How often does someone come up to you and say, “I have the best [fill-in-the-blank] album ever!”
You then probably reply, “what the hell is an album?” So they say, “I mean CD..!” To which you say, “what the hell is a CD?”
Okay, for all you young punks out there, let’s say I have the best collection of holiday MP3 files that have even been ripped!
For everyone else, I will tell you that I have the TWO best holiday albums of all time. They are;
Sound of Christmas and More Sounds of Christmas by the Ramsey Lewis Trio.
These two albums were put out in the early sixties and actually are some of the best music, Christmas or not, ever laid down. These albums swing, in the best jazz sense of the word. Even today they are too hip for the room.
Seriously, it doesn’t matter if you are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or even an Atheist, you will love theses albums. They are all instrumental so even the most dogmatic person can hum along and enjoy them.
I suggested them to Dennis Prager (who is Jewish) a couple of years ago, and he loves them so much they are used as bumper music during the holidays on his nationally syndicated radio show.
You can get Sound of Christmas on iTunes, but More Sounds of Christmas is only available as a Japanese import CD, and the only place I have ever seen it for sale is on Ebay for about $300.00.
But trust me, do yourself a favor and buy a copy of each on Ebay in the album format. You can find some that are still sealed in the factory plastic. Then get out your old turntable and convert them to an audio file, because there is no way you can re-produce the beautiful sound you get off the vinyl.
I have heard the album and CD side by side, and the CD is a sorry second. The album sound and feel is so warm, you will seem like you are bundled up next to a holiday fire with a cup of hot chocolate.
Here is a sample from Sound of Christmas (forgive the pops but it is from the album).
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