FaLaLaLaLa

Well folks, here is the whole shebang as promised (if a few days late).

I’m proud of how it turned out.  As you know, I compile this on a day-to-day basis and so I’m never sure how it’s going to turn out or if the music is going to flow.  I think this one works pretty well.  I hope you do too.

Thanks to all the folks that made this year a fantastic one here at FaLaLaLaLa.  I’m looking forward to what we can do in 2009!

 
This download includes all of the music tracks plus artwork for a CD booklet and jewel case.

1. Deck The Hall – The London Sound 70 Orchestra and Chorus
2. Chree-See-Mus – The King Sisters & Family
3. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow – Ace Cannon
4. Cool Yule – The J’s With Jamie
5. White Christmas – Lira do Mestre Lula
6. Jingle Bell Rock/Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree – Living Guitars
7. When Christmas Comes to Our House – Dottie Evans with The Brigadiers Quartet
8. The Christmas Song – Mike Sammes Singers
9. Holly Boy – Betty Cox
10. Happy Holiday – George Garabedian
11. Escuchad, Escuchad – Los T.N.T.
12. Merry Christmas, Darling – The Singing Angels
13. Snow Flake – Pebbles and Bamm Bamm
14. Winter Wonderland – Lester Lanin and His Orchestra
15. Wassail Song: The First Noel: O Christmas Tree (O Tannenbaum): Green Needles – Living Voices
16. Silver Bells – Pete Fountain
17. When Santa Claus Gets Your Letter – The Caroleers
18. Noite Silenciosa (Silent Night) – Os Velhinhos Transviados
19. Christmas Time’s A Coming – Bill Anderson
20. The Skater’s Waltz – Frank Chacksfield and His Orchestra
21. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer – The Four Aces
22. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town – The Ralph Hunter Choir
23. Christmas Chopsticks – The Mike Sammes Singers
24. Escuchad, Los Ángeles Cantan – Waldo de los Rios
25. I’ll Be Home For Christmas – Ray Martin, His Orchestra and Chorus

Compiled by The King of Jingaling – Christmas 2008

Songs transferred from the original vinyl by The King of Jingaling, Ernie Haynes, Rob Martinez, Jim Maroney, Lee Hartsfeld, Keith Droz, Randy Mallory, Bas, Loronix, Hi-Fi Holiday.

Audio Editing & Processing by Brad Ross-MacLeod

Illustrations by Amy Mebberson    Design & layout by Brad Ross-MacLeod
Deep appreciation & thanks to: Ernie, Rob, Stephen, Dinsdale Kringle, Ed, Mitchell, Andy Cirzan, Jon Solomon, Stubbysfears, PDMan, Mr. Christmas, Kevin (Inkydog), Bumble, SanityClause, Lynda, and all of the insane members of FaLaLaLaLa.

Infinite gratitude: To the writers, arrangers, conductors, singers, musicians, producers, record companies–thanks for the beautiful music and I hope that my work keeps your work alive!  Most especially to Stu Phillips.  It was great to talk with a musical hero!

Infinite love to my girls–Josie, Lydia and Ella–who are the heart of Christmas to me.

For Manga (1912 – 2008)

Here’s wishing you and those you love a warm and festive Christmas!

Let us give of ourselves to make the world—and each other—better.

Peace,

Brad Ross-MacLeod
aka The King of Jingaling

P.S.  The ADVENTure In Carols artwork is going to have to wait a day or so.  I want to focus this day on Christmas with my family and friends.

This album is most well-known for being the source of most of Juan Garcia Esquivel’s recorded Christmas music.  That has made it quite a catch.  And why I’m surprised I picked it up on Ebay this year for $10 (as part of a lot of 6 records).

The music that isn’t Esquivel is mostly Ray Martin’s orchestra.

I wanted to feature this track because this Christmas is about home for me and my family.  We decided to open up our home and invite all our friends to stop by and say hello.  We’ll just be sitting around talking, listening to music, laughing, eating and celebrating.  And the door is open to all comers.

That’s the spirit of Christmas for us—opening ourselves and what we have to share with others in a spirit of joy and thanksgiving.

So if you’re in the Kenosha, WI area Christmas Day…come on by.  I’m sure there will be some good Christmas music playing….

And be sure to come back tomorrow for the big ol’ zip file of all tracks plus the CD artwork.

This has been a year for some great South-of-the-Border discoveries on my part.  I never imagined I’d have two songs on the AiC with “Escuchad” in the title….

I’m a big fan of 60’s and 70’s EZ Listening music, but before this month I’d never heard of Waldo De Los Rios.  Then I found this album in both English (Christmas With Waldo De Los Rios) and Spanish versions (meaning just the titles; it’s all instrumental).

Apparently, De los Rios was most known for translating classical works into pop music.  This album represents his only Christmas release.

I think it sounds distinctively indebted to Stu Phillips and The Hollyridge Strings, though with a little more Latin flavor.

So add this version of Hark! The Herald Angels Sing to the 2008 ADVENTure In Carols.  A fitting entry for Christmas Eve.

And be sure to come back tomorrow for the final song and the CD artwork.

Okay, we all know how crazy I am about The Mike Sammes Singers, especially their Christmas music (and the greatest Christmas album of all time!).

I found this little video on YouTube a while back and went on a hunt to find the music behind it.  Thankfully, the YouTube poster sent me the audio file, for which I will ever be grateful.

Apparently this is 7” was produced for Philips New Zealand, though the poster found it at a flea market in Eindhoven, The Netherlands (Philips’ home town).  I would LOVE to get my hands on a copy (hint, hint, Santa!).

Anyway, here it is for you to enjoy!

And be sure to come back each day between now and Christmas to get a new free song download.  And then show up on Christmas for the full CD booklet/artwork.

As you can imagine, my kids get to hear A LOT of Christmas music this time of year.  My 8-year-old, Lydia, is quick at picking up the interesting and unusual arrangements (her favorite this year is Andy Williams’ Kay Thompson’s Jingle Bells).

Eleanor, my 5-year-old, however, has claimed several songs as her songs.  Every time they come on she cries gleefully, “Daddy, this is my song!”  Those songs are Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!, Il Est Ne, Le Divin Enfant and Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.

So this is one is for Ella.

And be sure to come back each day between now and Christmas to get a new free song download.  And then show up on Christmas for the full CD booklet/artwork.

I spend most of my time with old Christmas music, and while I come across a lot of contemporary indie Christmas music, most of it doesn’t do much for me.  But for some reason, this one really connects with me.

Download the E.P. at Amazon.

I grew up watching Al Alberts, lead singer for The Four Aces.  He hosted a Sunday morning kids’ talent show on WPVI-TV Channel 6 in Philadelphia.  We would sit around at my grandmother’s house after church watching the kids mime their way through some really bad songs.

Little did I know until I was much older that Al’s earlier career was more elevated.  And here you get to hear a little of his group’s Christmas magic.

And be sure to come back each day between now and Christmas to get a new free song download.  And then show up on Christmas for the full CD booklet/artwork.

Read the rest of this entry �

You should not be surprised that this LP was shared by my friend Ernie, who is the most prolific Christmas music blogger ever.  He puts the rest of us to shame.

But I’m including this particular song—The Skater’s Waltz—in honor of the cover art for this year’s ADVENTure in Carols.

Here it is (though there may be some tweaking of the text before the final version is released on Christmas Day):

This year’s artist is the ever-so-talented Amy Mebberson.  She got in touch with me last year when Ward Jenkins put out a call for illustrators.  I used my college friend, Ed, last year but got in touch with Amy to see if she was still interested.  You see her answer.

Amy is a very talented artist.  I recommend you view her blog, portfolio and take a look at some of the prints she has at her Etsy store (Dancy is my favorite).

So welcome Amy to the FaLaLaLaLa pantheon of artists and listen to some skating music.

And be sure to come back each day between now and Christmas to get a new free song download.  And then show up on Christmas for the full CD booklet/artwork.