Deep Roots Magazine

Deep Roots Magazine

Roots Music and Meaningful Matters

 
 

 
blues blues vol3 featured

A Bluer Shade of Christmas

An update of our 2019 review of four essential Christmas blues anthologies: Volumes 1-3 of BLUES, BLUES CHRISTMAS and Legacy Recordings' DEATH MIGHT BE YOUR SANTA CLAUS.--a bluer shade of Christmas, if you will.
by David McGee
 

 
 
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Christmas, Close to Home, Hearth and Heart

In his songs about home, hearth and heart, RICK LANG evokes a down-home Christmas celebration, with the help of some talented musicians who took his songs to unexpected places.
by David McGee
 

 

 
003 plate copy

Pt. 2: ‘God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen’ and The Dickens Connection

Ever wonder what is the Christmas carol of Dickens's 'A Christmas Carol'? Evidence points to 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' as the carol in question. We make our case herein.
by David McGee
 

 
 
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A Little Lower in Volume, A Little Slower in Speed

A baker's dozen from the Pinecastle roster offering rootsy takes on the holiday season.
by David McGee
 

 

 
Big Harp George Does Christmas cover

Dig The Unconventional Yule

Being an unconventioal Yule with BIG HARP GEORGE, and a fine new blues Christmas anthology, JINGLE ALL THE WAY.
by David McGee
 

 
 
christmas from selwyn

‘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
 

 

 
Persuasions Youre All cover

In All Weathers, Glad Tidings

The Persuasions were just not any group of a cappella practitioners--they were the best, solid in every way, with lead singer Jerry Lawson standing out as one of the great singers of his time. The group's Christmas album, like...
by David McGee
 

 
 
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In Which He Keeps Christmas Well

The old curmudgeon, you ask? No, NICK LOWE is now the old sentimentalist, complete with his own Christmas album, QUALITY STREET. Be ye not dismayed: it's unlike other Yule fare.
by David McGee
 

 

 
ellington strayhorn featured

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