Greatest Christmas Hits

Performer: Charles Brown
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: A bluesy visit from Saint Nick via some of his more upbeat elves, Merry Christmas Baby boogies its way into the holiday season. Several tracks were previously released on the 1996 album of the same name by Charles Brown, but the additions from such blues luminaries as Jimmy Reed and Louis Jordan make this the hottest spin at the office Christmas party. ~ Zac Johnson A collection of blues and jazz-inflected Christmas tunes highlighted by four songs from Charles Brown, the man who essentially brought R&B and the holidays together when he released the enduring "Merry Christmas Baby" in 1947. Greatest Christmas Hits is a delightful set that certainly rocks things up around the Christmas tree. "Merry Christmas Baby" is here in a re-recorded version, along with Brown's other big holiday hit, the equally as enduring "Please Come Home for Christmas," and two of his other yuletide attempts, "Christmas in Heaven" and "Just a Blessing." Jimmy Reed is on hand for a relatively polished (polished for Reed, that is) "Christmas Present Blues," while Big Joe Williams' "Christmas Blues" is a wonderfully ragged gem. Christmas and the blues go together better than you might think, thanks to the social and economic pressures the holiday season can bring, and the proof of that is here, amped up and rocked out like Santa blowing blues harp on a whiskey jag. ~ Steve Leggett The late pianist and vocalist Charles Brown lends his signature cool, laid-back jazz style to a variety of Christmas favorites, accompanied here by a slew of jazz and blues greats, including blues guitarist Lowell Fulson and blues singers Jimmy Reed and the legendary Big Joe Williams. Brown was a contemporary of Nat "King" Cole, with many stylistic similarities to his more commercially successful counterpart, as well as a strong influence on the young Ray Charles. His intimate delivery, coupled with the empathic interplay between the musicians in these mainly quartet recordings from throughout his long career, conjures the warmth and conviviality of the season.

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