Funk legend Bootsy Collins spices up the winter months with his first holiday album, "Christmas Is 4 Ever," a newly recorded CD that mixes four new recordings and nine "Bootsyized" yuletide classics. The bespectacled former Parliament/Funkadelic member, whose past hits include "Ahh ..
. The Name Is Bootsy, Baby!" and "Bootzilla," puts his funky, albeit twisted, touch to popular Christmas favorites "Jingle Belz," "Winterfunkyland" and "Dis-christmiss.
" The result is a dizzying array of genuine love, inflated guest spots, and "interesting" takes on come of the classics. Bootsy is joined by artists diverse as Snoop Dogg, who raps on the new "Happy Holidaze," to Charlie Daniels on fiddle and background vocals for the classic "Sleigh Ride."If that doesn t support the insanity going on all over "Christmas Is 4 Ever," how about the numerous holiday greetings from Buckethead and Roger Troutman as well as a message from Bishop Don Magic Juan?
At times, the recording becomes too crowded with the cluster of individuals and music grasping for attention all at once, but Bootsy s bass playing always shines through, as does his smooth talking.During "Boot-Off" (a take on "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer"), he answers a chorus of children imploring him to lead "with your shiny nose," with "That s my gold toof!"No matter how much of a mish-mash is going on all over the place, moments like that make the funkdafied madness on "Christmas Is 4 Ever" somehow fall into perspective.
Closer to home - or closer to Earth after checking out Bootsy, you can call it a masterpiece, a labor of love or the beginning of a new tradition, but Daryl Hall and John Oates have released "Home for Christmas," a beautifully recorded and heartfelt holiday record.What s most surprising is that these two homespun heroes took so long to do a proper Christmas album.Soulsters from The Drifters to the Temptations have dropped holiday full lengths to varying degrees of success, so it s only fitting that Hall Oates would eventually get around to it.
"We wanted to do an album that expressed the true spirit of Christmas; of peace, traditions, family and friends coming together," said Hall. "Some are familiar, but adapted to our style, others more obscure, along with two originals, are about ecstasy, grace, poignancy, love and, of course, soul." Such a boasts lead to an undertaking that has a greater potential than not to fall flat, but surprisingly, "Home for Christmas" succeeds because of its own ambition.
Over the years, Hall Oates have grown by leaps and bounds musically, and the sophistication of covering a song like "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" could never have been pulled off in the "Maneater" days.Actually, it could have, but probably wouldn t have been accepted or appreciated by the screaming throngs back then as it is today. The two original songs for the collection, the title track and "No Child Should Ever Cry On Christmas," sound exactly like you would expect from the duo; sweet and earnest harmonies over made for AOR arrangements.
That s not to say the disc is completely awash in maturity.The re-recording of "Jingle Bell Rock," a promotional-only single that was a hit for the duo for many years while also kicking around on various compilations, sounds just as fresh and inspired as the unforgettable and familiar guitar lick that opens the song. A portion of proceeds from "Home for Christmas" will be donated to the U.
S. Marine Corps charity Toys for Tots, for which Hall Oates will serve as spokesmen for the 2006 fundraising campaign.The awareness generated through their personal appearances is expected to reach thousands of additional children this year.
"Recording an album of Christmas songs has always been something we ve dreamed about," said Oates. "We re hoping this record can help make others dreams come true, too." Funk and soul are just two genres that have been turned into holiday cheer.
Next week s column will present a "must have" list of Christmas songs to decorate the tree by.From James Brown to Coldplay, no artist will be left untouched.But first, what are your favorite Christmas songs?
And which ones could you go to the grave without ever hearing again? Drop an e-mail to rockmusicmenu@hotmail.com, and I ll print the best responses in next week s Rock Music Menu.
* Big Head Todd The Monsters with The Brakes at the TLA Jan. 31. * Jamie Foxx at the Borgata Jan.
14. * Bob Seger The Silver Bullet Band at the Wachovia Spectrum Jan. 18.
* Galactic at the TLA Feb. 1. * Rick Springfield at the Music Box at the Borgata Feb.
17. * Jacks Mannequin with Head Automatica and The Audition at the Electric Factory Feb.
24. * Frankie Valli The Four Seasons the Music Box at the Borgata Feb. 23, 24 25.
* Hall Oates at the Borgata March 23 24.
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