by Steve Chase

I’m no weatherman, but I think we’re in for some real winter weather this year. With cold temps, a snowy countryside, and the prospect of a little skiing comes the chance to sit back in the evening in front of the fire with a warm drink and enjoy some holiday music. Here are some of my musical suggestions for the season. All of these selections can be found in the usual places on the Web: iTunes, CD Universe, or Amazon, and others.

Christmas in the Heart, Bob Dylan (2009). Some Dylan fans will want to chuck this disc right into the flaming hearth, but I’ve got to tell you: it grows on you, and is well worth the listen. Dylan gives us some crooning (sometimes croaking) renditions of the classic Christmas repertoire, and what really comes through is the guy’s love of a good song. Listen to Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. Bob puts his heart into it. www.bobdylan. com.

Winter’s Night, Sting (2009). Mr. Sting, as Frank Zappa called him, has come out with a new holiday album that parallels the Dylan album — some folks will want to chuck this one too. But not me. This is traditional English music, not post-Police, jazz-infused pop. And it’s a refreshing change. As far as its holiday music qualities, I would call this a seasonal album, written for listeners who want a different interpretation of winter and the celebration that comes with it. I like Christmas at Sea and Gabriel’s Message. www.sting.com.

Messiah (1751 version), Handel (2009). No holiday collection is complete without a rendition of George Frederick Handel’s Messiah. My recommendation is the 2006 Academy of Ancient Music disc under the baton of Edward Higginbottom. In this 1751 version, the choral parts are all males; the high parts sung by male countertenors and boy trebles, creating a remarkable ensemble and performance. It’s not available on iTunes, but I found it on Amazon, available for mail-order or MP3 download. www.aam.co.uk.

Holiday Spirits, Straight No Chaser (2008). The a cappella group Straight No Chaser serves up a masterful collection of traditional holiday songs that would serve well as your music course during your holiday dinner. These guys are originally from Indiana University, and have used new media to get the word out about the group. Their Twelve Days of Christmas went viral on YouTube. Check out Carol of the Bells and The Christmas Song. www.sncproductions.com.

Christmas Wish (Deluxe Edition), NRBQ (1997). In the 1990s I was on NRBQ’s mailing list. One December they sent everyone a free copy of the EP Christmas Wish. I still have it, and listen to it. It was good to see they re-released it in an extended deluxe edition in 1997. Yeah, I know a few of the songs are probably from magic box bits during their very frequent live shows (where the band is willing to play just about any song requested from the audience), but the roughly played tunes are more than offset by the original Christmas Wish, and the excellent Christmastime is Here, which features some of Terry Adams’ best stunt piano work. www.nrbq.com.

Acoustic Christmas, David Grisman (1983). I know it’s getting close to Christmas when this CD makes its appearance, and we’ve been listening to it for 25 years. David Grisman and an impressive group of musicians serve up a set of Christmas songs “a la Dawg.” Whether it’s the intricate acoustic interplay of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, or the hot and swinging Winter Wonderland, this album smokes and is one of my all-time favorites. www.acoust icdisc . com/acd_html/xmas. html.

Holiday Inn, Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, et. al. (1950). While this is not a true soundtrack, those of you who watch the great movie Holiday Inn each Christmas, as my family does, will enjoy this fine set of Irving Berlin songs. For those of you who don’t know, Berlin’s seminal White Christmas saw its debut in this 1942 film — the cheesier White Christmas was released in 1954. Between Crosby’s crooning and Berlin’s great songwriting, this album is great prep for sitting down on a cold winter’s evening to watch the movie about a performer’s efforts to transform his Connecticut farm into a hotel. I only wish that all of the original actors and performers were included on the album. Buy this one on Itunes or as a used CD, as new original discs are going for $40 in some places. http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holiday_ Inn_%28film%29. Happy holidays, and think snow.