HOLIDAY INCREDIBLE
Holiday Incredible is an almost-annual DJ mix series that bumps, funks, and swings.
Here at Holiday Incredible HQ, our goal is to find upbeat tracks that stand out from the common radio playlist, presenting them as a continuous mix, well-suited for your cocktail or tree-trimming party.
Project inspiration occurred while searching for a few select seasonal tracks to add to my DJ crates for the company party, and several years after being told my heart was "two sizes too small" for saying that I didn't like Christmas music.
HOLIDAY INCREDIBLE MIX ARCHIVE
Volume 7
I didn't think I had enough tracks to pull this off for 2023. There are a lot of great tunes out there, but only so many that fit the select Holiday Incredible aesthetic - and I had already used up my favorites from the '70s.
After receiving a few requests for a new mix, I decided to dig in and see what could happen... and ended up being pretty happy with the results. Enjoy!
01. Christmas Time Is Here - Khruangbin
02. Funky Christmas - Brat
03. A Groovy Christmas and New Year (ft. Led by El Gran Koffie) - Kojo Donkoh, Pee Pee Dynamite
04. A Letter to Santa - Bob Rivers
05. Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (Q-Bruns Abstract Message Remix) - Johnny Mercer
06. Christmas Nights In Blue - Trans-Siberian Orchestra
07. Jing-a-Ling - Harbour Lights
08. Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer - The Ventures
09. Red Suit - Josh Rouse
10. What Do Bad Girls Get? - Joan Osborne
11. Shakana Santa Shake It (ft. Bonerama) - Bo Dollis & The Wild Magnolias
12. Hang Your Lights - Jamie Cullum
13. Gettin' In the Mood (for Christmas) - Brian Setzer
14. Christmas Will Reallly Be Christmas - Black Pumas
15. Funky Christmas - Snoop Dogg
16. Tell Your Mama - Aloe Blacc
17. Fat Santa - The Rebirth
18. Shake God It's Christmas (Queen vs. Taylor Swift) - iWillBattle
19. Come On Christmas - Saint Entienne
20. Don't Go Chasing Santa Claus - Shinyribs
21. Auld Lang Syne - Lion Babe
Volume 6
This 2021 mix was super fun to make. I tried to develop a bit of a story arc through the song selection. Some bad kids followed by accusations of seedy Santa - a Santa who is ready to throw in the towel and call the whole thing off. But it all works out in the end, just as it should!
Volume 6 generated a lot of track ID requests! But beware, this one will tank your LDB challenge.
01. Sugar and Booze - Ana Gasteyer
02. Bad Kid - JD McPherson
03. Naughty Naughty Children - Grace Potter
04. Santa's Blues - Charles Brown
05. Good Time Christmas - Lou Rawls
06. Santa's Watching You - Kelly Finnigan
07. So Many Santas - Jamie Cullum
08. It's A Tom Waits Christmas - Pony Death Ride
09. Oh Santa (Bad World) - Freedom Fry
10. Santa Ist Das Bein Stalker - ATOM
11. You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch - Tyler, the Creator
12. Christmas By Myself - Elijah Blake
13. Funky Christmas - Too Many Zooz
14. Lil' Funky Drummer Boy - Amerigo Gazaway
15. Do You Hear What I Hear - Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra
16. Let the Bells Ring - Breakestra
17. Coldcut's Christmas Break - Coldcut
18. I Can't Wait For Christmas - Aloe Blacc
19. All I Need Is Love - CeeLo Green
20. I Believe in Santa - Meghan Trainor
21. Santatage - Divide and Kreate
22. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? - Norah Jones
Volume 5
After making volume 4, I had a *lot* of tracks left on the cutting room floor. Using these, I roughed in what I thought would be a draft for release in a future year, but ended up cinching up a final mix and releasing volume 5 as a 2-fer in 2019.
It brought me a lot of joy to open with the Jerry Garcia track!
01. Christmas Time's A Comin' - Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band
02. Whoville (Won't Get Yuled Again) - Mojochronic
03. You're A Mean One, Mr Grinch - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
04. Hot Christmas - Squirrel Nut Zippers
05. Christmas Day With Me - Laura Vane and the Vipertones
06. Christmas Cookies - G Love and Special Sauce
07. Holiday Road - Lindsey Buckingham
08. I'm Your Santa - Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials
09. Boogie Woogie Santa Claus - Set 'Em Up Joe
10. Let It Snow - Diplomats of Solid Sound
11. Sing My Jingle Bells - Mike Dixon
12. You Shook Me All Noel - DJ BC
13. Christmas Is - Run DMC
14. Ain't No Chimneys In The Projects - Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings
15. Black (Soul) Christmas - Tim Terrific and the Redheads
16. Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto - James Brown
17. Black Christmas - Rose Graham
18. Happy Birthday Jesus - Sam Sweetsinger Bell
19. Sock It To 'Em Santa - Joe Shinall
20. It's Christmas Time - Mr President
21. Christmas at the Iceberg - DJ Frane
22. Jingle Bells - Eric Clapton
23. Forget You, Santa - Voicedude
24. Auld Lang Syne - Pink Martini
Volume 4
A lot of really killer holiday tracks grace volume 4. Don't miss "Pimp My Sleigh" by Houseman (from Galactic), which is a Christmas funk masterpiece. "Stay A Little Longer Santa" by Shemekia Copeland is especially sultry, and "Shake Hands with Santa Claus" by Louis Prima is and particularly endearing (and swinging) oldie.
01. Be-Bop Santa Claus - Bobs Gonzales
02. Jingle Rock the Bells - Bobby C Sound TV
03. Charlie Brown Cut-Up - Colossus
04. Linus and Lucy - Moe
05. Santa Claus Is Back In Town - Delta Goodrem
06. Merry Christmas - G Love and Special Sauce
07. Really Been Good This Year - Saffire
08. Shake Hands With Santa Claus - Louis Prima
09. Big Bulbs - Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings
10. Stay A Little Longer Santa - Shemekia Copeland
11. All I Want For Christmas Is To Be With You - Lonnie Brooks
12. The First Noel (John Beltran Remix) - Bing Crosby
13. The Christmas Song (Tonal Remix) - Jimmy McGriff
14. Christmas Is Coming - Cocoa Tea
15. Christmas Trees (feat. Protoje) - Major Lazer
16. Santa's Got A Bag Of Soul - The Soul Saints Orchestra
17. Pimp My Sleigh - Houseman
18. Funky Santa Claus - White Chimney
19. Disco Claus - The Bionic I
20. Santafly - Martin Mull with the Sondra Baskin Glee Club
21. Jingle Bells Pt. 2 - The Rev TL Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir
22. Jingle Bells Trap - Trap City
23. Jingle Pressure - DJ BC
24. Auld Lang Syne - Glenn Miller Orchestra
The Holiday Incredible promise: no "Last Christmas" by Wham and no Mariah..... ever. However, we have, in the past included funk-fueled versions of LDB. Challenge contestants should listen at their own risk.
-Doc
Volume 3
For volume three, I created the form that the rest of the series has followed. I let go of trying to create a mix with a lot beat-matched tracks, having used most of the holiday electronica I liked in volume two. "Five Pound Box of Money" by Pearl Bailey is a great old track that will make you smile. This mix is the first Holiday Incredible to highlight the Christmas mash-up tracks that are featured in the rest of the series.
01. The Christmas Massacre of Charlie Brown - DJ John
02. Getting Ready for Christmas Day - Paul Simon
03. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Ray Charles
04. Funky Little Drummer Boy - Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings
05. Psycho Jingle Funk - Rithma
06. Song for Santa - Straight No Chaser
07. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm (Yesking Remix) - Billie Holiday
08. All I Want for Ismas - Jacob Miller
09. 'Twas The Night Before Christmas - Swingerhead
10. Five Pound Box Of Money - Pearl Bailey
11. If You Jinglin' - DJ McFly
12. Go Power At Christmas Time - James Brown
13. Santa Stole My Lady - Fitz and the Tantrums
14. N-Yo-City - Bootsy Collins
15. Santa's Coming - Bootsy Collins
16. Feels Like Christmas - Al Green
17. Nutcracker Suite (Dance of the Funky DJs) - Unknown
18. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Oh No Remix) - Jimmy Smith
19. Jingle Jane - Divide and Kreate
20. Auld Lang Syne - Band of Merrymakers
Volume 2
Two years after mixing volume one, I wanted to apply some actual beat-matching to a holiday mix. A few of the blends in volume 2 accomplish this, and though I was unable to find enough tracks to make this an end-to-end house and breaks mix, it remains one of my favorite editions of Holiday Incredible.
01. Santa and the Satellite pt 1 - Buchanan and Goodman
02. Santa's Pre-Boarding Announcement - ATOM
03. The Goose Is Getting Fat - Jon Kennedy
04. Sugarplum Rappin' - Astro Ralph
05. Cool Yule - Brian Seltzer Orchestra
06. Last Night (I Went Out With Santa Claus) - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
07. Christmas in Waikiki - Morgan
08. Winter Wonderland (alt. take) - Booker T and the MGs
09. It's The Most Wonderful Time of The Year (A Shrift Remix) - Andy Williams
10. Jingle Bells (Rise Ashen's Reindeer Dub) - Duke Ellington
11. Santa and the Satellite pt 2 - Buchanan and Goodman
12. Santa Claus, Do You Ever Get The Blues? - Roomful of Blues
13. Who Took The Merry Out of Christmas? -The Staple Singers
14. Merry Christmas, I Love You - James Brown
15. I'll Be Your Santa Baby - Rufus Thomas
16. Popcorn Wonderland (Winter Wonderland) - Robert Walter and his Bumpin' Beats
17. Back Door Santa - Clarence Carter
18. Santa's Got A Brand New Bag - Gary Walker
19. Soul Santa - Funk Machine
20. Christmas Boogaloo - Big Boss Man
21. Santa Claus - The Fuzztones
22. Auld Lang Syne - David Grisman
Volume 1
The original mix from 2014, before there was any intention of making a series. A little bit of swing, a bit of funk, some electronic remixes, and a touch of class.
01. Happy Holidays (Beef Wellington Remix) - Bing Crosby
02. Merry Christmas, Baby (alt take) - Otis Redding
03. All I Want For Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth) (MJ Cole Remix) - The Nat King Cole Trio
04. 'Zat You Santa Claus (The Heavy Remix) - Louis Armstrong
05. Here Comes Santa Claus Dub - 1st Lieutenant Middle St.
06. (Everybody's Waiting For) The Man With The Bag (Thunderball Remix) - Kay Starr
07. I've Been a Bad, Bad Christmas Boy - The Swingtips
08. Santa Swings - The Swingtips
09. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm - (Psapp's Lady Remix) - Les Brown and His Band of Renown
10. Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer (John Beltran Remix) - Bing Crosby and Ella Fitzgerald
11. Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin' - Albert King
12. Run Rudolph Run - CeeLo Green
13. The Nutcracker Suite (Baz Kuts Breaks Mix) - The Berlin Symphony Orchestra
14. Jingle Bell (Robbie Hardkiss Remix) - Duke Ellington
15. Funky Funky Christmas - Electric Jungle
16. Christmas Present Blues - Jimmy Reed
17. Soulful Christmas - James Brown
18. Boogaloo Santa Claus - J.D. McDonald
19. Auld Lang Syne - Black and White Affair
Want more ways top listen? Find the whole series, leave comments, and follow for updates on MIXCLOUD.