Isley Brothers and Patti Labelle's Christmas albums available Oct. 9

’Tis the season to be – tossing another yule log into the fireplace, and getting cozy with MISS PATTI’S CHRISTMAS. The brand new holiday album by Patti Labelle will arrive in stores October 9th on Def Soul Classics, a division of the Island Def Jam Music Group. The new album was executive produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis for Flyte Tyme Productions, Inc., with all tracks recorded and mixed at Flyte Tyme Studios in Santa Monica.

MISS PATTI’S CHRISTMAS is the first new Christmas album by Philadelphia native Patti Labelle in nearly two decades, since 1990’s Gamble & Huff-produced This Christmas, on Universal’s MCA label. The new album’s 10 songs intersperse Christmas classics (“It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year,” “Do You Hear What I Hear?”), contemporary numbers (remakes of the Emotions’ 1978 “What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas?,” 1995’s Richard Marx & Luther Vandross staple, “Every Year, Every Christmas”), and traditional material (“Jesus, Oh What A Wonderful Child” featuring the Soul Seekers, “Away In A Manger”).

Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis co-wrote four holiday songs for the project: “Christmas Jam,” “Holidays Mean More To Me,” “It’s Going To Be A Merry Christmas,” and “Nativity.”

The final sequence for MISS PATTI’S CHRISTMAS is:
1. Christmas Jam *
2. It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year *
3. What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas? *
4. Holidays Mean More To Me *
5. It’s Going To Be A Merry Christmas *
6. Do You Hear What I Hear? *
7. Nativity *
8. Jesus, Oh What A Wonderful Child featuring the Soul Seekers *
9. Every Year, Every Christmas *
10. Away In A Manger.”

MISS PATTI’S CHRISTMAS is her third album in three years for Def Jam’s Def Soul Recordings. It follows Timeless Journey (released May 2004, featuring the single “New Day”), and the Top 5 R&B Classic Moments (June 2005), an album of cover versions of some of Patti’s favorite pop and soul hits of all time, with her single remake of Aretha Franklin’s “Ain’t No Way.”

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I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, the first holiday album ever recorded by the Isley Brothers featuring Ronald Isley, will arrive in stores October 9th on Def Soul Classics, a division of the Island Def Jam Music Group. The new album was executive produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis for Flyte Tyme Productions, Inc., with all tracks recorded and mixed at Flyte Tyme Studios in Santa Monica.

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees the Isley Brothers, who now include Ronald Isley and his brother, guitarist and singer Ernie Isley, celebrated their 50th year as a recording group in 2007. Their new album’s 10 songs are a mix of contemporary Christmas standards (“Winter Wonderland,” “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town,” and Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas,” with passionate guitar work by Ernie); traditional fare (“Silent Night,” and the medley of “The First Noël/What Child Is This?/Joy To The World”); and two songs co-written for the occasion by Jimmy Jam (James Harris III) & Terry Lewis that are destined to become classics: “I’m In Love” and “What Can I Buy You?” (the latter also featuring Ernie on guitar).

The Isley Brothers are joined by jazz guitarist Doc Powell (known for his work with Aretha Franklin, Luther Vandross, and dozens of others) for an unforgettable version of Mel Tormé’s “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire).”

The final sequence for I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS is:
1. Winter Wonderland *
2. I’m In Love *
3. I’ll Be Home For Christmas *
4. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas *
5. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town *
6. Christmas Medley * Medley (The First Noel, What Child Is This?, Joy To The World) *
7. What Can I Buy You?
8. The Christmas Song featuring Doc Powell *
9. White Christmas *
10. Silent Night.

I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS follows up the May 2006 release of Baby Makin’ Music by the Isley Brothers featuring Ronald Isley a.k.a. Mr. Biggs, their first album for Def Jam’s Def Soul Recordings. The album, which hit #1 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and #5 on the pop side, went on to win the Soul Train Music Award in March 2007, for Best R&B/Soul Album, Group, Band or Duo.