stocking stuffers

Rahsaan Patterson

R&B and soul artist Rahsaan Patterson’s presents his first-ever 11-track Holiday CD The Ultimate Gift.
‘Tis the season to be soulfully entertained by this gifted
vocalist with six new original songs plus a potential classic,
“Christmas at My House.” This potential great was
co-written with fellow soul artist Van Hunt. A traditional favorite,
“Little Drummer Boy” has been rearranged and restyled with
a touch of class that only this songwriter can deliver.
–malibu jones

Aretha Franklin

The Queen of Soul and 18 time Grammy winner Aretha Franklin has
released her first Christmas album ever, This Christmas, Aretha. The greatest singer of the rock era, according to Rolling Stone
magazine, has an exclusive contract with Borders to bring you her
co-produced, 11-track holiday CD. Here, Franklin fulfills one of her
deepest desires and according to her note to fans, “it’s
everything that I wanted it to be and more.” The CD features
Gamble and Huff’s “Christmas Ain’t Christmas,”
Engelbert Humberdinck’s “Angels,” and Donny
Hathaway’s “This Christmas.” –malibu jones

Natalie Cole

As expected, a caramel-voiced Natalie Cole opens her newest Christmas CD, Caroling, Caroling,
with a duet with her late father, the legendary Nat “King”
Cole, on the single “The Christmas Song.” The CD is quite
melancholy; however, it makes nice background music for a quaint
Christmas dinner party. Cole explores her range on the classics
“Hark the Herald Angels Sing” and “Joy to the
World”; she pulls them off quite nicely. Cole vaunts her
bilingual abilities on “O Tanenbaum,” which she sings in
German.
–soul goddess

Various Artists

Liven up your holiday season with this selection of soulful jazz and
blues from Putumayo. A Jazz & Blues Christmas
offers classic songs by legends along with on-the-verge artists. This
set includes Ray Charles’ soulful rendition of “Rudolph the
Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and Canadian jazz export Emilie-Claire
Barlow’s sweet and subtle version of “Santa Baby.”
Blues legend B.B. King lends his talents on the first track,
“Christmas Celebration,” which offers a big band
arrangement.  The Ramsey Lewis Trio performs “Here Comes
Santa Claus.” The Trio simulates the song’s melody with the
upper registers of the keyboard. –malibu jones

Noëlle

Christmas is a spectacular holiday that brings people together. This
theory holds true in David Wall’s faith-based movie, Noëlle.
Father Jonathan Keene has the callous duty of closing a dying parish
led by Father Simeon Joyce in a tiny fishing village one week before
Christmas. When Keene arrives, he finds some powerful attributes
— love, forgiveness and redemption — that have been absent
in his life for quite some time. Noëlle is credited with being one of the best Christian films to hit theaters since The Passion of the Christ.
Wall is also praised for choosing phenomenal scenery and actors whose
delivery is unmatched in many independent features in this genre. –soul goddess

The Perfect Holida

The Perfect Holiday
makes a wonderful stocking stuffer this holiday season. Actors Queen
Latifah, Morris Chestnut, Terrence Howard and Gabrielle Union team up
with comedians Charlie Murphy, Katt Williams and Faizon Love for this
holiday treat. A romantic comedy, PH pairs Nancy Taylor (Union) with
Benjamin Armstrong (Chestnut), who plays Santa Claus. When
Nancy’s daughter shares her Christmas wish with Santa, which is
to find her mother a new friend to give her the compliment she desires,
Saint Nick doesn’t disappoint. He grants the little girl her wish
and finds himself attracted to Nancy. Filled with ample humor, this is
a good DVD to play when company is over and a little light
entertainment is in order. –malibu jones