Welcome to episode 47 of Holly Jolly X’masu! In this episode, I’ll be discussing the 1992 album “Non-Stop Silent Night,” by Pochettes & Reindeers.

Seldom does one ever come across an album of this caliber, capable of eliciting a truly visceral reaction from audiences, even upon repeated listening. The quality and craftmanship are unparalleled. It truly stands out from the other albums in my collection. I can honestly say that when compared to Akira Ishikawa, Jun Fukamachi, Jimmy Takeuchi, Nobuo Hara and Shoji Suzuki, it’s in a league of its own.

I hope Pochettes really made your day. Despite my full schedule, listening to this CD again inspired me to rush this episode out and help you start the month off right. Join me back here later this month for a pair of episodes about Eiji Kitamura. He’s one of the most noteworthy Japanese clarinetists of the 20th century, 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!

Welcome to episode 46 of Holly Jolly X’masu! In this episode, in honor of Women’s History Month, I’ll continue my coverage of Iruka’s music by discussing her 1990 album “Noel – Fantastic Winter Story.”

As much as I liked Iruka’s albums when I first got them, I’ve grown to appreciate them even more as I’ve researched her life and listened to them repeatedly over the last few weeks. I think both albums are great, and each appeals to me in a different way. “Noel” has a more polished and mature sound to it, while “From the Bohemian Forest” is representative of several of the 1970s styles of music I enjoy. They’re both albums I’ll be including in my regular Christmas music listening in the future.

I was quite impressed with Iruka as a person. She’s lived an interesting life and her commitment to her charity work is extraordinary.

On a personal note, I’m nearly back on track schedule-wise, at least with my podcast. I’m hoping to stay on track for the next few months. I have a large backlog of records to record and digitize, so I’ll be jumping into that once I have a little work done on next month’s episodes.

Join me back here next month as I talk about legendary clarinetist Eiji Kitamura. In my first episode next month, I’ll be covering his 1967 EP “Dancing Christmas,” and his 1988 album, “Golden Christmas Songs.” Then, on the 25th, I’ll be covering his 2001 album, “Santa Clarinet.” If you’ve enjoyed my Jazz or Mood Kayo episodes, you’ll love his albums.

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!