Swingin' Holiday
Amazon.com The combination of Christmas and just about any musical genre inevitably produces some true weirdness. In this case, the title says it all; somewhere between jump blues and swing, the music on this CD is at its core an attempt to capitalize on the swing craze. Not that it's badly done, though the vocalist sometimes sounds uncannily like Fozzie the Bear. Many of the songs included here are only to be expected: "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," of course, and "Boogie Woogie Santa Claus." "You're a Mean One, Mister Grinch," isn't exactly surprising either. Some intriguingly odd inclusions are "Little Drummer Boy" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," the latter heading for lounge-lizard territory in a big way, so that the result sounds scarily like Barry Manilow . In other words, it's a decidedly mixed bag, but in a way that's a good thing; at worst, it'll make a great conversation piece at the company Christmas party. -- Genevieve Williams
The Blues Jumpers   Format: Audio CD
{"Package Dimensions": "5.55 x 4.97 x 0.54 inches; 2.83 Ounces", "Manufacturer": "Hepcat Records", "Date First Available": "February 11, 2007", "Label": "Hepcat Records"}