It's that time of year, when labels start pouring out Christmas offerings from their stars, best of compilations, and re-releases. Some are just fluffy nothingness, and others are decent records that don't deserved to be lumped in bargain bins. This one happily falls in the latter category.
There are definitely no Christmas carols here, in fact there are several new tracks, but the overall tone is festive and celebratory, and you'll likely keep multiple generations happy giving this a spin at a family gathering. In 2012, Jools Holland, one of Britain's most beloved musical institutions, released The Golden Age Of Song, a record which had him collaborating with a wide array of stars on the Great American Songbook to very popular result, backed by his wonderful Rhythm & Blues Orchestra. This is a not dissimilar exercise, except he confines his collaborators to women, and tackles a wider range of material.
Amy Winehouse with Jools Holland performing Monkey Man:
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