Category: jazz

TreeMendous Holiday Fun: Scrub Out the Idea of a Tree

“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.

TreeMendous Holiday Fun: The Aluminum Supplanter

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.

TreeMendous Holiday Fun: Make Like a Tree and Leaf!

It’s Christmas! How could you be so horrible! Get away from my Christmas tree!

Mr. Richard & the Pound Hounds vants to be levt alone! “Up in My Christmas Tree” is where he’s hiding from All Of YOU! Go Away! …fun, wispy country rock.

Dick Stratton & The Nite Owls surely swing that country tune when they stare down their insignificant other and state “I Wouldn’t Have You on My Christmas Tree.” You’re no angel, you hussy!

Pure 1966 country corn from Loretta Lynn who invites you not to come back home, because “I Won’t Decorate Your Christmas Tree This Year.” She’s going home to Mama, you beast!

James Apollo gets the bongo beating, finger popping cool jazz hot with “Go Trim Another Tree.” Don’t come round here! He’s serious.

TreeMendous Holiday Fun: Family Pinaceae

It’s all about family, the Christmas tree. I mean, doy!

Sometimes it’s only for Dad. “My Father’s Christmas Tree” honors a WWII vet in the best way, decorating some fauna for a month. Spiritually amateurish sort-of country.

Mom and Dad time! J D Wages have the ‘rents reminisce to the glow of the lights “On Our Christmas Tree.” Pop country with a two-step proclivity. The drawling full on country version hails from The Animal Band.

Modern lite jazz from Roland Everett Fall who has stories to tell from his “Christmas Tree Memories.” Most feature a good Daddy.

“The Christmas Tree in Mother’s House” is the doorway to nasal nostalgia. Larry Whinnery whispers his country lullaby.

La la la, blah blah blah, “Christmas Tree” from Neal Lowry thanks God for family, but sings Hawaiian style country to the tree.

Light jazz rock, this time with feeling, from David Barnes. “Family Tree” takes us from the car, to the home, to the distant nostalgia, to the heart of it all. Awww.

All together at last! Let’s credit “The Christmas Tree.” It’s the only reason we hold hands. So says Rick Goldberg with pop pop jiffy pop country swing.

Broken family getting you down? wish you could consolidate two Christmas trees into “One Christmas Tree“? Just ask the good folks at Nitty Gritty Dirt Band for a game plan. They’ll pick and grin ya a fine hearthside yuletide setup.

Family dustups don’t spare the shrubbery! Billy Idol lightly punks in “Yellin’ at the Christmas Tree.” Daddy’s abusive, innit?

Too much family? Poppermost feels your pain with the high-larry-us “Family Christmas Tree.” Swinging pop with a snap and a crackle. You’re not getting away that easily!

TreeMendous Holiday Fun: Wood You Love Me?

That tree isn’t just a symbol of Christ’s love for all people, it’s also a symbol of your boy wanting to be with you, girl.

Blacka Devon expresses love with bringing you the “Christmas Tree.” It’s sultry R+B parang to let you know how much that tree should mean to you.

Makayla hits the siren notes when proposing you “Meet Me at the Christmas Tree.” She’ll be the one with batting eyes. Smokey jazz.

Folk Angel (feat. Lauren Chandler) alts up the folk and amps up the anticipation for how quickly they can travel across the miles to meet at “The Christmas Tree.” I’m on the edge of my seat!

Roosevelt Sykes, in a beautifully digitized cleaning of the down and dirty 1930s blues, asks his baby to “Let Me Hang Your Stockings in Your Tree.” But he’s sweet and gentle, not no nasty suitor, no siree.

Phil Mack has gone a long way to tell you he loves you. His country pop with cheap instruments emphasizes the “Light of the Christmas Tree” so he can– see your face? Disconnected but sentimental elements to ensure a hit.

Rockabilly lite from Rick Diaz makes his overtures to her with “I’m Gonna Shake the Decorations Right off Your Christmas Tree.” It’s Elvis for people who don’t know Elvis.

How he met your great-grandmother gets the once over in “Tree of Love,” a shaggy dog story about immigrant proposals, grand gestures, and antique romance. Sabrina and Craig sell it like an introspective show tune.

Nothing says love me like scat. Playing the glottal stops like a pro, PJ Parker coos you to “Jingle Down the Christmas Tree” to swing with her. Get down, boy.

TreeMendous Holiday Fun: Tree Vee Tunes

Cartoon characters like Christmas trees, too. And if you’re a kid, maybe you’ll excuse these songs.

Inappropriate lounge style punctuates “Cinderella’s Christmas Tree.” Her glass slippers hang next to her glass ceiling.

More in the spirit, “Dino the Dinosaur’s Christmas Tree” from the 1964 cartoon episode features Alan Reed as Santa Fred teaching the kiddies with his bouncy spluttering.

Flipside to ‘Suzy Snowflake’ was “Little Red Riding Hood’s Christmas Tree,” a Rosemary Clooney orchestral offering from 1951 that tootles its way around the decorations (you know, big eyes, big nose, big mouth…).

Yeah, there’s a song about it. Lara Herscovitch soars soulfully with “Charlie Brown Christmas Tree.” Her folk pop is more about home and love and Christ and getting away from the rat race. Not sure if the grief is good here. Or childhood values. Or trees, really.

So now let’s grow up! Janyse goes Betty Boop with “Elfy Under My Tree.” Swinging flirtiness! (She has a more womanly torch version, as well.)

TreeMenodus Holiday Fun: I Saw Trees

Tromp tromp tromp, whew! Hack hack hack, hooboy! The extraction of the right evergreen is almost as hard as giving virgin birth!

Take this word of warning to heart through Erik Darling’s “Revenge of the Christmas Tree.” Frolicsome bluegrass, yes; but beware, boyo! The tree might bite back.

With a little help, p’raps it could be jolly. Dick Gardiner offers the twanging country tale of a little boy who follows a stranger into the woods with “Santa Helped Me Cut a Christmas Tree.” (I’m not sure, but i think the little boy was institutionalized while his brothers moved on…).

For those who axe, Maple Leaf Learning teaches us counting and clear cutting with “Three Christmas Trees.” Xylophonically childish!

Jug band hee holiday fun from Max E Voltz who wants to go out and cut down “A Natural Christmas Tree.” Consider my knee slapped. (But watch out for the twist ending.)

Brassy jazz from Danish Big Band Radio (feat. Mads Mathias) might remind you of smokey joints without family values, but “Chop Chop (The Xmas Tree)” wails and nails it down home.

The blues pick up the pace for “Last Minute Chopping” from Dr. BLT. Bubbas with axes.

Peter Lerman swings up another classy slab of jazz with “Let’s Chop Down a Christmas Tree.” It’s the big band look at family fun–tree-doh, diddy-o, tree-oh!

Snow Way: firsties

All of our anticipation for Winter’s secondary characteristics leads us to the deep seated joy over that first fall.

Hal Leonard Choral supplies secondary schools with arrangements for those tricky pubescent voices. But “The First Snow” is as winsome and awesome as you might expect.

Shawnee Press competes with a similar “The First Snowfall.” This is in the dog-wince range, however.

From some children’s book The First Snow of Winter comes this song by Pat Tracy with Gaelic fiddle and range. It’s heroic and stuff.

And now for something completely old: William Huckaby has revived 19th C songs to sinister effect as with John B Tabb’s “The First Snowfall.” Lord help us.

Gotta feed the a cappella jones while we’re here too. Moodswing swings and sways with “First Snowfall” creating a roller coaster of thumpy jazz.

Parodies’ Paradise: 1964 “Hello Dolly”

Louis Armstrong’s massive number reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, ending The Beatles’ streak of three number-one hits in a row over 14 consecutive weeks (in addition to holding the second and third chart positions)…the most successful single of Armstrong’s career… spent nine weeks atop the adult contemporary chart… made Armstrong the oldest artist ever to reach #1 on the Hot 100 since its introduction in 1958… the No. 3 song of 1964 as ranked by Billboard… won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1965… and Armstrong received a Grammy for Best Vocal Performance, Male.

Just about my fave-o Bob Rivers novelty Christmas song is “He’s So Jolly.” After dozens of listens, it still gets a grin.

Tripping Bells: Skoofer

Attention must be paid to the big band novelty number “Santa’s Secret.” This jazz rambler from 1944 never saw light of day until Savoy published it with other holiday oddities in 1985 (Mr. Santa’s Boogie). Johnny Guarnieri was an Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman veteran and a teacher and mentor out of L.A. The song here is a thief in your mind, dazzling you with sleights of polyrhythms and improvisation, then leaving a dangerous idea in its wake: Santa + reefer. (Squirrel Nut Zippers try to copy this lightning in a bottle with mixed results.)