I've got about 50 Christmas CD's and here are my favorites... (I've tried to avoid Various Artist / Compilations)
Leon Redbone - Christmas Island. Leon's laid back foggy baritone voice is so relaxing and yet bouncy at times. Mostly popular standards. Dr. John joins in for a soulful and lively rendition of "Frosty The Snowman," while Redbone dutifully covers both "White" and "Blue" Christmas, "Let It Snow," and "Winter Wonderland." But a highlight you won't want to miss is his version of "Toyland," sung with what can best be described as Redbone passion, embracing dashes of longing, nostalgia, and pleasure as deep as the voice that breathes life into a song about every kid's Christmas fantasy. The best. (I see they've re-released this with bonus tracks! Even better!)
David Grisman's Acoustic Christmas. Bluegrass with a slightly jazzy twist. Mandolinist David Grisman's instrumental masterpiece. On this 1983 album, the acclaimed mandolinist strings together an assortment of holiday tunes like they're popcorn strung around an ornament-laden pine. With the likes of bassist Rob Wasserman and Bela Fleck in town, Grisman gives the dawg treatment to everything from "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" to "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," closing out, appropriately enough, with "Auld Lang Syne." With picking this tasteful, it's really rather a shame that Acoustic Christmas will inevitably be packed away for 11 months of the year.
Merry Axemas - A Guitar Christmas. Various Artists, produced by Steve Vai, a who's who of Rock guitar gods. Including... Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Eric Johnson, Jeff Beck, Brian Setzer, Joe Satriani, Steve Morse, Steve Vai, Joe Perry, Alex Lifeson, Richie Sambora and Hotei.
Merry Axemas Volume 2. More Guitars For Christmas. Even more guitar gods! This time we get to hear... Steve Lukather, Neal Schon, Steve Stevens, Stu Hamm, Trevor Rabin, Zakk Wilde, John Sykes, Robin Trower, Al DiMeola, and the Motor City Madman, Ted Nugent.
Low - Christmas. Dark, slow and moody Christmas music from Duluth Minnesota. They do the best version of "Little Drummer Boy" ever.
The Vince Guaraldi Trio - A Charlie Brown Christmas. Cool jazzy music from the Charlie Brown Christmas cartoon classic.
The Andy Williams Christmas Album. A must own. Andy is smooth. I took my Mom to see him many years ago. Awesome! He does my favorite version of "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year".
Johnny Mathis - Merry Christmas. Another classic crooner I took Mom to see. His version of O' Holy Night might be the most beautiful ever recorded.
Mannheim Steamroller - Christmas. Any and all of the Chip Davis xmas projects are good, but the first one starts out with a bang. I love the mix of analog synths and acoustic instruments. Our first drummer from my "Sometimes I..." band worked at Chip's studio in Nebraska.
Kenny G - Miracles, The Holiday Album. OK, I know it's Kenny G. But it's so mellow and smooth, you gotta love it.
Brian Setzer Orchestra - Boogie Woogie Christmas. This one rocks! Stray Cats with a big band horn section. The rockinest Jingle Bells on the planet. (There are two versions of this, one has bonus/extra tracks)
Bing Crosby - Merry Christmas. Classic crooning from the legend. I love his version of the Hawaiian song, Mele Kalikimaka.
Jimmy Smith - Christmas Cookin'. Cool, Jazzy stylings on the Hammond B3 organ.
The Beach Boys - Ultimate Christmas. Sweet harmonies that'll rock your stockings off.
Honorable Mention...
Deck The Halls / Holiday Music from the Biltmore House Pipe Organ, with Justin Hartz on the organ. I just love the sound of a vintage pipe organ.
Windham Hill Artists - A Winters Solstice 1 & 2.
Bob Rivers & Twisted Radio - I Am Santa Claus. Funny. Very Funny.
Mark Mothersbaugh - (of DEVO) Joyeux Mutato.
Dean Martin - Seasons Greetings.
The Very Special Christmas series - Various rock artists.
George Winston - December.
John Fahey - Guitar solo Christmas Album.
The Soundtrack to Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, with Burl Ives. I loved this as a kid. I think I cried when the Abominable Snowman got Yukon Cornelious. I think Burl Ives IS Santa Clause. What a voice.
And don't forget Elvis.
Who says a godless, infidel, heretic, hell bound atheist can't like Christmas music? I love it! It doesn't matter if it's about our fictional friend Santa and his physics busting flying reindeer or the religious mythologies of Jewish zombie death cults. A good song is a good song.
Besides, the government officially secularized Christmas in 1870, when they made it a Federal Holiday.
Have A Super Solstice!
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