George Melachrino and his Orchestra - "Christmas Joy" (1959) - RCA Victor
Hello Friends,
Enjoying some Christmas Mood Music tonight at the ol' tiki bar while we get busy testing out various Christmas cocktails!
Christmas Joy is a fun instrumental album with 16 holiday standards. Featuring very economical arrangements of the songs that almost sound like they could be used in television episodes or commercials. Lots of lyrical strings and woodwinds upfront, with brass and percussion used as tasteful window dressing. Throw in the occasional skating rink-sounding organ and you got yourself an xmas album!
Decca Records had such great success with Mantovani records in the late 50's that RCA came up their own "Mantovani" in English bandleader George Melachrino. (Columbia Records had Percy Faith, Capitol had Jackie Gleason, etc.) The music is moody, pleasantly dated and totally NOT annoying-- a trait that unfortunately plagues many of the orchestral-style records found in your grandparents' closets!
Extra points for the cozy looking album cover!
RATING: 3.5 Good King Wenceslases on the Feast of Stephens out of 5
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