Artist – Track – Album

This [...]]]> It’s no secret that I love Christmas music.  I have a substantial collection of Christmas CDs and every year I go out and get a few more.  In fact, I love Christmas music so much that I start a second Internet broadcast every year, Festival Christmas, in order just to play my favorite Christmas music.

This year, I’ve decided to spotlight some of my all-time favorite Christmas CDs in order to help you in your music shopping or holiday gift buying, or just to get you in the holiday mood.  You can hear tracks from all of these CDs on Festival Christmas.   I present the list in alphabetical order by artist first name, with a short review.

Adam Rafferty – A Christmas Guitar Celebration

One of my favorite discoveries of this year is fingerstyle guitarist Adam Rafferty, and his new Christmas CD is a must for those who like solo acoustic guitar renditions of standards.

The Arrogant Worms – Christmas Turkey

This album is not for those without a sense of humor, and, honestly, the more warped the better.  My favorite tracks are “Santa’s Gonna Kick Your Ass” (“Santa’s coming and he’s gonna kick your ass, because you’ve been a rotten little brat.” and “Christmas Turkey Blues” (sung from the perspective of the turkey.

Blackmore’s Night – Winter Carols

Ritchie Blackmore (former guitarist for Deep Purple) and Candice Night have been plying their renaissance/rock fusion for many years now, and if you like some traditional music mixed with occasional crunchy guitar, I recommend this CD.

Brave Combo – It’s Christmas, Man!

Brave Combo is just flat out awesome.  Here they do the Santa Polka, wish for Christmas in July, and do polkafied and dancified versions of chestnuts like “O Christmas Tree” ( as a samba) and “The Christmas Song” (ska).  Bob Dylan pretty much ripped his accordion-driven “Must Be Santa” straight off of this CD.  If this album doesn’t move you to tap your toes, please have somebody check your pulse.

Bruce Cockburn – Christmas

One of my all-time favorite Christmas albums, highlighted by the haunting “Iesus Ahatonnia (Huron Carol)”, the gospel flavored “Early on One Christmas Morn” and the rollicking cajun hoedown gone awry, “Les Anges Dans Nos Compagnes.”

The Crossing – The Court of a King

Chicago-based Celtic band provides a wonderful take on the holidays, with my favorite track being the opening “O Come O Come Emmanuel”, which opens with haunting didgeridoo and flute, and a rollicking version of “Righteous Joseph.”

Emmylou Harris – Light of the Stable

Tasteful renditions of country Christmas classics topped off by the great vocals of Emmylou Harris.

Harvey Reid and Joyce Andersen – Christmas Morning

Harvey Reid is an amazing multi-instrumentalist (fingerstyle guitar, banjo, autoharp) and Joyce Andersen is a fiddle virtuouso.  Together, they have put together a gem of a folky Christmas CD, superbly played and sung.  One of the best purely Americana Christmas CDs I’ve ever heard.  Check them out at Woodpecker Records, Reid’s label.

Jethro Tull – The Jethro Tull Christmas Album

This leans more to the folk side of what Tull does than the hard rock side, though it does rock out on occasion.  Think more Songs From the Wood and not much Aqualung.  Features several really nice holiday instrumentals, and some nice reimagining of “Bourree”, “Pavane” and “Ring Out Solstice Bells.”

Kathy Mattea – Good News

One of the few Christmas albums where you won’t find any Santa Claus.  Rather, Mattea takes some lesser-known Christmas tunes by artists such as Dougie MacLean and Steve Earle (yep, Steve Earle), and makes them her own.  It’s got a country/Celtic influence and it is an album I come back to every Christmas.  The highlights are, what for me, is still the best of the many versions of “Mary, Did You Know?” that I’ve heard as well as the Celtic flavored “Christ Child’s Lullaby.”

Kerry Getz – It’s a Wonderful Life

I found this CD by accident, listening to a program on NPR when one of the critics was naming his favorite Christmas CDs of that year and named this one.  Later, surprisingly, I found a copy at Used Kids, and was hooked.  It’s mostly standards, but there are several clever originals, (“Christmas in Suburbia”, “Yuletide Romeo”).  The highlight, though, is a sublime rendition of one of the lesser-known Christmas carols, “The Wexford Carol.”

Loreena McKennitt – A Midwinter’s Night Dream

Like every Loreena McKennitt CD, this one features impeccable musicianship, lush Celtic/world fusion arrangements and McKennitt’s thrilling voice. Really, what else do I need to say about this one?

Mannheim Steamroller – Christmas

I remember seeing the video for “Deck the Halls” on either MTV or VH1 one late night when I was home for Christmas on winter break from college in 1984 and knowing that I had to get this record.  This was back when Mannheim Steamroller fans were mostly audiophiles, their records being what the salesman at the high end stereo store would play to get you to buy that expensive stereo you were checking out.  This was back before Mannheim Steamroller became the Official Band of Christmas and kept throwing out CDs every three or four years that sounded just like this first one.  For me, none of the follow-up Christmas albums has ever captured the wonder and joy of the classical/rock fusion of this first holiday record, and this is the one I keep going back to every year.

Moya Brennan – An Irish Christmas

Irish harpist and chanteuse Moya Brennan delivers on the album title, in the lushly produced style of her band, Clannad.  The highlight for me is the traditional “Gabriel’s Message”, a carol celebrating the Annunciation.

Over the Rhine – Darkest Night of the Year and Snow Angels

Cincinnati’s Over the Rhine gets two albums in the Holiday 20 because they’re both fantastic.  Darkest Night of the Year is more acoustic and reserved, almost melancholy, featuring more downtempo arrangements of traditional tunes as well as some surprising experimental Ric Hordinski electric guitar meandering with a couple originals.  Snow Angels, on the other hand, is a more jazzy/bluesy piano-based recording that serves as a vehicle for Karin Bergquist’s amazing vocal stylings and consists almost entirely of originals.   I’ve seen Over the Rhine many times, and when Bergquist is on, she is the sexiest woman alive, and she demonstrates it here with her steamy Santa come-on song, “North Pole Man” and “Snowed In With You.” Another highlight is the bluesy “All I Ever Get For Christmas is Blue”.

Trout Fishing in America – Merry Fishes to All

Trout Fishing in America has excelled for years at doing music for children and this is a fun Christmas CD for the whole family that features a wry sense of humor in such tunes as “I Got a Cheese Log” and “Santa Brought Me Clothes”

Various Artists – Alligator Stomp Volume 4 – A Cajun Christmas

A rollicking good time for those who like their Christmas a little swampy with a heaping helping of accordion.

Various Artists – A Holiday Feast: Creme de la Creme

This two-CD set compiles the best tracks from Hungry For Music’s holiday disks.  Hungry for Music is a Washington, DC-based organization dedicated to placing musical instruments with underprivileged children.  In addition to the holiday CDs, they have put out a long series of baseball themed compilation albums.  This CD features mostly artists that are generally unfamiliar outside the folk world (The Kennedys, Eddie From Ohio, Tom Prasada-Rao, Hazel Dickens, Bill Kirchen) as well as a lot of local artists (Eva Cassidy submitted a track before her untimely death).  The highlight for me is clearly “Yorgi the Yodeling Reindeer” by the Grandsons, but it’s got a wide variety of tracks including some excellent original songs.

Woody Phillips – A Toolbox Christmas

I found this in a $1 bin of closeouts when my local Media Play store shut down and bought it on a whim.  Woody Phillips performs Christmas songs on hand and power tools.  Seriously. After listening to it I went back and dug through the bin to find copies to give away.     You have to hear this to believe it.  It’s all kinds of awesome.  The rendition of  “The Twelve Days of Christmas” is particularly clever.

Festival Christmas is back on the air.  I’ll be filling the station with the typical mix of spiffy holiday tunes over the next day or so, but I wanted y’all to know that a short playlist is up now for your holiday listening enjoyment.  You can click on the widget in the right [...]]]> Happy Holidays, Crimestoppers!

Festival Christmas is back on the air.  I’ll be filling the station with the typical mix of spiffy holiday tunes over the next day or so, but I wanted y’all to know that a short playlist is up now for your holiday listening enjoyment.  You can click on the widget in the right sidebar to listen, or go to http://www.live365.com/stations/folkchristmas/

Artist – Song – Album

Festival Radio will remain refreshingly holiday-free for those of you who wish to escape the jingle.

Artese N Toad – The Americana Christmas ProjectBob Sirois – Dreams of ChristmasBob Sirois – A Hometown ChristmasDave Rowe Trio: A Holiday ConcertDavid Grisman – David Grisman’s Acoustic ChristmasKeith Andrew Grim – Christmas CelebrationLeslie Ritter and Scott Petito – This Christmas MorningLoreena McKennit – To Drive [...]]]> Adds so far this holiday season to Online Folk Christmas

Artese N Toad – The Americana Christmas Project
Bob Sirois – Dreams of Christmas
Bob Sirois – A Hometown Christmas
Dave Rowe Trio: A Holiday Concert
David Grisman – David Grisman’s Acoustic Christmas
Keith Andrew Grim – Christmas Celebration
Leslie Ritter and Scott Petito – This Christmas Morning
Loreena McKennit – To Drive the Cold Winter Away
Maggie Sansone – Sounds of the Season
Mike, Peggy and Penny Seeger – American Folk Songs For Christmas
Moya Brennan – An Irish Christmas
Over the Rhine – Snow Angels
Robin Bullock, Al Petteway and Amy White – A Midnight Clear
Sarah McLachlan – Wintersong
Skaggs Family – A Skaggs Family Christmas
Various Artists – Hudson Harding Sampler Number 1: Happy Holidays

Oh, and I’ve added the new Moya Brennan – An Irish Christmas CD as well, and it hasn’t had [...]]]> Top 40 songs on the Online Folk Christmas for the last week (November 30-December 6) as rated by listeners. Just a little sample to whet your appetite for what you might hear this holiday season.

Oh, and I’ve added the new Moya Brennan – An Irish Christmas CD as well, and it hasn’t had enough plays to show up on this list yet, but I suspect it will.

Rank. Artist – Song – Album
1. Anonymous 4 – Nowel; Owt Of Your Slepe Aryse – The Best Of Celtic Christmas
2. The Crossing – In Dulci Jubilo – The Court of a King
3. Brent Bourgeois, Carolyn Arends, Derri Daugherty – what child is this – Noel
4. Emmylou Harris – Beutiful Star of Bethlehem – Light of the Stable – Christmas Album
5. Loreena McKennitt – Coventry Carol – A Winter Garden
6. Harvey Reid and Joyce Anderson – Christ Was Born in Bethlehem – Christmas Morning
7. Emmylou Harris – The First Noel – Light of the Stable – Christmas Album
8. Over the Rhine – Thank You My Angel – The Darkest Night of the Year
9. Carlos Nunez – Galician Carol – The Very Best of Celtic Christmas
10. Pierce Pettis – Miriam – A Winter’s Eve: Acoustic Music for the Winter Season
11. Sheila Walsh – Light Of The World – Peace – A Celtic Christmas
12. Ottmar Liebert – Poets + Angels – Poets & Angels
13. Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band – I Saw Three Ships – The Best Of Celtic Christmas
14. Donal Hinely – Carol Of The Bells – Midwinter Carols: Fourteen Selections On Glass Harmonica
15. Ensemble Galilei – Danse Arabe (from the Nutcracker Suite) – A Winter’s Night — Christmas in the Great Hall
16. Shawn Colvin – In the Bleak Mid-Winter – Holiday Songs and Lullabies
17. Suzy Bogguss – I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day – Have Your Self A Merry Little Christmas
18. Ashley MacIsaac – Ciuin An Oidhach (Silent Night) – A Cape Breton Christmas
19. Aoife Ni Fhearraigh – Seact Sualci Na Maighdine Muire – The Best Of Celtic Christmas 20. Harry Connick, Jr. – Winter Wonderland – Acoustic Christmas
21. Chris Thile – Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella – Tinsel Tunes : more holiday treats from Sugar Hill
22. Beausoleil – It Came Upon a Midnight Clear – Alligator Stomp, Volume 4: Cajun Christmas
23. The Irish Tenors – R Tynan, A Kearns, J McDermott) – Ave Maria (Gounod) – Home For Christmas
24. Newgrange – Christmas Eve – A Christmas Heritage
25. Lori Pappajohn – While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night – Celtic Harp for Christmas
26. Honky Tonk Confidential – Who Gets the Fruitcake This Year? – Creme de la Creme: A Holiday Feast
27. Jethro Tull – Pavane – The Jethro Tull Christmas Album
28. Jerry Chamberlain, Sharon McCall, Riki Michelle, Derri Daugherty – i heard the bells on christmas d – Noel
29. Jane Monheit – I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day – The Season
30. Sara Groves – Child Of Love – It’s Christmas Time
31. Loreena McKennitt – God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen – A Winter Garden
32. The Christmas Jug Band – Lonesome Reindeer Blues – Uncorked
33. Peasall Sisters – Hark The Herald Angels Sing – A Holiday EP From Dualtone
34. Patty Loveless – Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem – Bluegrass & White Snow
35. Harvey Reid and Joyce Anderson – Pretty Paper – Christmas Morning
36. Eric Rigler, Scarlet Rivera and Tommy Eyre – The Holly and the Ivy – Christmas in Ireland
37. David Cullen – The Christmas Song – Holiday Guitar
38. Alison Brown Quartet – Carol of the Kings – A Winter’s Eve: Acoustic Music for the Winter Season
39. The McKrells – Angels We Have Heard on High – Merry Christmas
40. Los Embajadores Vallenatos – Diciembre – A Putumayo World Christmas

Artist – “Song” – Album1. The Original Five Blind Boys – “White Christmas” – It’s A Gospel Christmas2. Steve Bell – “Magnificat (Holy is His Name)” – The Feast3. [...]]]> Current Top 39 Songs on the Online Folk Christmas based on listener ratings of the last 30 days:

Artist – “Song” – Album
1. The Original Five Blind Boys – “White Christmas” – It’s A Gospel Christmas
2. Steve Bell – “Magnificat (Holy is His Name)” – The Feast
3. The Blind Boys of Alabama – “In The Bleak Midwinter” (featuring Chrissie Hynde with Richard Thompson) – Go Tell It On The Mountain
4. The Irish Tenors – “O Holy Night” – Home For Christmas
5. Skaggs Family – “Go Thee Down” – A Skaggs Family Christmas
6. Linda Ronstadt – “Xicochi, Xicochi”- Merry Little Christmas
7. Emmylou Harris – “Beutiful Star of Bethlehem” – Light of the Stable
8. Over the Rhine – “Greensleeves” – The Darkest Night of the Year
9. Caedmon’s Call – “Babe In The Straw” – It’s Christmas Time
10. The McKrells – “Angels We Have Heard on High” – Merry Christmas
11. Skaggs Family – “The Christmas Guest” – A Skaggs Family Christmas
12. Flaco Jimenez with Freddy Fender – “Frosty The Snowman” – A Tejano Country Christmas
13. Emmylou Harris – “Christmas Times a Coming” - Light of the Stable
14. Skaggs Family – “Deck the Halls” – A Skaggs Family Christmas
15. Sheila Walsh – “Light Of The World” – Peace – A Celtic Christmas
16. Ruben Romero And Robert Notkoff – “Jingle Bell Rhumba” – Christmas In Santa Fe
17. Stephen Murray & Jenny Gullen – “o holy night” – Noel
18. Harry Connick, Jr. – “Winter Wonderland” – Acoustic Christmas
19. Skaggs Family – “Hangin’ Round the Mistletoe” – A Skaggs Family Christmas
20. Asylum Street Spankers – “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” – Christmas Spanking
21. Sheila Walsh – “Gloria” – Peace – A Celtic Christmas
22. Shawn Colvin – “Little Road to Bethlehem” – Holiday Songs and Lullabies
23. Sam Bush – “Sleigh Ride” – Tinsel Tunes : more holiday treats from Sugar Hill
24. Mannheim Steamroller – “Stille Nacht (Franz Gruber 1818) – Christmas
25. Riki Michelle, Jerry Chamberlain, Sharon McCall – “o come, O Come, emmanuel” – Noel
26. October Project – “Silent Night” – Silent Night
27. Steve Bell – “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus” – The Feast
28. Kathy Mattea – “Brightest and Best” – Good News
29. Patty Loveless – “Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem” – Bluegrass & White Snow
30. Beausoleil – “Christmas Bayou” – Alligator Stomp, Volume 4: Cajun Christmas
31. Hazel Dickens and Dudley Connell – “Blue Christmas” – Creme de la Creme: A Holiday Feast
32. Emmylou Harris – “Light of the Stable” – Light of the Stable
33. Carol Noonan – “I Wonder as I Wander” – Carol Noonan Christmas
34. Mannheim Steamroller – “Bring A Torch, Jeannette, Isabella”- Christmas
35. John Fahey – Good Christian Men Rejoice – Christmas Guitar
36. Harvey Reid and Joyce Anderson – Merry Christmas Baby – Christmas Morning
37. Christine Lavin and the Mistletones – The All Purpose Carol – The Runaway Christmas Tree: favorite holiday songs and bedtime stories
38. Emmylou Harris – The First Noel – Light of the Stable
39. Kelly Joe Phelps – It Came Upon a Midnight Clear – Hear the Angels Sing: Holiday Greetings from Rykodisk