George Kelly Band

One of my favorite finds this summer was this classy vanity lounge LP on the mysterious SAMHOT label which also boasts the legendary Gordon Thomas. There are some strange similarities between the two men’s vocal styles, and also a persuasion for singing odes to their favorite girls. I decided to post this one up now because one of my favorite songs on it is actually a really swell original Christmas song, “Christmas Time”. Just so nice… I also included one of his ‘girl-songs’ for ‘Gloria’, which is tops, and includes one of the best sung pick-up lines ever, “Jeans, jeans, jeans, jeans, jeans, jeans, jeans, looking good in your blue jeans” (you kind of just have to hear him do it), followed by lively supper-club soloing on trumpet, guitar, keyboards, and organ. What’s odd is that when you flip the LP over its the same band but a little funkier and backing a Bermudan singer named Julia Steele. It’s actually pretty great too… And all topical songs about the island! Totally oddball record with a great atmosphere I like to revisit when it gets cold outside.

Check ’em out!