Podcast
Holly Jolly X'masu
Hosted by Scott Leopold · EN
Welcome to Holly Jolly X'masu, your podcast destination for Japanese Christmas music.
10episodes
Episodes
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Episode 133: Hiroshi Ishimaru's "$100 Million Christmas In Stereophonic Sounds"
Jan 25, 202500:28:00Tap to summarizeWelcome to episode 133 of Holly Jolly X'masu! In this episode, I talk about the 1963 album, "$100 Million Christmas In Stereophonic Sounds," featuring Hiroshi Ishimaru conducting the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra. I hope you enjoyed Hiroshi Ishimaru's "$100 Million Christmas In Stereophonic Sounds." It's really a fantastic album. I'm sorry that this episode is a little lighter on content than most episodes. I had a lot going on around Christmas and really needed to take a mental break for a couple weeks. I'm also struggling to get over a stomach bug, so that made it hard to devote a lot of time to researching and writing this episode. I'm going to try to get another episode out before the end of the month, and then start working on recording and digitizing the records I got for Christmas. Be sure to listen in next time when I talk about singer and actress Mari Henmi's 1971 album, "Mari Henmi & X'mas Evening." It's an interesting album, sort of a one-woman musical play. It has some great performances so I'm sure you'll enjoy it. As always, any feedback on this episode would be appreciated. If have any suggestions, or if you'd like to recommend a song or album for a future episode, drop me a line and let me know. Remember, I've added a button to my Ko-fi page. If you'd like to support me one cup of coffee at a time, a donation is only $3. I've also opened a Redbubble store. I only have a couple designs up, but keep an eye on it as I'll be trying to add more. All proceeds will be used to purchase new Japanese Christmas music to review for future episodes. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And if you get a chance, leave me a review on iTunes. Thanks!
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Episode 132: Ra Eum Pa's "Christmas Carol With Go Go"
Dec 31, 202400:46:36Tap to summarizeWelcome to episode 132 of Holly Jolly X'masu! In this New Year's Eve bonus episode, I talk about the 1979 album, "Christmas Carol With Go Go," by Korean guitarist Ra Eum Pa. I hope you enjoyed "Christmas Carol With Go Go." It's been a rough week so I had to rush through this episode. Given a couple more weeks, I might have been able to find that blog that talked about Ra Eum Pa, but I gave up after two to three hours of searching. I was in the middle of an allergic reaction when I recorded it, so I sound a bit off as well. Have a happy New Year, and be sure to tune in next time when I talk about the 1963 album, "$100 Million Christmas In Stereophonic Sound," featuring Hiroshi Ishimaru conducting the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra. I misidentified it as a Mood Kayo album during this episode, but it's actually a fantastic orchestral Christmas album and I'm sure you'll enjoy it. As always, any feedback on this episode would be appreciated. If have any suggestions, or if you'd like to recommend a song or album for a future episode, drop me a line and let me know. Remember, I've added a button to my Ko-fi page. If you'd like to support me one cup of coffee at a time, a donation is only $3. I've also opened a Redbubble store. I only have a couple designs up, but keep an eye on it as I'll be trying to add more. Half of any proceeds or donations received will be donated to support the people of Ukraine, while the rest will be used to purchase new Japanese Christmas music to review for future episodes. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And if you get a chance, leave me a review on iTunes. Thanks!
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Episode 131: Warner Beatniks' "Rock Christmas Rock"
Dec 25, 202400:44:07Tap to summarizeWelcome to episode 131 of Holly Jolly X'masu! In this special Christmas Day episode, I talk about the truly amazing 1971 album by the Warner Beatniks, "Rock Christmas Rock." I hope you enjoyed "Rock Christmas Rock," and that you were able to make it part of your Christmas celebration. It's one of the most unbelievable albums in my collection, and I'm lucky to have a copy. Have a Merry Christmas, then be sure to listen in next week for my special New Year's Eve episode. I'll be talking about the 1979 album, "Christmas Carol With Go Go," by Korean guitarist Ra Eum Pa. It's another fantastic album you're sure to enjoy. As always, any feedback on this episode would be appreciated. If have any suggestions, or if you'd like to recommend a song or album for a future episode, drop me a line and let me know. Remember, I've added a button to my Ko-fi page. If you'd like to support me one cup of coffee at a time, a donation is only $3. I've also opened a Redbubble store. I only have a couple designs up, but keep an eye on it as I'll be trying to add more. Half of any proceeds or donations received will be donated to support the people of Ukraine, while the rest will be used to purchase new Japanese Christmas music to review for future episodes. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And if you get a chance, leave me a review on iTunes. Thanks!
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Episode 130: Yasushi Ashida's "X'mas Dance Music"
Dec 21, 202400:38:18Tap to summarizeWelcome to episode 130 of Holly Jolly X'masu! In this episode, I talk about the Kodama Press sonojournal, "X'mas Dance Music," featuring Yasushi Ashida and his Mellow Notes. I hope you enjoyed listening to and learning what little I was able to uncover about Yasushi Ashida. The music here really is fantastic. Collecting these old sonojournals and flexi-discs has been an adventure unto itself. While I know what I'm getting into with some of them, others are a complete surprise. Finding gems like this really makes it worthwhile. As promised in the episode, here's the contents of the sonojournal: Join me back here on Christmas Day for another great, new episode. It's become something of a tradition for me to feature the best, most exciting albums from my collection on Christmas Day, and this year is no exception. This time I'll be covering one of the ultimate holy grails of Japanese Christmas records, "Rock Christmas Rock" by the Warner Beatniks. This is one that will truly blow you away, so make sure you listen in. As always, any feedback on this episode would be appreciated. If have any suggestions, or if you'd like to recommend a song or album for a future episode, drop me a line and let me know. Remember, I've added a button to my Ko-fi page. If you'd like to support me one cup of coffee at a time, a donation is only $3. I've also opened a Redbubble store. I only have a couple designs up, but keep an eye on it as I'll be trying to add more. Half of any proceeds or donations received will be donated to support the people of Ukraine, while the rest will be used to purchase new Japanese Christmas music to review for future episodes. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And if you get a chance, leave me a review on iTunes. Thanks!
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Episode 129: Tokyo Ocean Orchestra's "White Christmas"
Dec 18, 202400:46:01Tap to summarizeWelcome to episode 129 of Holly Jolly X'masu! In this episode, I talk about the Tokyo Ocean Orchestra's 1971 album, "White Christmas." I hope you enjoyed the enigmatic Tokyo Ocean Orchestra as much as I do. I really love this, not just because it's an 8-track, but because it helps show that there is still plenty of undiscovered Christmas music out there. I've been lucky enough to find several records and tapes that have no digital footprint and are truly unknown works of art. Be sure to check out my next episode where I cover another artist who is now virtually unknown, Yasushi Ashida and His Mellow Notes. They were featured in a Kodama Press sonojournal in 1960 and left behind an absolutely spectacular collection of Christmas music. It's one you don't want to miss. As always, any feedback on this episode would be appreciated. If have any suggestions, or if you'd like to recommend a song or album for a future episode, drop me a line and let me know. Remember, I've added a button to my Ko-fi page. If you'd like to support me one cup of coffee at a time, a donation is only $3. I've also opened a Redbubble store. I only have a couple designs up, but keep an eye on it as I'll be trying to add more. Half of any proceeds or donations received will be donated to support the people of Ukraine, while the rest will be used to purchase new Japanese Christmas music to review for future episodes. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And if you get a chance, leave me a review on iTunes. Thanks!
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Episode 128: X'mas Stars On 78
Dec 11, 202400:39:57Tap to summarizeWelcome to episode 128 of Holly Jolly X'masu! In this special X'mas Stars On 78 episode, I talk about a selection of my Christmas 78s. I hope you enjoyed this look at older Japanese Christmas records. The work and care that goes into these really make me appreciate them even more. Even though I've been collecting them for nearly five years, every time I listen to one, I can't help but think about how remarkable it is that they're still available. The best example of this is my Fumiko Noso record from 1909. The fact that this brittle disc of shellac has survived 115 years without any major damage is impressive enough, but it's also lived through numerous earthquakes, tsunamis, two world wars, and a nuclear attack, not to mention being shipped halfway around the world. Being able to listen to records like that is one of the most fulfilling things about this hobby. Towards the end of the episode, I mentioned how Yuji Koseki's record was the perfect bookend to the episode. Other than having it end with another version of "Firefly Light," and spacing out the two versions of "Jingle Bells," the other coincidences weren't planned. Before I started writing this episode, I didn't realize he was born the same year Noso's "Firefly Light" was released, and that Ichiro Fujiyama, the singer who most helped boost the success of Koseki's Pop songs, had started out by taking piano lessons from Noso and her father. I loved that it worked out that way. As for the picture discs, I have quite a few more that I'll talk about eventually. Keep an eye on my social media for pictures of them. As always, any feedback on this episode would be appreciated. If have any suggestions, or if you'd like to recommend a song or album for a future episode, drop me a line and let me know. Remember, I've added a button to my Ko-fi page. If you'd like to support me one cup of coffee at a time, a donation is only $3. I've also opened a Redbubble store. I only have a couple designs up, but keep an eye on it as I'll be trying to add more. Half of any proceeds or donations received will be donated to support the people of Ukraine, while the rest will be used to purchase new Japanese Christmas music to review for future episodes. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And if you get a chance, leave me a review on iTunes. Thanks!
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Episode 127: Takeshi Terauchi's "Electric Merry Christmas"
Dec 1, 202400:58:58Tap to summarizeWelcome to episode 127 of Holly Jolly X'masu! In this episode, I talk about Takeshi Terauchi's 1983 album, "Electric Merry Christmas." I hope you've enjoyed learning about Takeshi Terauchi's life and career, and listening to his Christmas music. The term "legend" tends to get thrown around a lot, but Terry truly lived up to the name. As you all know, December is the high point of the year for me. I have several great episodes lined up. I'm debating whether to add another to the mix. First up, though, is one I've been wanting to do for a long time. I've managed to collect quite a few 78s, and next episode I'll be sharing a selection of them with you. They offer a fascinating look at the sort of Christmas music that was available prior to and just after the Christmas pop music explosion of the 1950s. I'll share more details on my other December episodes next time around, so be sure to tune in. As always, any feedback on this episode would be appreciated. If have any suggestions, or if you'd like to recommend a song or album for a future episode, drop me a line and let me know. Remember, I've added a button to my Ko-fi page. If you'd like to support me one cup of coffee at a time, a donation is only $3. I've also opened a Redbubble store. I only have a couple designs up, but keep an eye on it as I'll be trying to add more. Half of any proceeds or donations received will be donated to support the people of Ukraine, while the rest will be used to purchase new Japanese Christmas music to review for future episodes. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And if you get a chance, leave me a review on iTunes. Thanks!
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Episode 126: Takeshi Terauchi's "Let's Go! Terry X'mas"
Nov 30, 202400:48:14Tap to summarizeWelcome to episode 126 of Holly Jolly X'masu! In this episode, I talk about Takeshi Terauchi's 1979 album, "Let's Go! Terry X'mas." I hope you're enjoying my coverage of Takeshi Terauchi. If you like Christmas Rock, you can't go wrong with Terry. "Let's Go! Terry X'mas" has a great, late 70s vibe to it, with its blend of Rock, Country, Funk and Disco. It's one of those albums that should appeal to just about everyone. Join me next time for the conclusion of my Takeshi Terauchi episodes. I'll be talking about his 1983 album, "Electric Merry Christmas." It continues his string of fantastic Christmas albums, and you're sure to enjoy it. As always, any feedback on this episode would be appreciated. If have any suggestions, or if you'd like to recommend a song or album for a future episode, drop me a line and let me know. Remember, I've added a button to my Ko-fi page. If you'd like to support me one cup of coffee at a time, a donation is only $3. I've also opened a Redbubble store. I only have a couple designs up, but keep an eye on it as I'll be trying to add more. Half of any proceeds or donations received will be donated to support the people of Ukraine, while the rest will be used to purchase new Japanese Christmas music to review for future episodes. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And if you get a chance, leave me a review on iTunes. Thanks!
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Episode 125: Takeshi Terauchi's 1960's Christmas Music
Nov 25, 202400:39:34Tap to summarizeWelcome to episode 125 of Holly Jolly X'masu! In this episode, I talk about Takeshi Terauchi's Christmas music from the 1960's. I hope you enjoyed this first episode about the God of Electric Guitar. His records were some of my favorites early on, and I still listen to them whenever I get the chance. Although I managed to get back on pace at the end of last month, things got really hectic again and I'm once more way behind schedule. I'm doing my best to get these three episodes out before the end of the month, and then I'll dive into my December episodes. Join me next time as I continue my look at Takeshi Terauchi. I'll be talking about his 1979 album, "Let's Go! Terry X'mas." Then listen in for my third episode about Terry when I'll be discussing his 1983 album, "Electric Merry Christmas." They both great albums you're sure to enjoy. As always, any feedback on this episode would be appreciated. If have any suggestions, or if you'd like to recommend a song or album for a future episode, drop me a line and let me know. Remember, I've added a button to my Ko-fi page. If you'd like to support me one cup of coffee at a time, a donation is only $3. I've also opened a Redbubble store. I only have a couple designs up, but keep an eye on it as I'll be trying to add more. Half of any proceeds or donations received will be donated to support the people of Ukraine, while the rest will be used to purchase new Japanese Christmas music to review for future episodes. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And if you get a chance, leave me a review on iTunes. Thanks!
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Episode 124: Hiroko Williams' "My Room For Christmas"
Oct 30, 202400:58:11Tap to summarizeWelcome to episode 124 of Holly Jolly X'masu! In this episode, I talk about Hiroko Williams' 2016 album, "My Room For Christmas." I hope you enjoyed "My Room For Christmas" as much as I do. It's such a fantastic album, and Hiroko Williams is absolutely amazing. She's had a fascinating career, and learning about it really kept me engaged while working on this episode. Be sure to listen in next month for my trio of episodes about the God of Electric Guitar, Takeshi Terauchi. I'll start out with his 1960s Christmas EP's, then talk about his 1979 album, "Let's Go! Terry X'mas," and finish up with his 1983 album, "Electric Merry Christmas." He's truly a legend in Japan and you're sure to enjoy his music. As always, any feedback on this episode would be appreciated. If have any suggestions, or if you'd like to recommend a song or album for a future episode, drop me a line and let me know. Remember, I've added a button to my Ko-fi page. If you'd like to support me one cup of coffee at a time, a donation is only $3. I've also opened a Redbubble store. I only have a couple designs up, but keep an eye on it as I'll be trying to add more. Half of any proceeds or donations received will be donated to support the people of Ukraine, while the rest will be used to purchase new Japanese Christmas music to review for future episodes. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And if you get a chance, leave me a review on iTunes. Thanks! And don't forget to order your limited-edition Kringle Krew ornament. All of us at the Christmas Podcast Network wanted to do something special this year, so we came together to offer our listeners the chance to help us spread some holiday cheer. Not only do you get the beautiful ornament pictured below, but 100% of the proceeds go to the Red Sled Santa Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping low-income, at-risk, medically-challenged, and terminally ill children during the holiday season. We have a limited number of these ornaments available, so be sure to order yours now, and help us bring a little love and magic to some children in need. From all of us at the Christmas Podcast Network, thank you for your generosity and support. Together, we can help create unforgettable Christmas memories.
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