It’s that time of year: everywhere you go, you’re barraged with Christmas music – almost all of it terrible, middle-of-the-road pap. That’s why we give thanks this year to the fine folks at Strut Records: they’ve put out a Christmas album, In The Christmas Groove, that sonic connoisseurs can not only appreciate, but might even want to make a permanent part of the collection. That’s because Strut are connoisseurs themselves: they’ve released expert compilation after compilation find the rarest of rare grooves, from soul and R&B to Italo-disco to African rhythms, post-punk club hits and beyond. In the Christmas zone, they’ve chosen only the funkiest, swingiest, down and dirty tracks – nothing to be embarrassed about here. Our selection from In The Christmas Groove is “Boogaloo Santa Claus” by JM McDonald, and it’s quite the gift to find under the tree: unexpected, for sure. Even if it had no Christmas content, “Boogaloo Santa Claus” would be essential – over straight gutbucket funk, McDonald howls and shouts with such urgency like he could be the lost son of James Brown and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. There’s no better way to ring in the holidays with some soulful cheer like this.

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