Search - Various Artists :: Genuine Houserockin Christmas

A wonderful alternative to the same old Christmas classics

R. Knight | Pennsylvania, USA | 11/17/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When you have had your fill of the local radio station fare, and when you grow tired of the Time Life classic collection, pull out the Genuine House-rockin' Christmas disc for an evening of blues-inspired holiday fun! This is not the first collection you will want to pull out to get you in the Christmas mood as the jingle bells of tradition are replaced with the accordion and fiddle of a hopping Zydeco party, but it sure is a great change of pace during the holidays that gets better with repeated play. While I still enjoy the classics that I grew up with (including Ray Conniff and Mitch Miller...), this is one of the discs I pull out when I want to take a break from the cocoa in front of the fire and want to put my dancing shoes on. It is great for Christmas parties, and many friends have heard it and gone on to get it for themselves. So if you are wondering if it is your cup of tea, take a listen to the sample tracks here, and if you like what you hear don't hesitate to add it to your collection."

Weak effort

Scot Rider | Bloomington, In | 12/17/2007

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Everyone has an opinion, and looks like I am in the minority about this cd. I'm a long time blues fan and what I hear here is a collection of poorly produced cuts. The common thread seems to be Bruce Iglauer as producer on most of the cuts that struggle. I bought this cd because I have enjoyed 'Alligator Records Christmas Collection' for years. I have given that cd away as gift's and recommended it to a lot of friends. The Houserockin' cd seems to be collection of folks going through the motion for the most part. There are some exceptions, Marcia Ball almost saves the cd by herself, Roomfull of Blues, Saffire the uppity blues women, and Coca Montoya all do good work. One of my favorite live acts, Little Charlie and the Nightcats with Charlie Baty doing some great guitar work, loses out to Rick Estrin's lyrics that are almost impossible to understand (as usual). If you don't have the Alligator Christmas Collection, buy it, if you do, check around for some other blues Christmas offerings. And yes I know Bruce Iglauer produced many of the cuts on Christmas Collection. Go figure."

If This Doesn't Liven Up Your Christmas Party ...

D. Doherty | 08/29/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"... then your guests are either Chamber Music enthusiasts ... or they're dead.



Here are 16 tunes performed by artists currently employed by Alligator Records, an independent blues label started up in Chicago in 1971 by one Bruce Iglauer, who began what is now one of the top indie operations on a shoe-strong in 1971. Over the years he has gathered together some of the best contemporary blues artists on the planet, and in this 2003 release they lend their talents to one of the liveliest Christmas-themed albums currently available.



Leading off with her own Have You Heard The News? is the Queen Of The Blues, Ko Ko Taylor (born Cora Walton on September 28, 1935 in Memphis), delivered with her patented rough and powerful voice. She's followed by Carey Bell (born Carey Bell Harrington on November 14, 1936 in Macon, Mississippi) performing his own composition as well, Christmas Train. In addition to the vocals, Carey blows a mean harmonica in the Chicago Blues style he was so famous for before tragically passing away on May 6, 2007. Arkansas-born guitarist/vocalist Michael Burks, a W.C. Handy Award nominee for Best New Artist in 2000, does a nice job on Christmas Snow, while Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials give us a driving rendition of Christmas Time. Born in Chicago on April 4, 1955, vocalist/slide guitarist Ed Williams co-wrote the tune with his bassist James "Pookie" Young and Iglauer.



Next up are Shemekia Copeland (born in New York City on April 10, 1979 and the daughter of vocalist/blues guitarist Johnny Copeland) with her sultry Stay A Little Longer, Santa which she wrote in conjunction with several others, and The Holmes Brothers from Tidewater, Virginia doin the Clarence Carter classic Back Door Santa. Lead vocalist Wendell Holmes, also on guitar and organ and vocalist/bassist Sherman Holmes, are hoined by drummer Popsy Dixon and vocalist/tambourine player Catherine Russell. W. C. Clark (born Wesley Curley Clark on November 15, 1939 in Austin, Texas) is a former member of the Joe Tex band and known, as you will quicky discern from Christmas Party, as the "Godfather of Austin Blues."



The pace picks up considerably with Zydeco Christmas, written and performed by Clayton Joseph Chenier, son of the legendary Clifton Chenier, alternately described as "the crown prince of zydeco" and "the best living zydeco singer and accordionist," and then slows back down with Christmas Day Blues, composed by vocalist/guitarist John Cephas, one half the duo of Cephas & Wiggins along with harmonica player Phil Wiggins, who both hail from Washington, D.C. It then picks up again with one of my favourites on the album, Christmas Fais Do Do, done by the writer, and vocalist/pianist extraordinaire Marcia Ball (born March 20, 1949 in Orange, Texas)



Santa Clause (Do You Ever Get The Blues?), written by guitarist Chris Vachon, comes from the large horn-driven band known as Roomful Of Blues, first formed in 1967 in Westerly, Rhode Island by guitarist Duke Robillard and pianist Al Copley. Then comes the driving Really Been Good This Year, written by pianist/vocalist Ann Rabson, one-third of the delightful trio Saffire-The Uppity Blues Women from Washington, D.C. that also includes guitarist/vocalist Gaye Adegbalolo and vocalist.mandolin player Andra Faye.





Guitarist/vocalist Lonnie Brooks (born Lee Baker Jr. in Dubuisson, Louisiana on December 18, 1933) performs his own composition, All I Want For Christmas, and on A Bluesman's Christmas, written by Dave Steen we hear the former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Coco Montoya (born Henry Montoya in 1951 in Santa Monica, California). The jump tune, It's Christmas Time Again, written by harmonica player/lead vocalist Rick Estrin, comes to us from Little Charlie & the Nightcats, a four-piece combo that includes Estrin, guitarist Little Charlie Baty, drummer Jay Hansen, and bassist Lorenzo Farrell. Closing out the album is guitarist/vocalist Dave Hole, originally from Heswall, Cheshire, England, who performs the self-penned Fattening Up The Turkey.



The sound is excellent and in the fold-out insert you get 8 pages with photos of each artist/group and a list of their back-up musicians."