![]() ![]() Never count out standard-bearing crooner and New Orleans pianist Connick when it comes to rousing, jazzy Christmas fare. Harry Connick Jr., “Make It Merry” (Apple Music) Stone’s sweet Yule songs such as “What Christmas Means to Me” are so cool and soulful you’ll listen to it all-year-round. Great Britain’s rough-edged queen of blue eyed-soul turns her first holiday-time album into a heady blend of haughty R&B and unadulterated pop with great heaping touches of classical music. Joss Stone, “Merry Christmas, Love” (S-Curve Records) The “Fat Man” track only costs $1 at Bandcamp, and every buck benefits Reasons to be Cheerful, Byrne’s nonprofit, daily, online news magazine. To the accompaniment of a roaring chamber ensemble of woodwinds, brass and strings arranged by orchestral percussionist and co-producer Jherek Bischoff, David Byrne quietly yelps his wonky way through an ominous but lush introduction of Santa’s visit, sleigh bells and all. Between director Sacha Jenkins’ “Black & Blues” documentary and “Cool Yule,” 2022 is the year (again) of Louis Armstrong.ĭavid Byrne, “Fat Man’s Comin’” (Bandcamp) Verve makes up for lost time by filling the holiday debut from the trumpeter and gravelly-voiced singer/scatter with bopping syncopated blues (“Christmas Night in Harlem”), blowsy comic fare (“‘Zat You Santa Claus?”) and one of vocal jazz’s finest duets in “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm,” performed with Ella Fitzgerald. It seems impossible in an epic career such as his that “Cool Yule” is Satchmo’s first official Christmas album. Louis Armstrong, “Louis Wishes You a Cool Yule” (Verve) All proceeds from the sale of Bridgers’ new holiday tune - complete with a Bing Crosby-like whistle from the track’s violinist, Andrew Bird - go to the Los Angeles LGBT Center. Just look at Bridgers’ back catalog of wintry favorites such as Merle Haggard’s “If We Make It Through December,” Tom Waits’ “Day After Tomorrow” and the lonely traditional “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” This year, the singer looks up her country cousins in Chicago, the marrieds behind the Handsome Family, and takes their Year 2000 track, “So Much Wine,” for a fiddle-filled Christmas hayride. Nobody does ruinous ruminative Christmas covers in such a heavenly fashion as Phoebe Bridgers does on an annual basis. ![]() Phoebe Bridgers, “So Much Wine” (Bandcamp)
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