Album Notes

“A King Family Christmas”
CD benefits New Orleans musicians

When producer V.D. King, of the Jersey City, NJ blues/roots band Better Off Dead, decided to record a charity Christmas CD to benefit displaced musicians in post-Katrina New Orleans, he called in some musical favors from a few friends. A King Family Christmas was born.

With all proceeds going to Tipitina's Foundation (www.tipitinasfoundation.org) and the Jazz Foundation (www.jazzfoundation.org), A King Family Christmas is a great gift to both give and receive. “When you buy A King Family Christmas, you’re really getting free holiday music as a thank you for giving less fortunate folks a helping hand,” says King.

Recorded over a few hours in a living room and a Hoboken, NJ blues bar, A King Family Christmas features fourteen hot, heaping helpings of holiday hits from top NY-area blues and roots artists, including Popa Chubby & Galea, Christine Santelli, Arthur Neilson & Karan Serafin, Big Ed Sullivan, Joe Taino, The Slippery Chickens, Kevin Kiley, Dave Gross, Larry Cappoli, Mike Frensley, and, of course, V.D. King’s own Better Off Dead.

From the spirit-swigging swizzle of Better Off Dead’s double shots “All I Got for Christmas Was Drunk” and “Alcoholiday,” to the snarling, supercharged, sleighride swagger of Popa Chubby & Galea’s “Blue Christmas,” to the wonderfully whimsical wordplay of Christine Santelli’s “Christmastime,” there’s something for everyone under the musical tree this Christmas. Karan Serafin and Shemekia Copeland guitarist Arthur Neilson deliver a righteous, rollicking romp of “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree,” Kevin Kiley croons the classic chestnut “White Christmas,” and The Slippery Chickens stuff your stocking with their Cramps-inspired “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” New York blues mainstay Big Ed Sullivan offers up the gritty, grey-snow-in-the-city blues of “Merry Christmas, Baby,” while Santa’s super string slingers Joe Taino, Larry Cappoli, and up-and-coming ace axe-swinger Dave Gross all have fun, fast-fingered holiday treats with all the trimmings.