Catching Up - Christmas 2004

It's hard to believe that Christmas is already two months past, but with not enough hours in the day, I've become seriously backlogged (backblogged?) and can't move on w/2005 business till we finish with 2004. Let's think of it as getting an early start on next year. Koeeoaddi's thread on the Straight Dope message board notwithstanding, there were a few happy surprises on the Christmas music front, two of which, the Chris Isaak and the Ray Charles were new this year. The Jo Dee Messina and the Moody Blues were half price purchases on Tower's 2003 after Christmas sale which were new to me in 2004. The NBC disc was found for less than a buck on eBay and although I picked it up purely for novelty value, it turned out to be way better than it had any right to be. The only disappointment among this year's new Christmas releases was the James Taylor Hallmark CD.

It was also nice to revisit these this year:
Hamish Stuart - Let It Snow (Sulphuric, 2002)
Booker T. & the MGs - In the Christmas Spirit (Atlantic, 1966)
Jethro Tull - The Christmas Album (Fuel 2000, 2003)
Freddy Cole - I Want a Smile for Christmas (Fantasy, 1994)

The Christmas Eve playlist (for late night stuffing of stockings):
Stevie Wonder - Someday at Christmas (Motown, 1967)
Chris Rea - Driving Home for Christmas EP (Magnet Import, 1987)
Leon Redbone - Christmas Island (August, 1988)
Joe Williams - That Holiday Feelin' (Verve, 1990)

The Christmas Day playlist (in order):
Grover Washington, Jr. - Breath of Heaven (Columbia, 1997)
Herbert Von Karajan & Berlin Philharmonic - The Nutcracker Suite, Tschaikowsky (DG, 1983)
Vince Guaraldi Trio - A Charlie Brown Christmas (Fantasy, 1986)
Liz Story - The Gift (Windham Hill, 1994)
John Boswell - Festival of the Heart (Hearts of Space, 1992)
The Carpenters - Christmas Portrait (A&M, 1984)
Marian McPartland - An NPR Jazz Christmas (NPR, 2002)
Tuck Andress - Hymns, Carols, & Songs About Snow (Windham Hill Jazz, 1991)
Dave Brubeck - A Dave Brubeck Christmas (Telarc, 1996)
Chris Botti - December (Columbia, 2002)
Tingstad & Rumbel - The Gift (Sonia Gaia, 1985)
Bullock, Petteway & White - A Midnight Clear (Dorian, 2002)

Koeeoaddi's SDMB Thread: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=292422&highlight=christmas

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