Christmas Time Is Here

Steve Vai and tri-polar guitar

Remember that scene in the 1st "Men In Black" film where agents K and J are reviewing all these records of celebrities who are actually aliens? Steve Vai could very well be one of those aliens, because normal humans don't play guitar like he does. Alien or not, he is certainly one of the most diverse, technically proficient, visionary, and pioneering guitarists of our time. In his younger days, Vai's employer at the time, Frank Zappa, called him his "little Italian virtuoso" and "stunt guitarist". Vai earned both titles with his groundbreaking guitar technique, showmanship and deep musicality.

During the 1997 holiday season, Sony Music put out "Merry Axemas", a collection of well-known Christmas tunes interpreted by some of the best rock guitarists out there, including Eric Johnson, Jeff Beck, Joe Satriani and Brian Setzer, who has already cornered his own slice of the holiday music market. Steve Vai bravely chose to interpret a modern classic that is well ingrained in the public ear, Vince Guaraldi's "Christmas Time Is Here" from the ageless soundtrack, "A Charlie Brown Christmas". This track has the mark of a great cover version. It completely respects the original, yet sounds like no one else but Vai. The band Vai assembled for the song was top notch too, including bassist Bryan Beller, keyboardist-guitarist & fellow Zappa veteran, Mike Keneally and current Dream Theater drummer Mike Mangini. Not a slouch in the bunch.

So, sit back with a cup of something warm and sturdy, and enjoy this very cool version of "Christmas Time Is Here". Try not to spill your mug when you go all 'air guitar'.

Merry Axemas is still available at Amazon for cheap. Steve Vai has released quite a catalog of amazing recordings over the last 25 years or so. I would recommend getting at least a best-of collection.

And if, for whatever reason, after all these years, you still don't have a copy of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" in your collection, well, it's almost not Christmas without it.

While we're on the subject, I want to wish all my readers a very Merry Christmas and a rockin' New Year! Thanks for checking in.