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The jazz and musical world lost a great friend two days ago when Dr. Billy Taylor died at the age of 89 in Manhattan.

Taylor was born in Greenville, North Carolina and had his first piano lesson at the age of seven. His family later moved to Washington D.C. and attended Virginia State College for Negroes (now known as Virginia State University) where he studied music.

After graduation in 1946, Billy moved to New York City at a time when jazz and bebop was about to explode onto the music scene. Within two days of his arrival, he began working with noted jazz musician Ben Webster and later became the house pianist at the famous Birdland Jazz Club.

He formed his own jazz combo in 1951, toured all across the United States, and even put his music degree to good use; lecturing at schools on jazz, writing extensive articles for DownBeat magazine, and even had a long tenure of concerts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC.

Taylor's diverse resume deepened with stints on television (musical director of the 1958 NBC show called "The Subject is Jazz") and on radio (several positions as DJ and program director on NYC radio throughout the 1960s).

In 1969, Taylor was asked to become his musical director of "The David Frost Show" - going head to head with Johnny Carson. It was a good four year run from 1969 to 1972 and even spawned a full-fledged Christmas album:




After the show ended, Taylor went back to school and received a Doctorate in Music Education from the University of Massachusetts in 1975. The doctor did house calls: teaching gigs at Long Island University, the Manhattan School of Music, and then back to UMass.

Dr. Taylor has a long career at National Public Radio, first as the host of "Jazz Alive" in the late 1970s and then "Billy Taylor's Jazz at the Kennedy Center" from 1994 to 2002 (Taylor was the artistic director for jazz at the JFK Center for many years).

Early risers on Sunday mornings knew Taylor as a correspondent on "CBS News Sunday Morning", profiling nearly 250 interviews with jazz musicians. His work garnered him an Emmy.

The list of accomplishments can go on and on - his absence will be sorely felt.



I was fortunate to find a copy of his Christmas album sealed at at a record show earlier this year. This was one of the first albums I transferred using my Stanton T.92 USB turntable.

To honor the memory of Billy, I'm posting the Christmas album for a limited time:


Merry Christmas From David Frost & Billy Taylor - Bell Records - 6053 (1970)


Rest in peace, Dr. Taylor.


Capt



Several reports across our desk have told us that CD copies of this year's Christmas CD are not working correctly - discs freezing up, tracks being unable to read.

It's bad when this happens, but heaven help me - my father's CD didn't work. Man, did he teach me some new curse words!

If you received one of these defective copies, my sincerest apologies.  Please contact me here - leave a comment and I'll do my best to get you a new copy.


Rob



Because of the death of Boney M-dancer Bobby Farrell, it's appropriate to post Boney's version of Auld Lang Syne. Though he doesn't sing the song (the male voice is Frank Farian's).

Boney M - Auld Lang Syne

OK, it's a terrible version. For compensation, this brilliant version by Salsa Celtica:

Salsa Celtica - Auld Lang Syne


If you're into funky Korean or Zambian rocksongs about the new year, we urge you to go HERE

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Hope y'all simply had a wonderful christmastime. Thanks for stopping by. From all contributors to Christmasagogo: all the best for 2011, see you in November!

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Go HERE

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The sexiest Christmas song, you ask? Santa Baby by Eartha or Kylie,you suggest? Anything from Kay Martin? Patsy Rye? No, I say. Holly Cole.

Holly Cole - 'Zat you, Santa Claus

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Want to know who this girl is, and what gorgeous Christmas song she recorded? Then head HERE.

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For the sixth year in a row The Blues Are Still Blue presents:

Christmas Compilation 2010 (download here)

1. Allo, Darlin’ – Baby, It’s Cold Outside
2. David Bazan – God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Christmas)
3. Lou Reed – Xmas in February
4. Hannah Peel & Tunng – Hey Santa!
5. Little & Ashley – Winter Night
6. Belle& Sebastian – The Fox In The Snow
7. The Mountains & The Trees – My Favourite Sweater (Happy Holidays)
8. Guster – Tiny Tree Christmas
9. Eux Autres – Teenage Christmas
10. Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan – Time Of The Season
11. Boca Chica – Not On Christmas Eve
12. Bishop Allen – You’ll Never Find My Christmas
13. Blitzen Trapper – Christmas Is Coming Soon
14. His Clancyness – Buying Pine Scents
15. Basia Bulat – You Are A Gift
16. The Velvet Underground – Jesus
17. Sufjan Stevens – Christmas In The Room
18. Dream Diary – Christmas All Over
19. Jukebox The Ghost – Mistletoe
20. KT Tunstall – Lonely This Christmas
21. First Aid Kit – Winter Is All Over You
22. Regina Spektor – My Dear Acquaintance (Happy New Year)

You can download last year's compilation here.

Merry Christmas!

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Exclusive! Dutch jazzgiants New Cool Collective Big Band did a mash-up of their own song Little Black Dress and Slade's immortal Merry Christmas Everybody, for the tv-show VPRO's Nederpopshow (host Frank Lammers is singing). This is the only site you'll find the mp3.

New Cool Collective Big Band + Frank Lammers - Little Black Dress/Merry Christmas Everybody

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From my HOME to yours!

CREATE a little Christmas Happiness!
As you all know-
This is one of my favorite times of the year. 
 I love the decorations, the cheer, the kindness, the wonder and above all, I love the meaning.  
I'm truly grateful for CHRISTmas!



          
Wishing you HAPPINESS and JOY!
Thank you for your friendship!
It's been a fun creative journey!
I appreciate all of you!
I will see you all in 2011!
What FUN it will be!
From my FAMILY to YOURS....
Merry Christmas!

Links:



Rosi Golan is an Israeli singer who made a pretty album in 2008, in a Zooey Deschanel/Ingrid Michaelson-style. Sweet 'n sunny songs with a 60s influence, very easy on the ears. One song had a few French lines. For this commercial for Stella Artois, she sang a French version of Twelve Days of Christmas. You can download it for free (no catch) HERE.

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Silver Swans from San Francisco made a seasonal track that's perfect for walking through winter wonderlands. Love that glacial, Cocteau Twins-y atmosphere.

Silver Swans - Holidays

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A great tradition from Daptone Records (home of Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Lee Fields, Budos Band, etc): a yearly Christmas single. Charles Bradley & the Menahan Street Band are the third (after Binky Griptite and SJ&DK) to record a seasonal track, and it's brilliant.

Charles Bradley - Every day is Christmas (when I'm loving you)

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Go HERE to download via Soundcloud a beautiful Christmas track by Ponoka. This is Rick de Gier's band, writer of the upcoming novel Nineve, about a young man, of very religious upbringing, who gets lost in the Dutch rockscene.

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Go HERE and download (via Soundcloud) two superfunky Christmas tracks. A cover of Let it snow by Diplomats of Solid Sound, and a James Brown cover (Soulful Christmas) by Ray Harris.

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No, Perfect Black Christmas doesn't compile black metal-versions of carols, but soul, funk, jazz and other music of black origin with a festive spirit. Donnie, Stevie, Marvin, Otis, they're all there. Go HERE to download.

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We all know Clarence Carters 'Back Door Santa' (1968) and if it wasn't for his original, than we know it because of the samples Run DMC used from it for their classic 'Christmas in Hollis'.
To me the Back Door versions of the Black Crowes (2005, a studio recording with horn section!) and Australian rockers Jet (2004, only on a Japanese rare tracks release) were new.
If you know versions other and better than these, worth to post: lemme know.

Clarence Carter - Back Door Santa
Run DMC - Christmas in Hollis
Jet - Back Door Santa
The Black Crowes - Back Door Santa
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EXTRA:
Honeymoon Killers - Back Door Santa
B.B. King - Back Door Santa
Bon Jovi - Back Door Santa
Cass Eager & the Mo'Debleys - Back Door Santa
Holmes Brothers - Back Door Santa
Lustre King - Back Door Santa
The Sutcliffs - Back Door Santa
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EVEN MORE:
The Bellrays - Back Door Santa (thx Stubby)

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Anita Bryant, a former beauty queen from Oklahoma, was pretty successful with hits in the US in the early 1960's. But she was also known as a very conservative and religious person with a strong view against homosexuality (check out the video from 1977 where gay rights activists throw a pie in Bryant's sick homophobic face).
As a 'good' Christian she recorded Christmas records too, which I would not recommend (but okay, here's one awful track).
At the same time there was a singer in The Netherlands called Zangeres Zonder Naam (Singer Without A Name) who tried to stand up against Bryant's hypocrite ideas and recorded a song called 'Luister Anita' (Listen Anita) in 1977, in which she told gays to be proud of their sexuality and to fight for it. Because of that she became the first gay-mother of The Netherlands. The Zangeres Zonder Naam also recorded several christmas tracks during her long career, most of them on social themes like war, racism and cold war politics.
The ultimate christmas song she did was 'Hij Was Maar Een Neger' (He Only Was A Black Man) from 1965. It sets a mirror to people who think that they're pretty hospitable, but shut the door as soon as there's someone with another colour or background who needs help or a place to stay. Nothing changed the last 2010 years really.
In 1998 Dutch enfant terrible Robbie Muntz covered the song and made a video with it. People still don't dig the lyrics, or they just don't want to, regarding to all the stupid comments on the video.

Kitsch, but true kitsch. No apologies.

Zangeres Zonder Naam - Kerstfeest In Berlijn
Zangeres Zonder Naam - Moeders Kerstfeest
Zangeres Zonder Naam - Hij Was Maar Een Neger!
Robbie Muntz - Hij Was Maar Een Neger (video)

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Sometimes you wish you didn't have that preoccupation with bizarre and rare tracks from Dutch artists. Why being curious after a xmas-track sung in a very bad English accent from Father Abraham (real name Pierre Kartner) and The Smurfs when reading about it?
Don't know the answer, but found the track (unfortunately) and I hereby apologize on behalf of all the Dutch:

Father Abraham & the Smurfs - Christmas in Smurfland (7", 1978)

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Here is a repost of the mix I made for the blog back in 2006. It's now consolidated to one file and is compiled from the best songs offered that Christmas season. A dusty mix of Christmas Wax from the island of misfit songs. I hope to get to another Christmas mix someday, but for now, this will have to do.

Tracklist

1 :: CHECK THE COOL WAX :: KING AD-ROCK
2 :: HOLIDAY ON ICE “A RIDE WITH SANTA” :: WALT JACKOBS
3 :: SLEIGH RIDE :: LENNY DEE
4 :: SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN :: THE THREE SUNS
5 :: NUTTY JINGLE BELLS :: AL HIRT
6 :: CHRISTMAS ALL OVER THE WORLD :: JIM NABORS
7 :: ‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS :: LIBERACE
8 :: ROCKIN’ AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE :: MIRROR IMAGE
9 :: WINTER WONDERLAND :: THE GOLDDIGGERS
10 :: THE CHRISTMAS SONG :: SERGIO MENDES & BRASIL ‘66
11 :: SNOW :: CLAUDINE LONGET
12 :: WHAT CHILD IS THIS? :: THE BORDER BRASS
13 :: WHAT SANTA WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS :: WALT JACOBS
14 :: THE REINDEER BOOGIE :: HANK SNOW
15 :: A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS :: BUCK OWENS & SUSAN RAYE
16 :: SANTA’S BIG PARADE :: THE LOUVIN BROHERS
17 :: I’M GONNA TELL SANTA CLAUS ON YOU :: FARON YOUNG 
18 :: OLE TEX KRINGLE :: TEX RITTER
19 :: WHITE CHRISTMAS :: HANK THOMPSON
20 :: TOMORROW IS CHRISTMAS DAY :: BUCK OWENS & SUSAN RAYE
21 :: SANTA AND THE KIDS :: CHARLIE PRIDE 
22 :: HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS :: BIG TINY LITTLE
23 :: RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER :: FRED WARING AND THE PENNSYLVANIANS
24 :: LET’S TRIM THE CHRISTMAS TREE :: LINE MATERIAL
25 :: HO, HO IT’S CHRISTMAS :: The CAROLEERS
26 :: SANTA CLAUS’ PARTY :: LES BAXTER OCHESTRA & CHORUS
27 :: MERRY, MERRY CHRISTMAS :: CAPTAIN KANGAROO
28 :: MISTER SANTA :: LENNY DEE
29 :: SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN :: THE CAROLEERS
30 :: CHRISTMAS CHIMES ARE CALLING SANTA :: RANKIN/BASS
31 :: CAROL OF THE BELLS :: HANNA BARBERA ORGANS & CHIMES
32 :: SILENT NIGHT :: KOREAN ARTIST
32 :: HOLIDAY ON ICE “A RIDE WITH SANTA” (FINALE) :: WALT JACOBS
33 :: CHRISTMAS LULLABY :: CARY GRANT


UPDATE: Download the zipfile (rightclicksaveas) HERE

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The traditional colors of Christmas remain my favorite each year,
especially red and white-
mixed with Christmas Tree Garland, red berries and outdoor elements.
(Inspirational pictures by Better Homes and Garden)


This year, I brought a lot of RED and WHITE to my Christmas Decor!
I love the traditional colors of Christmas!
( I made the quilt-Turning Twenty Pattern and Reversible Candy Cane/Polka Dot Pillows)
My favorite part is the RED and WHITE ribbon!

Red and White checkered ribbon with strong accents of SNOWY WHITE bring a warm
country "Home Sweet Home" feeling to your Christmas Decor!
( Better Homes and Garden)


Who can resist Christmas Dishes and Little Red Chairs? Not I!


(BHG)

Welcome Christmas!
My little daughter was dancing and singing all day yesterday and reminding
us all that Christmas will soon be here!
Children keep the Magic of Christmas alive!


GIFT IDEA:
Helping Hands
These mittens are more than the eye can see,
They represent the kindness in you and me.
It's the Holiday Season so lets do our part, to help
someone in need or to mend a broken heart.
Our helping hands can put a smile on a face,
and make the world a better place. 
So see what an act of your kindness can do,
It may even warm a cold hand or two.
A POEM for KINDNESS!
A great gift for
 Kids, Teachers, Neighbors and Friends!


From Grandma's kitchen:
HOT CHOCOLATE ON A STICK
 My son who is TEN loves it!
I love it!
Go HERE for a recipe!
                                                 Combine Hot Chocolate and Warm Mittens
A great gift for everyone!
Enjoy the SWEETNESS of Christmas!