Tell It On the Mountain, Indeed

Gospel, jazz and Classical merge spectacularly on JOHN PAUL MCGEE's A GOSPEJAZZICAL CHRISTMAS
by David McGee
 

 
 

‘Zat You, Santa Claus?


Brian Setzer puts on his cat clothes and rocks the yule again...and again, putting his indelible stamp on rock 'n' roll Yuletide fare for all time.
by David McGee
 

 

 

Gospel at Christmastime

Bob Marovich's overview of gospel music at Yuletide, from the Elkins-Payne Jubilee Singers (1926) to the Edwin Hawkins Family (1985).
by David McGee
 

 
 

The Deep Roots Yuletide Baedeker 2020

Welcome back our CHRISTMAS BAEDEKER, the all-inclusive guide to the best in holiday fare, from movies to cartoons to music to stories behind the songs to Christmas poetry to...well, you name it, we got it! Buon Natale!
by David McGee
 

 

 

The Ellingtonian ‘Nutcracker’

An appreciation of THE NUTCRACKER SUITE as DUKE ELLINGTON & BILLY STRAYHORN reimagined it in 1960 and of a new take by THE HARMONIA ENSEMBLE conducted by STEVEN RICHMOND.
by David McGee
 

 
 

Christmas in Verse, 2021

Timeless Christmas poems by ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON, DOLLIE RADFORD, ROBERT SOUTHWELL, et al. plus Christmas music videos featuring THE POGUES, THE PRETENDERS, THE ROYAL GUARDSMEN, THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA and THE SUPREMES.
by David McGee
 

 

 

Coventry Carol (Lully, lullay): Twists and Turns

The ancient origins and twists and turns in the evolution of 'COVENTRY CAROL (Lully, lullay)," one of the most plaintive of sacred seasonal songs
by David McGee
 

 
 

‘A Wonderfully Grand Way to Hear the Familiar Carols’

For choral music lovers, two beautiful Christmas albums from British sources: CHRISTMAS FROM WORCESTER BY THE WORCESTER CATHEDRAL CHOIR and CHRISTMAS FROM SELWYN, with the CHAPEL CHOIR OF SELWYN COLLEGE.
by David McGee
 

 

 

Spanning the Global Yuletide Season in Style

An a cappella seasonal classic, ARSYS BOURGOGNE's 2012 Yuletide offering features Yuletide favorites from across the globe, sacred and secular, sung in seven different languages, all beautifully capturing the spirit of Christma...
by David McGee
 

 
 

Hag Saw It All Coming

Originally issued on Capitol in 1973 as Merle Haggard's Christmas Present: Something Old, Something New, Merle Haggard's Christmas album has only 10 cuts, but all have a special--and many a prescient--feeling about them. Hag sa...
by David McGee
 

 

 

A Quick Delivery of Yuletide Joy

At only 18 minutes in length, BALSAM RANGE's 2017 Christmas EP, IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME, is memorable, moving and succinct.
by David McGee
 

 
 

A Yuletide Evergreen Grows Here

LISA BIALES's first holiday album may become essential to keeping Christmas well in our time ahead. Hearing is believing.
by David McGee