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by ALISON FENSTERSTOCK / It’s not surprising that Louisiana and the Gulf Coast, breeding grounds for the blues, swamp pop, zydeco and rock ’n’ roll, have produced so many memorable Christmas cuts. Here’s a dozen from all around the region to sip your holiday cheer by. RING A LING - -

1 Benny Grunch’s classic “12 Yats of Christmas,” in which the local music veteran counts all the way down, in his unmistakable New Orleans accent, to the famous “crawfish they caught in Arabi.” (Visit rouses.com to read an interview with the inimitable Mr. Grunch from the 2017 holiday issue.) 2 Vince Vance’s “All I Want for Christ- mas Is You,” a sentimental pop ballad, gave the tall-haired, irrepressible novelty his only charting hit in 1989. The accom- panying music video is a fabulous ’80s time capsule. 3 The white stuff on the ground at Christ- mastime in coastal Alabama is sand, not snow, and Jimmy Buffett is likely sipping margaritas instead of eggnog under a decorated palm tree, come December. If that sounds like your kind of holiday, you’ll love his “A Sailor’s Christmas.”

9 &10 Back in 1962, Huey “Piano” Smith and the Clowns recorded the sizzling album “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” a standout even during the golden age of New Orleans rhythm and blues, featuring hot covers of standards like “Jingle Bells” alongside originals like “Rock & Roll Santa Claus.” 11 Baton Rouge bluesman Kenny Neal’s album “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” is full of slinky guitar grooves and whomp- ing harmonica. His upbeat take on “Merry Christmas, Baby” will have listeners rock- ing around the tree. 12 Finally, Cupid (the man behind the “Shuffle,” not the reindeer) adds his special nu-zydeco stamp to Donny Hathaway’s soulful classic “This Christmas.” plenty of its trademark themed compi- lations to the world of holiday music — including a Celtic Christmas collection, a roundup of francophone songs for a Joyeux Noël and 2006’s New Orleans Christmas, which features Ellis Marsalis, Ingrid Lucia, James Andrews and more.

4, 5 & 6 The fiddles are merry on Rayne native Johnnie Allan’s French-language Cajun Christmas stomp “It’s Christmas Time in Louisiana,” a highlight of the Ville Platte label Swallow Records’“Merry Cajun Christmas” compilation. That collection also includes gems like Cajun comic and chef Justin Wilson’s goofy “Randolph, the Rouge Nosed Reindeer” and legendary Louisiana Hayride/Grand Ole Opry alumnus Vin Bruce’s twangy “Christmas on the Bayou.” 7 King of Zydeco Clifton Chenier recorded his “It’s Christmas Time,” a slow-burning zydeco blues number, back in 1968. 8 If you like those holiday accordi- ons, then you’ll dig “Christmas Bayou,” Michael Doucet’s collection of accordion- driven instrumental covers of classic holi- day tunes like “Little Drummer Boy” and “Deck the Halls.”

ITMIGHTBEONEOFNEWORLEANS’ BEST-KEPT MUSICAL SECRETS that Putumayo, the venerable global roots, jazz and folk label, has made the city its home base since 2004. Over 25 years since Putumayo’s founding in New York in 1993, it’s contributed

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