Tag Archives: Christmas

V.A.: A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records

Leave a comment

On November 22, 1963, “Philles” label released “A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records”, an album of Christmas songs. It was recorded September – October 1963, at “Gold Star” in Hollywood, and was produced by Phil Spector. In 2003, the album was ranked at no. 142 on “Rolling Stone” magazine’s list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”, and in 2019, it was ranked the greatest “Christmas Album of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Darlen Love – performer (White Christmas, Marshmallow World, Winter Wonderland, Christmas, Baby Please Come Home)
  • The Ronettes – performer (Frosty the Snowman, Sleigh Ride, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus)
  • Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans – performer (The Bells of St. Mary’s, Here Comes Santa Claus)  
  • The Crystals – performer (Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer, Parade of the Wooden Soldiers)
  • Phil Spector – performer (Silent Night)
  • Barney Kessel – guitar
  • Bill Pitman – guitar
  • Tommy Tedesco – guitar
  • Nino Tempo – guitar
  • Irv Rubins – guitar
  • Leon Russell – piano
  • Al De Lory – piano
  • Don Randi – piano
  • Ray Pohlman – bass
  • Jimmy Bond – bass
  • Hal Blaine – drums
  • Sonny Bono – percussion
  • Frank Capp – percussion
  • Jack Nitzsche – percussion, arrangements
  • Jay Migliori – saxophone
  • Steve Douglas – baritone saxophone
  • Roy Caton – trumpet
  • Lou Blackburn – horns
  • Johnny Vidor – strings
  • Larry Levine – engineer

Track listing:

  1. White Christmas – Irving Berlin
  2. Frosty the Snowman – Steve Nelson, Walter Rollins
  3. The bells of St. Mary’s – A. Emmet Adams, Douglas Furber
  4. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town – J. Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie
  5. Sleigh Ride – Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish
  6. Marshmallow World – Carl Sigman, Peter DeRose
  7. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus – Tommie Connor
  8. Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer – Johnny Marks
  9. Winter Wonderland – Felix Bernard, Dick Smith
  10. Parade of the Wooden Soldiers – Leon Jessel
  11. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home – Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, Phil Spector
  12. Here Comes Santa Claus – Gene Autry, Oakley Haldeman
  13. Silent Night – Josef Mohr, Franz X. Gruber

The Besnard Lakes: The Besnard Lakes Are the Last of the Great Thunderstorm Warnings

Leave a comment

On January 29, 2021, “Flemish Eye Records” label released “The Besnard Lakes Are the Last of the Great Thunderstorm Warnings”, sixth studio Besnard Lakes (The) album. It was recorded in 2020, at “Rigaud Ranch”, “Breakglass Studios” in Montreal, Canada, and was produced by Olga Goreas and Jace Lasek.

Personnel:

  • Jace Lasek – vocals, guitar, keyboards, synthesizer, percussion, string and horn arrangements, sounds, mixing
  • Olga Goreas – vocals, bass, keyboards, synthesizer, string and horn arrangements, handwritten font
  • Richard White – guitar
  • Robbie MacArthur – electric and 12 string guitars, baritone guitar
  • Sheenah Ko – vocals, keyboards, synthesizer 
  • Kevin Laing – drums, percussion
  • Welkom in De Blaak – organ
  • Joel Campbell – drums
  • Philip Gosselin – mastering
  • Todd Stewart – design
  • Corri-Lynn Tetz – design
  • Dave Thomas – layout

Track listing:

All tracks by Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas.

  1. Blackstrap
  2. Raindrops
  3. Christmas
  4. Our Heads, Our Hearts on Fire Again
  5. Feuds with Guns
  6. The Dark Side of Paradise
  7. New Revolution
  8. The Father of Time Wakes Up
  9. Last of the Great Thunderstorm Warnings

Chuck Berry: Back Home

Leave a comment

In November 1970, “Chess” label released “Back Home”, the fourteenth Chuck Berry studio album. It was recorded 1969 – 1970, at “Ter Mar Studios” in Chicago, and was produced by Chuck Berry.

Personnel:

  • Chuck Berry – vocals, guitar
  • Bob Baldori – harmonica, piano
  • Lafayette Leake – piano
  • Phil Upchurch – bass guitar
  • Malcolm Chisholm – engineer
  • Peter Amft – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Chuck Berry.

  1. Tulane
  2. Have Mercy Judge
  3. Instrumental
  4. Christmas
  5. Gun
  6. I’m a Rocker
  7. Flyin’ Home
  8. Fish and Chips
  9. Some People

Joan Baez: Where Are You Now, My Son?

Leave a comment

In March 1973, “A&M” label released “Where Are You Now, My Son?” the fifteenth Joan Baez album. It was recorded December 1972 – January 1973 in Hanoi, Vietnam, and in Nashville. The Album featured recordings Baez made during a US bombing raid on Hanoi over Christmas 1972.

Personnel:

  • Joan Baez– vocals, guitar, piano
  • Mimi Farina – vocals, guitar
  • Grady Martin – guitar
  • Pete Wade – guitar
  • Reggie Yuong – guitar
  • David Briggs – piano
  • Norbert Putnam – bass, remix
  • Jerry Carrigan – drums
  • Lee Hazen – engineer
  • Henry Lewy – remix
  • Roland Young – art direction
  • Barry Romo – photography

Tracks listing:

All tracks by Joan Baez, except where noted.

  1. Only Heaven Knows
  2. Less Than the Song – Hoyt Axton
  3. A Young Gypsy
  4. Mary Call – Mimi Fariña
  5. Rider, Pass By
  6. Best of Friends – Mimi Fariña
  7. Windrose
  8. Where Are You Now, My Son?”

Primus: Frizzle Fry

Leave a comment

Primus-Frizzle_Fry

On February 7, 1990, “Caroline Records” label released “Frizzle Fry”, the debut Primus studio album. It was recorded on Christmas 1989, at “Different Fur” in San Francisco, and was produced by Les Claypool, Larry LaLonde, Tim Alexanderaka “Herb”, Todd Huth and Matt Winegar.

Personnel:

  • Les Claypool– bass, electric upright bass, double bass, vocals
  • Larry LaLonde– electric guitar, acoustic guitar
  • Tim Alexanderaka “Herb” – drums
  • Todd Huth– acoustic guitar
  • Sathington Willoughby Orchestra
  • Les Claypool aka “Snap” –banjo, string bass
  • Larry LaLonde aka “Chunker” –archtop acoustic guitar
  • Tim Alexander aka “Herb” – toyorgan
  • Matt Winegar aka “Exxon” – toypiano
  • Todd Huth – acoustic guitar
  • Lance “Link” Montoya– sculpture
  • Snap –airbrushing, cartooning
  • Paul Haggard – jacket design,photography

Track listing:

All lyrics by Lee Claypool, all music by Primus, except where noted.

  1. To Defy the Laws of Tradition
  2. Groundhog Day
  3. Too Many Puppies
  4. Knowtail
  5. Frizzle Fry
  6. John the Fisherman
  7. You Can’t Kill Michael Malloy – Matt Winegar
  8. The Toys Go Winding Down
  9. Pudding Time
  10. Sathington Willoughby
  11. Spegetti Western
  12. Harold of the Rocks
  13. To Defy