Delta By The Beach – Kris Kringle’s Krawl
C Street Records
Single 45 RPM Record
Delta By The Beach are a Ventura, Californai blues band who often venture to the epicenter of the blues world in Clarkesdale, Mississippi. Featuring the great R.J. Mischo as a guest on the harp, the band offers up a tight performance. They have an album under their belts and another being finished. The wrote and performed this West Coast, swinging Christmas blues cut to celebrate this holiday season.
Delta By The Beach are Doc Ventura on bass and lead vocals, Milo Slewdge on guitar and Eddie Layman on drums. As noted above, R.J. Mischo appears playing harp. MIxing the traditional sounds of West Coast Blues and what they’ve picked up in the modern Delta blues scene, they deliver a cool sound with a couple of fun, new Christmas tunes penned by Timothy Schulfer.
Packaged in a cooly decorated sleeve and pressed on green vinyl, the record’s A side highlights what Santa does when his rounds are complete. Like any red-blooded, jolly old elf, he hits the bar scene with his buddies to relax after a hard night’s work. A nice post-Christmas Eve “Kris Kringle’s Krawl” lets Santa unwind with his freinds as they celebrate another job well done. Mischo’s harp is exceptional and the guitar work is solid and well done. The vocals and fun lyrics make for a great new addition to the Christmas songbook!
The B side is more super Xmas cheer with “Very Best Christmas This Year,” More delightful harp and West Cost Blues. Christmas is coming down the tracks and the smoke is pouring out the stack as Santa the Engineer prepares to make this what the title says. Call and response, a nice grooving shuffle and ringing guitar also help to sell this one.
This cool Cali trio with help from R.J. Mischo make the season bright with this pair of fine original Christmas blues cuts. The trio and Santa are featured on the cover of the record at Winchester’s Grill and Saloon in Ventura with Kris Kringle looking a bit worn out. It’s all great fun and well worth many a spin as you get ready for the 2023 Christmas season!
