From the Richard Weize Archives, a division of Rock Star Records comes one of the finest Christmas compilations of all time, Boogie Woogie Santa Claus. This 2017 release has gathered together a stunning array of Christmas songs, all from the golden age of American rhythm & blues music.

This CD is reason enough not to land on Santa’s naughty list.

Let’s back up a minute and get that question out of your head, so that we can move on in a peaceful and joyful manner. Who is Richard Weize?  Weize, for our readers who may not be familiar, is the founder of the Bear Family Record Label. Starting in 1975, this German based label has become synonymous with the production of lavish vintage music compilations. For connoisseurs of great American music and collectors of all stripes, the Bear Family, and its founder Richard Weize, are world renowned for their attention to detail and their commitment to spare no expense in presenting this music to people who don’t want a Pandora anywhere near their menorah or an MP3 under their tree.   

Boogie Woogie Santa Claus fits firmly in this mold. This twenty-nine-song holiday extravaganza includes a sixty-eight-page booklet of liner notes written by the re-issue producer Bill Dahl. Dahl, a gifted writer and archivist in his own right, also provides detailed discographic information, including original catalogue numbers, recording dates, location and songwriting credits, as well as the musicians that appear on each of these tunes. Dahl also adds a very informative, accompanying narrative for each artist.

From early rock & roller Chuck Berry to jump blues artists such as Jimmy Liggins, Amos Milburn and Roy Milton to more straight-ahead blues fare from Lowell Fulson, Jimmy Witherspoon, Jesse Thomas and Jimmy McCracklin, this album will warm your chestnuts on an open fire, while Jack Frost nips at somebody else’s nose.

Much of this warmth will come from the many vocal groups who are also well represented on Boogie Woogie Santa Claus. The wonderful harmonizing of the Moonglows, the Five Keys and the Orioles, among others, are sprinkled like tinsel on a Douglas Fir throughout this collection. Huey 'Piano' Smith and the Clowns' take on Silent Night represents not only the sole non-secular Christmas classic in this collection, but an arrangement that is nothing short of spectacular.

Another album highlight comes courtesy of Mabel Scott’s title track. A scorching tenor sax solo by Maxwell Davis highlights this tune.

More soul oriented vocalists such as Solomon Burke, Little Willie John and Titus Turner can be found alongside the king of Christmas blues, Charles Brown. Here Brown leaves the singing of his big hit Merry Christmas Baby to Chuck Berry while his own lesser known, post Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers’ gem, Christmas Finds Me Oh So Sad is classic, mellow Charles Brown.

For fans of the Three Blazers there is no need to get the Christmas blues as they can be found backing vocalist Frankie Ervin on his Christmas Eve Baby. The guitar of Johnny Moore is also heard here in support of Little Willie Littlefield singing his original Merry Xmas from 1949. 

While many, if not all, of these recordings have been available for years on other collections, one of the many things that makes this CD so special is the superior sound quality. The Richard Weize Archives, like Rhythm Bomb Records and Koko Mojo Records, are all part of the Rock Star Records family of labels. They continue to produce some wonderful new music yet this batch of rhythm & blues “oldies” is what the holidays are all about. Santa Claus digs this album and so do I. Boogie Woogie Santa Claus should be at the top of your Christmas wish list. 

-  David Mac