Friday, December 19, 2025

Hello, Mister Playlist

Album cover of Christmas Songs and Carols on Golden Records label, illustrated by Lowell Hess, showing Victorian carolers on a snowy evening near a gas street lamp with a wooden sign with Santa Claus's face on it.
In my imagination, that’s me in the lower left.

Coffeetime, December 19, 2025, Angelynn Grant

set 1
Red Garland / All Kinds of Weather / Winter Wonderland / Prestige / 11.27.58 
Dick Robertson & his Orchestra / Don’t Wait ’Til the Night Before Christmas / Decca / 9.19.39 
Kay Kyser & his Orchestra / Hello, Mister Kringle / Columbia / LA 9.7.39 / vocal = Ginny Simms, Harry Babbitt, Sully Mason, & Ish Kabibble
Frank Sinatra / Christmas Dreaming / Columbia / Hollywood 6.26, 27.47 / with Axel Stordahl & his Orchestra / “no sign of snow around”
The Nic Nacs [The Robins] / Gonna Have a Merry Christmas / RPM / LA 11.2.50 / with Little Esther 
Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, & Vera Ellen [dubbed by Trudy Stevens] / Snow / soundtrack, Paramount movie White Christmas / Hollywood 1953 
Ella Fitzgerald / Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas / Sleigh Ride / Verve / LA 7.15 & 16.60 / studio orchestra arranged & conducted by Frank DeVol ​
Nancy Wilson / That’s What I Want for Christmas / Capitol / Hollywood 11.18.63 / with celeste!

bed
Dexter Gordon / The Panther! / The Christmas Song / Prestige / 7.7.70 

set 2
Charles Schultz /A Charlie Brown Christmas original soundtrack / dialogue snippet / Buena Vista / LA 1977 / with Peter Robbins [Charlie Brown] & Christopher Shea [Linus]; “besides, I think it needs me”
Vince Guaraldi / A Charlie Brown Christmas / O Tannenbaum; Skating; Hark, the Herald Angels Sing; The Christmas Song; Christmas Time is Here (vocal) / Fantasy / LA 1965 / with the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in San Rafael 
Dean Martin / It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas / NBC TV broadcast, The Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis Show / Hollywood 12.5.52
Bing Crosby & Peggy Lee / Here Comes Santa Claus / radio broadcast, The Bing Crosby Show For Chesterfield / Hollywood 12.3.49 / with Jud Conlon’s Rhythmaires {Conlon, Mack McLean, Charles Parlato, Loulie “Lily” Jean Norman, Gloria Wood} and John Scott Trotter & his Orchestra
Anne Lloyd & the Sandpipers / Christmas Songs and Carols / When Santa Claus Gets Your Letter / Golden Records / 1958 / with = Mitch Miller; cover by Lowell Hess 
Doris Day / The Doris Day Christmas Album / The Christmas Waltz / Columbia / LA 1964

bed
Don Patterson / Holiday Soul / Merry Christmas, Baby / Prestige / 11.25.64 

set 3
Cranston East A Cappella Choir / Speak to One Another / Fum, Fum, Fum / Vogt / Cranston, RI fall 1972
Kenny Burrell / Have Yourself a Soulful Little Christmas / Merry Christmas Baby / Cadet / Chicago 10.66 / Burrell g, Charles Stepney p; Cleveland Eaton b, Morris Jennings d
Steve Allen Trio / A Chiaroscuro Christmas / Jingle Bells / Chiaroscuro / Pittson PA, WVIA 1973 / Allen p, Paul Rostock b, Ira Saylor d
Richard Himber & his Ritz-Carlton Hotel Orchestra / Winter Wonderland / Victor / 10.23.34 / vocal = Joey Nash 
Henry Hall & the BBC Dance Orchestra / The Fairy on the Christmas Tree / HMV / London 11.29.36 / vocal = The Three Sisters 
Mel Blanc and the Sportsmen / Jingle Bells / radio transcription AFRS Mail Call Christmas Special / Hollywood 40s
Kay Starr / December / radio transcription / Hollywood fall 1949 / with Billy Butterfield Quintet and background vocals by The Three Beaus & a Peep: Darlene Zito, Phil Scott, Lester Brush, & Jimmy Leyden
Jo Stafford / Happy Holiday / Happy Holiday; Winter Weather / Columbia / 1955 / a sort of concept album, with Paul Weston & his Orchestra
Julie London / I’d Like You for Christmas / Liberty / LA 1957
Sammy Davis Jr. / It’s Christmas Time All Over The World / Reprise / LA mid-1965

bed
Gene Ammons / Night Lights / The Christmas Song / Prestige / 2.2.70 

set 4
Tommy Flanagan / An Uptown Christmas / The Christmas Waltz / Uptown / 8.12.87
Judy Garland / from the soundtrack to the film “Meet Me in St. Louis” / Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas / MGM / Hollywood 12.4.43
King Cole Trio / The Christmas Song / Capitol / Hollywood 6.14.46 / written by Robert Wells & Mel Tormé 
Johnny Mercer / Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town; Jingle Bells (Capitol Promos) / Capitol / Hollywood 9.17.47; 1946 / with the Pied Pipers
James Brown & his Famous Flames / James Brown Christmas Album / Merry Christmas, I Love You / King / 1966
Dinah Washington / Make Me a Present of You / EmArcy / LA 11.11.55 / with Ernie Wilkins Orchestra
Golden Gate Quartet / Go Where I Send Thee / Bluebird / Charlotte, NC 8.4.37

last soulful (Christmas) song
Otis Redding / Soul Christmas / Merry Christmas, Baby / Atco / Memphis 2.67

Friday, December 12, 2025

The Best Playlists Happen While You’re Dancing

Scan of the cover for the 78 rpm Golden Record, Winter Wonderland and Mr. Snow, showing a cartoon illustration of children smiling on a sled and building a snowman.
Merry Xmas, Kiddie Records Weekly!

Note: the first break at 2:30 is misaligned for my back announcing only. All the rest of the show it aligned properly. That was for those listening over the radio and from the archive for the first 48 hours. Now (5 pm Sunday), a corrected version is on the archive. 

Coffeetime, December 12, 2025, Angelynn Grant

set 1
Hank Mobley / Hank Mobley Quartet (5066) / Avila and Tequila / Blue Note / 3.27.55  
Rouse-Watkins Jazz Modes / Jazzville / Legend / Dawn / 6.56 / Rouse ts, Watkins fh, Gildo Mahones p, Paul West b, Art Taylor d
Bernie Cummins & his Orchestra / I Told Santa Claus to Bring Me You [written by Truman Virgil “Pinky” Tomlin] / Vocalion / 12.12.37 / vocal = Walter Cummins
Frankie Laine / Christmas Favorites / You’re All I Want For Christmas / Mercury / 1950
Felix Gross & his Orchestra / Love for Christmas / Savoy / LA 10.25.49 / Joe Howard ts, Mitchell “Tiny” Webb g, Minor Robinson d
Sparky / I Don’t Want a Lot for Christmas / Capitol / Hollywood 1952 / with music by Billy May 
Connee Boswell / Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! / Decca / Hollywood 1946 / with Russ Morgan & his Orchestra
Jo Stafford / Ski Trails / By the Fireside / Columbia / 1955 / with Paul Weston & his Orchestra and The Starlighters 

bed
Bucky Pizzarelli / Flashes - Solo 7-String Guitar, Volume 3 / Arbors Jazz / 2004

set 2
Bill Evans & Jim Hall / Intermodulation / Turn Out the Stars / Verve / 4.7.66 
Jimmy Hamilton / Can’t Help Swinging / Dancing on the Ceiling / Prestige Swingville / 4.4.61
Eddy Duchin & his Orchestra / When Winter Comes / Brunswick / 5.16.39 / vocal = Johnny MacAfee
Bing Crosby / I’d Like to Hitch a Ride with Santa Claus / radio broadcast, Philco Radio Time [Decca] / Hollywood 11.25.50 / duet with Lindsay Crosby; with John Scott Trotter & his Orchestra and Jud Conlon’s Rhythmaires [Jeff Alexander Chorus  
Bob Keeshan & Lumpy Brannum / Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas from Captain Kangaroo / Crackerjack Christmas / Golden Records / 1958 / with Jimmy Carroll & Orchestra and Mr. Green Jeans aka Lumpy Brannum
Danny Kaye / The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing / soundtrack to White Christmas / Hollywood 1953 / with the Starlighters & Rosemary Clooney, dialogue with Vera-Ellen & Rosemary Clooney (“I don’t weigh very much.”) 
Billie Mae Richards & Paul Soles / soundtrack to TV show Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer / We’re a Couple of Misfits / Decca / 1964

set 3
Oliver Nelson / Nocturne / Azure-té / Prestige Moodsville 13 / 8.23.60 
Jimmy Forrest / Out of the Forrest / That’s All / Prestige / 4.18.61 
Sammy Kaye / Santa Claus Is on His Way / Victor / 1941 / vocal = The Three Kaydets
Mills Brothers / On This Christmas Eve / Decca / 9.8.49 
Bing Crosby & Peggy Lee / Little Jack Frost Get Lost / radio broadcast, Philco Radio Time / Hollywood 1.11.50 / with John Scott Trotter & his Orchestra and Jud Conlon’s Rhythmaires  
The Dinning Sisters & Bob Atcher / Christmas Island / Capitol / Hollywood 1950
Dean Martin / Christmas Blues / Capitol / Hollywood 10.5.53
Allen Keller / A New Look at the World / Christmas Road / Charlie Parker Records / early 1960s

set 4
Bill Harris / The Harris Touch / Yesterdays / EmArcy / 5.2.57 / Harris g, unknown bongos
Herb Geller / Sleigh Ride / EmArcy / 1954 
Oscar Moore / The Christmas Song / Horizon / Burbank 4.65 / Moore g, Gerald Wiggins p, Joe Comfort b 
King Cole Trio / Jingle Bells / Standard transcription / Hollywood 10.38 / NKC p & voc, Oscar Moore g, Wesley Prince b
The Starlighters / I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm / Capitol / Hollywood 1948
June Hutton / Song of the Sleigh Bells / Capitol / Hollywood 11.26.52 / with Axel Stordahl & his Orchestra and The Boys Next Door
Dean Martin / Silver Bells / NBC TV broadcast, The Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis Show / Hollywood 12.9.52
Alphabetical Four / Go Where I Send Thee / Decca / 8.16.38

last soulful song
Donny Hathaway / This Christmas / Atco / Chicago 1970



Friday, December 05, 2025

The Only Thing I Want For Christmas (Is Just to Keep the Playlist That I’ve Got)

Screenshot from Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol showing the three ragtag animated characters in Magoo/Scrooge's life (housekeeper, maybe the chimney sweep, the junk shop owner, and another, very short character) standing in the junk shop.
Me and my WMBR pals at the station. :P

Coffeetime, December 5, 2025, Angelynn Grant

set 1
Hank Mobley / Hank Mobley (5066) / Love for Sale / Blue Note / 3.27.55 
Jay Jay [J.J.] Johnson / Get Happy / Blue Note / 6.22.53 / Jimmy Heath ts 
Dick Robertson & his Orchestra / Meet Me Under the Mistletoe / Decca / 10.18.41
Fats Waller & his Rhythm / Winter Weather / Bluebird / 12.26.41 
Floyd Dixon / Empty Stocking Blues / Aladdin / LA 9.19.50 / with Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers
Jo Stafford / Ski Trails / Moonlight in Vermont / Columbia / 4.10.56 / with Paul Weston & his Music 

bed
Bucky Pizzarelli / Flashes - Solo 7-String Guitar, Volume 3 / Arbors Jazz / 2004

set 2
Gerry Mulligan / Night Lights / In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning / Philips / fall 1962 
Ike Quebec / Blue & Sentimental / Blue & Sentimental/ Blue Note / 12.23.61 
Hank D’Amico / Holiday with Hank / Tomorrow / Bethlehem / 1955 / D’Amico cl, Billy Triglia p, Milt Hinton b, Charlie Smith d; cover photography & design by Burt Goldblatt
Mills Brothers / The Yam / Decca / 8.23.38
Sammy Kaye (Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye) / (Don’t Wait ’Til) The Night Before Christmas / Victor / 11.11.38 / vocal = The Three Barons
Yogi Yorgesson / I Yust Go Nuts at Christmas / Capitol / Hollywood 10.18.49 / with the Johnny Duffy Trio 
Paul Frees, Royal Dano, Joan Gardner, and Laura Olsher / Plunderer’s March (We’re Despicable) / soundtrack to Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol / 1961 / music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Bob Merrill

set 3
Bill Smith / Folk Jazz / Greensleeves / Contemporary / LA 1959 
Mal Waldron / Mal-1 / Stablemates / Prestige / 11.9.56 
Raymond Scott & his Orchestra / Send Me Your Love for Christmas / AFRS Raymond Scott Show / 10.44 / vocal = Dorothy Collins 
Delta Rhythm Boys / Jingle Bells / radio broadcast, Christmas Jubilee, AFRS Christmas Jubilee Show / Hollywood 1945
The Orioles / (It’s Gonna Be A) Lonely Christmas / Jubilee / 1948
Matt Dennis / Welcome Matt / By the Fireside / Jubilee / 1958 / with band arranged & conducted by Sy Oliver

set 4
Ellis Larkins / Blue and Sentimental / Blue and Sentimental / Decca / 1956 / Larkins p, Skeeter Best g, Joe Benjamin b, Jim Crawford d
Lou Levy / Jazz in Four Colors / Button Up Your Overcoat / RCA Victor / LA 4.2.56 / Levy p, Larry Bunker vb, Leroy Vinnergar b, Stan Levey d
Blossom Dearie / Old Devil Moon / Barclay / Paris 1.16.56 / Dearie p, Bobby Jaspar fl, Benoit Quersin b, Christian Garros d 
Eddie Cantor / The Only Thing I Want For Christmas (Is Just to Keep the Things That I’ve Got) / Columbia / 11.26.39 / with Jerry Joyce and his Orchestra and The Robert Mitchell “Boychoir”
King Cole Trio / (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons / Capitol / 8.22.46 / NKC p & voc, Oscar Moore g, Johnny Miller b
Nancy Wilson / Easy / Make Me a Present of You / Capitol / Hollywood 1968
Golden Gate Quartet / Walk in Jerusalem Just Like John / NBC Thesaurus radio program / 1941

last soulful song
Lou Rawls / Merry Christmas. Ho! Ho! Ho! / Christmas Is / Capitol / Hollywood 7.17.67
Booker T. & The MG’s / In the Christmas Spirit / Santa Claus Is Coming to Town / Stax / 1966