The Alligator Records Christmas Collection, various artists (Alligator)

Here's a whole album of mostly original blues tunes for the holiday from 1992, played by some first-class, brand-name blues musicians from the Alligator label. Koko Taylor kicks off with her own "Merry, Merry Christmas, and other originals issue from Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials, Kenny Neal, Lonnie Brooks, William Clarke, Little Charlie and the Nightcats, Gatemouth Brown and Saffire -- The Uppity Blues Women, whose "One Parent Christmas" is topical enough to hit as a novelty record. Of the covers, Katie Webster swings a great boogie-woogie "Deck the Halls," Tinsley Ellis takes on Mack Rice's "Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin'," Charles Brown does a nice period-sounding "Boogie Woogie Santa Claus," Elvin Bishop goes for it on "Little Drummer Boy" and Charlie Musselwhite closes with "Silent Night" on harmonica. Blues fans will eat this up, but there's plenty here for everyone else, too.