The inimitable Charles Brown stayed in the same smoky, sleepy groove for almost 50 years, soldiering on long after his particular brand of west coast bop ceased to be hip. As is sometimes the case, longevity and good taste finally caught up with him, and he got to make a series of well-received discs for Bullseye and Verve before his death. The essential Charles Brown, though, was waxed early in his career for Aladdin. As a member of Johnny Moore's Blazers and on his own, he created a plaintive, melancholy, sensual persona typified by his hits "Trouble Blues," "Black Night," and, most famously, "Driftin's Blues." That last song lends its title to my collection of choice, Driftin' Blues: The Best Of Charles Brown (initially issued in 1992 by EMI, later reissued by Collectables).

To many, however, Charles Brown's Christmas songs are his best; he cut the original recordings of "Merry Christmas Baby" (in fact, he cut it innumerable times, beginning in 1946) and "Please Come Home For Christmas" (1962). Those two songs have been frequently covered - most famously by Elvis Presley and the Eagles, respectively. No one disc holds all of Brown's best Christmas music, but King's Please Come Home For Christmas (despite shoddy packaging) is a great disc for the holidays or any day (read more).