John Carr is the middle drummer in three generations of a family of percussionists. As bandleader of The Hungry Williams, Carr knows what’s what.
If you are like most of us, there is little new under the tree when it comes to Christmas music. Yet when something is done this well and in the spirit of fun, there is little humbug to be found. Do the names Pepi Adorno Orchestra, Louis Armstrong, Charles Brown and Mabel Scott ring any sleigh bells? If not, dig in and study your history. These four songs that reach back seven decades are a good first lesson.
Vocalist Kelli Gonzalez inhabits these songs, a playful chanteuse whose character is either out of time or simply timeless. The rhythm section of veterans Jack Stewart and Mike Sieger construct a groove for Gonzalez and a horn section to romp all over. The prize in the crackerjacks here is a pair of guitar solos by Joe Vent that will snap you out of any holiday tryptophan nod.
