Just Released - 2012 [Ep.46] Christmas Special

This week on Just Released with Bill Riner & Brandon Stewart:

Saturday 22nd & Sunday 23rd December 2012

“Merry Christmas Baby, you sure did treat me nice…”:

The spirit of the season is with us once again and you’d have to be a bona-fide Grinch to ignore it. Here at Camp JR, we’ve been making our own list and checking it twice in preparation for the upcoming end of year special of those songs that made a tangible impression during 2012. (But more of that, next time).

With this edition being so close to “the most wonderful time of the year”, we thought it apt to wrap up some of our own Christmas favourites. Without resorting to unseasonal evocations (for the southern hemisphere, at least) of building snowmen and roasting chestnuts on an open fire, we warm the mood with some Reggae toasting from Jamaica’s Jacob Miller and New Zealand’s H.K. Crew, filter a traditional Carol through the middle-eastern muslin of Canada’s Loreena McKennitt and go a-wassailing with English Folk singer Kate Rusby.

We also take a Soulful look at the season with some of the biggest names of Blues,  Jazz and Funk and even consider those Grinchy McScroogey types who prefer to resist all the Christmas cheer with one of our favourites from American band, Red Wanting Blue. 

As well, we feature a couple of the greatest contemporary Christmas songs (ever) from The Pogues with Kirsty MacColl - and Australia’s top-shelf troubadour, Paul Kelly. There’s something for everybody under the JR Christmas tree this year as we wish a Merry Christmas to you all. 

Paul Simon: “Getting Ready For Christmas Day” (from the album, ‘So Beautiful Or So What’)

The Shins: “Wonderful Christmastime” (from the album, ‘Holidays Rule’)

Red Wanting Blue: “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" (single)

Kate Rusby: “Here We Come A-Wassailing” (from the album, ‘Sweet Bells’)

Loreena McKennitt: “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” (from the EP, ‘A Winter Garden: Five Songs From The Season’)

H.K. Crew: “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” (from the album ‘World Christmas Party’)

Jacob Miller: “We Wish You A Merry Christmas)” (from the album ‘World Christmas Party’)

B.B. King: “Christmas Celebration” (from the album, ‘A Christmas Celebration Of Hope’)

Lionel Hampton (with Sonny Parker): “Merry Christmas Baby” (from the album, ‘What A Wonderful Christmas’)

James Brown: “Soulful Christmas” (from the album, ‘Funky Christmas’)

The Pogues(featuring Kirsty MacColl): “Fairytale Of New York” (from the album, ‘If I Should Fall From Grace With God’)

Paul Kelly: “How To Make Gravy” (from the EP, ‘How To Make Gravy’)

James Taylor: “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” (from the album, ‘James Taylor At Christmas’)

Just Released is heard Saturdays at 12pm and Sundays at 5pm (AEDT or AEST) on ABC Digital Radio in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, and via the streams of our metropolitan stations on the Gold Coast, in Newcastle, Hobart and Darwin.  You can also listen to the show during the week on ABC Dig Music Mondays @ 2pm, Wednesdays @ 8pm & Thursdays @ 11am (AEDT or AEST) and on Radio Australia throughout Asia & the Pacific.

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    ♫   {](-_-)[}   ♫         Thanks for listening.