November 12, 2021
Daptone Records
1xLP
Holiday albums are often maligned as cash grabs that offer half-baked versions of the same, old Christmas standards that add nothing new to the mix musically. The late, great Sharon Jones strayed from this on 2015’s It’s a Holiday Soul Party, made with longtime backing band The Dap Kings. These songs here have the same nostalgic energy that made her such a vital voice in modern soul and balances spirited cover versions that breathe new life into old classics like “Silent Night” and “White Christmas” with originals like “Ain’t no Chimneys in the Projects” and “Funky Little Drummer Boy”.