This Rhythm & Blues based Christmas compilation CD comes from EMI-Capitol Music Special Products and let me tell you, even though there are only ten songs on here, they did a great job of putting this together.  9 out of the 10 songs are in my Top 500 Classic Christmas Recordings.  That’s almost the whole CD.  You don’t see that often.  It may be a short Christmas CD, clocking in at barely over 30 minutes, but it’s packed with Classic Christmas songs.

All the artists are African American, and most were well known for their solo Christmas records in the 1960s.  7 songs are from the 1960s, two are from the 1970s and one is from 1983.  Two songs are familiar Christmas carols or hymns, five are familiar secular Christmas songs from the 20^th century and three are original Christmas songs, two of which are unique to the artists that perform them.

The CD artwork is nothing spectacular.  The front cover shows a dimly lit cityscape with buildings lining an expressway that is being well traveled.  The photograph was taken with a slow shutter speed and the car lights reflect that.  There are post-production Christmas decorations added over the expressway.  Some of the performing artists’ names are featured in the bottom right corner.  The whole image is in black and white.  The CD title appears at the top, the words “Rhythm & Blues” in green and the word “Christmas” in white.  The words “Vol. 2” sits to the right of the title.  The graphics at the top are displayed in a green box which is separated from the photo image with a gold border that also wraps around the whole front cover.

The back of the CD features a numerical track listing in light green letters.  Performing artist credits are given along with some publishing credits in white.  At the bottom are typical copywrite notices.  All is presented on a dark green background.

The back of the front cover reveals no new information.  In fact, it reveals no information at all.  It is a printed-on-one-side-only piece of heavy paper.  Bummer.  This would have been a great place to feature recording dates or give writer credits.

The CD begins with The Whispers performing their version of the Donny Hathaway Christmas song, This Christmas.  The song was recorded in 1979 and released on their Christmas album titled Happy Holidays To You.  Introduced with an electric piano, Nicholas Caldwell, the lead singer of The Whispers, begins the soulful vocals.  The arrangement is now joined by traditional band instruments.  The rest of The Whispers offer background harmonies.

The 2^nd song, Christmas Ain’t Christmas, New Year’s Ain’t New Year’s Without The One You Love, is the O’Jays’ most popular Christmas song.  The song may not be immediately recognizable by the title, but it should sound familiar.  The Drifters covered it later, but this is the original from 1973.  It’s a Gamble & Huff produced Christmas song, so the Soul is sweet, and the arrangement relies on a string orchestra to make it festive.  Gamble & Huff invented the sweet sound of Philly Soul, and this Christmas song reflects that.  The O’Jays do a great job of mixing their harmonies.

The 3^rd song, O Come All Ye Faithful, is the first of only two traditional Christmas hymns featured on the CD.  It is sung by Nat King Cole.  Nat King Cole is probably the most famous Christmas music artist featured on this CD.  This song comes from Nat’s Christmas album in 1960.  Ralph Carmichael directs the orchestra and chorus.  It is a reverent, and perhaps most popular, version of this Christmas classic.

The 4^th song, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, is sung by Lou Rawls and comes from his 1967 Christmas album.  The arrangement features a light, swinging Jazz combo.  Lou Rawls uses his baritone voice to plead the vocals effectively.  As the song progresses, the Jazz combo swings into action.  A xylophone is added to the mix, and it becomes an enjoyable Christmas greeting.

Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town is the first of two Lena Horne Christmas songs.  Lena Horne is the only artist to have more than one song.  Jack Parnell & his Orchestra are in charge of the swinging, Big Band arrangement.  This song was recorded in 1966 along with other songs for Lena’s Christmas record but it was not included on her original Christmas album.  It was added to later CD reissues as a bonus track.

The 6^th song is the proverbial blues Christmas song, Merry Christmas, Baby, by Charles Brown.  Charles Brown first sung this while in Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers in 1947.  The version offered here was recorded in 1962.  It’s not much different than the 1947 version but uses less instrumentation to convey the soulful sentiments.  The song has been recorded many times over the years by different artists.  This sounds like a trio of piano, electric guitar and saxophone.

Ella Fitzgerald brings us the other traditional Christmas hymn, It Came Upon A Midnight Clear, from her second Christmas album, released in 1967.  Ralph Carmichael also directs the orchestra and chorus.  The arrangement relies on piano, celesta and brass and reed instruments along with acoustic guitar.  The strings are subtle.  Ella Fitzgerald’s vocals are soulful and endearing.  All of Ella Fitzgerald’s Christmas music is soulful and endearing.

The 8^th song is Feels Like Christmas, by Al Green.  I have yet to listen to his whole Christmas album from 1983, but if this song is any indication, it is going to be a different kind of Christmas album.  Feels Like Christmas relies on funky bass, a consistent drum pattern and lush strings to deliver a funky, Disco styled Christmas song.  Al Green uses his tenor Soul voice to plead the sentiments that it Feels Like Christmas to him.  There’s not much more to the lyrics, but it’s the rhythm and dance beat I think Al was trying to achieve.  This is the only song on here that is NOT in my Top 500 Classic Christmas Recordings.

Lena Horne’s other Christmas song on here is Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!, also from her 1966 Christmas LP.  Again, the melody swings with a Big Band arrangement.  Lena Horne was initially a Jazz singer who had great Pop sensibilities.  She improvises the vocal flow like a seasoned Jazz singer would.  Her voice is sweet and feminine.

The CD closes with the appropriate, What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?, presented here by Lena Horne’s closest rival in the 1960s, Nancy Wilson.  Both Lena Horne and Nancy Wilson had Jazz beginnings but were both able to cross over onto the Pop charts.  What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? begins softly with the celesta.  After the intro, the arrangement features a small Jazz combo heavily supported by a string orchestra directed by Gerald Wilson.  This comes from a single she released in 1963.  Nancy Wilson didn’t release her first full album of Christmas music until 2001.  I’m glad to have it, but I had always hoped that she would have recorded one during the Classic Christmas Music Era (1946 – 1976).

So, there you have it.  A short Christmas compilation CD but loaded with terrific Christmas songs.  Even the Al Green Feels Like Christmas is such a unique Christmas song that I’ll take that one too.  The rest of the CD is half filled with familiar Christmas songs that should please most listeners.  This is a great CD to mix in with other popular Classic Christmas recordings.  Most of these were recorded in the 1960s so they have that musical sensibility.

The cover is not great, so it doesn’t look like a must have CD, but if your collection needs some diversity, this would be a great CD to do that with.  This is a must have Christmas CD, at least the songs on here are.  I’m sure that most could be easily obtained on other Christmas compilation CDs, but this one is sure to please everyone.

I give this CD :

****