Preservation Hall Jazz Band - Made in New Orleans: The Hurricane Sessions [$69.98]

The tuneful musical gumbo from national treasure New Orleans is always a splendid gift. City of Dreams is four CDs of funk, blues, piano boogie, and second-line parade inspired songs. Focusing on the R&B side of the Big Easy’s musical heritage, this set is all about booty shaking. For the jazz side of things head on over to the ultra special Made in New Orleans.  It’s a two-CD/DVD set from the legendary Preservation Hall band and all manner of unique replica photos, Mardi Gras Doubloons, and archival material hand assembled down in the Big Easy. This literally a one-of-a-kind gift that will appeal to all jazz fans as well as all those smart folks who treasure the spirit and culture of New Orleans.

—Sarah Zupko

While their first Christmas album, 1996’s The Darkest Night of the Year, was heavy on standards, Snow Angels relies on mostly original material. That turns out to be a strength, as multi-instrumentalist Linford Detweiler and vocalist Karin Bergquist bring the jazz-and-blues-tinged intimacy of 2007’s The Trumpet Child to these Christmas songs. Songs like “Darlin’ (Christmas is Coming)” and “Snowed in With You” winningly recall the Christmas music of yesteryear, meant to evoke a cozy, snowed-in cabin or townhouse rather than a bustling mega-mall. Only on “White Horse” do Detweiler and Bergquist border on schmaltz. Otherwise, they’re up to the task, with Bergquist sounding like a modern-day Nancy Wilson or Billie Holiday. The pair of standards are given fresh, earthy takes, while “Goodbye Charles” is a fitting Schulz/Guaraldi tribute. Snow Angels exudes the peace and quiet that everyone longs for at Christmastime, and does so with class.

—John Bergstrom

Taking an energetic if cynical approach to the holiday compilation, Yep Roc has assembled a collection of original “holiday-inspired” tunes from its stable of alt-country/indie rock artists. There’s only one carol, “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” in a growled, dirty rendition by Th’ Legendary Shack*Shakers. As for the rest—yeah, you could call it a holiday compilation for people who don’t like holiday music. From the funny, human response to loneliness at Christmas by Jason Brennan to the whiskey dreams of Minus 5, the emphasis is squarely on the outsider’s experience of the holiday season. “Lovely Christmas”, by Jason Ringenberg and Kristi Rose, doesn’t leave much to the imagination. Alternating between Rose’s peaceful acoustic phrasing, Ringenberg stresses out about credit cards and consumerism, eventually drowning out her innocence completely. The compilation manages, too, to accurately represent Yep Roc’s characteristic sound—richly rocking, often dirty, occasionally arresting. And despite all the cynicism, even Yep Roc can’t totally cut: Los Straightjackets’ “Holiday Twist” is indeed a lost Christmas classic, the kind of feel-good song that deserves to be accompanying Louis and Ella through department speakers.

—Dan Raper

The dizzying maze of Ike and Tina Turner compilations is long and winding. Countless budget packages have flooded the market over the years, reducing the rich Ike and Tina catalog to an impulse purchase at the checkout line. The few quality releases out there often only skim the surface. Except for the single-disc Proud Mary: The Best of Ike and Tina Turner (1991), there really hasn’t been an exhaustive anthology of their entire 15-year career, partly due to licensing music from the numerous record companies that own different parts of the catalog. (Ike was always on the hunt for a more lucrative record deal.) Time-Life has mustered the financial might to compile the definitive collection of Ike and Tina Turner: The Ike and Tina Turner Story 1960-1975 is, essentially, all you’ll ever need to know. Definitive in nearly every possible way, this set is the exclamation point on an act that bridged together rock and soul and black and white audiences. Often overlooked, but not easily forgotten, Ike and Tina Turner represent a time when the spectacle of a stage show and the talent of the performers were of equal magnitude. Colin Escott ends his liner notes with the following analysis: “These are some of the records they made. The ones that matter.” I couldn’t agree more.

—Christian John Wikane

For the environmentally conscious hippy or ‘60s soul head, UMe offers up four new entries in their Number 1’s series. These CDs are 100% paper-recyclable, a nice change of pace from the plastic-hungry standard jewelbox. They also look sharp and colorful with their classy duotone covers and #1 cut-outs with solid bright colors. Inaugurating this green series are red-hot Motown classics like The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross & the Supremes, and Motown Number 1’s Vol. 2, the CDs are packed to the gills with one standard after another.

—Sarah Zupko

Featuring 15 tracks gathered from three earlier volumes of the venerable Ultra Lounge series, this compilation presents a nice sampling of Christmas music that ranges from the kitschy to the classic. Unlike many of the other albums in the Ultra Lounge series, however, the Christmas Cocktails discs don’t just feature quirky, odd, and occasionally cringe-inducing musical oddities, but also include some wonderful old chestnuts, including a number of lesser known jazz classics from the ‘50s and ‘60s. For example, when’s the last time you heard “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Mambo” by Billy May? Other highlights include Dean Martin’s terminally cool version of “Winter Wonderland”, Kay Starr’s “(Everybody’s Waiting For) The Man With the Bag”, “Happy Holidays” by Peggy Lee, and “The Merriest” by June Christy. For kitsch, you can’t beat “Jing-A-Ling” by The Starlighters, the easy listening medley of “Sleigh Ride/Santa Claus’ Party” by Ferrante & Teicher with Les Baxter (unfortunately appearing without his “Band of Reknown"), or “Christmas Island” by Bob Atcher & the Dinning Sisters (though I prefer the laidback version of the latter by Leon Redbone). Finally, the album wraps up with a previously unreleased instrumental version of “My Favorite Things” by Martin Denny, substituting an accordion for the more traditional vocal melody. Forty minutes of Christmas coolness—definitely worth picking up.

—Dave Hoffman