Christmas Records, Day 19: In The Christmas Groove
Post categories: Christmas records
| 08:00 UK time, Saturday, 19 December 2009
Various Artists - In The Christmas Groove (Strut Records, 2009)
The 1986 James Brown album In The Jungle Groove, was compiled to capitalise on hip hop's use of the evergreen Funky Drummer break. That album now provides inspiration for this collection of Yuletide jams.
Despite the rather novelty cover, this is a solid compilation. Perhaps oddly, there are no James Brown joints, but the style is appropriately lean and funky drawing from 60s/70s US rhythm, blues and soul. Jimmy Reed's Christmas Present Blues lifts its opening figure from Papa's Got A Brand New Bag before lurching into a loose, propulsive groove. Meanwhile Funk Machine's Soul Santa drops a party jam for the big man, replete with chicken scratch guitar and the obligatory sleigh bells.
Wild Honey's Angel's Christmas features a charming spoken word interlude wherein winter clouds resemble John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King whilst finally, The Black On White Affair turn Hogmanay favourite Auld Lang Syne into a slinky, funkified roller. "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, hippies and squares... Happy new year!"
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