Sunday 26 December 2010 Mitch's Christmas Party Selection Box Extended Playlist

Big Al Carson with Lars Edegran & his Santa Claus Revelers: Santa Claus is comin' to town

Album: New Orleans Christmas

2006: Putumayo World Music

Mabel Scott: Boogie woogie Santa Claus

Album: Noel Jazz

2004: Body & Soul

 

Bob Dylan: Must be Santa

Album: Christmas in the Heart

2009: Columbia Records

 

Chris Isaak: Hey Santa

Album: Chris Isaak Christmas

2004: Wicked Game

Joe Turner with Pete Johnson's Orchestra: Christmas date boogie

Album: Blues, Blues, Christmas Vol 1

2009: Document Records

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thelma Cooper: I want a man

The Marshall Brothers: Mr Santa's boogie

Album: Mark Lamarr's Rhythm & Blues Christmas

2010: Fantastic Voyage

 

The Flaming Lips: White Christmas (demo for Tom Waits)

El Vez: Feliz Navidad

Eels: Everything's gonna be cool this Christmas

Album: It's a Cool, Cool Christmas

2000: Jeepster Recordings

 

Marvin Rainwater: Get off the stool

The Hep Cats: Rockin' n' rollin' with Santa Claus

Album: I'm Gonna Lasso Santa Claus Vol 2

2007: Viper

 

BB King: Christmas celebration

Mighty Blue Kings: All I ask for Christmas

Album: A Jazz & Blues Christmas

2008: Putumayo World Music

Diana Krall: Jingle bells

Album: Christmas Songs

2005: Verve

 

Keith Richards: Run, Rudolph, run

Ramones: Merry Christmas

Rufus Thomas: I'll be your Santa, baby

Album: Christmas a Go Go

2008: Wicked Cool Records

Darlene Love: All alone on Christmas

Album: Home Alone 2 - Lost in New York OST

1992: Fox

 

Lil' Ed & the Blue Imperials: I'm your Santa

Album: The Alligator Records Christmas Collection

1992: Alligator Records

The Voices: Santa Claus baby

Album: Blues, Blues Christmas Vol 2

2009: Document Records

The Elves: White / hot Christmas

Oscar McLollie & his Honey Jumpers: Dig that crazy Santa Claus

Album: Rhythm & Blues Christmas

2006: Ace Records

 

The Kinks: Father Christmas

Album: Christmas a Go Go

2008: Wicked Cool Records

Eddie Cockran with The Holly Twins: I want Elvis for Christmas

Album: 101 Christmas Songs

2007: EMI

 

Dukes of Dixieland: Holiday time in New Orleans

Album: New Orleans Christmas

2006: Putumayo World Music

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sammy David Jnr & Carmen McRae: Baby, it's cold outside

Nancy Wilson: That's what I want for Christmas

Album: Ultimate Christmas Cocktails Part 3

2004: Capitol Records

Frank Sinatra: Have yourself a very merry Christmas

Album: The Christmas Album

2003: EMI Gold

 

Bon Jovi: Back door Santa (live)

Album: A Very Special Christmas

1987: A&M

Abba: Happy New Year

Album: The Ultimate Christmas Collection

1998: PolyGram TV

Sunday 7 December 2008 Chat

The screenplay for Warhead, a James Bond film that was never made, has fetched almost £47,000 at auction.
The script, written by Sir Sean Connery, Len Deighton and Kevin McClory in 1976 had been expected to fetch some £3,000 when it was sold this week as part of Christie's Entertainment Memorabilia sale in London.
In the story James Bond battles robot sharks attempting to plant a nuclear bomb in the sewers beneath New York.
Ironically, the story has appeared just as the big fish above those sewers are creating global meltdown for real.
You know, you're cleverer than you look, Mr Bond.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Graham Norton is taking over from Sir Terry Wogan as the BBC presenter and commentator of the Eurovision Song Contest.
Wogan, 70, has made no secret of his disappointment over bloc voting, saying the competition was "no longer a music contest".
Norton will take over for the 2009 contest, to be held in Moscow.
Stepping down, Wogan said he'll be sad to leave it all behind;
"From my first...it's been nothing but laughter and fun...the silly songs, the spectacle, the grandiose foolishness of it all."
"The real highlight was Abba and Waterloo, that was 1974 in Brighton. And Riverdance, which made the small hairs stand up on the back of everyone's neck. But that was an interval act and it's the interval acts I remember. Particularly those acts that didn't work on radio, like the clowns."
Norton said, "Sir Terry is a legend and an impossible act to follow, but somebody must and I just couldn't say no".
"I can't wait to get to Moscow. With a combination of cheap vodka and a language barrier what could possibly go wrong?"
But Wogan had the last word; when asked if there was any rumour that he'd left because he himself wanted to perform in 2009, he replied,
"There is no truth in the rumour that I've been dismissed as commentator because myself and Aled Jones are going to sing Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth at the Eurovision Song Contest. Musical standards are not that high, but come on, how far down do we have to go?"

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A good number of British acts are included in the shortlist for this year's Grammy Awards.
Better still, as far as I'm concerned, the list includes several albums, songs and acts that have been featured on my radio show over past months.
It's particularly good to know Raising Sand, the excellent album by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss and produced by T Bone Burnett, is up for several awards.
These include album of the year, together with Coldplay (Viva la vida), Lil Wayne (Tha Carter III), Ne-Yo (Year of the Gentleman) and Radiohead (In rainbows).
Raising Sand is also a contender for record of the year with Please read the letter, against Adele (Chasing pavements), Coldplay (Viva la vida), Leona Lewis (Bleeding love) and M.I.A. (Paper planes).
Altogether The Recording Academy will be presenting 110 Awards at the Grammy ceremony in February next year.

Sunday 16 November 2008 Chat

Singer, songwriter and pianist Aretha Franklin has topped Rolling Stone magazine's list of Greatest Singers of All Time.
179 musicians, producers and other music industry insiders submitted their top 20 choices for the poll, including James Blunt, Ginger Baker, Liam Gallagher, Iggy Pop, Etta James, Booker T Jones, Carole King, Brian Wilson and Keith Richards.
The soul legend's top 5 playlist was (You make me feel like) A natural woman, Respect, I never loved a man (The way I love you), Think, and Chain of fools.
Second in the poll came (my hero) Ray Charles with, What'd I say, Pts 1 & 2, and Elvis Presley was third with Mystery Train.
Sam Cooke was 4th, John Lennon 5th and Marvin Gaye came 6th.
Aretha, who has influenced Mary J Blige, Annie Lennox and Alicia Keys, among others, is the definitive soul singer of the 60s and one of the most influential voices in popular music.
Known as The Queen of Soul, she has made more than a dozen million selling singles and 20 Number One R&B hits in the US alone.
That success, despite a turbulent private life, enabled her to become the first black woman to appear on the cover of Time magazine.
Aretha was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame and in 2005 was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She has won 21 Grammy Awards to date.
Now 66, she thankfully shows no sign of giving up her remarkable gift, has launched her own record label and studies piano at the Juilliard School, New York.

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Mamma Mia!, the musical, has become the highest-grossing British film at the UK box office.
The film, starring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan, features the songs of 70s pop group, Abba, and has taken £67.2m in the UK since its July release.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was the previous holder of the British record with sales of £66.1m.
If just a few more go to see the feel-good sing-along, Mamma Mia! could beat the highest ever grossing film, Titanic, which has made £69m in the UK.

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From this week it'll be possible to purchase XO laptops in Europe.
The XO is a small, powerful laptop designed for school children, primarily in the third world.
Supposed to cost less than $100 per unit and sell by the million, the final version ended up costing $188 and the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) organisation has apparently sold only 600,000 units.
Yet the distinctive and robust green and white machines are becoming a design classic and under the Give one, get one scheme 190,000 units were purchased & given by Americans over a 2-month period in 2007.
Through Amazon this scheme is now being opened up to 27 European countries where the XO is expected to cost the equivalent of c. £260.
If you're thinking of buying a new laptop, do consider the XO through Give one, get one; you'll be purchasing a hardy and functional machine with excellent design credentials AND be giving a worthwhile gift to a school child in a one of the world's poor countries.
On the basis that a country's future lies in its young people, the XO could be a more valuable gift than a goat this Christmas.

Sunday 13 July 08 Chat - Mamma Mia!

Mamma Mia! is both an Abba-fest and the summer's frothiest and most fun musical movie.
Based on the stage musical which has grossed more than $2bn and been seen by 30m people around the world since its launch in 1999, both musical and movie unashamedly celebrate the hits of 70s supergroup Abba.
Abba members and songwriters Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus were apparently reluctant to see a musical based on Abba's songs but were convinced by producer, Judy Craymer, who they'd met while working in the West End with Tim Rice on Chess.
In 1997 Judy Craymer commissioned Catherine Johnson to write the book for the musical, the plot for which is apparently based on the 1968 film staring Gina Lollobrigida, Buona Sera, Mrs Campbell.
Like the musical, the movie is directed by Phyllida Lloyd.

Mamma Mia! stars Meryl Streep as Donna and Pierce Brosnan as Sam, with Julie Walters, Christine Baranski, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard with Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper as the young lovers, Sophie and Sky.

The plot: Sophie, who is about to be married, lives with her mother, Donna, on a Greek island. Donna's best friends Rosie and Tanya arrive for the wedding, as do Sam, Bill and Harry, three men Sophie has invited, thinking one may be her father. During the ceremony Sophie and Sky decide to postpone the wedding and to go travelling. Taking advantage of the celebrations Sam and Donna marry instead.

Undeniably lighthearted, end-to-end singalong (and dance-along!) fun and gorgeous to look at, Mamma Mia! is the ideal summer movie for all the family. For the fun quotient alone the soundtrack recording, revealing the vocal skills of Streep and the hidden talents of Brosnan and Firth, is also my album of the month.

Sunday 13 July 08 Playlist

The Surfaris: Wipeout
Jools Holland & his RBO: Mr Robert's roost
Harry Connick Jnr: Luscious
Long John Baldry: Let the heartaches begin
Ray Charles with Natalie Cole: Fever
Tom Robinson: War baby
John Lee Hooker: Boom, boom
The Waifs: Sundirtwater
Van Morrison: Bright side of the road
Peter Cincotti: Angel town
Karine Polwart: Sorry
Monty Python: Always look on the bright side of life
Fats Domino: I'm walkin'
Robert Plant & Alyson Krauss: Polly come home
Faces: Stay with me

Featured album: Duke Ellington - Ellington at Newport 1956
Tulip or turnip
Newport up
Take the A train
Day in, day out





Featured movie: O Lucky Man! OST - Alan Price
O lucky man
Poor people
Look over your shoulder
My home town

Occasional feature: Mamma Mia - OMST & story
Mamma mia
Honey, honey
Money, money, money
Dancing queen
Our last summer
Lay all your love on me
Super trouper
Voulez-vous
SOS
Does your mother know
Slipping through my fingers
The winner takes it all
When all is said and done
Take a chance on me
Abba: Thank you for the music