When your buddies call you Mac Daddy and your prized ’73 Pontiac is dubbed Mac Daddy, it goes without saying that all things killer, including Christmas albums, are Mac Daddies too.
A Mac Daddy Christmas, a digital-only release, is Gregg Martinez’s second such yuletide effort. His first one, ironically titled Christmas, was released 19 years ago when Martinez was, of all things, a temporary Texan. But, while his first holiday waxing was purely traditional and spiritual, this time Martinez scoured for obscure nuggets that fit his blue-eyed soul style. Top–notch interpretations are prevalent throughout, especially Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas,” and The Carpenters’ glistening “Merry Christmas Darling,” that haven’t been bludgeoned to death in the Christmas market.
Additionally, it swings with a New Orleans and Memphis soul identity. Martinez rocks the rollicking “Louisiana Christmas Day,” just as well as Aaron Neville did, and delivers a comparable, if not better, vocal performance than Frankie Ford did on “Christmas on Bourbon Street.”
The most radical rendition is Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” that’s in 6/8 time (not 4/4) and practically borders on swamp pop. Yet, the unexpected arrangement is not something Martinez invented. He astutely follows Otis Redding’s creative version released posthumously in 1968.
Martinez and guitarist Tony Goulas also tackle Redding’s version of “Merry Christmas Baby” as a duet. While Goulas is first and foremost a guitar player, he holds his own vocally against the natural powerhouse Martinez with a contrasting raspier, rougher edge.
“Mary’s Boy Child” is the only spiritual-centric number and, amazingly, is the first song Martinez ever recorded back in 1977 as a single. As the story goes, his father passed away the year before, and a friend funded the recording session as a keepsake for family and friends. On the reprised edition, Martinez pours his heart out for an applause-worthy, memorable performance. At the 3:24 mark, he modulates to a higher key, kicking it up a few notches emotionally for a coup-de-grâce finale. This is a true Mac Daddy of an album.
—Dan Willging
