Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music and video game platforms this week.
MOVIES
— Robert Downey Jr. affectionately pays tribute to this late father, Robert Downey Sr. in “Sr.,” an intimate documentary the younger Downey spent three years filming with his dad before his death in 2021 at 85. Downey Sr. was a noted cult filmmaker in the ’60s and ’70s. His freewheeling movies also featured his son’s first steps into acting, and had a profound influence on him. “Sr.,” which debuts Friday on Netflix, lovingly celebrates their on and off screen life together.
— Joanna Hogg, the British filmmaker of the stunning two-part memory piece “The Souvenir,” reteams with longtime collaborator Tilda Swinton in “The Eternal Daughter.” The film, which opens in theaters and on video on demand Friday is a ghost story. Swinton plays a middle-aged filmmaker on a cozy and quiet holiday with her elderly mother, who is also played by Swinton. “The Eternal Daughter,” which premiered earlier this fall at the Venice Film Festival, hauntingly digs into the joy and guilt that can come from mining one’s family for fiction.
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![The Stream](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/66/c666b92f-f8ef-5fd1-bd47-1d73a0570b38/638500cd31ef0.image.jpg?resize=200%2C99 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/66/c666b92f-f8ef-5fd1-bd47-1d73a0570b38/638500cd31ef0.image.jpg?resize=300%2C148 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/66/c666b92f-f8ef-5fd1-bd47-1d73a0570b38/638500cd31ef0.image.jpg?resize=400%2C197 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/66/c666b92f-f8ef-5fd1-bd47-1d73a0570b38/638500cd31ef0.image.jpg?resize=540%2C266 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/66/c666b92f-f8ef-5fd1-bd47-1d73a0570b38/638500cd31ef0.image.jpg?resize=750%2C370 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/66/c666b92f-f8ef-5fd1-bd47-1d73a0570b38/638500cd31ef0.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C592 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/66/c666b92f-f8ef-5fd1-bd47-1d73a0570b38/638500cd31ef0.image.jpg?resize=1700%2C838 1700w)
This combination of images shows promotional art for “Riches,” a series premiering Dec. 2 on Amazon, left, and “Sr.,” a documentary premiering on Netflix on Dec. 2, and “The Eternal Daughter,” a film which opens in theaters and on video on demand Friday, Dec. 2. (Amazon via AP, left, and Netflix via AP)
— Little is as festive as a good screwball comedy. Thankfully, for the holiday season, the Criterion Collection has gathered together some of the best for a series of pure cinematic bliss, beginning Thursday. Many of the classics are here — Howard Hawks’ “His Girl Friday,” Preston Sturges’ “The Palm Beach Story,” Ernst Lubitsch’s “To Be or Not to Be.” If they have for any reason passed you by, seek out “The Awful Truth” (1937), with Cary Grant and Irene Dunn as a divorcing couple sharing custody of a Wire Fox Terrier; and Mitchell Leisen’s “Midnight” (1939), with Claudette Colbert, John Barrymore and a taxi-driving Don Ameche.
— AP Film Writer Jake Coyle
MUSIC
— Just in time for Christmas, BTS’ RM will release his debut solo album, “Indigo,” on Friday. In a statement, the singer said he worked on the collection for four years and “it will be very different from my past projects, and a lot of fun friends are gathered in it.” RM has previously released a pair of mixtapes, 2018’s “Mono” and 2015’s “RM,” but “Indigo” has been described as his first full-length effort. The seven-member K-pop supergroup BTS announced a hiatus for members to pursue individual music releases. In October, Jin debuted his first solo single “The Astronaut.”
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FILE – RM, a member of South Korean K-pop band BTS, poses for photographers during a press conference in Seoul, South Korea on Nov. 20, 2020. RM will release his debut solo album, “Indigo,” on Friday, Dec. 2. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)
— Half Alive deserve to get your full attention. The trio’s “Conditions of a Punk” arrives Friday with their unique brand of R&B, funk, indie pop, alternative rock, soul and disco, which some compare to Twenty One Pilots, a band they have opened for on the road. Half Alive is composed of lead vocalist Josh Taylor, drummer Brett Kramer and bassist J. Tyler Johnson and was formed in 2016 in Long Beach, California. New singles include the lushly pop “Did I Make You Up?” and “High Up,” which goes from Mumford & Sons to Coldplay in under 4 minutes.
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This cover image released by RCA Records shows “Conditions of a Punk” by Half Alive. (RCA Records via AP)
— AP Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy
TELEVISION
— Family secrets, betrayal and power struggles are abundant in the new Amazon Prime Video series “Riches.” When a self-made cosmetics king and the patriarch of an affluent Black family in London suffers a stroke, his surviving relatives from two sets of families swoop in to take control of his empire. The stakes are high and so is the level of drama. All six-episodes of the show featuring a cast that includes Deborah Ayorinde, Hugh Quarshie, and Sarah Niles, drop on Friday. Show creator and writer Abby Ajayi worked previously on ABC’s “How to Get Away With Murder” and the Netflix series “Inventing Anna.”
— You don’t have to be Clark Griswold to appreciate — or judge — a home’s outdoor holiday display. “The Great Christmas Light Fight” returns to ABC on Monday with two episodes beginning at 8 p.m. ET. Now in its 10th season, each episode follows four families across the U.S. as they trick out the front of their homes with holiday cheer. Carter Oosterhouse and Taniya Nayak choose a winning display and the winning family is awarded a Light Fight trophy and a cash prize of $50,000.
VIDEO GAMES
— “Marvel’s Midnight Suns” adds a dash of strategy to the usual superhero slugfest. You are the Hunter, a demon-slayer who’s invited to join more familiar names like Wolverine, Scarlet Witch and Blade in a campaign to stop a terrifying threat from the supernatural side of the Marvel Universe. It’s not a test of your reflexes — instead, you need to figure out when and where to play cards to unleash your most effective attacks. “Midnight Suns” comes from 2K Games’ Firaxis studio, known for brainier challenges like “Civilization” and “XCOM.” It arrives Friday on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox X/S. Xbox One and PC.
— Fans of “Dead Space,” the beloved 2008 science fiction thriller, should check out Krafton’s “The Callisto Protocol.” It’s the debut game from Striking Distance, a studio launched by “Dead Space” co-creator Glen Schofield. The protagonist, Jacob Lee, is an inmate of a maximum-security penitentiary on one of Jupiter’s moons — and if that’s not bad enough, most of the other prisoners are turning into monsters. At least Jacob has a high-tech arsenal, including a weapon that warps gravity itself. Blast off for Callisto on Friday, for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox X/S. Xbox One and PC.
8 new holiday albums to add to your playlist this year
2022 holiday album guide
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The Associated Press reviews a roundup of albums of new Christmas — and Hanukkah — music from Alicia Keys, Chris Isaak, Pentatonix, Backstreet Boys and more. Reviewer Martina Inchingolo says Alicia Keys’ album is “cheeky and cozy” and Armstrong’s “Louis Wishes You a Cool Yule” is the best Christmas present for his fans. Reviewer Scott Stroud said Isaak brings the rockabilly to Christmas classics. Unwrap a new record that you’ll be thankful for.
So pull out the record player, light some candles and get festive — and thankful for new music.
Alicia Keys, “Santa Baby” (Alicia Keys Records)
![Alicia Keys, “Santa Baby” (Alicia Keys Records)](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/7d/e7d3e082-81d3-5447-a0c9-88496463293e/637cf25948838.image.jpg?resize=200%2C200 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/7d/e7d3e082-81d3-5447-a0c9-88496463293e/637cf25948838.image.jpg?resize=300%2C300 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/7d/e7d3e082-81d3-5447-a0c9-88496463293e/637cf25948838.image.jpg?resize=400%2C400 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/7d/e7d3e082-81d3-5447-a0c9-88496463293e/637cf25948838.image.jpg?resize=540%2C540 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/7d/e7d3e082-81d3-5447-a0c9-88496463293e/637cf25948838.image.jpg?resize=750%2C750 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/7d/e7d3e082-81d3-5447-a0c9-88496463293e/637cf25948838.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C1200 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/7d/e7d3e082-81d3-5447-a0c9-88496463293e/637cf25948838.image.jpg?resize=1440%2C1440 1700w)
Alicia Keys’ Christmas album debut “Santa Baby” is as cheeky, cozy and captivating, as the classic it is named after.
For a holiday fanatic like me, there is nothing more heartwarming than Christmas songs. However, Keys is able to take a holiday favorite and improve it with her vocals and R&B twist.
So, like a square of butter over a freshly baked tower of pancakes, my heart sweetly melts into a sugary puddle.
The 15-time Grammy winner wraps those beloved old Christmas songs with originals, sure to join the pantheon of the glorious jolly songs. In the music video for the song, “December Back 2 June,” a joyous Alicia Keys wears bubble ponytails and a metallic suit, singing “Christmas is all the time when I’m with you.”
Ending with “Ave Maria,” the artist risks it all, by taking a slow classic and adding a soul vibe with a recurring drum beat that makes an already solemn song into something fresh and beautiful.
Like that perfect black sweater in your wardrobe, this album goes with everything, whether you’re feeling like snuggling under a blanket drinking hot tea or preparing yourself for a winter date. This album has it all: The sexy, the homey and the nostalgic.
— Martina Inchingolo
Chris Isaak, “Everybody Knows It’s Christmas” (Sun Records/Virgin UMG)
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Fresh off a lifetime achievement award from the Americana Music Association, singer Chris Isaak is in a festive mood. It only makes sense that his next project would be a holiday album.
Isaak and his backup band, who are touring behind the album, take up familiar tunes like “Winter Wonderland” and “Jingle Bell Rock” with exuberant style, but they also dial up rockabilly cuts like “Run Rudolph Run” and an original called “Almost Christmas” that fits right in. There’s not an earworm in the bunch, which can be a rarity for a holiday album.
Isaak’s music can feel lightweight, but he succeeds by never taking himself too seriously. He always seems to do things just for the fun of it, and this album is no exception. And hey, isn’t Christmas supposed to be fun?
— Scott Stroud
“Pickin’ On Christmas,” Davis Causey & Jay Smith (Strolling Bones Records)
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More than two decades after it was recorded, “Pickin’ On Christmas” again makes a lovely holiday gift.
In 1998, Athens, Georgia, guitarists Davis Causey and Jay Smith found themselves with little money for presents, so they recorded an album of eight instrumentals for a limited run of 100 CDs, and gave them to friends and family.
Now the set is available on the Strolling Bones label, and it’s full of good cheer and interesting interplay.
With the help of overdubs, Causey and Smith trade licks and engage in creative counterpoint to generate plenty of winter warmth. The festive mash-up “Silver Bells/Silent Night” settles into a boogie rhythm pushed by drummer Jeff Reilly, and features what sounds like at least five guitars. Another innovative interpretation, “We Three Kings/God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” combines funky syncopation with three guitars improvising simultaneously.
There’s plenty of variety. The one original tune, the serene “Following a Star,” includes a synth guitar part by Causey that sounds like a cello, while Randall Bramblett contributes a sprightly soprano sax part on “What Child Is This?” “Little Drummer Boy” mixes Causey’s resonator guitar and Smith’s classical guitar, and several cuts feature blue notes and other jazz colors.
Causey has become a model of longevity, his 60-year career highlighted by work with Kris Kristofferson, Marvin Gaye and Waylon Jennings, among many others. Smith died shortly after these tunes were recorded, which makes the album a poignant holiday celebration of musical kinship.
— Steven Wine
Joss Stone, “Merry Christmas, Love” (S-Curve Records)
![Joss Stone, “Merry Christmas, Love” (S-Curve Records)](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/cf/dcfdaeca-79ae-5f92-9db8-4a263ce1e530/637cf25aba067.image.jpg?resize=200%2C200 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/cf/dcfdaeca-79ae-5f92-9db8-4a263ce1e530/637cf25aba067.image.jpg?resize=300%2C300 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/cf/dcfdaeca-79ae-5f92-9db8-4a263ce1e530/637cf25aba067.image.jpg?resize=400%2C400 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/cf/dcfdaeca-79ae-5f92-9db8-4a263ce1e530/637cf25aba067.image.jpg?resize=540%2C540 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/cf/dcfdaeca-79ae-5f92-9db8-4a263ce1e530/637cf25aba067.image.jpg?resize=750%2C750 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/cf/dcfdaeca-79ae-5f92-9db8-4a263ce1e530/637cf25aba067.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C1200 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/cf/dcfdaeca-79ae-5f92-9db8-4a263ce1e530/637cf25aba067.image.jpg?resize=1440%2C1440 1700w)
Soul singer Joss Stone has released her first album of Christmas songs, to which the only natural reaction is: Why did it take so long to get these chestnuts roasting?
Though she has a Ferrari engine, her restraint is admirable, letting the song shine, like one of the prettiest versions of “In The Bleak Midwinter” you’ll ever hear and an absolutely joyous take on Irving Berlin’s “Snow.”
Stone shows exquisite control and tone on “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and leaves the beauty of “Away in a Manger” unadorned. One of the new ones, “If You Believe,” borrows a beat from “The Little Drummer Boy” but soars, at the end unleashing that Ferrari.
The album ends with a tricky one — “Silent Night.” And Stone absolutely smashes it, with sonic fireworks. This collection needs to be on repeat this holiday — and next.
— Mark Kennedy
Debbie Gibson, “Winterlicious” (Stargirl Records)
![Debbie Gibson, “Winterlicious” (Stargirl Records)](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/49/04963798-8a7e-5d5b-a1f7-d7948fab462a/637cf25b3c69f.image.jpg?resize=200%2C219 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/49/04963798-8a7e-5d5b-a1f7-d7948fab462a/637cf25b3c69f.image.jpg?resize=300%2C329 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/49/04963798-8a7e-5d5b-a1f7-d7948fab462a/637cf25b3c69f.image.jpg?resize=400%2C438 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/49/04963798-8a7e-5d5b-a1f7-d7948fab462a/637cf25b3c69f.image.jpg?resize=540%2C592 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/49/04963798-8a7e-5d5b-a1f7-d7948fab462a/637cf25b3c69f.image.jpg?resize=750%2C822 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/49/04963798-8a7e-5d5b-a1f7-d7948fab462a/637cf25b3c69f.image.jpg?resize=1024%2C1122 1200w)
Writing your own Christmas songs must be a daunting, task but that hasn’t stopped Debbie Gibson. Thank goodness.
The singer who gave us “Only in My Dreams” offers “Winterlicious,” her first ever holiday album. It’s an eclectic set, mixing classics with originals, including a duet with her dad, a new Hanukkah song — big points for inclusion, Ms. Gibson — and ends with an emotional and super New Year’s Eve song, “Cheers.”
One highlight is a rare Christmas break-up song — she and New Kids on the Block’s Joey McIntyre co-wrote the terrific “Heartbreak Holiday.” Other Gibson originals like ”Jingle Those Bells,” “Christmas Star” and “Christmas Dreams” deserve to be on your holiday rotation and her cover of “The Candy Man” is a great showcase for her Broadway-ready voice.
The duet with Joe Gibson on “White Christmas” is painful — sorry, dad — but the driving, over-the-top and maybe even naughty arrangement of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” goes down well. This is an album that’s got something for everyone.
— Mark Kennedy
Backstreet Boys, “A Very Backstreet Christmas” (BMG)
![Backstreet Boys, “A Very Backstreet Christmas" (BMG)](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/82/e8253102-e7ad-5866-82cc-33f6702506aa/637cf25ba436f.image.jpg?resize=200%2C200 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/82/e8253102-e7ad-5866-82cc-33f6702506aa/637cf25ba436f.image.jpg?resize=300%2C300 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/82/e8253102-e7ad-5866-82cc-33f6702506aa/637cf25ba436f.image.jpg?resize=400%2C400 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/82/e8253102-e7ad-5866-82cc-33f6702506aa/637cf25ba436f.image.jpg?resize=540%2C540 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/82/e8253102-e7ad-5866-82cc-33f6702506aa/637cf25ba436f.image.jpg?resize=750%2C750 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/82/e8253102-e7ad-5866-82cc-33f6702506aa/637cf25ba436f.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C1200 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/82/e8253102-e7ad-5866-82cc-33f6702506aa/637cf25ba436f.image.jpg?resize=1440%2C1440 1700w)
Backstreet Boys have released their first Christmas album and you can thank the pandemic for that.
During lockdown, while everyone was busy baking and working out from home, the boy band was harmonizing jolly classics.
They bring a nostalgic boy band pop twist to beloved songs like “White Christmas,” “Winter Wonderland” and “Last Christmas,” while slow staples, like “Silent Night” and “O Holy Night,” give the singers a chance to show off their angelic voices.
In addition, the band gifts their fans with their own original Christmas song “Happy Days.” They sing “We’re gonna party like it’s ’99,” and, honestly, there probably isn’t a more early 2000s pop holiday song than this.
While the album is offering a vast option of well-known classics, the band makes each song its own.
So, being a big Christmas enthusiast won’t just do it, you have to commit to that cheesy and sentimental pop beat. While I doubt that whoever is not into the boy band genre will curiously stumble into this album, the hardcore fans will definitely be satisfied.
— Martina Inchingolo
Pentatonix, “Holidays Around the World” (RCA Records)
![Pentatonix, “Holidays Around the World” (RCA Records)](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/2f/32fe99c7-2bc8-5fae-b642-1b9e34c70e7c/637cf25c44d32.image.jpg?resize=200%2C200 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/2f/32fe99c7-2bc8-5fae-b642-1b9e34c70e7c/637cf25c44d32.image.jpg?resize=300%2C300 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/2f/32fe99c7-2bc8-5fae-b642-1b9e34c70e7c/637cf25c44d32.image.jpg?resize=400%2C400 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/2f/32fe99c7-2bc8-5fae-b642-1b9e34c70e7c/637cf25c44d32.image.jpg?resize=540%2C540 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/2f/32fe99c7-2bc8-5fae-b642-1b9e34c70e7c/637cf25c44d32.image.jpg?resize=750%2C750 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/2f/32fe99c7-2bc8-5fae-b642-1b9e34c70e7c/637cf25c44d32.image.jpg?resize=1121%2C1121 1200w)
In what is becoming a steadfast holiday tradition, Pentatonix is back with new music on a new holiday album. The five-member acapella group released “Holidays Around the World,” which explores collaborations with musicians from different cultures around the world.
Each track highlighted the cultures of the different featured artists on the album. Collaborations include Lang Lang, Shreya Ghoshal, Hiba Tawaji, La Santa Cecilia, Lea Salonga and more.
Pentatonix continues to put their own twists on traditional holiday classics, as they have successfully done in past holiday albums. The standouts are “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and “Last Christmas” (feat. HIKAKIN & SEIKIN).
Out of the original songs on the album, “Kid on Christmas” (feat. Meghan Trainor) was the clear pop hit with its upbeat chorus. While Christmas seems to be the main holiday celebrated in this album, the uplifting melodies or jolly lyrics in each track will put audiences in the holiday spirit.
— Karena Phan
Louis Armstrong, “Louis Wishes You a Cool Yule” (Verve Records)
![Louis Armstrong, “Louis Wishes You a Cool Yule” (Verve Records)](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/74/f7484d53-d936-5763-a54b-dc0b99ef28b3/637cf25cb518b.image.jpg?resize=200%2C200 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/74/f7484d53-d936-5763-a54b-dc0b99ef28b3/637cf25cb518b.image.jpg?resize=300%2C300 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/74/f7484d53-d936-5763-a54b-dc0b99ef28b3/637cf25cb518b.image.jpg?resize=400%2C400 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/74/f7484d53-d936-5763-a54b-dc0b99ef28b3/637cf25cb518b.image.jpg?resize=540%2C540 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/74/f7484d53-d936-5763-a54b-dc0b99ef28b3/637cf25cb518b.image.jpg?resize=750%2C750 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/74/f7484d53-d936-5763-a54b-dc0b99ef28b3/637cf25cb518b.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C1200 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/74/f7484d53-d936-5763-a54b-dc0b99ef28b3/637cf25cb518b.image.jpg?resize=1440%2C1440 1700w)
If Mariah Carey is the queen of Christmas music, then make space for its king, Louis Armstrong.
Fifty years since the legendary artist passed away, his fans received the best Christmas present they could wish for. Months before his death, the musician recorded himself reciting the poem “A Visit from St Nicholas” (also popularly known as “The Night Before Christmas”).
Now, the never before released recording, featuring Armstrong’s growly, familiar voice, is accompanied by a musical underbed from New Orleans pianist, Sullivan Fortner.
The track is part of Louis Armstrong’s first Christmas album called “Louis Wishes You a Cool Yule.” Including nine holiday classics recorded by the artist, plus his memorable masterpiece “What a Wonderful World.”
The musician’s work has been proven to pass the test of time and it’s still able to this day to keep that naïve and childish glow in us from dimming. With this festive album, we get to hold on to that feeling for a little longer and get back to it at every re-listen.
So, as he reads in the new track: “Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night . . . A very good night.”
— Martina Inchingolo
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