Xmas music recommendations--not your standard collections

**McMurdo** · 21st December 09, 03:29 PM

I have quite a few of the Ultra Lounge collection. The Christmas Cocktails one and two are great with gems like Dean Martin singing Baby it's Cold Outside. They are well worth looking into.
Volume 1:
http://www.discogs.com/Various-Ultra...release/569409

Volume 2:
http://www.discogs.com/Various-Ultra...release/569439

**Jack Daw** · 21st December 09, 04:38 PM

I have a variety of Xmas music in my CD collection:

Celtic:
The Voice Squad: Holly Wood -The VS is a trio of Irish male voices that sing a capella;
A Chieftain's Celebration - has a few Xmas tunes;
The Chieftain's - The Bells of Dublin - features Jackson Browne, Elvis Costello (as previously mentioned), Marianne Faithfull, Nanci Griffith, Burgess Meredith, and Rickie Lee Jones;
Legacy with Jim Flanagan - An Irish Christmas - a good CD from an Irish folk band with members and frequent guest performers from SW US and Ireland;
Celtic Christmas Moods - various Irish musicians doing the Xmas thing;
Rob Crabtree - The Piper's Christmas - A Canadian GH piper playing Xmas standards.

Jazz:
Vince Guaraldi Trio - A Charlie Brown Christmas Quintessential, no??
Wynton Marsalis - Crescent City Christmas Card - Very cool;
Grover Washington, Jr. - Breath of Heaven - If I remember correctly, this CD was issued posthumously, and has great tracts on it;
Various compilation CDs of jazz greats - Jingle Bell Jazz; Have Yourself a Jazzy Little Christmas; A Jazzy Christmas.

Classical:
St. Martin in the Fields - Handel's Messiah - VERY nice.