Category: jazz

This show only lasted 10 seasons, so it’s no NCIS. But this show gave us a couple songs. Guest star Erica Gimple sings “We’ll Catch Up” (not too Christmassy and only half a song, but amazingly uninterrupted) and “Wishing It were Christmas” with a USO PSA. Now that’s a holiday assault.

Silent film for kids, this long running cartoon series without dialog appealed to the imaginative and the dense alike.

A 1978 special “A Pink Christmas” featured the rewriting of an O. Henry story (used more than once for Xmas TV series). Instead of dying at the end of “The Cop and the Anthem,” however, it’s Santa and magic food. Despite muteness, the show had a couple songs, including “Yuletide Spirit”

and “Wonderful Wintertime”

sung by St. Michaels Day School  Choir. Also “Jolly Holiday” covered by grown up fan jazz stylist Marian Hortens (w/The M Sandberg Duo). Cool.

What’s in that Xmas box? WHAT IS IT? Feel it, heft it, shake it! Open it!

A wonderful parody i’ve shared earlier is the Spaff master Dave Rudolf pranking us with “What Present’s This?” No tag? But, it’s enormous! Mine!

Less decipherable is the electronic metal of Kiwi in “What’s in the Present Box?” What a mash up!

Kidsong wants to ruin the fun with proper behavior in music. “Don’t Shake the Presents” by Gerry and The Crocodettes warns about spoiler alerts or some such humbuggery. Faw. Pretty good ragtimey rock.

“Little Wrapped Gift” from Rough Shop harmonizes some kid folk about impatience. Nice.

Another gutbuster for me is Toby Turner riffing on the Creed ‘Arms Wide’ song with “Who Opened the Presents.” Damn i like this one. (Some censoring for your viewing comfort.)

Less hilario is Jayden Rodrigues with “Open Presents Time” to Gangnam Style. Yeah.

Cool jazz from Kevin Kammeraad and Friends about “Opening Gifts.” They were in a hurry and (even with scat interlude) got ’em opened in one minute.

Santa gives presents. How ’bout we reciprocate? (No–above and beyond milk and cookies.)

“Let’s Give a Present to Santa Claus” from Rosemary Clooney is so syrupy the best she can offer is peace and goodwill to men. That’s the present. Jesus.

Chanting kidsong from Scott Fagan also cornerstones the love we feel for the Big Deliverer. “A Christmas Present for Santa Claus” seems to be the present. Hope you kept the receipt.

Eddy Arnold leaves a cooler “Present for Santa Claus:” a flashlight! Useful (if no Rudolph)!

Although Raymond Wolf subvocalizes his tambourine pop “A Present for Santa,” i think he wants to give charity. What?

WATCH OUT–Sarah Taylor claims “I’ve Got a Present for Santa” but seems to have to be undressed to give it. Bossa nova suggestive jazz for a present you can actually get your hands on.

Some also rans in the gargantuan category of Love Present for Christmas deserve some partial listening to.

Maria Aragon (w/Liona Boyd) corrida pop on “My Special Christmas Present is You.” I like how hard it is to identify the genre.

Special needs Guys and Dolls have an actual message in their pop folk “Don’t Worry About Presents This Christmas (Just Give Me Your Time).” No, they can’t sing, but they can make you feel pretty awful about yourself.

Hot (but slightly square) jazz from Gordy Pratt (feat. Christina Watson) seduces you with “I’m a Present.” Clever mom wit.

“What is Christmas Without a Tree?” wonder Sno Cones with pop rock, tambourine, and Spanish guitar. (It’s like Easter without the bunny.) (It’s like this blog without this song.)

As mentioned afore, location may determine the availability of a good tree. Rusty Wellington pushes the c-western envelope with “There’s No Christmas Tree in Vietnam.” Our boys!

But, no trees in Trini?! “No Trees for We” worry General Grant with some shakin’ parang.

There’s not no Christmas tree in Butterbeans & Susie’s comedy ragtime “Papa Ain’t No Santa Claus, and Mama Ain’t No Christmas Tree.” It’s all comparative symbolism. And insults.

Treemouth wonders about the should have beens while rocking out about the loss of his “Christmas Tree.” He’s got none. Sad. But rhythmic.

Big R+B from Roy C who has no woman no cry no tree in “Christmas Without a Tree.” Ain’t nobody here but me. Blue now.

Minister Johnson classily cools R+B with a larcenous libretto about a B+E in “Where’s My Christmas Tree?” Poor screaming guy, they even took his biscuits!

It’s so beautiful, even “Aliens Stole My Christmas Tree.” anote4you revisits on of my favorite hillbilly breakdowns.

Wild swinging rockabilly from The Ridin Dudes (TRD) who got the blues, but ain’t got “No Christmas Tree.” Blue Christmas, baby.

Autulume suggests next year to have “A Christmas Tree.” Good plan. Symphonic jazz fun.

Steven Weeks (i told you this before) coolcoolcools the jazz-folk for his “Aluminum Christmas Tree.” Praise the reprise.

David DeBoy countries up the comedy in a (repeated) funny “Aluminum Christmas Tree.” Hmm.

My personal fave, Benny Grunch & The Bunch get down south with “I Could See the Aluminum Tree Through the Pitcha Winda.” Meditative nostalgic Nawlins jazz.

Mumbling through some folky bluegrass the guitar plus me nasally drones out “Aluminum Xmas Trees” because that’s the problem and the solution… i guess.

Michael Franks (yeah ‘Popsicle Toes’) lays down the romantic hyperactive jazz irony with “I Bought You a Plastic Star (for Your Aluminum Tree.” Just go with it.

Joe Hammel gets Catskills with a jazzy softshoe number “The Aluminum Christmas Tree.” It’s POV the tree, so keep the hankies nearby.