Merry Christmas Baby

Album (VHS, France): Ray Charles Live, Cinéthèque VCV 402, S.a.

A great rendition of the Charles Brown song, from the TV show Christmas In Ettal – A Black Ceremony at a Monastery in Germany, taped (most probably) in 1976, on Christmas Eve.
The VHS erroneously titled the song Santa Claus Blues.

With Sal Nistico – tenor saxophone; Carmell Jones, Benny Baily – trumpet; Slide Hampton – trombone; Jimmy Jackson – Hammond; Carl Preacher – piano; John C. Marshall – guitar; Bert Thompson – bass; George Green – drums; Lamont Hampton – percussion.

Live:
On 19 December 1977, at an Atlantic Records sponsored concert in Avery Fisher Hall, Ray played the tune as an encore, live with Milt Jackson. If it was recorded, the taping didn’t survive.