Boogie Woogie Christmas
Borrowing arrangements and influences fromLionel Hampton,Al Hirt,Les Brown,Duke Ellington,Count Basie, and evenKay Starr, Setzer's holiday disc is like a vintage car, custom-made to delight his longtime jitterbugging audience. The focal point of this hard-driving '40s retro-chic creation, however, is the bandleader's fiery guitar. As a player, Setzer is even more versatile now than during his rockabilly days fronting theStray Cats. Granted, he'd be the first to admit that no one can topElvis Presleyon "Blue Christmas" or "Santa Claus Is Back in Town." Nevertheless, Setzer's solos on both could lead one to fantasize about how far into the stratosphere the King might've taken those songs if Setzer had been around to play guitar for him. Elvis'sViva Las VegascostarAnn-Margretshows up to duet on "Baby, It's Cold Outside," and Setzer finally gets to release a rendition of his own "So They Say It's Christmas," covered byLou Rawlson theJingle All the Waysoundtrack. To paraphrase another holiday hipster, it's awfully close to Coolsville.--Bill Holdship