Christmas Ska

Cosmic Shuffling: Xmas Ska / Xmas Horns
(Fruits Records / Liquidator Music, LQ159 / FTR057, Switzerland / Spain, 2023)

vUsually, the Chicago label Jump Up! Records usually provides a dose of ska, rocksteady or reggae on 7" around Christmas, but unfortunately not in 2023. Fortunately, Swiss and Spanish labels Fruits Records and Liquidator Music have stepped in to fill the gap. Together they released the Christmas single ‘Xmas Ska’ by Cosmic Shuffling from Geneva, Switzerland, so we can also skank around the Christmas tree in 2023. ‘Xmas Ska’ is an upbeat tune in which Cosmic Shuffling's regular horn section trombonist Anthony Dietrich Buclin and alto saxophonist Basile Rickli are joined by four trumpeters, two tenor saxophonists and another trombonist. The instrumental version of the song, ‘Xmas Horns’ on the B-side, gives the horns ample opportunity to solo. ‘Xmas Ska’ describes the "one night in the wintertime" when "everyone seems so fine" and "grown ups and little ones use their tongues and lungs to sing a happy melody”. And even if the kids didn't quite do what they were supposed to last year, they needn't worry, because Cosmic Shuffling's ska will chase the boogeyman away, the band assures us. And finally, a ska/reggae band that sings about snow at Christmas and knows what they're talking about...

Listen to both songs and order the 7" on the labels' Bandcamp
.