A seasonal showcase for soul acts signed to Cotillion Records in the mid-'70s, 1976's
Funky Christmas is best remembered today for featuring two numbers from
Luther, the vocal group led by
Luther Vandross before he went solo and became a platinum-selling lover man in the '80s. "May Christmas Bring You Happiness" and "At Christmas Time" are easily the most memorable tracks here, in part because they're solid originals and
Vandross and his vocal partners bring their all to the performances, with
Luther sounding very comfortable with the seasonal sentiments. The lesser-known
Margie Joseph comes in second place, sounding fine on two romance-during-the-holidays numbers, "Christmas Gift" and "Feeling Like Christmas." Veteran vocal group
the Impressions aim to warm hearts with their interpretation of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," while taking on a more straightforward and soulful approach for "Silent Night." John Edwards (who would later join
the Spinners) turns "White Christmas" into a credible slow jam, boosted by Memphis-style production from
David Porter, and he also performs "The Christmas Song," made famous by
Nat King Cole. Saxman
Lou Donaldson offers a taste of smooth jazz on his cover of "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve," while his mellow tone adds an unusual flavor to the disco-fied arrangement of "Jingle Bells." Willis Jackson's bigger, more lusty sax style fares well on a slinky "I'll Be Home for Christmas," and also explores disco rhythms on "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." The
Luther and
Margie Joseph tracks are the high points on this yuletide R&B set, which captures the sound of the season and the '70s all at once. ~ Mark Deming