 | Now Is the Caroling Season by Fred Waring & His Pennsylvanians
Buy new: $13.99 / Used from: $8.99 This has been around as long as I have. Marvelous vocals; caroling album, literally. My mother's favorite. If I could only have one Christmas album, this is it.
|
 | Perry Como Sings Merry Christmas Music by Perry Como
Buy used from: $7.79 Includes a reading of "`Twas the Night Before Christmas". A childhood favorite.
|
 | A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Original Sound Track Recording Of The CBS Television Special by Vince Guaraldi Trio
Buy new: $8.99 / Used from: $3.50 Good grief. How could this list be without this album?
|
 | The Christmas Album by The Manhattan Transfer
Buy used from: $0.98 This was the album of choice when our ship and my aircraft coordinated the rescue of 857 souls from a sinking cruise ship (Achille Lauro). I was halfway around the world that Christmas.
|
 | The Bells of Dublin by The Chieftains
Buy new: $6.99 / Used from: $1.68 Honoring my Irish roots. This album is great fun, particularly "The St. Stephen's Day Murders" (it's a family thing ...)
|
 | The Best of Louis Armstrong - The Christmas Collection: 20th Century Masters by Louis Armstrong & Friends
Buy new: $8.97 / Used from: $3.99 Satchmo sings "Zat You, Santa Claus?", Eartha Kitt "Santa Baby", Mel Torme "The Christmas Song." What more ...?
|
 | A GRP Christmas Collection by Various Artists
Buy used from: $8.75 I'd buy this one for Dave Grusin's "Some Children See Him" track alone. Not wild about the Chick Corea track, nor Special EFX one. All in all, nice Christmas jazz. 15 tracks in all.
|
 | December, Piano Solos: 20th Anniversary Edition by George Winston
Buy new: $7.99 / Used from: $6.46 This was released when my sons were in elementary school. I first heard this on a bareboat sailing trip to the Bahamas, July '85. Go figure ... It is sublime.
|
 | Claymation Christmas Celebration by Various Artists
Buy used from: $21.98 First time I saw the TV special, the We Three Kings Bop had me rolling on the floor. Literally. And the following Sunday, (attempting) to sing the same hymn in chapel, suppressing my laughter was nearly impossible. Ask my kids ... it's been 18 years, but they remember. Pity this is OOP.
|
 | L.A. Guitar Quartet: Dances from Renaissance to Nutcracker by William Byrd
Buy new: $14.99 / Used from: $7.98 If you're into classical guitar, you may already know this one. If not, it puts a fresh face on the Nutcracker Suite.
|
 | An Acapella Christmas by Manhattan Transfer
Buy new: $6.99 / Used from: $4.49 Do they get any better than Manhattan Transfer?
|
 | Songs of Angels - Christmas Hymns and Carols by Robert Shaw
Buy new: $8.99 / Used from: $6.95 Chamber vocal ensemble, acapella.
|
 | A Festival Of Carols / Robert Shaw Chorale by Robert Shaw Chorale
Buy new: $6.99 / Used from: $4.47 Some acapella, and some with full orchestra. My favorite Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas album has never been re-issued in CD. This will do.
|
 | Vivaldi: Gloria; Bach: Magnificat
Buy new: $14.99 / Used from: $4.25 Memories from my days of choral singing.
|
 | Handel - Messiah / Erickson, McNair, Hodgson, Humphrey, Stilwell, Atlanta SO, Shaw by Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chamber Chorus
Buy new: $13.99 / Used from: $5.66 More memories of singing...
|
 | The New Possibility: John Fahey's Guitar Soli Christmas Album by John Fahey
Buy new: $10.97 / Used from: $7.87 Solo work from a genius of innovation and improvisation on the guitar.
|
 | The John Fahey Christmas Album by John Fahey
Buy new: $13.99 / Used from: $9.32 More of the same ...
|
 | Christopher Parkening plays Bach
Buy new: $16.98 / Used from: $6.98 Three tracks from Christmas Cantatas, Sleepers Awake, Sheep May Safely Graze, and (most sublime of the three) Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, are not to be missed.
|
Listmania!
