My record collection is big, but compared to most, my collection of Christmas discs is huge. I have the standard stuff, but being an off-the-beaten track kind of guy, my favorites run to things like Charles Brown’s Cool Christmas Blues, Dale Watson’s Christmas in Texas, the Texas Tornados singing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and Sony’s Jingle Bell Jazz collection. With the holidays finally upon us, here’s a sampling at some of the newest discs that have crossed my desk. Think of it as a shopping guide to help you get in the spirit sooner rather than later.
Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Jingle All the Way (Rounder): The tunes here are traditional, but the arrangements aren’t. Think banjo-led jazz fusion with the extra attraction of Tuvan throat singers.
The Fleshtones, Stocking Stuffer (Yep Roc): A super rock Christmas and nothing traditional about it. Yeah!
Natalie Cole, Caroling, Caroling: Christmas with Natalie Cole (Rhino): A repackaging of tracks from earlier Christmas discs, with a centerpiece duet between Natalie and her father, Nat “King” Cole, on his holiday standard “The Christmas Song.”
Mary Chapin Carpenter, Come Darkness, Come Light: Twelve Songs of Christmas (Zoe): A set of mostly originals that will delight her fans and, despite the subject matter, will stand up to listenings all year long.
Tony Bennett, A Swingin’ Christmas (Columbia): For his first new set of Christmas tunes in 40 years Bennett gets together with pianist Monty Alexander and Count Basie’s Big Band. Jazzy and retro, it’s the 1950s all over again.
Faith Hill, Joy to the World (Warner Bros.): For serious fans only.
The Boxmasters, Christmas Cheer (Vanguard): The Boxmasters are Billy Bob Thornton and friends, so if you’re like me you have visions of Bad Santa in your head just thinking about this. Thornton on film is a whole lot more compelling than anything he’s accomplished on disc.
Harry Connick, Jr., What A Night! A Christmas Album (Columbia): His third Christmas disc with four swingin’ originals sprinkled among the standards. A duet with his 11-year-old daughter Kate on “Winter Wonderland” is especially jolly.
This article appears in November 21 • 2008.