World of Slick Music
– Christmas Edition
Hi there folks!
So Christmas is only 1 or 2 days away defending where you live. The most common in Europe is to focus on Christmas eve while in America it’s Christmas day. I’m a sucker for Christmas as a Holiday and also for Christmas song. These days when it’s dark early then walking around in town watching all the lights really gets me in the mood!
Yesterday i visisted the amusement park in my town and at this time a year it’s Christmas theme. It’s been like that since the year 2000 i think. Among lots of other things they have this tower which they “transform” into a giant Christmas tree! That is like the symbol of the “Christmas city of Gothenburg”. The authorites here began early to advertise the city as the “Christmas city” both in Sweden and abroad. Enough of that cause after all this is a music blog!
Last year on the Christmas edition then i was revisting some “old friends” meaning artists i’ve written about here. This year it’s the opposite i had in mind, a like “teaser” of what will come next year.
1: Chicago
First band band out is the iconic and legendary band Chicago. If you like music i expect you to know these guys. Now i’m saying you must know their every song, i don’t! Still this band has been around since 1968 or so and still have 4 original members in it. If you are familliar with Chicago you may think of some kinda lame and boring ballads. Cause those songs are mostly been played on the radio. Anyway i will tell you lot more of them in 2017. So here i’ll give Chicago doing their version of the classic American carol God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdOV5TeZCa8
2: Marilyn Scott
Next artist i guess is not so well know for the big masses. Still he has had a long career working with many different artists in the business releasing many albums under her own name. Her style is like pop or maybe AOR/West coast if you will with influences from Jazz and Soul. Her productions are often solid works with some of the best cats around. This song is by far no exception. She is taken on another classic Christmas tune Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. This version got a nice groove and the band swings a lot!
In the horn section we find 3 guys plus the drummer whom all have been members of
Tower of Power. That itself is a guarantee that the cats knows how to swing!
So here comes Marilyn Scott with her take on Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
3: John Stoddart
Next one is R&B/Gospel singer John Stoddart whom i think isn’t that famous for the big masses either but who cares? I don’t! Anyway how does he sound? Pretty much like how the most contemporary R&B singers do. To be honest isn’t always what makes me going but if they have one or more enough slick songs then that’s enough for me.
He has worked /performed a lot with sax man Kirk Whalum, whom i wrote about last year, both on albums and on stage. Here he does his own song called All I Want.
4: Andreas Aleman
Next artist would actually surprise some if you know about! This guy is from Sweden but his music is awesome in the style of like Michael McDonald, Bill Champlin, Airplay.
On his Christmas album there’s actually a song on which Michael McDonald is featured as guest vocalist. This guy made some Christmas shows in Stockholm in Sweden but not in my town, too bad. Maybe next year he’ll do a show here, Christmas or not. Here i give you my native Swede singer Andreas Aleman doing his own composition Home For Christmas.
5: Israel Houghton & New Breed
Last artist out in this Christmas edition of 2016 is contemporary Gospel artist/singer
Israel Houghton. If you’re not familiar with contemporary Christian/Gospel music then the chances that you’ve heard of Israel or his band The New Breed. His style is like a mix of pop/rock, gospel, soul/funk, jazz with some latin vibes. Mostly gospel and soul thou. So here comes the 5th and last song in this Christmas edition of World of Slick Music of 2016 i’ll give you Israel Houghton & New Breed doing their version of the classic song, at least within the churches, Go Tell It On the Mountain.
Stay tuned folks there’s more slick music coming your way in 2017!!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Slick Year 2017!!!!
World of Slick Music 