Hot Half Dozen. Dec.7, 2020

Not your mother’s Christmas carols

We received 64 Christmas song submissions. Here is a half dozen of them that are not the usual winter, holy night carols but are all worth playing as you decorate the tree

Noche Buena and Los Pices en el Rio, singles by Cuñao. LA’s  – and the natiaon’s – favorite alt Latin world folk group brings us two Christmas songs, that have been  “ Cuñaofied” with unique joyful sound that only this band can make. Download on Bandcamp. Stream on Spotify. www.cunaomusic.com.  Catch their PBS Christmas special Dec. 24 at 3 – 6 pm  pbssocal.org. 

Christmas in the Islands, album by Shaggy. 15 songs of a Caribbean Christmas  – some with attitude, all with great artists.. Available on all platforms. https://www.facebook.com/Shagg or download at https://shaggy.lnk.to/ChristmasInTheIslandsFA,

A Gulf Coast Christmas, album compilation by Gulf Coast Records. What would Christmas be without the Blues, and here they are – 16 songs and 18 artists. The lineup includes Mike Zito, Kat Riggins, Lisa Anderson, Billy Price, Diana Rein, Albert Castiglia and many more. The album starts with “All I Got for Christmas is the blues” and ends with “Run Rudolf Run”  and has lots of fun in between.  Download on Amazon Music, stream on Spotify. https://gulfcoastrecords.bigcartel.com/product/a-gulf-coast-christmas

Christmas in Summer, single by Binx. Being from South Africa her Christmases were in the summer, so the pop queen bee sings out a happy song of sunshine and Santa.  Sorry – no sleighbells, but lots of fun. Available on Spotify, Apple Music. Binxofficial.com.  Check her out on TikTok – more fun.

What Christmas is to me, single by Jessie Wagner.  The feeling is definitely Christmas eve and the words are feel good but make you reflect – all we all should at the end of the year. Stream of Spotify.  Video on YouTube. https://www.jessiewagnerofficial.com/

Let it Snow and Jingle Bell Rock.  Flor de Toloache. OK, we had to have at least one traditional song – but with this Latin-Grammy-winning mariachi group offering two such happy, fun songs…well what can I say?  Have a mariachi Christmas.  Available on all platforms. https://bit.ly/3qwPGRH

Patrick O’Heffernan, Host Music Sin Fronteras