Savoy Christmas Blues various artists

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Christmas Blues (aka The Savoy Jazz Christmas Album) consists of an odd, often fabulous mix of obscure blues, jazz, and jive from the rich vaults of Savoy Jazz Records. Among its many treasures are Jimmy Butler's outrageously salacious "Trim Your Tree" (read more); the Marshall Brothers' romping "Mr. Santa's Boogie" featuring former members of prototypical doo woppers the Ravens; and "Santa's Secret" by Johnny Guarnieri with Slam Stewart, later recorded by the Squirrel Nut Zippers under it's more intuitive name: "Santa Claus Is Smoking Reefer." Wild stuff!

Plus, we get yuletide wax from blues giants like Big Maybelle and Gatemouth Moore, and wacky novelties like Debbie Dabney's hormonally-charged "I Want To Spend Christmas With Elvis." The latter record, by the way, was originally released on Regent Records under the name Marlene Paul. Even better, it was written by a young Bobby Darin and Don Kirshner and featured the rock 'n' roll guitar of - get this - Kenny Burrell!

Historically speaking, though, Christmas Blues' foremost archive is the Ravens' 1948 version of "White Christmas," an obvious blueprint for the Drifters' definitive 1954 rendition - one of the greatest Christmas songs ever (read more). Christmas Blues also includes the Marshall Brothers' "Mr. Santa's Boogie" (1951) featuring former Raven and future Ink Spot Maithe Marshall.

Savoy originally issued Christmas Blues on LP in Japan in 1985. The original CD edition (1994) changed the cover art, but little else. Reissued again in 2003, Christmas Blues swelled by a grand total of one track. First, Savoy added three tracks - the flipsides of the Big Maybelle and Ravens singles, plus a version of "White Christmas" by the Meltones (which, given the sketchy annotation, I can only assume is not Mel Torme's early group, usually spelled Mel-Tones...). But, then the label subtracted two obscure tracks by the equally obscure A.B. Green - no great loss, but they could've (easily) fit it all on one CD. Sadly, Savoy also dropped the cool original LP liner notes - faithfully reproduced in the first CD edition.

Albums

• Christmas Blues (LP, 1985)
• Christmas Blues (CD, 1994)
• Christmas Blues (CD reissue, 2003)

Songs

• Christmas Blues (Gatemouth Moore, 1948)
• Christmas Blues (Washboard Pete, 1948)
• Far Away Christmas Blues (Johnny Otis with Little Esther Phillips, 1950)
• I Want To Spend Christmas With Elvis (Debbie Dabney, 1956)
• Love For Christmas (Felix Gross, 1949)
• Mr. Santa's Boogie (Marshall Brothers, 1951)
• Santa's Secret (Johnny Guarnieri, 1944)
• Silent Night (Big Maybelle, 1957)
• Silent Night (Ravens, 1948)
• Trim Your Tree (Jimmy Butler, 1954)
• White Christmas (Big Maybelle, 1957)
• White Christmas (Ravens, 1948)

Further Listening

• Blue Yule: Christmas Blues And R & B Classics (various artists, 1991)
• Doo Wop Christmas (various artists, 1992)
• Hipsters' Holiday: Vocal Jazz And R & B Classics (various artists, 1989)
• Swing Time Christmas (various artists, 1995)

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