Maria by Chet Atkins from Class Guitar (RCA Victor LPM-3885, Mono, 1967).  Chet Atkins had a long and varied career, so it's not surprise that new tracks like this pop up on my radar from time to time.  Now to track down the stereo versions.

2. March Of The Little Lead Soldiers by The Carnegie Pops Orchestra-Conducted By Walter Hendl from Pops In The Park (Harmony (Columbia) HL 7113, Mono, 1958).  If memory serves, I think I read that this was a reissue of material from about ten years earlier on Columbia Masterworks.

3. March Of The Toys by Ron Oliver And His Orchestra from A Treasury Of Victor Herbert In High Fidelity (Harmony (Columbia) HL 7117, Mono, 1958).  Ha! Two releases from the same label in the same year right in a row.  Couldn't have planned that if I tried!

4. Raindrop And The Snowflake by Nancy F. A. Woolnough from The Adventures Of Raindrop (Diadem DLP 142, Mono).  Weird religious stuff... Listen at your own risk.  But the part about going to the snowbank to witchdraw some money is kinda funny.

5. Santa Claus Blues by Turk Murphy And His Jazz Band from When The Saints Go Marching In (Columbia CL 546, Mono, 1954).  Nice jazzy stuff!

6. Skaters Waltz by the great yet forgotten Bob Kames from Golden Years In Hi-Fi-20 Organ Solos By Bob Kames (King 598, Mono, 1959).  I didn't remember this, but I appear to have shared it before, along with I think four full Christmas albums he recorded over the years.  And at least one non-LP single.  The man was prolific.

7. The Big Clown Balloons From "Here's Love" by Werner Müller And His Orchestra from Werner Müller On Broadway (London Phase 4 SP 44047, Stereo, 1964).  I should have saved this one, I've got a stack of Phase 4 LPs to record yet.  Could have made a theme post.

8. March by Dom Frontiere from Mr. Accordion-Dom Frontiere Plays Classical Favorites (Liberty LST 7008, Stereo, 1958).  Yes, it's Nutcracker music, but it's good.  Trust me.

9. Waltz Of The Flowers by Ernie Quelle, Armin Rusch, Walter Geiger Quartets from Swingin' The Classics (Tempo TS 1004 "An Alshire Production", Stereo).  That Alshire connection should tell you about all you need to know for this one.

10. Midnight Sun Schottische by Myron Floren from Myron Floren On The Accordion-Polkas, Schottisches, Waltzes (Brunswick BL 754053, Stereo, 1960).  I assume that they get plenty of midnight sun at the North Pole during Christmas in July.

And that's it.  Hope there's something in there you like.  If not, I'll try again tomorrow.

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 29

Good evening!  I'm back with a small pile of Christmas music for you.  Sorry to be dragging this out, but there just aren't enough hours in the day to get done all the things I want to do.  Or need to do, in the case of holding down an actual job and paying the bills.  But that's beside the point, let's get to the music!

1. Christmas by Ray Middleton-Choir & Music Under Direction Of Howard Barlow from the LP Ten Protestant Holy Days (Candle CAN-111, Mono, 1957).  This is, without doubt, the worst thing I have shared with you all season.  Maybe the worst over multiple seasons.  How did this get released?  And it's part of a series!  I have the Jewish one, too, and I don't remember it being this bad.  Listen at your own risk!

2. Greensleeves by The Melachrino Strings Conducted By George Melachrino from the 45 EP set Music For Reading (RCA Victor 2x7" 45 RPM EPB 1002, Mono, 1955).  This is the first of two selections tonight from 45 RPM 7 inch records.  I don't think these tracks are any different from the versions I've shared in the past from the full sized 12" albums, but you never know until you put the needle in the groove.

3. Winter Wonderland by Guy Lombardo And His Royal Canadians-Vocal By Kenny Gardner from Guy Lombardo In Hi-Fi EP Part 2 (Capitol 7" 45 RPM EAP 2-728, Mono, 1956).  Again, a 45 release of a standard 12" record.  I don't hear a difference, and the timing is almost identical.  Nothing special.  Only 7" version I've discovered that was different from it's 12" release is Arthur Godfrey's Columbia Christmas album.  The 7" set has edits of the album tracks.

4. North Pole-Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer by David Seville And The Chipmunks (Alvin, Simon & Theodore) from the LP Around The World With The Chipmunks And David Seville (Liberty LRP 3170, Mono, 1960).  This one wasn't on cool red vinyl, but it did feature the original cartoon versions of The Chipmunks, not the later TV versions.

5. Snow by The Johnny Mann Singers from I'll Remember You (Liberty LRP-3436, Mono, 1966).  One of those winter songs you don't hear nearly enough.  And it's written by Randy Newman!

6. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by The Airmen Of Note from Serenade In Blue-Series Eleven (Programs 131-143) (United States Air Force 7xLP Suggested Air Date: October-December 1969, Stereo, 1969).  Still one of my favorite finds this season!  I hope it's one of yours as well.

7. Holiday For Trombones by Trombones Unlimited Featuring Mike Barone & Frank Rosolino from Holiday For Trombones (Liberty LST-7527, Stereo, 1967).  The trombones feel the need to get in on the act.

8. Nativity Play by Joyce Grenfell from George-Don't Do That.....-Six Nursery School Sketches (Starline-EMI (UK) SRS 5199, Stereo, 1977).  A little sketch about the Christmas play.  It never goes anywhere, but it's nice filler.

9. Chinoiserie (Chinese Dance) by Duke Ellington And His Orchestra from Nutcracker Suite/Peer Gynt Suites Nos. 1 And 2 (Odyssey (Columbia) 32 16 0252 (Originally issued 1960), Stereo, 1980).  Nutcracker, but I only have a couple tonight, so I'll type up all the details.

10. Arab Dance by Dom Frontiere from Mr. Accordion-Dom Frontiere Plays Classical Favorites (Liberty LST 7008, Stereo, 1958).  Really enjoying the accordion versions from the LP.  And is this Liberty night or something?  Weird coincidence.

That's it, ten tracks, getting near the bottom of the pile, but still plenty to go, long as I can find time to record it.  Give 'em a listen and let me know what you think.

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 28

Good evening, and welcome to day 28 on the 31st of July.  Normally I'd be winding things down about now, but I've had some issues this month and fallen way behind, not just on posting but on actual recording.  There's still a big pile of records I wanted to get to, but I just haven't been able to spend the time at the turntable that I would like.  So I may extend things a few days out this month, and hopefully I can find some time to get a few more things recorded before I call it a month.  We'll see.  Anyhow, I've got a full slate for you tonight, so let's dive in.

1. The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) by David Seville And The Chipmunks, from their first LP on beautiful red vinyl Let's All Sing With The Chipmunks (Liberty LRP 3132, Mono, 1959).  You're probably more than familiar with this track, ut I just couldn't resist when I saw that beautiful transparent ruby red vinyl!

2. Holiday For Chords by Charles Magnante from Charles Magnante Plays The Accordion (Award Artist Series (Grand Award) AAS-707, Mono, 1958).  Another holiday track from this LP that's not really the Christmas sort of holiday at all, but we'll pretend otherwise.

3. Please Santa Claus, a Christmas music lament from Anna Russell With Jimmy Carroll And His Miserable Five, taken from her LP A Square Talk On Popular Music Or The Decline And Fall Of The Popular Song (Columbia Masterworks ML 5036, Mono, 1956).  I've shared this before and I'll share it again, I just dig it.  This copy was actually autographed on the cover by Ms. Russell!

4. Deck The Hall by Brass Of The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra, Conducted By Alfred Newman, from Hallelujah! (Capitol SP8529, Stereo, 1960).  I've tried to be very careful this year and save some actual Christmas music for later in the month.  Here you go!

5. Holiday Polka by Will Glahé And His Orchestra from The Big Polka Band Hits (London PS 344, Stereo, 1964).  More non-holiday holiday music.  But still good stuff. Is that a cow? Wait a second...

6. Tchaikovsky Medley by Victor Borge from his non-comedy LP Victor Borge Plays And Conducts Concert Favorites (Columbia CS 8113, Stereo, 1959).  There's some Nutcracker right at the beginning, but not as much as I had hoped for when I found this album.  You'll just have to suffer through the rest of the fifteen minutes.

7. Nutcracker by Kai Winding And His Septet Featuring Four Trombones from the album The Trombone Sound (Columbia CL 936, Mono, 1956).  Not the first track this month that tried to trick me into thinking it had something to do with Tchaikovsky, but then didn't.  Unless I'm missing something.  Does anyone hear something in there that I'm missing?

8.-10. More tracks from The Nutcracker Suite, including, for some unknown reason, two tracks from that new Dom Frontiere album I mentioned yesterday.  I don't know how or why I grabbed two tracks from the same LP, but I'm too tired to go back and fix it now.

That's it, another day full of fun!  Enjoy!

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 27

Whew, long day, and I haven't done a thing.  There are only a few days left in the month but I'm running out of songs to share.  I've got plenty of records still sitting here, I just haven't had time to record enough stuff.  Going to have to figure something out.  Anyhow, I've got another ten tracks for you here, so let's see what's what.

1. Holiday For Bass by Charles Magnante from Charles Magnante Plays The Accordion (Award Artist Series (Grand Award) AAS-707, Mono, 1958).  Probably not the type of holiday we celebrate around here, but beggars can't be choosers, right?

2. Jungle Holiday by Tito Puente from Tambó (RCA Victor LPM-2257, Mono, 1960).  Still the wrong holiday, but good stuff!

3. Bring A Torch, Jeanette Isabella by Chamber Singers-Robert Summer, Conductor, from the LP University Of South Florida Chamber Singers And University Singers (Suncoast Recording Service KM 4471, Stereo, 1979). How many tracks are on this record?

4. Jingle Bells by Danny Kaye-Conducted By Leith Stevens from the soundtrack to the movie The Five Pennies (Dot DLP 29500, Stereo, 1959).  This is the story of Red Nichols, who's band was called The Five Pennies, but you probably knew that.

5. Joy To The World by First United Methodist Church, Cullman, Alabama-Sanctuary Choir, from A Celebration In Song (Prestige 80-157, Stereo, 1981). Another record with a million tracks...

6. Nutty by The Ventures from Where The Action Is (Dolton BST-8040, Stereo, 1965).  This is technically a Nutcracker track, but it's also The Ventures version of B. BUmble & The Stingers Nutrocker.  Good stuff!

7. Put A Little Love In Your Heart by Donna Rhodes from I See Love (Epic E 30136, Stereo, 1971).  This woman must have had connections, the liner notes were penned by Sam Phillips!

8.-10.  The rest is Nutcracker tracks proper.  However, there's a new series I started by Dominic Frontiere that's the whole suite done on accordion!  It's sweet!  Give it a listen!

Well, that's the list, but my internet seems to have just gone down.  Hopefully I can get this posted later on if it comes back up.  I can't even upload the tracks at the moment.  I told you it was a rough day...

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 26

Hello, and welcome to Boxing Day in July!  I missed another day yesterday, sorry.  Had to run after work and shoot pictures at a big show, and didn't get home until after midnight.  I don't think the temps dropped below 90 until after 9, and never got down to 80.  Humidity had to be close to 100% the whole time.  I drank three liters of Gatorade and still felt rough.  But a little Christmas music should make me feel nice and cool, let's see what I can find in the bin!

1. Contraponto Bestiale Alla Mente by 1977 Chamber Singers-Robert Summer, Conductor, from the album University Of South Florida Chamber Singers And University Singers (Suncoast Recording Service KM 4471, Stereo, 1979).  I guess I did have more music from this one.  Can't be too much left...  Wait, are those animal noises? What's going on here?

2. Dance We All To Bethlehem by The Placentia Presbyterian Chancel Choir-Ruth White Miller, Director, from the LP Christmas Chimes 'N Other Times (Monarch Records DBP-226, Stereo, 1977).  Not as many chimes on this one as the name of the album might lead you to believe...

3. Greensleeves by De Wayne Fulton from his album An Evening With De Wayne Fulton, Harpist, Vol. 1 aka An Evening At The Warehouse (Safari Record SS-1001, Stereo).  I think this was a vanity label for Mr. Fulton.  He shows two or three other releases on it.

4. The Jesus Gift by First United Methodist Church, Cullman, Alabama-Sanctuary Choir, from A Celebration In Song (Prestige 80-157, Stereo, 1981).  Getting to the end of a lot of these full-side recordings here at the end of the month.  Finally, I hear some of you say...

5. Medley: Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer; Jolly Old St. Nicholas; Jingle Bells, a big beautiful medley by the amazing The Banjo Barons-Arranged And Conducted By Teo Macero And Marty Manning from the album The Banjo Barons Play Music For Happy Times (Columbia CS 8889, Stereo, 1963).  At least this selection features their namesake instrument instead of the organ.

6. Pink Ice by Music Minus One from For Drummers Only!-Jazz Band Music Minus One Drummer (Music Minus One MMO-4002, Stereo).  If it seems like the music is repetitive and dragging in parts, that because they left that space open for you to put in your own drum solo!

7-10. Some more selections from The Nutcracker Suite.

And that's it, ten more tracks for Boxing Day.  Hope you're enjoying them.  Keep cool out there!

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 25

Merry Christmas in July to you, and you, and you!  Today is a little bit different because I'm giving you a share full of things that I probably shouldn't share (and some Nutcracker tracks, naturally).  Newer stuff, major artists, big names, the sort of thing that some people wouldn't like shared, if you get my drift.  So I'm not going to tell you what you're getting.  And if one of these doesn't seem very much like a Christmas song, just listen to the end, when he starts talking to Santa. Enjoy!

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 24

Twas the night before Christmas In July, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even Ernie, who was tired after a long day of work.  So you'd better enjoy tonight's Christmas shares!

1. Look Around You, It's Christmas Time, one of the best Christmas songs I have shared with you this month, and it's by Bobby Goldsboro from his LP Autumn Of My Life (Sunset SUS-5315, Stereo, 1970).  He may have been a teen idol back in the day, but you've probably never heard this song.  It's good stuff!

2. Sing Softly, Angels by First United Methodist Church, Cullman, Alabama-Sanctuary Choir, from A Celebration In Song (Prestige 80-157, Stereo, 1981).  I thought I was done sharing songs from this one sometime back, but I guess not.

3. Sing We And Chant It by Chamber Singers-Robert Summer, Conductor, from University Of South Florida Chamber Singers And University Singers (Suncoast Recording Service KM 4471, Stereo, 1979).  Another one that seems to keep going and going...

4. Wedding Of The Painted Doll by Leon Berry from Leon Berry At The Giant Wurlitzer Pipe Organ Vol. 4 (Audio Fidelity AFSD 5845, Stereo, 1958).  I think Audio Fidelity was the first label to release stereo records to the general public back in 1958.  Some other, larger labels had plans to release some very soon, but Audio Fidelity jumped out in front of them all.

5-10. More Nutcracker.  These Nutcracker dumps are probably going to continue through the end of the month.  Hope you enjoy them!

And that's that.  Be sure you download the shares tonight for that Bobby Goldsboro track.  It's a winner!

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 23

I hate being behind, I really do.  But I don't see any chance of getting caught up before the weekend, probably on Sunday.  Just so much stuff to do that doesn't leave much time for Christmas music.  But I'll catch up, don't you worry.

1. Go Tell It On The Mountain by Howard University Choir-Warner Lawson, Director, from Spirituals (RCA Victor Red Seal LM-2126, Mono, 1958).  You can't see it because I didn't scan it, but the cover on this one is by Mozelle Thompson!  And if memory serves, the tracks are divided up into 3 songs each, but I didn't think they were actually a medley, so I cut out just the bit I needed.  Sorry if that offends any purists out there.

2. Greensleeves by The Weavers from The Weavers At Carnegie Hall (Vanguard VRS 9010 (Metropolitan Music Library VG 9010), Mono, 1959).  There are a lot of good songs in the discography of The Weavers.  Shame about the whole blacklist thing, not one of our country's prouder moments. Kinda like, oh, I don't know, now.

3. Capricorn by Hal Mooney And His Orchestra from Any Time-Music For Every Month Of The Year (Mercury SR 60073, Stereo, 1959).  I believe this is a stereo remake and retitle of an earlier album from Mr. Mooney. Each track is named after a star sign, and Christmas falls in Capricorn, as Kris Kristofferson once told us.  I love these kind of theme albums in general, but I wasn't too excited about this one.  I need to hunt down the mono original and see if I like it any better.

4. Catch: Hodge Told Sue, yet another track by 1978 Chamber Singers-Robert Summer, Conductor, from University Of South Florida Chamber Singers And University Singers (Suncoast Recording Service KM 4471, Stereo, 1979).  One of you learned visitors want to clue me in about this one?  I have no idea.

5. Ice Castles (Looking Through The Eyes Of Love) by Hector Olivera from Page Won By Hector-Embassy Theatre, Ft. Wayne (Engle Associates Recording EAR-10313, Stereo).  I should have saved all my "Ice" titled tracks and shared them out together.  Didn't think about that until just now.

6. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear by The USAF Strings from Serenade In Blue-Series Eleven (Programs 131-143) (United States Air Force 7xLP Suggested Air Date: October-December 1969, Stereo, 1969).  Such a good collection of stuff on this one, wish I could finds dozens more like it.  And I assume that with some serious digging, I can find a few more. I would think they did it more than just this one year.

7. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm by Enoch Light And His Orchestra from his LP Enoch Light And His Orchestra At Carnegie Hall Play Irving Berlin (Command RS 840 SD, Stereo, 1962).  Enoch Light, you know what to expect.

8.-10. More filler from various Nutcracker Suites.  You know the drill.

That's it, another ten tracks.  Stay tuned, another week to go!

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 22

I'm back!  Sorry I missed a couple of days.  Had some problems with my insides, but hopefully those are all ironed out for the time being.  It's tough being old.  Anyhow, let's see what's in the bin for tonight, err, I mean for two night ago!

1. Christmas Greetings from Johnny Otis With Little Esther Phillips and Mel Walker from The Complete Savoy Recordings With Johnny Otis (Savoy Jazz 2xLP SJL 2258 (Originally Released 1950), Mono, 1984).  I guess this was a promotional recording that went out to DJs with copies of their Christmas record, which I shared with you earlier this month.  Cool stuff.

2. Jingle Bells Mambo by Pete Rugolo And His Orchestra from Adventures In Rhythm (Phillips (Holland) B 07049 L, Mono, 1954).  Hippest Jingle Bells you'll hear on the internet today.  And from a Dutch pressing no less!

3. Away In A Manger/O Little Town Of Bethlehem by Willie Dittrich from The Singing Zither-Christmas Music & Old Time Hymns (Jim Loyd Presents 1002 (WMT Radio, Cedar Rapids, Iowa), Stereo).  Nice little medley on the zither for you.

4. Go Tell It On The Mountain by The Scotties Of Saint Andrew's School, Boca Raton, Florida, Under The Direction Of Mrs. Phyllis G. Gould, from Brothers, Sing On! (Mark Records UMC 2323, Stereo, 1970).  Nice local stuff.

5. We Wish You A Merry Christmas by Chamber Singers-Robert Summer, Conductor, from University Of South Florida Chamber Singers And University Singers (Suncoast Recording Service KM 4471, Stereo, 1979).  Am I done with this one yet?  Not sure...

6-10. More Nutcracker.  Think of them as bonus tracks!

I really gotta get busy and record a few more tracks to finish out the month.  I don't want to run out of shares.

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 21

Three weeks in, still going strong, though I do need to get busy and record some more stuff.  Only a couple weekends left to crank out some songs.  And tonight is a little special because there is a theme!  I found a large collection of barbershop records a few months back and I flipped through a couple hundred of them, trying to find Christmas music.  And tonight, you get to hear the results of that search!

1. The Bells Of St. Mary's by The Easternaires from their LP Once Over Lightly (RCA Victor LSP-2263, Stereo, 1961).  I believe this was the oldest one I found, and it was something on the great RCA label that I hadn't seen before.

2. The Secret Of Christmas makes it's first appearance by The Vocal Majority, a well-known barbershop chorus, from the LP With A Song In Our Hearts (Private Pressing VM-1000, Stereo).  Like many of these, this was a multi-artist collection.

3. The Secret Of Christmas appears again, this time by The High Society from On The Road Again (Good Vibrations GV 214, Stereo).  I've tried all month to not repeat any songs in the same night, but since it's more barbershop and came from the same collection, I'll bend the rule a bit.  And it's a good song. And this one is ladies singing, not guys.

4. Toy Soldiers On Parade by Mission Viejo Chapter-Sweet Adelines from Phoenix-35th Annual International Convention & Competition (Sweet Adelines 2xLP SHX-81-48, Stereo, 1981).  Well over 3/4 of the records I pawed through were by female groups.  I guess they're part of an organization called The Sweet Adelines.  Only barbershop association I knew about was the SPEBSQSA, but I guess they've changed their name now.

5. White Christmas by The Tetrachords from Early Portraits (Private Pressing TS81-749/750, Stereo, 1981). All of these tracks are really good!

6. Why Doesn't Santa Claus Go Next Door? by Mission Valley Chapter Of The Sweet Adelines Under The Direction Of Gloria Sandstrom, from Sweet Adelines, Inc. 1976 International Convention (Century Advent Recording USR 9851, Stereo, 1976).  A song I've never heard before!  Sweet!

7. Winter Wonderland by Roger Blackburn from Barbershopping In Brass (Sunrise MK 37-128, Stereo, 1972).  Not exactly barbershop, but I guess he got his inspiration from there.

8. Entr'acte by Duke Ellington And His Orchestra from Nutcracker Suite/Peer Gynt Suites Nos. 1 And 2 (Odyssey (Columbia) 32 16 0252 (Originally issued 1960), Stereo, 1980).  And that's it, only 8 barbershop songs, so I have to fill up the rest of the share with Nutcracker tracks.

9. Waltz Of The Flowers by Antal Dorati Conducting The Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra from Britten: The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra/Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a (Mercury MG 50055, Mono, 1955).  Good stuff.

10. March by Vienna Festival Orchestra Conducted By Herbert Grossman from Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake Suite/Nutcracker Suite (Whitehall WH 20012, Mono, 1959). Not so good stuff, but adequate.

There you go, ten more tracks, and most of them fit the theme!  Wish I could do that every day.  Maybe if I put more time and energy into this sharing...

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 20

Day 20 already?  Seems like only yesterday we were still back in the teens.  Oh well, on with the show!

1. The Bells Of St. Mary's by John Duffy from John Duffy At The Mighty Columbia Square Wurlitzer (Liberty LRP 3004, Mono, 1955). Nice organ track for you to start things off.

2. Born In Bethlehem by The Journeymen from their LP Coming Attraction-Live! (Capitol T1770, Mono, 1962).  Another good Christmas track from an old folk album.

3. Waltz Of The Flowers, your only Nutcracker Track today, by Vienna Festival Orchestra Conducted By Herbert Grossman, from the album Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake Suite/Nutcracker Suite (Whitehall WH 20012, Mono, 1959).  I think this was the most recent Nutcracker version I recorded.  Not sure if I'm done recording them yet, but maybe.  Depends on what else I can find in the stack to share.  Sure is easier to record a handful of tracks from one album instead of one track each from a handful of different albums.

4. Christmas On The Farm by The McLain Family Band from the self-titled LP The McClain Family Band (Country Life Records CLR-2, Stereo, 1973).  Now this is the sort of thing I like to find. And maybe the only bluegrass song of the season.

5. Hallelujah From "The Messiah" by Brass Of The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra, Conducted By Alfred Newman, from Hallelujah! (Capitol SP8529, Stereo, 1960).  No voices, just brass.

6. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm by Paul Anka, Arranged And Conducted By Sid Feller, from Swings For Young Lovers (ABC Paramount ABCS-347, Stereo, 1960).  Nice version that I finally found in stereo.

7. Mary Had A Baby by First United Methodist Church, Cullman, Alabama-Sanctuary Choir, from A Celebration In Song (Prestige 80-157, Stereo, 1981).  I think this is the newest of the tracks I'm sharing tonight, and it's still almost 40 years old.

8. Suser Die Glocken Nie Klingen by our old friend Willie Dittrich and his album The Singing Zither-Christmas Music & Old Time Hymns (Jim Loyd Presents 1002 (WMT Radio, Cedar Rapids, Iowa), Stereo).  Not sure about this song, but it was on the Christmas side of his LP so I have to assume it belongs here.

9. We Three Kings by The United States Air Force Band-Brass Choir from the LP set Serenade In Blue-Series Eleven (Programs 131-143) (United States Air Force 7xLP Suggested Air Date: October-December 1969, Stereo, 1969).  Plenty of good tracks pulled from this one this year.

10. The Wedding Of The Painted Doll by Ray Bohr from Ray Bohr And The Radio City Music Hall Organ (Audio Veritas Productions Z 564521/2, Stereo).  We started with organ, so we end with organ.  Nice symmetry there.

That's it, ten more tracks for the twentieth day.  Enjoy!

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 19

Day 19, we're getting there...  It's about that time of the month when I start asking if anyone has a favorite track or two.  I've got a small handful of tracks already in the "Best-Of" folder, but it's by no means full.  Let me know if there's anything you've especially enjoyed so that I don't miss any really good tracks I may have forgotten about.  And now, some music...

1. Sing Silent Night by C.W. McCall from his LP Rubber Duck (Polydor PD-1-6094, Stereo, 1976).  I could swear I've shared this one before, but I can't find it on the blog or on my PC, so my mind may be playing tricks on me.  It's a great track, even if Mr. Chip Davis of Mannheim Steamroller had a huge hand in it's creation.  He was involved with all the C.W. McCall stuff as far as I know, even Convoy, years before he got the idea to make music for American Gramaphone.

2. Rocking by 1978 Chamber Singers-Robert Summer, Conductor, from their LP University Of South Florida Chamber Singers And University Singers (Suncoast Recording Service KM 4471, Stereo, 1979).  Another track from this good album.

3-11. Another complete set of tracks from The Nutcracker Suite. Same artists, same albums, you know the drill.  I'm too lazy to detail everything.  A couple of the introduction tracks are short, so I threw in an extra track to make you feel like you're really getting something.

That's it, thanks for playing tonight.  And don't forget to leave me a comment about your favorite songs thus far.

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 18

Hello, and welcome to day the 18th!

1. Faraway Christmas Blues AKA Far Away Blues (Xmas Blues) by Johnny Otis Orchestra With Little Esther And Mel Walker from the collection The Complete Savoy Recordings With Johnny Otis (Savoy Jazz 2xLP SJL 2258 (Originally Released 1950), Mono, 1984).  I normally don't grab things from latter-day compilations, but this comp is from over 30 years ago, and the original recording was probably only available on 78, so here you go.  And it's so good!

2. March Of The Toys by Frederick Fennell And Orchestra from Frederick Fennell Conducts Victor Herbert (Mercury MG 20954, Mono, 1961).  About the only thing I remember about this was having to record it a bunch of times to get the levels right.  It just gets louder and louder and louder as it marches along.

3. Northern Lights by Helmut Zacharias And His Magic Violins, from the album Smörgåsbord For Strings-A Musical Trip Around Scandinavia (Decca DL 8753, Mono, 1958).  I shared this one with you last year, but from the original UK release, I think.  This is the US pressing, with slightly different titles. Still a great track!

4. Ave Maria by Leontyne Price, Soprano With The Choir Of Men And Boys Of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Fifth Avenue, New York City-William Self, Master Of The Choir-George Decker, Organist, from My Favorite Hymns (RCA Victor Red Seal LSC-2918, Stereo, 1966).  Good stuff.

5. Greensleeves by Don Allen from Pop Goes The Organ (Time Series 2000 S/2167, Stereo, 1965).  Yawn.

6. Jingle Bells/Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer by Willie Dittrich from his LP The Singing Zither-Christmas Music & Old Time Hymns (Jim Loyd Presents 1002 (WMT Radio, Cedar Rapids, Iowa), Stereo).  I don't have to tell you how happy I was to find zither music to share!

7. March Of The Little Lead Soldiers by Del Castillo from Half & Half (Concert Recording CR-0028, Stereo).  No much of a Christmas song, but close.

8. Put A Little Love In Your Heart, again not really Christmas, but brought back to life through it's inclusion in the holiday movie Scrooged, and almost a Christmas song ever since.  This version is by Leslie Uggams With The Jimmy Bowen Orchestra And Chorus, from her album Just To Satisfy You (Atlantic SD 8241, Stereo, 1969).

9. The Village Of St. Bernadette by Andy Williams, Orchestra Conducted By Archie Bleyer, from The Village Of St. Bernadette (Cadence CLP-25038, Stereo, 1960).  Very early Andy here.  Did you know that his very first solo single was a Christmas record?  Yep!

10. Winter by Cliff De Young And Group from the soundtrack to the TV movie Sunshine (MCA MCA-387, Stereo, 1973).  Short but sweet, and one of the three credited writers is John Denver.

Ten tracks, over and out.  Enjoy!

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 17

Here's my first day this year where I don't have time to tell you what all is in the download, other than I think there is only one short Nutcracker two-song medley.  Other than that, it's great stuff.  When I get time, I'll try to come in here and type it all up, but this way I don't miss a day of posting.  Thanks for your understanding!

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 16

Day 16!  That's past the halfway point of July!  Hopefully by now you've found a few favorite tracks, and you aren't completely tired of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite.  So tell me what your favorites are so far, and in exchange, you only get one long medley about dancing mice and shoe-throwing little girls.

1. Still, Still, Still by The Merrill Staton Children's Voices from the educational album International Song Time (Silver Burdett Company 86 380, Mono, 1968).  I was excited to find this after discovering a great Christmas version of the song last year, but I'm afraid this one may miss the mark.  They seem to have stripped all the holiday references from it.

2. The Star Road by First United Methodist Church, Cullman, Alabama-Sanctuary Choir, from A Celebration In Song (Prestige 80-157, Stereo, 1981).  Does anyone listen to these Church group songs more than once?  I think it's pretty rare to find one that stands up to repeated listening.  And I think it also makes a difference if you've ever performed in a similar group.  In that case, you may listen and sing along.

3. Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers, an old standard by Eddie Dunstedter, an old standard himself, from the LP Mister Pipe Organ!-Eddie Dunstedter At The Morton Pipe Organ (Capitol T1128, Mono, 1959).  If you don't have any Eddie Dunstedter Christmas music in your library, then you need to try harder!

4. Alle Jahre Wieder/O Tannenbaum/Ihr Kinderlien Kommet, a German medley from our new old friend Willie Dittrich, pulled from his LP The Singing Zither-Christmas Music & Old Time Hymns (Jim Loyd Presents 1002 (WMT Radio, Cedar Rapids, Iowa), Stereo).  Gotta love the zither!

5. Medley: Gold And Silver Waltz; The Skaters Waltz by The Living Strings-Arranged And Conducted By Johnny Douglas from Waltz Time With The Living Strings (RCA Camden CAL-855, Mono, 1965).  Sometimes I find it hard to believe how wildly popular the whole Living series was in the sixties.  I mean, this stuff was competing against The Beatles and The Stones...

6. Winter World Of Love by The Les Reed Orchestra & Chorus from The Spectacular Les Reed Composer Of... (Chapter 1, London 2xLP BP 39004/5, Stereo, 1972).  I guess I didn't realize that Les Reed had written enough hits for a double album.  And I'm not sure I know who Les Reed is...

7. Hallelujah Chorus, a not-unpleasant version by 101 Strings, Recorded Under The Direction Of D.L. Miller, from their album Inspiration And Meditation (Somerset SF-16600, Stereo, 1962). I've certainly heard worse, and so have you, probably right here at the blog.

8. My Favorite Things, your favorite non-Christmas Christmas song, by The Airmen of Note from Serenade In Blue-Series Eleven (Programs 131-143) (United States Air Force 7xLP Suggested Air Date: October-December 1969, Stereo, 1969).  One of my favorite finds of the year! What can I say, I'm easy to please.

9. Panis Angelicus by Bob Beck At The Chapel Organ from The Grotto Organs In Reverie (Adon, Oregon Ltd. V8844, Mono).  Obligatory pipe organ content, beware of blast!

10. Miniature Overture; March; Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy; Russian Dance (Trepak); Arab Dance; Chinese Dance; Dance Of The Reed Pipes, a mega-medley by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted By Sir Adrian Boult from Sir Adrian Boult Conducts Suites From Tchaikovsky's Ballets The Nutcracker And Sleeping Beauty (Capitol SP 8690, Stereo, 1967).  You're welcome!

Ta-da!  Another ten tracks, and a pretty good selection, me-thinks!

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 15

15, that's almost halfway through the month!  Time flies when you know Christmas is coming.  Let's jump right in!

1. Stille Nacht by Willie Dittrich from The Singing Zither-Christmas Music & Old Time Hymns (Jim Loyd Presents 1002 (WMT Radio, Cedar Rapids, Iowa), Stereo).  Really happy with this one, and I found it just in time to share it with you this month instead of next year.  Some of the best Christmas zither since Ruth Welcome!

2. Button Up Your Overcoat by Tom Hazleton from DTOC Command Performances-For Members Only Vol. 2 (Detroit Theater Organ Club No Number, Stereo, 1973).  More organ that you aren't going to find anywhere else!

3. Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring-The First Noël, a nice piano medley by Tedd Smith from Meditations (RCA Victor LPM-1636, Mono, 1958).  This is a nice one.  I hesitate to even call it a medley, it's closer to a mashup.  It seems like he's actually playing both songs at the same time and it works really well.  This is another one I brought home recently.  Now I need to see if this one got released in Stereo.

4.-10. An entire Nutcracker Suite consisting of Overture Miniature, March, Chinese Dance, Arabian Dance, Dance Of The Mirlitons, Waltz Of The Flowers and, wait, I forgot to grab a Sugar Plum Fairy.  Hold on, it's not too late, I guess you get 11 tracks tonight.  OK, the artists are all the usual suspects, with spoken word introductions by Peter Ustinov and Deems Taylor.  You don't really need all the info on these, do you?  The info is in the track tags, I promise. When I get done at the end of the month, you can put them all back in their proper artist-album folders.

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 14

Day 14, in which all the posts are stereo because I forgot that I had my playlist sorted by bitrate and didn't scroll down to the mono part of the list...  Such are the pitfalls of this profession, children.

1. Cherry Tree Carol, by The Mitchell Trio-Solo By Mike Kobluk, making it's stereo debut in these parts, from the LP Typical American Boys (Mercury SR 60992, Stereo, 1965).  There's lots of very political stuff on this album, but not so much on this track.

2. Christmas Day by The Placentia Presbyterian Chancel Choir-Directed By Kris Brundin, Tenor Solo By John Press, from Christmas Chimes 'N Other Times (Monarch Records DBP-226, Stereo, 1977).  Nice medley here.

3. Greensleeves by Strings Unlimited from Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head/Bridge Over Troubled Water (Oscar Records OS-109 (Reissue of old material by 101 Strings from Alshire label), Stereo, 1972).  Budget material, reissued to rip more people off.

4. Listen, Shepherds, Listen! by The Winnipeg Mennonite Children's Choir-Helen Litz, Director, from the LP Singing The Seasons Of The Lord (Choristers Guild DSC-1, Stereo, 1979).  Got a lot of these choral groups this year.  Nice, but they run together sometimes...

5. Little Toy Store by Julie Budd, Produced, Arranged & Conducted By Herb Bernstein, from her debut LP Child Of Plenty (MGM SE-4545, Stereo, 1968).  Not really a Christmas song (are any of my shares really Christmas songs?  Well, maybe a couple...) but I was suckered in by the word toy in the title.

6. Medley From The Sound Of Music by De Wayne Fulton from An Evening With De Wayne Fulton, Harpist, Vol. 1 aka An Evening At The Warehouse (Safari Record SS-1001, Stereo).  You can't tell with the cover in front of you, or maybe listening to it, but it's on the harp!  I didn't listen too closely but I assume it's got to have My Favorite Things in there somewhere, right?

7. Our Winter Love by Clebanoff And His Orchestra from Today's Best Hits (Mercury SR 60791, Stereo, 1963).  Is this today's best hit?  Maybe, you tell me.

8. Silver Bells by Willie Dittrich from the Christmas half of his LP The Singing Zither-Christmas Music & Old Time Hymns (Jim Loyd Presents 1002 (WMT Radio, Cedar Rapids, Iowa), Stereo).  Another song that really isn't about Christmas, but at least most folks think it is.  It's from a Bob Hope movie people.  Bob Hope!

9. We Three Kings Of Orient Are by Brass Of The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra, Conducted By Alfred Newman, from Hallelujah! (Capitol SP8529, Stereo, 1960).  Now this may be the best track of the day!

10. Danses Caracteristiques: March; Dance Of The Sugar-Plum Fairy; Russian Dance (Trepak); Arabian Dance; Chinese Dance; Dance Of The Reed Pipes, all of it in one go by Leonard Bernstein Conducting The New York Philharmonic from Prokofiev: Peter And The Wolf, Op. 67/Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71A (Columbia Masterworks MS 6193, Stereo, 1961).  Since you only get one Nutcracker song today, I figured it should be a really long one.  You're welcome.

There you go, ten more songs.  Ten songs a day for the whole month is what, 310 tracks?  Yeah, I should be able to do that. Those two medley's in there make this the longest share of the year so far, how about that!

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 13

Lucky number 13!  I've made it this far, there's no stopping me now!

1. Bobsled, performed by Hector Olivera on his album Page Won By Hector-Embassy Theatre, Ft. Wayne (Engle Associates Recording EAR-10313, Stereo).  I love this song in the original version by Clebanoff, something I've long featured around here, but I think my friend Lee over at Music You Won't discovered it first.  This version doesn't have the same frantic energy of that version, but it's nice.

2. Behold Your Little Child by First United Methodist Church, Cullman, Alabama-Children's Choir, from the album A Celebration In Song (Prestige 80-157, Stereo, 1981.  Kiddies singing, but not bad.

3. Go Tell It On The Mountain, a beautiful duo piano version by Charles Magnuson And Kurt Kaiser from Duo Magic! (Word WST-8057-LP, Stereo, 1960).  I was so excited when I spotted this title on the back of the LP, and the track did not disappoint.  You'll enjoy it!

4. Masters In This Hall by 1978 Chamber Singers-Robert Summer, Conductor, from University Of South Florida Chamber Singers And University Singers (Suncoast Recording Service KM 4471, Stereo, 1979).  This is a Christmas song I run into from time to time, yet I'm not at all familiar with it.  I need to do some research and further listening/

5. Intro To Dance Of The Mirlitons by Deems Taylor from Britten: The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra/Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a (Mercury MG 50055, Mono, 1955).  I really like these little narrative bits, especially when butted up against something entirely different from what they're describing.

6. The Volga Vouty (Russian Dance) by Duke Ellington And His Orchestra from Nutcracker Suite/Peer Gynt Suites Nos. 1 And 2 (Odyssey (Columbia) 32 16 0252 (Originally issued 1960), Stereo, 1980).  Not the original Tchaikovsky version, but man, does it swing! I think I had this labelled in the track tags as originally released way back in 1060, before the Norman conquest of England, but that's not correct.  I believe 1960 is a much closer date.  You might need to update the tags on any earlier shares from the record.  Sorry.

7. Miniature Overture by Leonard Bernstein Conducting The New York Philharmonic from Prokofiev: Peter And The Wolf, Op. 67/Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71A (Columbia Masterworks MS 6193, Stereo, 1961).  I think I've got the suite all out of order tonight.  Not that I know the exact running order, but I think the overture generally comes first...

8. Waltz Of The Flowers by The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra Conducted By Felix Slatkin from the LP Nutcracker Suite/A Midsummer Night's Dream (Capitol SP8404, Stereo, 1957).  Really early for stereo, but not impossible.  Probably released to vinyl in that first year only in mono, but they knew stereo was on the way...

9. Dance Of The Flutes by Andre Kostelanetz And His Orchestra-Andre Kostelanetz, Piano Soloist from Nutcracker Suite-Between Birthdays-Verses By Ogden Nash (Columbia Masterworks ML 5664, Mono, 1961).  Whoops, mean to put this up there next to the Mirlitons intro.  Without that intro, how would we know that Tchaikovsky changed the mirlitons in the original ballet to flutes in the suite?

10.  Chinese Dance by Alfred Wallenstein Conducting The Virtuoso Symphony Of London from Romeo And Juliet Fantasy Overture-The Nutcracker Suite (Audio Fidelity (Mexico) FCS 50,006, Stereo, 1959).  And The Chinese Dance certainly doesn't come last.  Well, it does around here...

And that's it for today.  Hope you aren't sick of the Nutcracker variations yet.  I suppose it would be less sickening if there were more variations, but I gotta work with what I got.

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 12

Day 12 already?  Time flies when you're having fun.  I hope you're enjoying this music as much as I am.  A few goodies already this year, but I'm really trying to save some good stuff for the second half.  If I haven't shared out something that strikes your fancy yet, just keep listening, there's bound to be something good coming.  Here's ten more tracks that might tickle your fancy!

1. I'll Be Home For Christmas by Willie Dittrich, from an album I just found today, The Singing Zither-Christmas Music & Old Time Hymns (Jim Loyd Presents 1002 (WMT Radio, Cedar Rapids, Iowa), Stereo).  That's right, Christmas music on the zither!  And the whole second side of the album is Christmas, so I'll have plenty more of this stuff, whether you love it or not.

2. Virgin Mary Had A Little Baby by Tom Paslé from the various artists LP Folk Festival (ABC-Paramount ABC-408, Mono, 1962).  I tell you, sometimes these old folk albums are a Christmas goldmine some days!

3. Frontier Christmas (Harlow & The Mrs.), a comedy skit by Hudson & Landry from their album Right Off! (Dore LP-329, Stereo, 1973).  I think I've shared this track with you before, but it was from a best-of album. This appears to be the original, though I think it came out on 45 before the album release.  Don't know if that was any different.

4. Doll Dance by Del Castillo from Half & Half (Concert Recording CR-0028, Stereo).  More organ for you.

5. Waltz Of The Flowers, your only Nutcracker song of the night, plucked on guitar by Los Indios Tabajaras from Casually Classic (RCA Victor LSP-3505, Stereo, 1966).  I think these guys released a Christmas single at some point, but I've never found it.  Anyone have any knowledge of that?

6. Summer Me, Winter Me (From "Picasso Summer") by Enoch Light And The Light Brigade from The Best Of The Movie Themes 1970 (Project 3 PR 5046SD, Stereo, 1970).  I really wish Enoch had recorded a whole Christmas album at some point.  The random stuff that came out on his label are all interesting, but there's not enough of it.

7. Sleigh Ride (not the Leroy Anderson tune) as done by the amazing Shari Lewis With Lambchop And Charley Horse With Marty Gold And His Orchestra, Lan O'Kun At The Piano, from her classic children's LP Fun In Shariland (RCA Camden CAL-1006 (Reissue of LBY-1006, 1958), Mono, 1960).  Great stuff!  This is what keeps me digging through those piles of raw vinyl.

8. Carol Of The Bells by The Singing Sergeants from Serenade In Blue-Series Eleven (Programs 131-143) (United States Air Force 7xLP Suggested Air Date: October-December 1969, Stereo, 1969).  Another thing I wish I could find more of.  These military releases are all good stuff.

9. Ave Maria (Franz Schubert) by Bob Beck At The Outdoor Organ from the album The Grotto Organs In Reverie (Adon, Oregon Ltd. V8844, Mono).  I told you I had a lot of organ tracks to share this year.  Perhaps you didn't believe me.  I've still got a stack of them to record!

10. Italian Jingle Bells by Lou Monte With Hugo Winterhalter's Orchestra And Chorus, a track I can't help but rerun year after year after year, every time I see the album Lou Monte Sings Songs For Pizza Lovers (RCA Victor LPM-1877, Mono, 1958).  Another artist I wish had a larger Christmas catalog.

And that's it.  Feels like a very eclectic set, but than most days feel that way.  Gotta be something in there for everyone tonight.

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 11

Hmmm, nothing special about day 11.  Not an anniversary of anything, not an even number, though it is odd and prime.  So I'd best quit talking about it and give you what you want, more Christmas music!

1. My Favorite Things (From The Musical Production "The Sound Of Music") by The Trapp Family Singers And Chorus, Arranged And Conducted By Father Franz Wasner. from their LP version of The Sound Of Music (RCA Victor LSP-2277, Stereo, 1960).  It was probably inevitable that the subjects of the Sound Of Music play would perform the songs from it at one point.  And this is the closest thing we get to a Christmas song from that play, though the Trapp Family did record other Christmas music.

2. Christmas Time's A Coming, a bluegrass Christmas classic by Reno & Smiley And The Tennessee Cutups from their last LP Last Time Together (Starday SLP 485-498, Stereo, 1972).  Not sure of the exact genesis of this track, I certainly don't think it's the hit version, so I don't know why they chose to revisit it, but I'm glad they did!

3. Blue Doll by Kitty Kallen-Orchestra Under The Direction Of Milton De Lugg, from her album If I Give My Heart To You (Columbia CS 8204, Stereo, 1960).  I think just about any song with the word doll in the title sorta kinda counts as Christmas music.  Maybe.

4. Rise Up Shepherd by The Highwaymen from Standing Room Only! (United Artists UAS 6168, Stereo, 1962).  No, this is not the country supergroup with Willie, Waylon, Kris and Johnny, but that would be awesome if it were!

5. Overture Miniature begins tonight's Nutcracker Suite, as performed by Warwick Symphony Orchestra from the first LP on the label, Nutcracker Suite/Carnival Of The Animals (Camden (RCA) CAL-100, Mono, 1954).  Good place to start.

6. Marche by Alfred Wallenstein Conducting The Virtuoso Symphony Of London from Romeo And Juliet Fantasy Overture-The Nutcracker Suite (Audio Fidelity (Mexico) FCS 50,006, Stereo, 1959). Yawn.

7. Dance Of The Flutes by The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra Conducted By Felix Slatkin from Nutcracker Suite/A Midsummer Night's Dream (Capitol SP8404, Stereo, 1957).  Was Felix Slatkin's time at the Hollywood Bowl right before Carmen Dragon?  I know this is before he started releasing those Fantastic Strings albums on Liberty.

8. Waltz Of The Flowers by Linda Kent from The Many Moods Of The "Mighty Mo" (AC/ATOS (Atlanta Chapter, American Theatre Organ Society) 30767, Stereo, 1977).  The Mighty Mo was apparently some organ, but you probably figured that out on your own...

9. Chinese Dance (Nutcracker Suite) by Carmen Dragon Conducting The Capitol Symphony Orchestra from Orientale (Capitol P-8453, Mono, 1963).  Speaking of Carmen Dragon, here he is!

10. Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy, not the whole song though, just some narration by Peter Ustinov from Nutcracker Suite-Between Birthdays-Verses By Ogden Nash (Columbia Masterworks ML 5664, Mono, 1961).  Classic stuff.

Is that it?  Yep, ten tracks.  Don't forget to come back tomorrow for more!

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 10

Day the Tenth!  Let's go!

1. Emanuel, Emmanuel by First United Methodist Church, Cullman, Alabama-Children's Choir, from A Celebration In Song (Prestige 80-157, Stereo, 1981).  Kids singing.  It is what it is.

2. Skaters Waltz by George Wright from Sweet And Low (HiFi Records, Life Series L1011, Mono, 1963).  Yes, 'Skaters', that's what it said.  Sorry.

3. Nutcracker: Grand Pas De Deux by Minneapolis Symphony/Dorati, from the double album The Heart Of The Ballet (Mercury 2xLP SR2 9127, Stereo).  You get music from the Nutcracker ballet tonight, just to throw you off the scent a little.

4. Boar's Head Carol by Chamber Singers-Robert Summer, Conductor, from University Of South Florida Chamber Singers And University Singers (Suncoast Recording Service KM 4471, Stereo, 1979).  Still enjoying the songs from this one.  Glad I found another copy to share this year.

5. Mary's Little Boy Child by The Placentia Presbyterian Chancel Choir-Ruth White Miller, Director, from Christmas Chimes 'N Other Times (Monarch Records DBP-226, Stereo, 1977).  Haven't heard too much from Jester Hairston lately, so here's one of his songs.

6. Cold December (In Your Heart) by The Original Limelighters, or if you prefer, The Limelighters.  This is from one of their later albums, Time To Gather Seeds (Warner Bros.-Seven Arts WS 1762, Stereo, 1968).  I don't know what the deal is with the confusion over their name.  I know this is not their earlier label, so there may have been some issues there.

7. Moonlight In Vermont by the great Brook Benton from Songs I Love To Sing (Mercury SR 60602, Stereo, 1960).  Good stuff here.

8. Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers (From "Chauve Souris") by Irving Fields Trio from the LP Latin Dance Date (RCA Camden CAL 350, Mono, 1958).  This can't be the first version of this I've shared out this year, can it?  I must be overlooking something.

9. The Toy Trumpet by Eddie Dunstedter from Mister Pipe Organ!-Eddie Dunstedter At The Morton Pipe Organ (Capitol T1128, Mono, 1959).  Can't go wrong with Eddie Dunstedter performing a song by Raymond Scott!

10. Sleighride, No. 3 From "Three German Dances, K. 605" by The Elgin Symphony Orchestra-Robert Hanson, Music Director-David Katz, Associate Conductor, from the album Elgin Presents... (Private Pressing SM-9/87, Stereo).  More goodness from vanity pressings.

That's it, ten songs for day ten!  The universe is in balance.

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 09

I'm not even sure what day this is.  Day 9. Monday, yeah, I think it's a Monday.  It's also another day during Christmas in July, so here goes!

1. Hallelujah Chorus by The Real Thing Steel Band from their LP The Clay House Inn Presents The Real Thing Steel Band (Edmar WLPS 1111, Stereo).  You liked the Nutcracker stuff performed on the steel drums, so here's some Handel for you!

2. Gesu Bambino by The Placentia Presbyterian Chancel Choir-Ruth White Miller, Director-Baritone Solo By Ross Raymond, Alto Solo By Marge Somerville, from Christmas Chimes "N Other Times (Monarch Records DBP-226, Stereo, 1977).  I've got plenty of these local groups this year.  They're always good for a track or two.

3. Jolly Sleigh Ride by Six Fat Dutchmen from Merry Polkas (RCA Victor LPM-1418, Mono, 1957).  I paid too much for this record at an expensive record store here in Sarasota.  But when I say the song title, I knew I had to have it.  I've shared out a couple of other tracks from this ensemble over the years, but this one was new to me!

4. It's Now Winter's Day by Tommy Roe, the title track from It's Now Winter's Day (ABC Records ABCS-594/ST-91146, Stereo, 1967).  This was one of the few records I found at a recent fundraiser for the community radio station in Tampa this year.  It was in bad shape, but I knew I needed the stereo version. Lot's a stereo going on in this one, too, so it was worth it!

5. The Things We Did Last Summer, a rare Christmas-adjacent track by Lesley Gore from My Town, My Guy & Me (Mercury MG 21042, Mono. 1965).  Sometimes these things just fall into my lap when I'm not looking...

6. Button Up Your Overcoat by Eddie Layton At The Hammond Organ, from his album Skatin' With Layton (Mercury SR 60258, Stereo, 1960).  I don't think I've shared out this song too much in the past, but I've warmed up to it in the past year or so.  So here it is!

7. Skater's Waltz (Die Schlittschuhläufer), Op. 183 by Vienna State Opera Orchestra (Volksoper)-Anton Paulik, Conductor, from the album Gold And Silver-Great Waltzes Of The Old World (Vanguard VRS-1002, Mono, 1957).  Lots of stuff on the Vanguard label this year for some reason.

8. Overture Miniature by Alfred Wallenstein Conducting The Virtuoso Symphony Of London from Romeo And Juliet Fantasy Overture-The Nutcracker Suite (Audio Fidelity (Mexico) FCS 50,006, Stereo, 1959).  Interesting to see what music they've paired up with The Nutcracker over the years to fill out an album.

9. Waltz Of The Flowers And Dance Of The Reed Pipes (The Nutcracker Suite) by Lamoureux Orchestra Of Paris, Conducted By Georges Tzipine, from the LP The Romantic Music Of Fritz Kreisler/Familiar Themes From Tchaikovsky (Capitol P-397, Mono, 1953). Two Nutcracker tracks for the price of one!

10. Arabian Dance (Nutcracker Suite) by Carmen Dragon Conducting The Capitol Symphony Orchestra from Orientale (Capitol P-8453, Mono, 1963).  I'm sure I have this in stereo somewhere, and have probably shared it before, but mono was the only copy I had in the stacks.

And that's your ten tracks for tonight!  Hope you find something good in there!

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 08

Day eight, so that's the first week down.  How we doin', everybody hanging on, keeping up, ready for more?  Good!  Let's go for week two!

1. Greensleeves by Raymond Lewenthal-Piano, from his LP Moonlight And Keyboard (Westminster XWN 18403, Mono, 1956).  If you ever wonder why I share so many versions of Greensleeves, it's because it's easy to find versions of it.  It's really old, so there's no royalties to be paid to the songwriter, and you can sing What Child Is This to the tune, so it's Christmas!

2. Silent Night by First United Methodist Church, Cullman, Alabama-Bell Choir, from their LP A Celebration In Song (Prestige 80-157, Stereo, 1981).  Yes, it's my first song of the year featuring the handbells!  And I don't know if I'll have anymore or not.  This one was kind of a surprise when I put it on the turntable, I wasn't expecting it.  So enjoy it!

3. Go Where I Send Thee by The Weavers from The Weavers At Carnegie Hall (Vanguard VRS 9010 (Metropolitan Music Library VG 9010), Mono, 1959).  Pretty sure I've shared this one with you multiple times in years gone by, but this release featured a different cover than usual.  Must be some sort of club or something, this Metropolitan Music Library.

4. White Snow by Bob Lind from The Elusive Bob Lind (Verve Folkways FT-3005, Mono, 1966).  Don't know much about this one.  Perhaps one of you will chime in with some detail.  :) Good song, though.

5. Miniature Overture, the only Nutcracker song of the night, this time by Andre Kostelanetz And His Orchestra-Andre Kostelanetz, Piano Soloist, from Nutcracker Suite-Between Birthdays-Verses By Ogden Nash (Columbia Masterworks ML 5664, Mono, 1961).  Got lots and lots of Nutcracker music this year, but I don't want to overwhelm you with it every day.  At least not here at the beginning.

6. Winter by The Young Americans from The Young Americans Presented By Johnny Mathis (Mercury MG 21023, Mono, 1965).  I swear, you have to turn over every record you find and scan the track listing, even if you think you've done it before.  There's songs to be found everywhere!

7. Skater's Waltz by Lawrence Welk's favorite, Bob Ralston, from his LP 22 All-Time Organ Favorites (RCA Camden CAS-917, Stereo, 1966).  OK, maybe not his favorite, but certainly one of his cohorts.

8. The Angelus by Bob Beck At The Chapel Organ from The Grotto Organs In Reverie (Adon, Oregon Ltd. V8844, Mono). Somebody told me once this was their favorite Christmas song, but I don't remember who that was.  I'm not really familiar with it, I'm afraid.

9. Moonlight In Vermont by The Rainbow Sound Of Bianco, His Harp And Orchestra, from Music For A Summer Evening (RCA Victor Club Record CSP-105, Stereo, 1963).  One of the first records I ever shared out for Christmas was Bianco's Christmas album, in mono.  Thought I was the only person in the world who had that record.  I thought harps for Christmas was the greatest thing ever.  Little did I know the depth and variety of the Christmas world!

10. White Christmas by Steve Lawrence from Steve And Eydie Sing The Golden Hits (ABC Paramount ABCS-311, Stereo, 1960).  Took me many years to find a stereo copy of this one, so now I have to buy it whenever I see it.  I'm trying to to share too many reruns with you this year, but I'm sure it's still more than 50% of my shares.  Maybe not in this post, but in general.

OK, that's it, another day down.  Thanks for coming by!

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 07

Seven days in and still going strong!

1. Overture by Duke Ellington And His Orchestra from Nutcracker Suite/Peer Gynt Suites Nos. 1 And 2 (Odyssey (Columbia) 32 16 0252 (Originally issued 1060), Stereo, 1980).  Starting out another block of Nutcracker music with a great arrangement by Duke & Billy Strahorn!

2. Russian Dance ("Trepak") From "Nutcracker Suite," Op. 71a by E. Power Biggs, taken from his LP Holiday For Harpsichord: Fun-Filled Favorites From E. Power Biggs & His Pedal Harpsichord (Columbia MS 6878, Stereo, 1966).  Yes, that's right, Harpsichord! And you know it's going to be good because his middle name is Power!

3. Arabian Dance by Antal Dorati Conducting The Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra from Britten: The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra/Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a (Mercury MG 50055, Mono, 1955).  A little more staid than the others in this suite, but good nonetheless.

4. Chinese Dance by The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra Conducted By Felix Slatkin, more straightlaced stuff, from Nutcracker Suite/A Midsummer Night's Dream (Capitol SP8404, Stereo, 1957).  I wonder if I have enough interesting versions to make a comp?  Hmmm...

5. March, some narration by Peter Ustinov from Nutcracker Suite-Between Birthdays-Verses By Ogden Nash (Columbia Masterworks ML 5664, Mono, 1961).  I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love Ogden Nash!

6. Dance Of The Flutes by Warwick Symphony Orchestra from their album Nutcracker Suite/Carnival Of The Animals (Camden (RCA) CAL-100, Mono, 1954).  These all sort of start to sound the same after a while, don't they?

7. Waltz Of The Flowers From "Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a" by The Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy, Conductor, from The Wonderful Waltzes Of Tchaikovsky And Strauss (Columbia Masterworks ML 5238, Mono, 1958). I pulled this from a collection of other things, but I'm thinking I have the full-length LP that it originally came out on.  I'll have to go digging to find it though.

8. Nutcracker by The Nutty Squirrels from The Nutty Squirrels (Hanover HM 8014, Mono, 1959).  Unfortunately, this has nothing at all to do with Tchaikovsky, but I thought I'd throw it in anyway.

9. Ave Maria (Pietro Mascagni) by Bob Beck At The Outdoor Organ from The Grotto Organs In Reverie (Adon, Oregon Ltd. V8844, Mono). I told you I have a million and one organ records!

10. I Saw Three Ships by The United States Air Force Band-Brass Choir from that great collection Serenade In Blue-Series Eleven (Programs 131-143) (United States Air Force 7xLP Suggested Air Date: October-December 1969, Stereo, 1969).  Great stuff on here!

And that's it, another great day!  Have at it and leave me a comment!

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 06

Another day, another share!  I need to get busy and record some more stuff.  It may not seem like it, but I'm burning through material fast! I need to make a dent in this huge pile of records.  But that's my problem, not yours.  Let's see what's in the stack for tonight.

1. Ave Maria by The Schubert Club Of Grand Rapids-Directed By James Nieboer, from their album This Is My Country (No Label, 80787, Stereo, 1968).  The record sleeve bragged about how many years these guys had been around, but I put it back in the pile and promptly forgot how many years that was.  Sorry.

2. Wedding Of The Painted Doll by Tiny James from Intermission Time-Music For Easy Listening (Doric DO (S) 1210 (Fake Stereo Reissue of 1957 Original), Fake Stereo, 1972).  Another treasure from the giant stack of organ records!

3. Shepherds Play Your Melody by The Winnipeg Mennonite Children's Choir-Helen Litz, Director, from Singing The Seasons Of The Lord (Choristers Guild, DSC-1, Stereo, 1979).  The tracks from this album are really growing on me, I hope you're enjoying them as well.

4. All Creatures Now Are Merry-Minded by 1978 Chamber Singers-Robert Summer, Conductor, from the LP University Of South Florida Chamber Singers And University Singers (Suncoast Recording Service KM 4471, Stereo, 1979).  So many tracks from this one to share...

5. Snowfall (Theme Of Claude Thornhill & His Orch.) by, of course, Claude Thornhill And His Orchestra.  Not sure which version this is, he's recorded it so many times, but I pulled it from The Thornhill Sound (Harmony (Columbia) HL 7088, Mono, 1958).

6. Winter Song by Tom Paxton from his album Heroes (Vanguard VSD 79411, Stereo, 1978).  Lots of goodies in the Tom Paxton catalog, but sometimes they're better sung by others...

7. Winter Wonderland by Doug Setterberg & Stan Boreson from Yust Try To Sing-a-long In Swedish With Doug Setterberg & Stan Boreson (Golden Crest CR3079, Stereo, 1959).  Not really in Swedish, but they've certainly changed the words around a bit. Pretty sure it was these guys who remade many of the Yogi Yorgesson Christmas songs on their own Christmas album, almost word for accented word.

8. March Of The Siamese Children by Del Castillo from Half & Half (Concert Recording CR-0028, Stereo).  Not really a Christmas song, but I needed to pull more stuff from those organ records...

9. Be A Santa by Percy Faith And His Orchestra from his version of Subways Are For Sleeping (Columbia CL 1733, Mono, 1961).  Wish it was a stereo copy, but this one is so hard to find, I was just happy to see one. (Grab a remastered Stereo copy for yourself on this Faith collection here!)

10. Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy, your obligatory Nutcracker track of the night, this time by Alfred Wallenstein Conducting The Virtuoso Symphony Of London from the LP Romeo And Juliet Fantasy Overture-The Nutcracker Suite (Audio Fidelity (Mexico) FCS 50,006, Stereo, 1959).  Not sure how I ended up with a Mexican pressing of this one.

And that's it, another ten tracks.  Hope you're enjoying everything so far.  Still a long, long ways to go!

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 05

Well, time to go back to work after the day off right in the middle of the week.  I told my guys they could come in late today since they will be up late watching the fireworks.  We'll see just how late they show up.  In the meantime, here's another set of great Christmas music for you!

1. Snowman by Tommy Roe from Beginnings (ABC ABCS 732, Stereo, 1971). If this doesn't cool you off, I don't know what will.

2. Cool Mambo by The George Shearing Quintet from A Shearing Caravan (MGM E3175. Mono, 1955).  OK, I stand corrected, this is the song that will cool you off!

3. Virgin Mary Had One Son by Joan Baez And Bob Gibson, accompanied by Bob Gibson on guitar, Bill Lee on bass, from Folk Festival At Newport Vol. 2 (Vanguard VRS-9063, Mono, 1959).  Always good Christmas music on these old folkie albums if you look hard enough.

4. Marche by Warwick Symphony Orchestra begins today's Nutcracker Suite block.  This track is from Nutcracker Suite/Carnival Of The Animals (Camden (RCA) CAL-100, Mono, 1954).  Seems to be a popular combo, The Nutcracker Suite with Carnival Of The Animals.

5. Arabian Dance by The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra Conducted By Felix Slatkin from Nutcracker Suite/A Midsummer Night's Dream (Capitol SP8404, Stereo, 1957).  Don't see these two suites paired up often.

6. Russian Dance by Andre Kostelanetz And His Orchestra-Andre Kostelanetz, Piano Soloist, from Nutcracker Suite-Between Birthdays-Verses By Ogden Nash (Columbia Masterworks ML 5664, Mono, 1961).  Wish I'd had a stereo one of this LP to rip for you...

7. Dance Of The Mirlitons by Antal Dorati Conducting The Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra from the LP Britten: The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra/Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a (Mercury MG 50055, Mono, 1955).  I just started pulling tracks from this one yesterday, but that one was spoken word.  This begins the actual music.

8. Waltz Of The Flowers by The Steel Bandits from The Steel Bandits Play (Decca DL4794, Mono, 1966). Yep, you guessed it, Tchaikovsky played on the steel drums!

9. Pas De Deux (No. 14a From The Complete Ballet, Op. 71) a ringer by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted By Sir Adrian Boult, taken from the album Sir Adrian Boult Conducts Suites From Tchaikovshy's Ballets The Nutcracker And Sleeping Beauty (Capitol SP 8690, Stereo, 1967).  Taken from the actual ballet, not the later orchestration, so it may not be as familiar to you.

10. Waltz Of The Trumpets by The Airmen Of Note, from the radio LP Serenade In Blue-Series Eleven (Programs 131-143) (United States Air Force 7xLP Suggested Air Date: October-December 1969, Stereo, 1969).  Not really a track from The Nutcracker, but sounds like it could be, right?

That's it, that's all you're getting today!  You'd better enjoy it or you won't get anymore!

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 04

Good morning, and Happy 4th of July to all my American visitors!  For the rest of you, Happy Wednesday!  I've got nothing special for you today, just a pile more Christmas music to listen to before you go see the fireworks tonight.  It's hot out there, maybe this holiday music will help cool you off.  Maybe...

1. Introduction To The Nutcracker Suite by Deems Taylor, a spoken word bit from Britten: The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra/Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a (Mercury MG 50055, Mono, 1955).  The music on this one is by Antal Dorati & The Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, but I especially liked the narration bits.

2. Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite by Jerry Murad's Harmonicats from Harmonica Rhapsody (Columbia CS 9141, Stereo, 1965).  I figured I'd go ahead and get The Nutcracker bits out of the way early tonight.  :)

3. The Virgin Mary Had A Baby Boy, a rerun, but a good one from The George Mitchell Choir, Conducted By Robert De Cormier, taken from a recently unsealed copy of Where Have All The Flowers Gone (Liberty LRP-3316, Mono, 1965).  I wish I'd found a sealed stereo copy, but beggars can't be choosers.

4. Gaudeamus Igitur; Winter Song; Rambling Wreck From Georgia Tech, a rambling medley by Living Voices from the LP Living Voices On The Campus (RCA Camden CAL-715, Mono, 1962).  I've always liked Winter Song, not sure why.  Maybe because we don't really have winter here in Florida, it's just not summer for a little while...

5. Winter Heavens Opened by The Winnipeg Mennonite Children's Choir-Helen Litz, Director, another good track from Singing The Seasons Of The Lord (Choristers Guild, DSC-1, Stereo, 1979).

6. Ave Maria by 1977 Chamber Singers-Robert Summer, Conductor, from the album University Of South Florida Chamber Singers And University Singers (Suncoast Recording Service KM 4471, Stereo, 1979).  I thought about doing a whole day of nothing but Ave Maria versions, but then I thought better of it.  I like to mix it up, I want there to be a little something every day that you like and something that you dislike.  If I bunch it all together, some of you might skip that day, and I can't have that!

7. My Favorite Things by Dave Brubeck Quartet from My Favorite Things (Columbia CS 9237, Stereo, 1966).  No arguments, please.

8. She Makes Me Warm by Pat Shannon from Back To Dreamin' Again/She Makes Me Warm (Uni (MCA) 73079, Stereo, 1969).  Not so much Christmas, but you'll appreciate her making you warm when it's chilly outside.

9. Igloo by the Gerry Mulligan Sextet, a cold climate habitat from Mainstream Of Jazz (Emarcy (Mercury) MG 36101, Mono, 1956).  Brrr, I'm chilly already!

10. Rock Candy by Brother Jack McDuff and the LP The Natural Thing (Chess (Germany) 275 010, Stereo, 1968).  Nothing says Christmas like candy!

There you go, ten more tracks to brighten your holidays!  Though it may be a different holiday than most of you are celebrating today.  Sorry about that.

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 03

Three days in already?  Seems like only yesterday I was sitting on a beach somewhere thinking I needed to start preparing for Christmas in July...  Not really, I'm sure I was in a record store checking the flip side of all the records looking for Christmas music.  And it was today, not yesterday. :)  OK, what's in the pile for tonight?

1. Come, Go With Me To Bethlehem by The Winnipeg Mennonite Children's Choir-Helen Litz, Director, taken from their LP Singing The Seasons Of The Lord (Choristers Guild, DSC-1, Stereo, 1979).  Nice recording of some kids here, and there are several more tracks from this one to go, so I hope you like it.

2. I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing, the Coca-Cola Christmas song, given a country spin by Jan Howard from her album Love Is Like A Spinning Wheel (Decca DL7-5333, Stereo, 1972).  Interesting, very interesting.

3. Winter Blues Bossa Nova by Bent Fabric from Operation Lovebirds (Atco SD 33-202, Stereo, 1967).  Nice moody little piece.  Wouldn't be out of place on those Easy Christmas collections that came out a few years ago...

4. In Dulci Jubilo by Hector Olivera, more organ goodness from the LP Two Sides Of Hector (Eagle Associates Recordings EAR-10217, Stereo). I told you I had a million of these organ albums, and I wasn't kidding.  You haven't seen anything yet.  I've still got a stack of them to go through and record!

5. Winter Warm by The Bob Crewe Generation from Music To Watch Birds By (Dynovoice DY 31902, Stereo, 1967).  Similar to the bossa nova track above, just something designed to put you in a certain mood.

6. Hallelujah Chorus by The Lee College Choir from A.T. Humphries Presents The Lee College Touring Choir (Skylite (Blackwood-Statesmen Enterprises) SRLP-5987, Mono, 1961). Don't think I knew The Blackwood Brothers and The Statesmen had a record label together!  Not sure how long it lasted, but here it is.  I appear to have called this track Hallelujah Choir at some point, but I think it's fixed in the download.  Some times I'm just working on autopilot...

7. The First Noel by The USAF Strings from the radio show LP set Serenade In Blue-Series Eleven (Programs 131-143) (United States Air Force 7xLP Suggested Air Date: October-December 1969, Stereo, 1969).  This was one of my favorite finds this season.  A collection of records made for radio programming back in 1969, consisting of seven records, though I only found three of them.  But one of the ones I found was a bonus side of all Christmas music!  So I've got a few more from this one that I'll be sharing out through the month.  That gives you something to look forward to.  And did I mention that I found this in a thrift store in Brooklyn?  Or was it Queens?  Either way, I was a long way from home when I discovered it!

8. Sleigh Ride by The Don Baker Trio from the LP Cocktail Hammond (Capitol T1099, Mono, 1959).  A rerun, but something I have to grab whenever I see it.

9. Greensleeves, by Mantovani And His Orchestra from his album Mantovani Waltz Encores (Decca (England) SKL 4098, Stereo, 1958).  This had to be one of his earliest stereo recordings, and somehow I came away with a copy from his native England.

10. Winter's Sadness (From Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto), a Tchaikovsky song that isn't from his Nutcracker Suite, by The Fantastic Strings Of Felix Slatkin from Fantastic Strings Play Fantastic Themes (Liberty LSS-14021, Stereo, 1963).  No Nutcraker Suite at all in the share today, but I had to slip in something by Tchaikovsky.

And that's it.  Ten more tracks in a holiday vein for you.  Hope you're keeping up, you don't want to fall behind this early in the game!

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 02

And just like that, we're on our way!  Time to jump into day 2.

1. Gloucestershire Wassail by Chamber Singers-Robert Summer, Conductor, from the album University Of South Florida Chamber Singers And University Singers (Suncoast Recording Service KM 4471, Stereo, 1979). There are 12 Christmas songs on this one, and I first shared them with you during Christmas in July six years ago.  But I knew I could reshare it when I recently found a sealed copy.

2. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm by Flip Phillips And His Orchestra from the jazz LP Flip Wails (Clef MG C-691, Mono, 1956). Nice version.  This label must have had something to do with Norman Granz since the label said it was made under his personal supervision.  I think you normally only see that on Verve labels.

3. Holiday For Strings, a not-at-all Christmas song performed by The Glenn Miller Orchestra Under The Direction Of Buddy DeFranco from the Pan-Am adorned LP Makes The Goin' Great (RCA Victor LSP-3971, Stereo, 1968).  This is an awful late LP for someone who died well over 20 years earlier.  I guess they figured his name would still sell.

4. Following on with orchestras named after their deceased leaders, here is The Bells Of St. Mary's by Lee Castle And The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra from Jimmy Dorsey On Tour (Epic BN 534 (Columbia Special Products Reissue CSP 534), Stereo, 1959).  When did Jimmy Dorsey die?  I'll have to look that one up.

5. Satin Doll by Wild Bill Davis from Flying High With Wild Bill Davis (Everest SDBR 1052, Stereo, 1959). I love these old Everest LPs.  I don't know why, but I do.  I always have to pick them up and look closely at them, even though I don't need to.

6. Moonlight In Vermont by Tennessee Ernie Ford-Arranged & Conducted By Jack Fascinato, from the album Songs I Like To Sing (Capitol ST 127, Stereo, 1969).  At some point, I think Ernie Ford quit recording secular songs and just went full-time gospel.  It may have been after this.  Not his best work.

7. Medley: Silent Night, Holy Night; Little Town Of Bethlehem; Hark! The Herald Angels Sing-Organ Solo by The Banjo Barons-Arranged And Conducted By Teo Macero And Marty Manning from The Banjo Barons Play Music For Happy Times (Columbia CS 8889, Stereo, 1963).  Not sure why this organ medley is on an LP from a bunch of banjo playing guys, but what are you gonna do.  I had the wrong title on this one, but I think I fixed it before I shared it.  If not, sorry...

8. The Toy Trumpet by Del Castillo, pulled from his album Half & Half (Concert Recording CR-0028, Stereo).  I think the Half & Half refers to two different organs he used to make the two sides of the LP.  Important minutia to the folks who dig the organ sound, I'm sure.

9. Medley: Romeo & Juliet; March From The "Nutcracker Suite" by All Accordion Band-Arranged And Conducted By Joe Cain, from their album Accordion Capers (Time Series 2000 S/2192, Stereo, 1965).  All accordions, you know it's going to be good!

10. Waltz Of The Flowers by Andre Kostelanetz And His Orchestra-Andre Kostelanetz, Piano Soloist from the LP Nutcracker Suite-Between Birthdays-Verses By Ogden Nash (Columbia Masterworks ML 5664, Mono, 1961).  Second day, and this is the second track from this LP.  Gotta squeeze 'em all in somehow.

There you go, ten more tracks!  Any early favorites?  Don't worry if not, we've still got a lot of music in the Christmas In July 2018 folder!

Zippyshare

Christmas In July 2018-Day 01

Twelve years I've been doing this, so I'm assuming you need no introduction.  Welcome to Christmas in July 2018!  I just finished recording the 200th track to share this month, so I'm hoping it will be a good one.  Maybe not as good as last year, which was absolutely awesome, but still pretty good.  I've got a huge stack of records here for you, some good, some meh, but all worth a listen.  So let me jump right in.

1. Christmas In July by Wendy Bagwell (And The Sunlighters, though I don't think they're here on this spoken word track) from the album Plain Georgia Gospel (Canaan (Word) CAS-9810, Stereo, 1977).  What better place to start than a track featuring the name of the holiday we're celebrating?

2. Bring A Torch, Jeanette, Isabella by The Placentia Presbyterian Chancel Choir-Ruth White Miller, Director, from Christmas Chimes 'N Other Times (Monarch Records DBP-226, Stereo, 1977). I was able to record 200 tracks already because I concentrated on albums with multiple tracks on them.  This is one of those albums that had a handful of tracks.  I wanted to make sure I was able to spread those throughout the month so they didn't become too monotonous.  They probably still will, but I can only do so much...

3. Ave Maria (Gounod) by Bob Beck At The Outdoor Organ from The Grotto Organs In Reverie (Adon, Oregon Ltd. V8844, Mono).  Sometime last month, I stumbled into a brand new Goodwill, and they had a huge pile of organ records.  So I have many, many, many Christmas songs from organ records to share with you this year.  You'll be so sick of it before the month is out that you'll beg me to stop posting them.  But I've got to get them all out there!

4. [Herald Square Street Sounds At Christmastime] Manhattan [East Side Street Traffic And Fire Engines], a track by Ralph Burns And His Orchestra And Chorus from New York's A Song (Decca DL 79068, Sounds by Joan Franklin, Stereo, 1960).  The song isn't so much Christmas, but the sound effects recorded on the ground in NYC are key.  This is something I recorded years ago, then promptly forgot about...

5. St. Louis Blues by Joe Carroll With The Ray Bryant Quintet from his self-titled LP Joe Carroll (Epic LN 3272, Mono, 1956).  If memory serves, I threw this in because they break into a little bit of Jingle Bells at one point in the song.  This was a great album, I ripped the whole thing.

And now to some boring bits.  I've got dozens of versions of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite, some complete, some just a track here or there, and I've been agonizing over how to share them.  Last year I would share a complete version here and there, so I don't want to do that this year.  I'm going to try to share a few tracks each day, maybe a whole set here and there, but with each track by a different artist.  That should mix things up a little bit for you.  By the end of the month, you'll have more versions than you can shake a stick at, but they'll be complete.  So here goes...

6. Arab Dance (Theme Based On The Nutcracker Suite Of Tchaikovsky) by Claude Thornhill And His Orchestra from The Thornhill Sound (Harmony (Columbia) HL 7088, Mono, 1958).  Nice swinging version here, just found and recorded it today.  Though the LP I pulled it from came out in 1958, I believe the recording dates back to 1946.

7. Chinese Dance by Warwick Symphony Orchestra from the LP Nutcracker Suite/Carnival Of The Animals (Camden (RCA) CAL-100, Mono, 1954).  I think this was the very first LP released on RCA Victor's budget subsidiary, Camden.  Cool!

8. Trepak by The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra Conducted By Felix Slatkin from Nutcracker Suite/A Midsummer Night's Dream (Capitol SP8404, Stereo, 1957). A rerun many times over around here, but a great version of this classic.

9. Dance Of The Flutes by Peter Ustinov, a spoken bit from Nutcracker Suite-Between Birthdays-Verses By Ogden Nash (Columbia Masterworks ML 5664, Mono, 1961). This one alternates instrumental bits performed by Andre Kostelanetz with Peter Ustinov reading the verses written by the great Ogden Nash.  Good Stuff!

10. Waltz Of The Flowers by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted By Sir Adrian Boult from the album Sir Adrian Boult Conducts Suites From Tchaikovsky's Ballets The Nutcracker And Sleeping Beauty (Capitol SP 8690, Stereo, 1967). I think I misspelled Tchaikovsky in the download, so you'll want to go in and correct that as soon as you've downloaded it.  Don't want to have a typo in your Christmas library.

And that's it, ten tracks you can download and listen to to get your Christmas in July holiday party started.  Come back every day for more goodies!

Zippyshare