Thursday
Dec222011
A Very Vintage Christmas In The Roadhouse: 12/21/11
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 11:11PM
Enjoy this one with glad tidings and best wishes from American Standard Time and KEXP.
This show (click the link below!) is most suitable for a Christmas Eve playback under the glow of Christmas lights, served with gin & tonics, nut crackers, and tangerines. So grab someone close, call the family, or if you're having a Blue Christmas (like many of the characters in these songs!), play it to get by.
This selection of vintage jazz and blues from the 40's, 50's, and 60's shares the many perspectives of the Holiday season- from the joys of plum pudding, marshmallow worlds, soul santas, reefer, and money, to the hard times of winter blues and lonliness. It's all here from some of the true greats- Fats Waller, Charles Brown, Dexter Gordon, Charlie Parker, Lou Rawls, Booker T & The MGs, Babs Gonzales, Ramsey Lewis, Otis Redding, and the classic Columbia recording by a reluctant Miles Davis, "Blue Xmas" (vocal by Bob Dorough).
And who knew that Santa spends the whole year getting high at The North Pole, or how cool he looks in his red suit, shades and cigarette talkin' jive? Jimmy Butler is not shy about wanting to trim ya (er, your tree...), Pearl Bailey wants money, Sonny Boy Williamson is caught looking in his baby's dresser drawers (not cool) and Rashaan Roland Kirk spins "We Three Kings" into "We Free Kings". It's pretty killer.
This is Christmas from the other side of the tracks, from back in the day. And in these hard times, perhaps William Bell's sentiment says it best when he sings "Why Can't Everyday Be Like A Holiday?" For the more grounded of you, perhaps the immortal words of Soul Brother #1, James Brown says it best in his plea, "Let's Make Christmas Mean Something This Year"
But for me, it's always Charles Brown who says it best,
"Merry Christmas Baby"
Click it!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 (LISTEN TO THIS SHOW)
| Time | Artist | Song | Album | Label |
| 6:02 | James Brown | Let's Make Christmas Mean Something This Year | Santa's Got a Brand New Bag | Rhino |
| DJ Comments: Released as a single on King in 1966 ; Welcome to The Roadhouse's Very Vintage Christmas! | ||||
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| 6:08 | The Ramsey Lewis Trio | Plum Puddin' | More Sounds of Christmas | Chess Records |
| DJ Comments: Audio of the group doing "Christmas Blues" from 1961: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKGeUPRjNZ8 | ||||
| 6:10 | Booker T. & The MG's | Silver Bells | The Original Soul Christmas | Rhino |
| DJ Comments: Recorded in 1966 at Stax Studios in Memphis | ||||
| 6:13 | Otis Redding | Merry Christmas, Baby | Dreams to Remember: The Otis Redding Anthology (disc 2) | Rhino |
| DJ Comments: B-side of 1968 Atco single (A-side: White Christmas) ; http://melingo.com/thesoulnet/otis.htm | ||||
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| 6:18 | The Ramsey Lewis Trio | Jingle Bells | More Sounds of Christmas | Chess Records |
| 6:18 | Detroit Junior | Christmas Day | Blue Yule | Rhino |
| DJ Comments: 1960 single on Foxy Records | ||||
| 6:20 | Solomon Burke | Presents for Christmas | The Original Soul Christmas | Atlantic |
| DJ Comments: Live footage of the man in a big red coat with big white collar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPYyHGjLrwk | ||||
| 6:23 | The Supremes | Little Bright Star | Merry Christmas | Motown |
| DJ Comments: Audio of "Little Drummer Boy" from the same album: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo1X68Fgsv0 | ||||
| 6:25 | The Twistin' Kings | Xmas Twist | The Complete Motown Singles, Volume 1: 1959-1961 (disc 6) | Hip-O Select |
| DJ Comments: Apparently aka The Funk Brothers, the Motown house band! http://trunk-of-funk.blogspot.com/2008/12/xmas-twist-twistin-kings.html ; http://motownjunkies.co.uk/2010/04/24/139/ | ||||
| ---- air break ---- | ||||
| 6:30 | Charles Brown | Please Come Home for Christmas | Charles Brown's Cool Christmas Blues | Bullseye Blues |
| DJ Comments: Originally released in 1960 as a single and on the album "Charles Brown Sings Christmas Songs" | ||||
| 6:33 | Charles Brown | Wrap Yourself in a Christmas Package | Please Come Home for Christmas | Gusto |
| DJ Comments: This album feat. guest artist Bill Doggett ; song originally released as a single on King in 1963 | ||||
| 6:35 | Jimmy McCracklin | Christmas Time, Part 1 | Blue Yule | Rhino |
| DJ Comments: 1961 single on Art-Tone (b/w Christmas Time Part 2) | ||||
| 6:37 | Lowell Fulson | Lonesome Christmas, Part 1 | Merry Christmas, Baby | |
| DJ Comments: Also recorded as Lowell Fulsom ; this single released 1950 on Swing Time | ||||
| 6:41 | Lowell Fulson | Lonesome Christmas, Part 2 | Merry Christmas, Baby | |
| 6:42 | Sonny Boy Williamson | Santa Claus | Blue Yule | Rhino |
| DJ Comments: Released on 1969 album Bummer Road on Chess ; audio of his 1951 recording of "Sonny Boy's Christmas Blues": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGFnSqMFQFo | ||||
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| 6:48 | Rashaan Roland Kirk | We Free Kings | We Free Kings | Mercury |
| DJ Comments: Live video of this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZ1QCXduXlw ; more about this album: http://www.allmusic.com/album/r69385 | ||||
| 6:53 | Lou Rawls | Little Drummer Boy | Merry Christmas Ho! Ho! Ho! | Capitol |
| DJ Comments: Possibly the best xmas album cover ever: http://americanstandardtime.com/home/2011/12/21/pimpin-christmas.html ; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5VEWZI2d5U | ||||
| 6:55 | Brook Benton | Soul Santa | Soul Christmas | Atlantic |
| DJ Comments: Single released 1971 on Cotillion Records | ||||
| 6:59 | William Bell | Everyday Will Be Like a Holiday | The Complete Stax-Volt Singles: 1959-1968 (disc 8) | Stax |
| DJ Comments: 1967 Stax single ; you're in The Roadhouse's Very Vintage Christmas! Don't forget--you can replay this song from the archive this weekend. Festive! | ||||
| 7:02 | The Insight | Please Come Home For Christmas | Blue Yule (Various Artists) | Rhino |
| DJ Comments: Johnny & Edgar Winter! 1965 single | ||||
| 7:06 | Charles Brown | It's Christmas Time | Please Come Home for Christmas | Gusto |
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| 7:09 | Jimmy Butler | Trim Your Tree | Savoy Jazz Christmas Blues | Savoy Jazz |
| 7:11 | Oscar McLollie & His Honey Jumpers | Dig That Crazy Santa Claus | Hipsters' Holiday | Rhino |
| DJ Comments: 1954 single ; vid of Brian Setzer Orchestra doing this song live: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2-rhtOKvCc | ||||
| 7:14 | The Marshall Brothers | Mr. Santa's Boogie | Savoy Jazz Christmas Blues | Savoy Jazz |
| DJ Comments: 1951 Savoy release ; http://www.jazzdisco.org/savoy-records/catalog-78-rpm-700-800-series/#825 | ||||
| 7:16 | Mabel Scott | Boogie Woogie Santa Claus | Papa Ain't No Santa Claus, Mama Ain't No Christmas Tree | Savoy Jazz |
| DJ Comments: Hit for her in 1948 ; http://www.allmusic.com/artist/mabel-scott-p316062/biography | ||||
| 7:19 | Pearl Bailey | Five Pound Box of Money | Hipsters' Holiday | Rhino |
| DJ Comments: 1959 single on Roulette Records ; http://www.globaldogproductions.info/r/roulette.html | ||||
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| 7:24 | Dexter Gordon & Wardell Gray | Jingle Jangle Jump | Citizens Bop | Black Lion |
| ---- air break ---- | ||||
| 7:26 | Babs Gonzales | Be-Bop Santa Claus | Hipsters' Holiday | Rhino |
| DJ Comments: 1954 single on Bruce Records ; also included on 1962 album Sunday Afternoon with Babs Gonzales at Small's Paradise ; http://www.allmusic.com/artist/babs-gonzales-p6592 | ||||
| 7:29 | Johnny Guarnieri & Slam Stewart | Santa's Secret | Savoy Jazz Christmas Blues | Savoy Jazz |
| DJ Comments: 1944 tune! ; More about this comp: http://www.hipchristmas.com/albums/c/christmas_blues.php | ||||
| 7:32 | Fats Waller & His Rhythm Orchestra | Swingin' Them Jingle Bells | Santa Claus Blues | |
| DJ Comments: Recorded in 1936 for Victor ; http://www.redhotjazz.com/fats.html | ||||
| 7:35 | Lambert, Hendricks & Ross | Deck Us All With Boston Charlie | Hipsters' Holiday | |
| DJ Comments: Originally released on album Jingle Bell Jazz on Columbia in 1962 | ||||
| 7:39 | Leo Watson | Jingle Bells | Hipsters' Holiday | |
| DJ Comments: Recorded in 1946 | ||||
| ---- air break ---- | ||||
| 7:44 | Johnny Moore's Three Blazers | Merry Christmas, Baby | Swingtime Christmas | Night Train |
| DJ Comments: The original version, recorded in 1947 | ||||
| 7:47 | Charles Brown | Merry Christmas Baby | Charles Brown's Cool Christmas Blues | Bullseye Blues |
| DJ Comments: Some live footage: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7od8d_charles-brown-merry-christmas-baby_music ; more info about his recordings of this song: http://john.foliot.ca/fifth-day-of-christmas/ | ||||
| 7:52 | Lester Williams | Winter Time Blues | Merry Blue Christmas | Fuel |
| DJ Comments: Recorded 1949 ; http://www.allmusic.com/artist/lester-williams-p138453/biography | ||||
| 7:55 | Gatemouth Moore with the Tiny Grimes Swingtet | Christmas Blues | Savoy Christmas Blues | Savoy |
| DJ Comments: Recorded 1946 | ||||
| 7:58 | Felix Gross | Love for Christmas | Savoy Jazz Christmas Blues | Savoy Jazz |
| DJ Comments: 1949 recording | ||||
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| 8:03 | Charlie Parker | White Christmas | Savoy Jazz Christmas Blues | Savoy Jazz |
| DJ Comments: Recorded in NYC on Christmas in 1948 | ||||
| 8:08 | Count Basie & His Orchestra | Good Morning Blues (I Want to See Santa Claus) | Santa Claus Blues | Jass Records |
| DJ Comments: Recorded in 1937 ; You're in The Roadhouse for the annual Very Vintage Christmas! You can replay this whole show from the archive this weekend--makes a perfect soundtrack to your holiday festivities! | ||||
| 8:12 | Benny Carter and His Orchestra | Jingle Bells | Santa Claus Blues | Jass |
| DJ Comments: Recorded in London in 1936 | ||||
| 8:14 | Julia Lee & Her Boy Friends | Christmas Spirit | Hipsters' Holiday | |
| DJ Comments: With Benny Carter on sax ; recorded 1947 ; read more at #77 on this cool xmas song list: http://www.hipchristmas.com/lists/songs/61.php | ||||
| 8:17 | Little Esther & Johnny Otis | Far Away Christmas Blues | Savoy Christmas Blues | Savoy Jazz |
| DJ Comments: 1950 recording ; more about this comp: http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=12790 | ||||
| 8:21 | Fats Waller | Deep River | Fine Arabian Stuff | High Note Records |
| DJ Comments: Recorded in 1939 ; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fats_Waller | ||||
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| 8:27 | Shirley Caesar | It Came Upon a Midnight Clear | Gospel Songs at Christmas | Mistletoe |
| 8:29 | The Meditation Singers | Blue Christmas | Have a Merry Chess Christmas | Chess Records |
| DJ Comments: 1968 single ; info on this and other soul Christmas tunes: http://www.sirshambling.com/articles/soulful_christmas.html | ||||
| 8:32 | Lou Rawls | Christmas Will Really Be Christmas | Merry Christmas Ho! Ho! Ho! | Capitol |
| 8:35 | Miles Davis | Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern) | Jingle Bell Jazz | Columbia |
| DJ Comments: Bob Dorough on vocals: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Dorough | ||||
| ---- air break ---- | ||||
| 8:40 | Booker T. & The MG's | Jingle Bells | The Original Soul Christmas | Atlantic |
| DJ Comments: Recorded at Stax Studio and released in 1966 | ||||
| 8:43 | Darlene Love | Marshmallow World | A Christmas Gift for You From Phil Spector | Phil Spector Records |
| DJ Comments: Originally recorded and released in 1963 ; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Christmas_Gift_for_You_from_Philles_Records | ||||
| 8:46 | The Supremes | Joy to the World | Merry Christmas | Motown |
| 8:48 | Louis Armstrong | The Night Before Christmas - A Poem | Santa Claus Blues | Jass Records |
| 8:53 | Vera Hall | The Last Month of the Year | Where Will You Be Christmas Day? | Dust-to-Digital |
| DJ Comments: 1959 ; great info on this and other songs on the comp at Dust-to-Digital's site: http://dust-digital.com/christmas-notes.htm | ||||
| 8:56 | Lightnin' Hopkins | Christmas Blues | Merry Blue Christmas | Fuel 2000 Records |
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