Have a Jerry, Jerry Christmas?

That suggestion was surely knocked down early on when choosing a title for the new Jerry Douglas Christmas album, recently released by E1 Music (formerly Koch Records). The actual title is Jerry Christmas, and the CD contains a dozen Christmas favorites, both traditional and modern, recorded with his touring band.

This is his first holiday album, featuring Luke Bulla on fiddle, Guthrie Trapp on mandolin and guitar, Todd Parks on bass and Doug Belote on drums. Jerry plays a variety of resonator and slide guitars, and Maura O’Connell guests on vocals.

Songs include:

Several audio samples can be found on Jerry’s web site, with snippets of all 12 tracks in iTunes.

Douglas will do a limited tour in December performing the material from Jerry Christmas with his band (Bulla, Trapp, Parks, Belote), and his good friends (and singers) O’Connell and John Oates (of Hall & Oates fame). You can see the tour details online.

It was around this time last year that we were telling you about a new CD by renowned jazz bassist Charlie Haden. Rambling Boy marked Haden’s return to his bluegrass/country roots.

Soon after, Haden was performing on the Grand Ole Opry. On November 17, 2009 he’s going to be putting on a very special concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in L.A. Presented by the LA Philharmonic, Haden will be performing with his family, including son-in-law funny man Jack Black, and some powerhouse bluegrass guests.

Dan Tyminski, Sam Bush, and Jerry Douglas will be joining the Haden clan for this show. It sound like a fun show.

Visit the LA Phil website for more information and ticketing info.

It seems like only yesterday that we celebrated the 60th anniversary of the founding of bluegrass music, marked by the first Grand Ole Opry performance in 1946 by the “Original Blue Grass Band:” Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, Chubby Wise and Cedric Rainwater (Howard Watts). 60 years seems like both a long time, and the merest sliver in the larger scheme of things.

Well, now we have Rounder Records with a big anniversary of their own, choosing Monday, October 12 to commemorate 40 years in business. They have been recording bluegrass, roots, alternative and Americana music since 1970. A special concert at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House will be filmed for a later broadcast on PBS stations during 2010.

The show will feature performances by Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, Béla Fleck, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Irma Thomas, Nathan & The Zydeco Cha Chas along with host (and performer) Minnie Driver. A portion of the proceeds from Monday’s concert will go to the NARAS Grammy In The Schools Programs.

From a recent Rounder press release…

Rounder Records was founded in 1970 by Ken Irwin, Marian Leighton Levy and Bill Nowlin.  With only their passionate enthusiasm for American roots music lighting the way, the three Boston area college students cast their lot into the perilous music industry. “Before founding Rounder, we were basically music fans,” says Rounder Records co-founder Ken Irwin. “None of us,” echoes co-conspirator Bill Nowlin, “had any record industry experience whatsoever.”

“I doubt that ‘industry experience’ is a term we would have comprehended at the time we started Rounder!” interjects the third member of the Rounder triumvirate, Marian Leighton.

Ticket information can be found online.

Audio from the most recent edition of Mountain Stage, featuring music from Jerry Douglas and Jayme Stone can be found at NPR.org.

Douglas performs a set of music from his latest CD, Glide, along with his band: Luke Bulla on fiddle, Todd Parks on bass, Chad Melton on drums, and Guthrie Trapp on guitar.

His entire 30 minute set can be heard online.

Banjoist Jayme Stone visited Mountain Stage with Malian kora player Mansa Sissoko, with whom he recorded his most recent album, Africa To Appalachia. That CD won a Juno Award for Best World Music Album of 2009.

Audio for his 25 minute set is also available online.