A Selection of Holiday Music To Stream Through Freegal!

Hi everyone, the free Freegal Music Service* offers oodles of holiday albums from vintage to classical and jazz to vocal, pop, rock and more!

Here are a few titles you might enjoy during the holiday season including a couple that have nothing to do with any holiday at all – they simply have a connection to the winter season!

And if you’re in a browsing mood, check out the Freegal Music Catalog and search for some of your favorite artists – you’ll discover, while searching for songs and artists a cornucopia of cool music of all genres!

To access the browser based version of the Freegal Music catalog click here:

You can also download the Freegal Music app from the Apple or Android app stores and then listen to the music through the app.

And without further ado here is a sampling of the holiday music available through Freegal:

16 Most Requested Songs – Christmas Encore! by Various Artists (Genre: Traditional Pop Orchestral/Vocal):

Songs include: O Tannenbaum! by The Norman Luboff Choir, Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep by Rosemary Clooney, Toyland by Doris Day, Jingle Bells by Patti Page, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by Ray Conniff & The Ray Conniff Singers & It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas by Johnny Mathis.

21 Christmas Classics by Various Artists (Genre: Traditional Pop Orchestra/Vocal):

Songs Include: It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams, Winter Wonderland by Aretha Franklin, A Marshmallow World by Dean Martin, Must Be Santa by Bob Dylan, The First Noel by Earth, Wind & Fire and Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer by Hank Snow.

30 Instrumental Christmas Songs by The O’Neill Brothers Group (Genre: Instrumental w. stringed instruments): 

Songs Include: Silent Night, Silver Bells, Adeste Fideles, The Gift of Love, Jolly Old St. Nicholas and Pachelbel’s Little Star.

Acoustic Christmas by Various Artists (Genre: Classic Rock, Folk, Country): 

Songs Include: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by T Bone Burnett, Let It Be Me/The Christmas Song by Laura Nyro, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear by Rosanne Cash, Silent Night by the Hooters & O Come All Ye Faithful by Art Garfunkel.

Beautiful Day by Kurt Elling (Genre: Jazz): 

Songs Include: Sing a Christmas Carol, Star of Wonder, We Three Kings, Little Drummer Boy and Same Old Lang Syne.

A Blue, Blues Christmas – A Timeless Collection of Blues Songs for Christmas with Fats Waller, Leadbelly, John Lee Hooker, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Lightnin Hopkins, And More! (Genre: Blues, R&B, Pop): 

Songs Include: Silent Night, Holy Night by Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Merry Christmas by Lightning Hopkins, Christmas Time Blues by Jimmy Dawkins, What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve by The Orioles and Swingin’ Them Jingle Bells by Fats Waller.

Carols from Royal Holloway by the Choir of Royal Holloway (Genre: Classical/Choral):

Songs Include: A Tender Shoot, Gabriel’s Message, Sussex Carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Away in a Manger and O Little One Sweet.

Celtic Solstice by Paul Winter & Friends (Genre: New Age, Jazz):

This new age album offers up songs that complement the Winter Solstice coming up on Thursday, December 21.

Songs include: Golden Apples of the Sun, Hollow Hills, O’Farrell’s Welcome to Limerick, The Minstrel’s Adieu and Farewell to Govan.

Children’s Christmas Songbook St. Josephs Youth Choir (Genre: Classical/Choral/Children’s Music):


Songs Include: We Wish You a Merry Christmas, Colors of Christmas, Deck the Halls, The First Noel & Jingle Bells.

Nuestra Navidad by Various Artists: 

Songs Include: El Burrito De Belen by Julio Preciado, Ven A Mi Casa Esta Navidad by Banda Superbandido, Noche De Paz by Trio Los Panchoes, Regalo De Reyes by Javier Solls and Lioraras En Navidad by Pablo Montero.

Christmas by Harry Belafonte (Genre: Vocal, Pop, International, Folk):

Songs Include: A Star In The East, The Son Of Mary, Medley: The Joys Of Christmas/O Little Town of Bethlehem/Deck The Halls/The First Noel, Christmas Is Coming and The Twelve Days of Christmas.

Christmas Album by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass (Genre: Easy Listening, Jazz, Pop):

This is the classic 1968 Christmas album by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass not to be confused with his new 2017 Christmas album!

Songs on the LP include: Winter Wonderland, Jingle Bells, My Favorite Things, The Christmas Song, Sleigh Ride, Las Mananitas, Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow and Jingle Bell Rock.

Christmas Caravan by Sultans of String (Genre: International, Acoustic):

Songs Include: Turkish Greensleeves, Sing for Kwanzaa, Jesous Ahatonhia, Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, The Little Drummer Boy, A Django Christmas and Niel Gow’s Lament.

Christmas LIVE! by Ernie Haase & Signature Sound (Genre: Vocal, Pop): 


Songs Include: Every Light That Shines at Christmas, White Christmas, If It Doesn’t Snow on Christmas, Heat Miser and Thank God For Kids

Christmas Rap (Genre: Rap):

Songs Include: Christmas in Hollis by RUN-DMC, Ghetto Santa by Spyder-D, Christmas In The City by Sun King and That’s What I Want For Christmas by The Showboys

Christmas Together by The Piano Guys (2017) (Genre: Easy Listening, Classical):

Songs Include: Angels from the Realms of Glory, O Holy Night/Ave Maria, Ode to Joy to the World, What Child is This and I Saw Three Ships.

Christmas with Elvis and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (2017) (Genre: Pop, Rock, Classical):

Songs Include: Santa Claus Is Back In Town, White Christmas, Here Comes Santa Claus, Blue Christmas, Winter Wonderland and Merry Christmas Baby.

Christmas With Ray Conniff (Genre: Easy Listening):

Songs Include: Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Christmas Bride, Sleigh Ride, Greensleeves, Silver Bells and Frosty the Snowman.

Classic Christmas by Johnny Cash (Genre: Country):

Songs Include: Joy to the World, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, O Come All Ye Faithful and Little Gray Donkey.

Decade the Halls, Vol. 1 Tenth Avenue North (2017) (Genre: Pop, Vocal):

Songs Include: Good King Wenceslas, Deck the Halls, We Three Kings, Go Tell it on the Mountain, Mistletoe and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.

December by Chris Botti (Genre: Jazz, Easy Listening):

Songs include: Winter Wonderland, Ave Maria, Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!, I Really Don’t Want Much For Christmas and Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.

Dr. Elmo’s Twisted Christmas by Dr. Elmo (Genre: Comedy):

For fans of Christmas humor…

Songs Include: Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer, Christmas Won’t Be, Santa Ain’t Comin’, Christmas Millionaire and Junk Bond Christmas Blues.

Elvis’ Christmas Album by Elvis Presley (1957) (Genre: Rock, Pop):


Songs Include: Santa Claus Is Back In Town, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, Silent Night, Blue Christmas and Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me).

The Essential Hank Snow (Genre: Country, Traditional Country):

This album has nothing whatsoever to do with winter or holidays of any sort! Except of course, for the fact that the late & great country singer and guitarist had a name that is perfect for winter– Snow!

Songs on this cool collection, which offers tunes from all phases of Hank Snow’s career, include: My San Antonio Mama, Brand on My Heart, The Rhumba Boogie, Confused with the Blues and A Fool Such As I.

Evening Guitar Chill Out by Various Artists (Genre: Acoustic, Instrumental, Easy Listening):

Acoustic Sunset by Eric Walters, Humble Love by Dvir Silverstone, Green Hills by Gary Wolk and Someday by Michelle Qureshi.

A Festival Of Carols by Robert Shaw (Genre: Classical, Orchestral, Vocal):

Songs Include: It Came Upon the Midnight Clear, Shepherd’s Carol, I Wonder As I Wonder, My Dancing Day and Carol of the Bells.

From The Sony Vault: Christmas With The Big Bands by Various Artists (Genre: Swing, Jazz, Pop):

The songs on this album were recorded between 1932 and 1965 and If you like Swing than this collection is for you!

Songs include: Sleigh Ride by Tex Beneke, Ray Eberle & The Modernaires with Paula Kelly, Little Jack Frost Get Lost: (78rpm version) by Frankie Carle with Marjorie Hughes, Snow Fall: (78rpm version) by Claude Thornhill & His Orchestra, There’s Frost On The Moon by Artie Shaw & His Orchestra, Winter Weather by Richard Himber and His Orchestra and I Want You for Christmas by Russ Morgan and His Orchestra.

Gonna Have a Really Soulful Christmas: 40 R&B and Soul Gems (An Alternative Yuletide Celebration!) (Genre: Soul, R&B, Blues, Pop):

Songs Include: Crazy Santa Claus by The Debonaires, We Wanna See Santa Do the Mambo by John Greer, Wish You a Merry Christmas by Kim Weston, Santa Claus Boogie by The Voices and I Hear Jingle Bells by Freddie King.

Hanukkah by Jon Simon (Genre: Piano, Jazz):

Songs Include: Eight Candles, Rock of Ages (Italian), O Hanukkah, O Hanukkah, Candle Blessings, Rock of Ages (Traditional) and A Candle for Me.

Hanukkah Songs for Preschool & Kindergarten by The Kiboomers  (Genre: Kids Music)

Songs Include: Nine Little Candles, When the Maccabees Come Marching In, I Like to eat Latkes Song, Dreidel Hokey Pokey and Hanukkah Oh Hannukah.

Hanukkah Swings by Kenny Ellis (Genre: Jazz, International):

Songs Include: Swingin’ Dreidel, Hanukkah Candles, Ocho Kandelikas, Children of the Macabbees and ‘Twas the Night Before Hanukkah.

Here We Come A-Caroling by Ray Conniff (Genre: Easy Listening):

Songs Include: Here We Come A-Caroling, God Red Ye Merry, Gentleman, Joy To The World, Adoramus Te, O Tannenbaum and It Came Upon the Midnight Clear.

Hotel Café Winter Songs by Various Artists (Genre: Pop, Vocal):

Songs include: Winter Song by Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson, The Heartache Can Wait by Brandi Carlile, Blue Christmas by Nicole Atkins, Maybe Next Year (X-Mas Song) and Auld Lang Syne by The Hotel Cafe Medley Band

Instrumental Christmas Music – Relaxing Christmas Music (Genre: Piano, Easy Listening):

Songs Include: Silver Bells, Little Drummer Boy, Most Memorable Christmas, Coming Home, Do You Hear What I Hear and Christmas Chimes.

Instrumental Christmas by the Northquest Players (Genre: Easy Listening, Instrumental, Brass, Jazz):

Songs Include: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, Joy To The World, Away in a Manager, The Christmas Song, Winter Wonderland and I Saw Three Ships.

An Irish Christmas by Jeff Taylor, Jim Prendergast and Bill Verdier (Genre: Irish, Acoustic):

Songs Include: Christmas Eve, Silent Night, Wassail Song, Freeze Britches (Connaughtman’s Rambles), I Saw Three Ships and Rose in the Heather.

Irish Christmas by Alisa Jones, Mark Howard, John Mock and Stuart Duncan (Genre: Irish, Acoustic):

Songs Include: The Endris Nyght, Once In Royal’s David’s City, The Friendly Beasts, As Lately We Watched and Carol Of The Bagpippers.

It’s Christmas Again by Various Artists (Genre: Pop, Vocal, Easy Listening):

Some of the songs in this 48 song collection Include: I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm by Frank Sinatra, Winter Wonderland by Ella Fitzgerald, Santa Baby by Eartha Kitt, Jingle Bells by the Randy Van Horne Singers, Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Nat King Cole, Zat You? Santa Claus by Louis Armstrong, The Secret of Christmas by Bing Crosby, The Christmas Waltz by Peggy Lee, Silver Bells by Johnny Mathis, Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms and We Wish You the Merriest by Les Brown

James Galway’s Christmas Carol by James Galway (Genre: Easy Listening, Classical, New Age):

Songs include: Shepherd’s Pipe Carol, Fantasia On “I Saw Three Ships,” Greensleeves, Zither Carol, Past Three O’clock and Christmas Oratorio.

Kwanzaa (Genre: R&B, Soul, Folk, International):

Songs Include: Pata Pata by Miriam Makeba, Tell It, Sing It, Shout It by Mahalia Jackson, Swahili Song by Teddy Greaves, Kwela Kong by Mackay Davashe & Skokiaan by Louis Armstrong.

Last Christmas – Wham! (Genre: Pop): 

Songs on the EP are: Last Christmas, Last Christmas (Pudding Mix) and Everything She Wants.

Merry Christmas with Odetta (Genre: Blues, Folk):

Songs Include: Ain’t That A-Rocking, Go Tell It on the Mountain, Beautiful Star, Shout For Joy and Children, Go Where I Send Thee.

Native Seasons by Jessita Reyes (Genre: Folk, Easy Listening, New Age):

This album, by Native American flutist Jessita Reyes, features songs for all season including: Fall Approaches, Winter Night, Echoes in the Fall, Mid-Winter’s Dawn and Clear Winter Sky.

On a Cold Winter’s Day – Early Christmas Music and Carols from the British Isles by Quadriga Consort (Genre: Classical):

Songs include: A Wassail, a Wassail, ‘Twas in the Moon of Wintertime, The Moons Shines Bright, The Holy and the Ivy, To Shorten Winter’s Sadness and On a Cold Winter’s Day.

Radio City Christmas Spectacular (Genre: Pop, Rock, Classical):

Songs Include: Santa’s Gonna Rock and Roll, Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree, First Letter/Parade of the Wooden Soldiers, Toyland Ball, Welcome Christmas and The Man With The Bag.

Six String Christmas John Harbison (Genre: Acoustic, Guitar):

Songs Include: We Three Kings, Frosty The Snowman, White Christmas, Christmas Past, Father Christmas and Auld Lang Syne.

Surf ‘N’ Swing Fret ‘N’ String Christmas by Nokie Edwards & The Light Crust Doughboys with Tom Brumley, The Dallas Banjo Band, Smokey … (Genre: Classic Rock, Guitar):

Songs Include: Christmas Carol Rock, Swan Lake Christmas, Deck The Halls, The Toy Yodeler, The Bell’s Of St. Mary’s and New Year’s Rendezvous

Twisted Christmas: Live by Twisted Sister (Genre: Rock, Heavy Metal):

Songs Include: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, The Fire Still Burns, You Can’t Stop Rock & Roll, White Christmas and Heavy Metal Christmas.

Very Sixties Christmas (Genre: Pop, Rock):

Songs Include: Happy Xmas (War Is Over), Winter Wonderland, I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day, The Christmas Song and Let It Snow by the Groovy Christmas Players, Sugar Sugar by The Archies, Thank You by Sly Stone and Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison.

Vintage Christmas by Various Artists (Genre: Pop, R&B, Vocal):

This album features 47 classic Christmas songs recorded between 1915 and 1949.

Songs Include: Christmas Bells at Eventide by Gracie Fields, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear by Rosemary Clooney, Auld Lang Syne by Billy Vaughn, Savoy Christmas Medley by New Mayfair Orchestra, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer by The Platters, I’ll Walk Alone (Through Every Christmas) by Dinah Shore and Cool Yule by Louis Armstrong.

White Christmas by John Schneider (Genre: Country, Pop):

A classic country album by singer and actor John Schneider!

Songs on the LP include: Winter Wonderland, Silver Bells, The Christmas Song, Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer, Katey’s Christmas Card and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

Windham Hill Holiday Guitar Collection by Various Artists (Genre: New Age, Acoustic, Guitar):

Songs include: Songs include: Winter Wonderland by Tuck Andress, The Holly And The Ivy by Alex de Grassi, The Christmas Song by Steve Erquiaga, Christmas Time Is Here by Sean Harkness and Carol of the Bells by Steve Morse.

Winter by Barbara Dickson (Genre: Vocal, International, Folk):

Songs include: Winter’s Come, In the Bleak Midwinter, The Silence of the Dawn, The January Man and Winter’s Song.

Winter Evening by Winter Evening Jazz (Genre: Easy Listening, Jazz):

Songs on the album include: Chill Baby, Cha Cha Charlie, Waltz for Joshua, Cloudburst, Chocolate and Round Midnight.

Have a great day!

Linda, SSCL

*Freegal is free – library card required! You can get a library card at any Southern Tier Library System member library. Just take a form of ID that includes both your name and your current address and you’ll have a card in hand in a matter of minutes!

Non-Fiction DVD Recommendations 11 4 17

Hi everyone, here are our three recommended non-fiction DVDs for this week!

(Click on the photos to request the DVDs)

1. Solace – A Windham Hill Collection

Description:This relaxing collection of music, perfect for fall, and  includes the following artists/songs:

To be by Montreux

Aerial Boundaries by Michael Hedges

Clockwork by Alex de Grassi

Cast Your Fate to the Wind by George Winston

The Bricklayer’s Beautiful Daughter by Will Ackerman

Bradley’s Dream by Liz Story

Night In That Land by Nightnoise

New Electric India by Shadowfax

Carol of the Bells by Windham Hill Artists

Dream by Tuck & Patti

The Gift by Jim Brickman and friends

And

Reflections of Passion by Yanni

Dewey Decimal Number:

DVD 781.66 SOL

Trailer:

2. Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North

Description: In the feature documentary Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North, filmmaker Katrina Browne discovers that her New England ancestors were the largest slave-trading family in U.S. history. She and nine cousins retrace the Triangle Trade and gain powerful new perspectives on the black/white divide.

Producer/Director: Katrina Browne. Co-Directors: Alla Kovgan, Jude Ray. Co-Producers: Elizabeth Delude-Dix, Juanita Capri Brown.

In Traces of the Trade, Producer/Director Katrina Browne tells the story of her forefathers, the largest slave-trading family in U.S. history. Given the myth that the South is solely responsible for slavery, viewers will be surprised to learn that Browne’s ancestors were Northerners. The film follows Browne and nine fellow family members on a remarkable journey which brings them face-to-face with the history and legacy of New England’s hidden enterprise.

From 1769 to 1820, DeWolf fathers, sons and grandsons trafficked in human beings. They sailed their ships from Bristol, Rhode Island to West Africa with rum to trade for African men, women and children. Captives were taken to plantations that the DeWolfs owned in Cuba or were sold at auction in such ports as Havana and Charleston. Sugar and molasses were then brought from Cuba to the family-owned rum distilleries in Bristol. Over the generations, the family transported more than ten thousand enslaved Africans across the Middle Passage. They amassed an enormous fortune. By the end of his life, James DeWolf had been a U.S. Senator and was reportedly the second richest man in the United States.

The enslavement of Africans was business for more than just the DeWolf family. It was a cornerstone of Northern commercial life. The Triangle Trade drove the economy of many port cities (Rhode Island had the largest share in the trade of any state), and slavery itself existed in the North for over 200 years. Northern textile mills used slave-picked cotton from the South to fuel the Industrial Revolution, while banks and insurance companies played a key role throughout the period. While the DeWolfs were one of only a few “slaving” dynasties, the network of commercial activities that they were tied to involved an enormous portion of the Northern population. Many citizens, for example, would buy shares in slave ships in order to make a profit.

The film follows ten DeWolf descendants (ages 32-71, ranging from sisters to seventh cousins) as they retrace the steps of the Triangle Trade, visiting the DeWolf hometown of Bristol, Rhode Island, slave forts on the coast of Ghana, and the ruins of a family plantation in Cuba. Back home, the family confronts the thorny topic of what to do now. In the context of growing calls for reparations for slavery, family members struggle with the question of how to think about and contribute to “repair.” Meanwhile, Browne and her family come closer to the core: their love/hate relationship with their own Yankee culture and privileges; the healing and transformation needed not only “out there,” but inside themselves.

The issues the DeWolf descendants are confronted with dramatize questions that apply to the nation as a whole: What, concretely, is the legacy of slavery—for diverse whites, for diverse blacks, for diverse others? Who owes who what for the sins of the fathers of this country? What history do we inherit as individuals and as citizens? How does Northern complicity change the equation? What would repair—spiritual and material—really look like and what would it take?

Dewey Decimal Number:

DVD 382.44 TRA

Trailer:

3. Cruising America’s Waterways: The Erie Canal Albany to Buffalo

The award-winning Cruising America’s Waterways series explores New York State’s Erie Canal, the world’s most successful canal. Opened in 1825, today’s canal is a recreational and historic waterway lined with cultural and scenic opportunities. Learn about the canal’s mechanical structures; travel on a hire boat; visit charming canalside communities including Lockport, Baldwinsville, Fairport, Waterford, and Little Falls; and tour attractions in Syracuse, Rochester, and of course, Albany and Buffalo. Whether traveling by boat, car, bicycle, or simply walking on canalside trails, the Erie is one of America’s greatest waterways.

Dewey Decimal System Number: DVD 386.4 ERI

Have a good weekend!

Linda, SSCL