The following is a partial list of the Holiday Songs from my private stash that you might have heard this season on WLS-AM 890.  I recommend all of them. Enjoy, and Happy Holidays! -John Howell

*Christmas In Killarney/Al Jarreau (Super talent)

*Let It Be Christmas/Alan Jackson (Nice original tune)

*Yule Swing/Anna Wilson (Great swinging chart)

*The Christmas Song/Arthur Blythe Quartet (Spirited)

*Jingle Bells/Arturo Sandoval (Best import from Cuba since cigars)

*Xmas In Jail/Asleep At The Wheel  (Very funny; somewhat sad)

*Merry Christmas Baby/B.B. King (Smoking)

*Linus & Lucy/Béla Fleck & The Flecktones (So good)

*Feliz Navidad/Billy Joe Shaver  (Billy Joe was an American treasure)

*Rudolf The Red-Nosed Reindeer Mambo/Billy May (Billy was a genius LA arranger, very funny)

*The Christmas Waltz/Brecker Brothers w/Steve Kahn (Very hip, of course)

*You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch/Brian Setzer Orchestra  (Very strong)

*Bach’s Bell/Canadian Brass  (Classy)

*Christmas Time Is Here/Canadian Brass (Makes me want to drink)

*It`s Bad To Have The Blues (At Christmas Time)/Charlie Daniels  (Charlie was a political nutjob, but one of my favorites musically)

*White Christmas/Charlie Parker (Pure genius)

*Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow/Dave McKenna (Used to watch Dave play in Boston dive bars)

*The Christmas Song/Dexter Gordon (My favorite tenor player)

*March of the Toys/Doc Severinsen (This is why I watched Carson)

*Jingle Bells/Duke Ellington  (Duke: The greatest, period.)

*Santa Claus Is Back In Town/Dwight Yoakam (Tex-Mex Elvis)

*Santa Baby/Eartha Kitt (Madonna wishes she had this talent)

*The Secret of Christmas/Ella Fitzgerald (So great)

*Christmas Time Is Here/Eric Marienthal (I played with Eric at Berklee, he doesn’t remember me)

*For Christ’s Sake, It’s Christmas/George Strait (Great title)

*The Happy Elf/Harry Connick Jr. (Goofy, but cool)

*Happy Hanukkah My Friend/Grady Tate & Houston Person (Nice ballad)

*Brazilian Sleigh Bells/Harry James (I must have been drinking…not great)

*Deck The Halls/Herbie Hancock  (Chicago’s own)​​

*Winter Wonderland/Huey Lewis (Very strong)

*We Wish You A Merry Christmas/Jerry Jeff Walker (Gonzo)

*Greensleeves/John Coltrane (Don’t be scared…just enjoy)

*Winter Wonderland/John Anderson (Such a voice, gifted)

*I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus/John Mellencamp (Stupid song, smart singer)

*Christmas In Prison/John Prine  (Real pick me upper)

*Cool Yule/Kurt Elling (Chicago’s own)

*God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/Lou Rawls (So cool)

*Zat You Santa Claus?/Louis Armstrong (Pops!!)

*Even Santa Claus Gets The Blues/Marty Stuart (Guy’s totally underrated)

*Christmas Medley/Maynard Ferguson (The Boss!!)

*I’ll Be Home For Christmas/McCoy Tyner (Creative…and then some)

*If We Make It Through December/Merle Haggard (Spoiler alert: The marriage didn’t survive)

*Santa Claus Is Comin to Town/Ray Charles (Brother Ray. Enough said)

*Winter Wonderland/Ray Charles  (Great chart)

*Sleigh Ride/Richie Cole & Art Pepper Quintet (Self indulgent, but who cares?)

*O Come All Ye Faithful/Ricky Skaggs (Just beautiful)

*Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow/Ricochet (Nice, concise)

*My Favorite Things/Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass (Tribute to Coltrane)

*Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas/Roomful Of Blues (The entire album swings)

*Deck the Halls/Singers Unlimited (Chicago studio legends)

*Jazz Musician’s Christmas/Jack Sheldon w/The Tom Kubis Big Band (Very funny)

*The Twelve Days of Christmas (My Agent Gave to Me)/Jack Sheldon w/The Tom Kubis Big Band 

*I’ll Be Home for Christmas/Tony Bennett  (With Basie Band)

*Run Rudolph Run/Tractors (Earthy)

*Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy/Travis Tritt (Loads of talent)

*Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!/Wynton Marsalis (He’s better than me)

Merry Christmas, listen to something new, aim higher.