GrooveOut

The 12 Gays of Christmas
All the music you’ll need for your queer holiday cheer
by Chris Sill

This holiday season, the spirit of giving takes on new meaning after the events of September 11. Benefit CDs are popping up left and right with great intentions (but, unfortunately, with little substance).

Not true for Broadway Cares: Home for the Holidays. The fine (and gay) folks at Centaur Entertainment in conjunction with BC/EFA (Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS) succeed in giving us a benefit CD fit for, well, a queen. Proceeds go directly to BC/EFA and disaster relief organizations involved with the World Trade Center tragedy. Topping the bill of Broadway and pop stars to contribute tunes is none other than Liza Minnelli. Her spirited rendition of "Baby It’s Cold Outside" with Cabaret star Alan Cumming is reason enough to add this to your collection. Add to that lesbian lounge sensation Lea Delaria, Sam Harris, and Ally McBeal’s sizzling Jane Krakowski doing none other than "Santa Baby," and you’ve got the cream of this year’s holiday music crop.

Coming in a very close second place is Barbra Streisand’s Christmas Memories. Thirty-four years ago she gave us A Christmas Album.

Now the legend graces us again with another sterling set of traditional and contemporary songs. Included are traditional favorites "What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?" and "I’ll Be Home For Christmas" along with Schubert’s "Ave Maria," which is the first time Streisand has sung this version. Need we say more?

With a sleigh full of other holiday releases, too many to mention, here are some highlights worthy of attention. Houston’s own Destiny’s Child comes home for the holidays with 8 Days of Christmas–a mix of classics and original songs which should make the season even brighter for fans of the trio. One Family: A Christmas Album is another holiday first from R&B diva Kelly Price, joined by Winona Judd, Mary Mary, and BeBe Winans. While on the gospel trip, search out Christmas in My Heart by the one and only Candi Staton. Got the blues this season? If so, look to the king, B.B. King that is, for A Christmas Celebration of Hope–the King of the Blues’ first-ever Christmas CD, recorded in New Orleans this year. Motown keeps the spirit alive with A Motown Christmas 2. Highlights are a previously unreleased version of "O Holy Night" by the Supremes with lead by Flo Ballard, and "The Christmas Song" performed by Marvin Gaye live at the Apollo Theater. Last, but certainly not least, Olivia Newton-John brings The Christmas Collection to us from down under.

Checking that list

For the music lovers on your list, here are some helpful hints for gift ideas.

As if you didn’t already know, Madonna has just released her second greatest-hits CD, GHV2, but if that’s not enough of the material girl, throw in The Drowned World Tour video or DVD. Also out on DVD/VHS is From Toni With Love: The Video Collection from the sultry Toni Braxton, an expansive set that includes remixes of many of her hits plus unreleased versions. One Night Only from Elton John contains over two hours of Sir Elton live from last year’s concert in Madison Square Garden. The DVD version boasts material not available on CD or VHS.

For theater or opera fans, look for Andrew Lloyd Webber: Now And Forever. This five-CD set marks the first authorized collection of his music compiled and produced by Lloyd Webber himself. Never-before-available performances come from Julie Covington, Elvis Presley, Petula Clark, and a host of others. Definitely one for the collection. It would be almost impossible to mention Mr. Lloyd Webber without a nod to Sarah Brightman. Her latest CD Classics is loaded with new and unreleased recordings. Opera diva Kiri Te Kanawa gives us Kiri, a complete collection of her best material from multiple record labels.

If electronic landscapes and textures sound more your speed, check out Delerium’s Odyssey: The Remix Collection, a superb set of the best remixes of Delerium’s hits. And finally, the dedicated people at the Red Hot Organization offer another winning compilation in their AIDS awareness series. Red Hot + Riot pays tribute to Fela Kuti, the father of Afro-Beat who died of AIDS. With the help of U2’s Bono, the organization plans AIDS initiatives in Africa after the release of the CD. Making appearances are Destiny’s Child, Macy Gray, Nile Rodgers (Chic), and Kuti’s son, Femi Kuti, among others.

Spotty Sprinkles of Love. Formerly a Houston resident and now living in Austin, singer/songwriter Rosemarie Croll chose songs for this CD "which reflect my plethora of interests that represent my unique style," she says.

Those musical interests include an eclectic mix of jazz, swing, folk, and country. Available at Cactus Music & Video. For more Croll, visit www.rosemariecroll.com. –Blase DiStefano

The Three Marys. Jon Arterton, founder of The Flirtations, and partners Mary Jo Paranzino and Mary Abt are The Three Marys.

"Totally out, totally political, and totally family, their first CD is part of their goal to hit the road and spread their upbeat, tender, and exquisitely musical (everyone involved has been seriously classically trained) brand of ‘new century’ music" (Bay Windows). If you can’t find the CD locally, you can order it at www.thethreemarys.com, www.ladyslipper.org, or www.goldenrod.com. –BD