Hola, Jam Lovers.
For this installment, we're headed South of the Border. Vamanos.
Album Title: Sing Merry Christmas
Album Title: Sing Merry Christmas
Album Artist: Tijuana Voices with Brass
This is, quite possibly, the most racist album in my Holiday record collection. I mean, granted, this was another time - the swingin' Sixties - when dressing up like other ethnicities wasn't only acceptable, but widely-appreciated. Now, I enjoy a good racist joke as much as the next guy; I don't discriminate when it comes to races, either - I make fun of any and all races, because I believe in equality. Even I, with my warped sense of humor, can recognize this wouldn't have long to live on a store shelf if released in 2018. Just look at this album artwork:
This is the Mexican equivalent to these folks slathering on Blackface. No bueno, Tijuana Voices.
That being said, this album is pretty good for what it is. I was really disappointed when the album kicked off, Track 1 of Side A, and it sounded more like a marching band instead of the usual Tijuana swing. "What the hell is this?" I grumbled, as car sound effects and crowd noises accompanied the out-of-place marching band. Was I about to be bamboozled by these mustachioed, wanna-be Mexicano imposters?
Then - thank Big Baby Jesus - the band kicked in, and balance was restored to the Tijuana Universe (Universa de Tijuana.) A big brass section? Check. Maracas? Check. Dated '60s keyboards? Check. Nothing out of the ordinary, here - this sounds like just about every other Tijuana album I've listened to. That distinctive swing of '60s Latin music made popular by Senor Herb Alpert, and blasted from living room Hi-Fi's throughout the senior citizen stratosphere for decades.
While possibly forgettable, it's far from some of the gut-wrenching horribleness of previous entries. And for that, it gets a big 'gracias,' from Yours Truly. In fact, the only qualm I have with this one - besides the blatantly racist album cover - is the Tijuana Singers themselves. They don't even have the decency of hiring authentic Tijuanan Mexicanos to sing these songs. They get the WHITEST people on Earth - probably from Minnesota - dress them up in traditional Mexican costumes, and have them sing Christmas songs along to Tijuanan jazz. It doesn't blend well at all. In fact, it sounds EXACTLY like the album cover looks. Which, to me, is insane.
A bit hokey for regular listening, so this one's going back into the bin, sadly. The instrumental numbers are pretty good, next time they need to issue Work Visas for the real thing.
VERDICT: 6/10 - Decent (This is a pretty good Tijuana Christmas album, but the Whitest Singers on Earth drop it down a solid point or two, unfortunately.)
- SHELVED -
