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Mr. Santa's BoogieChristmas Blues (aka The Savoy Jazz Christmas Album and Savoy Christmas Blues) consists of an odd, often fabulous mix of obscure blues, jazz, and jive from the rich vaults of Savoy Records, a New Jersey-based independent label active from the early 1940's through the late 1970's. The label is most famous for its jazz, and a "who's who" of post-war bop recorded for Savoy: Charlie Parker, Cannonball Adderley, Milt Jackson, Art Pepper, Charles Mingus, Dexter Gordon, Fats Navarro, and many, many more.

But, Christmas Blues is a crazier, more eclectic affair than that legacy would indicate, and it includes very little actual jazz - though Charlie Parker's "White Christmas" (taken from a radio broadcast) is revelatory. Rather, Christmas Blues leans towards rhythm 'n' blues, with some rock, gospel, and doo wop tossed in. Among its many treasures are Jimmy Butler's outrageously salacious "Trim Your Tree" (read more), the Marshall Brothers' romping "Mr. Santa's Boogie" featuring former Raven and future Ink Spot Maithe Marshall, the Johnny Otis Orchestra's masterful "Far Away Christmas Blues" with vocals by Little Esther Phillips and Mel Walker, and "Santa's Secret" by Johnny Guarnieri with Slam Stewart - later recorded by the Squirrel Nut Zippers under its more intuitive title, "Santa Claus Is Smoking Reefer." Wild stuff!

Plus, we get yuletide wax from blues giants Big Maybelle and Gatemouth Moore, as well as long-forgotten journeymen Washboard Pete and Felix Gross. Historically speaking, though, Christmas Blues' foremost archive is the Ravens' 1948 version of "White Christmas," clearly the blueprint for the Drifters' definitive 1954 rendition - one of the greatest Christmas songs ever (read more).

You'd be forgiven for thinking that those songs are strange bedfellows for a wacky novelty like Debbie Dabney's hormonally-charged "I Want To Spend Christmas With Elvis." It is one of numerous holiday songs in the mid-50's to address the newly crowned King (read more). The song was written by Don Kirshner and a young Bobby Darin, and it featured the rock 'n' roll guitar of - get this - jazzbo Kenny Burrell! Confusingly, "I Want To Spend Christmas With Elvis" was originally released on Regent Records (a Savoy subsidiary) under the name Marlene Paula, which, even worse, is sometimes spelled "Marlena" and "Paul"... I have no idea what the deal is, but ever since Savoy has consistently referred to the excitable young singer as Debbie Dabney. Regardless, all variations are most assuredly the same recording.

Christmas BluesA Confusing Chain of Custody

So, the music is great - no confusion there. But, Christmas Blues has been issued and reissued several times in an unusually confusing chain of custody. It began life as a vinyl LP, which Savoy issued on LP in 1985 under the title Mr. Santa's Boogie, often subtitled Santa's Secret, with 14 choogling tracks. The original CD edition (1994) changed the name and cover art, but little else - same 14 tracks, same running order. But, the 1994 CD is frequently portrayed by what amounts to alternative cover art from the inside of the booklet - confusing, for sure, but it's the same album.

Then, when they reissued it again in 2003, the label simplified the title to Savoy Christmas Blues and added three tracks: the flipsides of the Big Maybelle and Ravens singles, plus a run-of-the-mill version of "White Christmas" by the Meltones - which, given the sketchy annotation, I can only assume is not Mel Tormé's early group (usually spelled Mel-Tones). But then, Savoy subtracted two obscure, unexceptional tracks by the equally obscure A.B. Green. Those are no great loss, but they could've easily fit the cumulative 17 tracks on one compact disc. In the end, the album swelled by a grand total of one measly song. And, they dropped the cool original LP liner notes, which had been faithfully reproduced in the first CD edition!

Years later, Savoy also reissued Mr Santa's Boogie on CD, and they made Savoy Christmas Blues available for download and streaming.

Regardless of format, Christmas Blues is totally essential stuff for collectors of hip holiday music. Of those 17 tracks, 13 are essential listening (see below), and one of them earned a spot in my Top 100 Songs. Christmas Blues was one of the first such albums I ever bought, and I recommend you do the same.

Albums Albums

SongsEssential Songs

  • Christmas Blues (Gatemouth Moore, 1946)
  • Christmas Blues (Washboard Pete, 1948)
  • Far Away Christmas Blues (Johnny Otis with Little Esther Phillips and Mel Walker, 1950)
  • I Want To Spend Christmas With Elvis (Debbie Dabney, aka Marlene Paul, 1956)
  • Love For Christmas (Felix Gross, 1949)
  • Mr. Santa's Boogie (Marshall Brothers, 1951)
  • Santa's Secret (Johnny Guarnieri with Slam Stewart, 1944)
  • Silent Night (Big Maybelle, 1957)
  • Silent Night (Ravens, 1948)
  • Trim Your Tree (Jimmy Butler, 1954) Top 100 Song
  • White Christmas (Big Maybelle, 1957)
  • White Christmas (Charlie Parker, 1948)
  • White Christmas (Ravens, 1948)

Further ListeningFurther Listening

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