Steve Lukather & Friends "Santamental"

Steve Lukather & Friends "Santamental"

album cover

Steve Lukather & Friends
Santamental
The Story
In June 2002 Lukather started the recordings for a solo album with jazz-rock style covers of classic and brand new Xmas songs, (re)arranged by Luke himself and Jeff Babko. The album (almost entirely instrumental) also will contain two new songs as a surprise gift. One of the special guests on the album, entitled "Santamental" is Eddie Van Halen. Lukather in July, "Ed and I have been friends for 24 years or so. I got him out of seclusion to come rip on one of the Xmas tunes." Van Halen joins Lukather on a rendition of the standard "Joy To The World" that Lukather tells will sound a bit different than what most people are used to, "I did a version of "Joy To The World" that sounds like it's "Hot For Teacher" or "Space Boogie". It's that tempo, that groove, and we re-arranged the voicings around the melody. Me and him go back and forth on some solos. "Santamental" sounds like a Big Band based on Weather Report, Frank Zappa and Van Halen." Destined to become a classic, the album is specially packaged in an 4-panel Digipak.
The Music
03:07 Joy To The World Instrumental
06:58 Greensleeves Instrumental
02:19 Jingle Bells Vocal
04:42 Carol Of The Bells Instrumental
04:09 Broken Heart For Christmas Vocal
04:55 Angels We Have Heard On High Instrumental
04:05 Winter Wonderland Vocal
05:19 Look Out For Angels Vocal
04:33 Silent Night Instrumental
02:16 The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting) Instrumental
The Artists
Steve Lukather Guitars, Vocals, Background Vocals, Arrangements, Production
Trevor Lukather Guitar Power Chords on "Carol Of The Bells"
Eddie Van Halen Guitar (2nd & 4th Solo on "Joy To The World"
Slash Guitar on "Broken Heart For Christmas"
Steve Vai Guitar on "Carol Of The Bells" (3rd Solo)
Mike Landau Guitar on "Look Out For Angels (1st Solo)
Edgar Winter Sax, Vocals and Sax on "Winter Wonderland"
Jeff Babko Keyboards, Trombone, Organ, Rhodes-Hammond, Synthesizer, Horns, Vocals, Background Vocals, Arrangements
John Pierce Bass
Scott Hamilton Sax, Background Vocals
Walt Fowler Trumpet
George Shelby Sax
Greg Bissonette Drums, Trumpet
Lenny Castro Percussion, Background Vocals
Simon Phillips Tambourine on "Joy To The World"
Elliot Scheiner Production
Larry Carlton Arrangement on "The Christmas Song"
Sammy Davis, Jr. Sampled Vocals on "Jingle Bells"
Bob Babko Background Vocals
Chris Castro Background Vocals
Ben Osgood Background Vocals