Journey Without Maps brings you vintage, rare, and underground global music from uncharted sonic territories. Every week, I unearth a new musical landscape: African soul & funk, Latin rhythms, eastern European electronica, Middle East psychedelic, Asian surf rock ⦠and more.
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Christmas arrives during the dark and cold. Finances are strained. Alcohol flows. We stare into the face of December blues, as yet another year draws to a close. On this installment ⦠raw pre-war blues, gospel, soul, and R&B sounds of the Christmas season.
George Conedy "Little Drummer Boy" from "Merry Soul Christmas At the Hammond Organ" on Holiday Classic Records Bessie Smith "At the Christmas Ball" from "The Essential Bessie Smith" on Columbia/Legacy Mary Harris "Happy New Year Blues" from "Where Will You Be Christmas Day?" on Dust-to-Digital Leroy Carr & Scrapper Blackwell "Christmas in Jail (Ain't That a Pain)" from "Blues, Blues Christmas (1925-1955)" on Document Victoria Spivey "Christmas Morning Blues" from "Victoria Spivey Vol. 1 1926-1927" on Document John Lee Hooker "Christmas Time Blues" from "Detroit 1948-1949" on Atlantic Rev. Edward W. Clayborn (The Guitar Evangelist) "Wrong Way To Celebrate Christmas" from "Where Will You Be Christmas Day?" on Dust-to-Digital Rev. J.M. Gates and his Congregation "He Was Born in a Manger" from "Death Might Be Your Santa Claus" on Bluebird/Legacy Fats Waller "Swingin' Them Jingle Bells" from "Santa Claus Blues" on Jass Records Sonny Boy Willamson "Christmas Morning Blues" from "Death Might Be Your Santa Claus" on Legacy Washboard Pete "Christmas Blues (Remastered)" from "Soulful Christmas - Rhythm & Blues & Jazz" on Not Out Of Style Harmon Ray "Xmas Blues (Remastered)" from "A Blues Christmas (Remastered)" on Labelle Butterbeans & Susie "Papa Ain't No Santa Claus (Mama Ain't No Christmas Tree)" from "Death Might Be Your Santa Claus" on Bluebird/Legacy Freddie King "Christmas Tears" from "Complete King Federal Singles" on Federal Charles Brown & Friends "Merry Christmas Baby" from "Merry Christmas Baby" on Fuel 2000 Titus Turner "Christmas Morning Blues" from "Blues, Blues Christmas (1925-1955)" on Document James Brown "Christmas In Heaven" from "James Brown's Funky Christmas" on Polydor