Rattle and Humbug, The December People (Magna Carta)

This is the second release from The December People, a project led by longtime prog-rocker Robert Berry. The previous disc was more of a look at the holiday through the progressive rock prism; this 2010 release combines popular carols with the approaches of classic rock stalwarts. Here, Berry and friends imagine "What Child Is This" as done by U2, a medley of "Joy to the World/Jingle Bells" if the Who had recorded it, "We Three Kings" via Sting, and a medley of "Up On the Rooftop/Feliz Navidad" as played from the Woodstock stage during Santana's set, ending with a takeoff on the guitarist's big recent hit "Smooth." I should leave the rest of it to your own discovery, but I can't leave without tipping you to the Led Zeppelin version of "The Night Before Christmas." This is a good concept well executed.