I've already stated that a big problem with most Christmas records is that artists fail to add anything of value to them and it's mainly down to familiarity. Much as I hate to judge a book by its cover, it's generally pretty easy to know a holiday album is going to be lousy just by looking at the sleeve. One particular giveaway is that they're too reliant on covers that we've all heard and sang countless times before.
The exception is with Booker T. & the M.G.'s and their superlative 1966 album In the Christmas Spirit. Being one of the most accomplished foursomes in the business and always more than happy to cut loose when free of sessioning for various Stax label singers, they weren't about to sleepwalk their way through a festive release just because that would have been the expectation. Their recordings of "White Christmas" and "Merry Christmas Baby" are a case in point: having done outstanding recordings of the two, with Booker T. Jones' mellow organ playing a standout on the former and Steve Cropper's bluesy guitar soloing the highlight of the latter, they were more than ready to do them again as a holiday release for Otis Redding. This time, however, it is the vocalist's extraordinary performances that light up the both sides of the record, the talented house group putting in a typically competent performance that lacks the flash of their instrumental work.
A good thing, then, that they never had to back Wilson Pickett or Sam & Dave on a rendition of "Jingle Bells" since they would have had to cede control or, heaven forbid, push vocal duties to the background. They're all on form with Jones doing some inspired vamping, Cropper playing his typically clipped, improv-friendly style and Donald "Duck" Dunn and Al Jackson Jr. keeping a furious but steady pace. When I first heard it, I joked that it should've been called "You Can't Hurry Christmas" and no one laughed or even feigned amusement. Nevertheless, there is a beat that is not unlike classic Motown, something Stax enthusiasts would likely thumb their noses at but which indicates how open and in love with all styles of music this multi-racial combo was. Indeed, the very fact that they'd do a dozen Christmas songs tells you all you need to know about their catholic tastes, with their vocalist label mates apparently not nearly as interested in similar projects.
It's possible that numbers such as "Jingle Bells" also represent a turning point for the M.G.'s. Coming off the success of "Green Onions" in 1962, the group fell into a pattern, possibly driven by pressures from their label, to keep the fantastically catchy novelty tunes coming. Not only did they struggle to recreate the commercial fortunes of their initial smash but their creativity began to stifle with well-made and quirky singles, such as "Chinese Checkers" and "Mo' Onions", that proved to be more of the same. Their grittier side was only just beginning to peak through and the aggressive playing on this otherwise innocuous seasonal favourite was an indicator of where they'd be heading. Tight playing, a powerful sound and some southern drive and all because of a Christmas record.
It's not everyday you find a quartet of brilliant musicians working almost telepathically, pushing each other forward. Like a jazz group or something.
The exception is with Booker T. & the M.G.'s and their superlative 1966 album In the Christmas Spirit. Being one of the most accomplished foursomes in the business and always more than happy to cut loose when free of sessioning for various Stax label singers, they weren't about to sleepwalk their way through a festive release just because that would have been the expectation. Their recordings of "White Christmas" and "Merry Christmas Baby" are a case in point: having done outstanding recordings of the two, with Booker T. Jones' mellow organ playing a standout on the former and Steve Cropper's bluesy guitar soloing the highlight of the latter, they were more than ready to do them again as a holiday release for Otis Redding. This time, however, it is the vocalist's extraordinary performances that light up the both sides of the record, the talented house group putting in a typically competent performance that lacks the flash of their instrumental work.
A good thing, then, that they never had to back Wilson Pickett or Sam & Dave on a rendition of "Jingle Bells" since they would have had to cede control or, heaven forbid, push vocal duties to the background. They're all on form with Jones doing some inspired vamping, Cropper playing his typically clipped, improv-friendly style and Donald "Duck" Dunn and Al Jackson Jr. keeping a furious but steady pace. When I first heard it, I joked that it should've been called "You Can't Hurry Christmas" and no one laughed or even feigned amusement. Nevertheless, there is a beat that is not unlike classic Motown, something Stax enthusiasts would likely thumb their noses at but which indicates how open and in love with all styles of music this multi-racial combo was. Indeed, the very fact that they'd do a dozen Christmas songs tells you all you need to know about their catholic tastes, with their vocalist label mates apparently not nearly as interested in similar projects.
It's possible that numbers such as "Jingle Bells" also represent a turning point for the M.G.'s. Coming off the success of "Green Onions" in 1962, the group fell into a pattern, possibly driven by pressures from their label, to keep the fantastically catchy novelty tunes coming. Not only did they struggle to recreate the commercial fortunes of their initial smash but their creativity began to stifle with well-made and quirky singles, such as "Chinese Checkers" and "Mo' Onions", that proved to be more of the same. Their grittier side was only just beginning to peak through and the aggressive playing on this otherwise innocuous seasonal favourite was an indicator of where they'd be heading. Tight playing, a powerful sound and some southern drive and all because of a Christmas record.
It's not everyday you find a quartet of brilliant musicians working almost telepathically, pushing each other forward. Like a jazz group or something.
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