Andy Cirzan Visits the Sound Opinions Holiday Spectacular With His Latest Finds

Andy Cirzan

I've been assembling my offbeat holiday music mixes for 20 years now, which I guess is enough to reclassify my little hobby as something of an obsession. In my own defense, I'm not the only person who's doing this. In fact, there are more than a few folks who've been doing longer than I have, and one of them is Andy Cirzan. He's been collecting rare and unusual holiday tunes for years and, like me, he cranks out a unique compilation of favorites each year to share with family and friends. Because Andy's a VP for the concert promotion firm Jam Productions, his mailing list includes the likes of Robert Plant, Bob Dylan and Katy Perry, which gives his mixes a certain extra sparkle. I've been following him for years and marvel at the stuff he comes up with.

Each December, Andy visits the guys at Sound Opinions for their Holiday Spectacular to share some of the standouts on his latest Christmas collection. Hosted by respected music critics Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot, Sound Opinions started as a weekly PBS radio broadcast and is now a popular podcast. This is Andy's 26th appearance on the Sound Opinions Holiday Spectacular, and he's got some terrific old songs to share:

Andy's theme for this year's collection is blues, country, bluegrass and trucker music. Most of the tunes on this mix are new to me, though I'm pleased to say that I've used one of them before on my 2009 mix, "I Just Can't Wait 'Til Christmas" — "Santa Came Home Drunk Last Night," by Clyde Lasley and the Cadillac Baby Specials (1965).

Hear Andy Cirzan's Conversation with Fellow Christmas Music Enthusiast Chris Klimek

Sound Opinions' Annual Holiday Spectacular Features Andy Cirzan's Song-Poem Collection

Andy Cirzan

It's almost time for one of our favorite holiday traditions — the annual Sound Opinions Holiday Spectacular, featuring offbeat holiday music expert Andy Cirzan. Andy's been making his annual holiday mixes for even a good bit longer than I have; in fact, it was Andy's work that inspired me to attempt my own pale imitations. Each year in December, Andy's the featured guest on the weekly radio show Sound Opinions to unveil his annual mix and talk about unusual holiday music.

As luck would have it, Andy's latest mix and the corresponding Sound Opinions Holiday Spectacular both focus on holiday song-poems, which is also the theme of my latest mix, Christmas Cheer. In fact, the first song featured on the Sound Opinions show is "Snowman," which can also be found on Christmas Cheer. A preview of this year's Spectacular appears below, along with links to hear or download the entire show.

Sound Opinions is a weekly show where people who love music can come together, make discoveries, debate, learn about pop culture, engage, have fun and find new ways to further enrich our lives through music.

Whether you're an expert, or just a casual fan, Sound Opinions is your source for smart and engaging music criticism and conversation. Each week on the show, nationally respected rock critics Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis interview artists, talk about pop culture and music industry news, review new record releases and give trends a historical context. And, because on Sound Opinions, "everyone's a critic," listeners are invited to join in the debate.

Sound Opinions is distributed nationally by PRX. Sound Opinions can be heard on stations across the country and online at SoundOpinions.org.

Listen to the 2023 Sound Opinions Holiday Spectacular, featuring Andy Cirzan

Download This Year's Sound Opinions Holiday Spectacular

Sound Opinions Hosts Andy Cirzan for Its Annual Holiday Spectacular

Andy Cirzan

Each year at this time hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot of the Sound Opinions podcast welcome offbeat holiday music enthusiast Andy Cirzan for the show's annual holiday music spectacular, and this year's terrific show is now available for your listening enjoyment (see link below). Cirzan's main gig is as a concert promoter for Jam Productions, but after hours he searches the thrift shops and used record bins looking for rare and long-forgotten holiday records to feature on his legendary annual Christmas compilations. Yes, Andy's been circulating his holiday mixes far longer than I have, and his mailing list includes some of the biggest names in entertainment. In fact, it was Andy and fellow enthusiast Eddie Gorodetsky who inspired my own foray into holiday mixing nearly 20 years ago.

Sound Opinions is a weekly discussion about pop culture for music lovers that appears online and on various NPR and other radio stations throughout the country. The show is distributed by PRX. and part of the Patreon community. 

The annual holiday spectacular is typically a friendly, laid-back affair and this year's episode doesn't disappoint. Cirzan's mix for 2022  is titled "The Reindeer Sessions: Further Adventures in Holiday Obscura," and he shares six super tracks on the podcast. Andy's mixes are a highly anticipated part of my holiday celebrations. Hope you enjoy them, too!

Hear the 2022 Sound Opinions Holiday Spectacular, featuring Andy Cirzan 

Andy Cirzan Joins Sound Opinions for Its Annual Holiday Spectacular

One of my annual holiday traditions is to piggyback on the longstanding holiday tradition of the fabulous Sound Opinions show and celebrate the holiday tradition of concert promoter Andy Cirzan (a/k/a DJ LoFi), who's been putting together one of the most widely-anticipated holiday compilations for more than 20 years. Sound Opinions is a weekly Chicago-based rock talk show broadcast for years on public radio station WBZE. Hosted by Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot, it is now independently produced. Cirzan is the program's special guest each December for its annual holiday spectacular, featuring a wild mix of offbeat and largely overlooked holiday tunes from a wide variety of genres.

While it seems difficult to believe, I didn't know anything about Andy Cirzan or his incredible holiday compilations until several years after I started making my own. I say that not because mine offer anything close to the levels of quality and originality Andy achieves but rather because we seem to favor some of the same unusual qualities in our holiday music fare. I freely admit that I've cribbed off Andy's mixes rather generously over the years, and I'm grateful to him and so many other enthusiasts for introducing me to some of the terrific material out there.

This year's Sound Opinions Holiday Spectacular is another great one, featuring tracks from Cirzan's latest holiday compilation as well as a number of lesser known holiday hits, a batch of unbelievable vintage Korean psychedelic tunes, and a brief clip from an orchestral holiday piece created in the 1960s by Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. You can enjoy the show by way of the link below.

Listen to the 2021 Sound Opinions Holiday Spectacular

Andy Cirzan Offers "Best of" Collection for 2019 and It's Available Now!

As longtime readers of this blog are well aware, one of the best and best known of the many holiday music enthusiasts on the web is a fellow named Andy Cirzan, a concert promoter by trade who spends much of his free time collecting interesting and largely esoteric holiday records from around the world. For the past 30 years, Andy has celebrated the holidays by producing a one-of-a kind holiday music mix for the lucky people on his holiday list, and because he works and pals around with some of the most famous music acts on the planet, his CD routinely gets heard by members of bands ranging from Led Zeppelin to Mumford and Sons. Happily, for the past dozen or so years he's expanded his list considerably by posting each new release online for free downloading for a limited time. This coincides what has now become a traditional appearance each year on the pre-holiday episode of Sound Opinions, the weekly radio show about rock music hosted by Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot heard on Chicago Public Radio and great stations around the country.

This being the 30-year anniversary of Andy's first annual holiday mix, he's making the occasion with a collection featuring his greatest hits of the period. True holiday music fans won't want to miss Andy's latest release or his annual appearance on Southd Opinions.

Listen to the Holiday Extravaganza edition of Sound Opinions featuring Andy Cirzan

Download Andy's Greatest Hits CD "Rudolph Pouts" (Available Only through 12/31/18)

Andy Cirzan's Back with His Latest Mix, "Warblings from the Enchanted Forest"

Andy Cirzan

One of my favorite mileposts on the road to Christmas each year is Christmas music aficionado Andy Cirzan's annual appearance on WBEZ's Sound Opinions radio program and the simultaneous release of his latest holiday compilation. You see, Andy is truly the "Godfather" of most serious holiday music collectors. He's been putting together his annual complations since the 1980s, and he's been doing his annual gig on Sound Opinions for close to 20 years now.

By day, Cirzan's a vice president of Jam Productions, a successful concert promotion business. On his own time, however, he likes nothing better than searching used records stores, garage sales and similar haunts for crazy, offbeat and previously unknown holiday tunes.

“Ninety-nine percent of the stuff on my CD, there’s zero chance anyone can stumble upon it on their own,” Cirzan explains. “I’m the archaeologist digging away and saying, ‘I can’t wait until people hear this.’ ”

Andy's latest mix is called "Warblings from the Enchanted Forest," and it's another winner. I don't know how he does it, but 12 of the 13 tracks on this effort are tracks I've never heard before, which is a real treat. It's a good mix of styles and tempos, with a little something for everyone. Jazz fans will be especially interested in the last couple of track, by Dexter Gordon and the Dexter Gordon Quartet. 

Me? I'm rather partial to the first track on the second side of the album, "The Year Around Christmas," a classic 1970s EP featuring a bunch of hip cats groovin' on how to extend the holiday spirit throughout the year. The challenge, they concluded, was to convince people that "peace and love won't hurt anyone." You dig? I wish I knew about this track when I put together my special "The Now Sound of Christmas" mix a few years ago. You can download "Warblings from the Enchanted Forest" for free from Sound Opinions by clicking below, but act fast! The link comes down as this old year ends on December 31.


Download Cirzan's latest holiday compilation, "Warblings from the Enchanted Forest" Now through 12/31/16 ONLY!

Listen to Andy's Latest Appearance on Sound Opinions

Andy Cirzan's 2015 Christmas Comp Is Here

Andy Cirzan

As longtime readers of this blog can attest, one of the things I look forward to every holiday season is the annual appearance of Andy Cirzan on Sound Opinions, the weekly radio talk show about rock and roll produced by WBEZ Chicago and hosted by by Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot. You see, Andy is one of the patron saints of the genuine holiday music aficionados. He's been making and circulating holiday music mixes for 27 years now – a full dozen years more than me. And it's always a treat to hear what he's selected for his annual "Christmas comp" ("comp" in the vernacular of the holiday music collector, is short for is short for compilation). It's also fun to hear him talk about his choices on Sound Opinions, which we can all do this week thanks to the magic of the internet. Andy's latest Christmas comp is titled Holiday Hangout at Hillbilly Holler, which features an assortment of little-known holiday tunes from the world of country and bluegrass. Be sure to check it out.

Incidentally, Andy is one of the many collectors and performers featured in Jingle Bell Rocks, the amazingly wonderful 2014 film by holiday music collector Mitchell Kezin. It's been described as an

exclusive backstage pass into a fascinating underground world of alternative Christmas music. Starring an eclectic cast of characters – The Flaming Lips, Run DMC, John Waters – plus two dozen amazing & original songs, JINGLE BELL ROCKS! is a cinematic sleight ride into the strange and sublime universe of alternative Christmas music.

For me, it's a touching and spirited look at the beauty and fun to be had from the world of offbeat holiday music. It will certainly resonate with other holiday music enthusiasts, and it might serve as a kind of explanation to friends and family of the obsessive collectors – or at the very least a welcome piece of evidence that there are others out there with this same addiction. Here's a trailer for the film, which is now available on iTunes or through amazon.com: 





Hear the Sound Opinions s Year's Holiday Spectacular for 2015, with Andy Cirzan

Download Andy Cirzan's 2015 Christmas Comp, Holiday Hangout at Hillbilly Holler (available through 1/1/16 only)

Purchase Mitchell Kezin's 2014 Film, "Jingle Bell Rocks"

Andy Cirzan's Sound Opinions Holiday Spectacular Set for This Weekend

Andy Cirzan

Set your radio dial for excitement this weekend, folks — it's time for DJ LowFi! That's right, every year at this time, the hosts of the Sound Opinions radio show turn their turntables over to their favorite holiday music maven, DJ LoFi, otherwise known as Andy Cirzan, for their annual Holiday Extravaganza. By day, Cirzan is vice president of Jam Productions, one of the country's leading independent concert promoters. After hours, however, he's best known as one of the country's preeminent collectors of offbeat and unusual Christmas music. This guy's been sending around dazzling holiday mixes for a good 20 years longer than I have, and each one is chock full of delightful tunes you've almost certainly never heard before.

Sound Opinions is a nationally syndicated weekly radio program about rock and roll, hosted by Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot. The show airs Friday nights at 8 PM CST and Saturday mornings at 11 AM CST on Chicago's WBEZ-FM. It is also syndicated on stations across the country and via the internet. For information about how and when you can catch the broadcast, visit the Sound Opinions website.

UPDATE:  The entire Sound Opinions Christmas Spectacular is now available for download, along with Andy Cirzan's lastest holiday mix for 2014, Kringle's Jingles: Holiday Pop Parade. Both are outstanding, but they're only available through New Year's Eve, so don't delay!

Download or Stream the 2014 Sound Opinions Holiday Spectacular

Download or Stream Andy Cirzan's 2014 Holiday Mix

It's a Big Weekend for Andy Cirzan Fans!

Around this time each year, the hosts of WBEZ-FM's nationally syndicated Sound Opinions show set aside an entire program to celebrate the season with their very own Kris Kringle, the one and only Andy Cirzan. By day, Cirzan is vice president of Jam Productions, one of the country's leading independent concert promoters. After hours, however, he becomes the jolly DJ LoFi, one of the country's preeminent collectors of offbeat and unusual Christmas music. This guy's been sending around dazzling holiday mixes for a good 20 years longer than I have, and they're chock full of delightful tunes you've almost certainly never heard before.

Andy's latest mix is called Space Age Santa Sounds, it's made up of the most interesting tracks from his 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 compilations, and it's available as a free download, below. You'll also find a link to Andy's annual Sound Opinions Holiday Extravaganza, which is trying something different this year. Rather than playing tracks from Andy's latest mix, this year's show offers a whole separate batch of slightly more mainstream holiday fare in a show they're calling "Rock 'n Pop Xmas." The show features Christmas music from The Beatles, The Kinks, The Band, Lou Reed and more, along with lively commentary from Andy and hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot, two of the sharpest and most insightful pop music writers in the nation. Be sure to grab both the latest Andy Cirzan mix and this weekend's Sound Opinions broadcast. And don't delay! Like Christmas, these treats won't last forever.






Download Andy's Latest Mix, Space Age Santa Sounds

Download or Hear this Week's Sound Opinions Holiday Show, featuring Andy Cirzan

Don't Miss Andy Cirzan's Annual Sound Opinions Holiday Spectacular Next Weekend

Andy Cirzan

Just as children can't wait for Christmas morning, most serious fans of alternative holiday music count the days until Andy Cirzan's annual appearance on Chicago Public Radio's Sound Opinions show each December. Good news: The waiting ends next weekend! By day, Cirzan is vice president of Jam Productions, perhaps the largest independent concert promoter in the country. After hours, however, he becomes Carlos Danger – no, wait . . . that's not right. He becomes DJ LoFi, one of the world's most respected collectors of lesser known Christmas records and holiday ephemera. He's been the star of the Sound Opinions holiday spectacular since before I caught the holiday music bug, and it's always a fun broadcast. Not only do listeners get to hear selected tracks from Cirzan's latest holiday mix, but the entire compilation is typically posted on the Sound Opinions website. The holiday show is scheduled for next weekend, so be sure to give a listen.

Sound Opinions airs Friday night at 8 PM CST and Saturday morning at 11 AM CST on Chicago's WBEZ-FM. It is also syndicated on stations across the country and via the internet. For information about how and when you can catch the broadcast, visit the Sound Opinions website.

Don't Miss Andy Cirzan's Annual Visit to Sound Opinions Next Weekend

Andy's Holiday Mix for 2012

The alternative holiday music community has been rapidly gaining strength over the past five or ten years, and so long as corporate radio and the mass market media titans continue to force feed us the same dozen or so holiday chestnuts each year, you can bet that increasing numbers of listeners will take off on their own to see what the wide open skies of the internet have to offer. Like any pioneer movement, this community has its trailblazers and inspirational figures, several of whom have been collecting offbeat holiday records for years. One of the true pioneers of this genre is Andy Cirzan.  An executive for one of the country's leading concert promoters, Andy’s been sending his annual holiday mix to friends and business associates for more than 20 years, and his product rarely disappoints.  Happily for us, Andy is the featured guest around this time each year for a special holiday edition of Sound Opinions, the Chicago Public Radio rock music talk show hosted each weekend by Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot. Andy serves as Sound Opinions’ very own Kris Kringle, playing selections from his latest holiday CD, and discussing his collection and holiday music in general. This is one show I look forward to all year, which is why I wanted to mention it here.  The Sound Opinions Holiday Spectacular airs next Saturday, December 15 on stations across the country and is also available via podcast. Check the Sound Opinions website for details.

Andy Cirzan Plays Santa on Sound Opinions this Saturday

December, as you might imagine, is a pretty awesome month for Christmas music enthusiasts. For one thing, it’s the one month each year when we can safely acknowledge our interest in seasonal music. Playing "Jingle Bells" in May rarely goes over well. It’s also a great time to expand our collections. Not only does December bring new releases from some of the world's biggest entertainers, but literally hundreds of new tracks from struggling and independent artists are made available for little or no cost via the internet. Of course, this is also the season when folks like me circulate their “Christmas comps” – mix tapes of myriad styles and sensibilities. In the few short years I’ve been following holiday music, I’ve already developed a list of favorite collectors whose mixes I especially enjoy, and at or near the top of my list is Andy Cirzan. An executive for one of the country's leading concert promoters, Andy’s been sending his annual mix to friends and business associates for more than 20 years, and his product rarely disappoints.  Happily for us, Andy’s also the featured guest this time each year for a special holiday edition of Sound Opinions, the Chicago Public Radio rock music talk show hosted each weekend by Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot. Andy serves as Sound Opinions’ very own Kris Kringle, playing selections from his latest holiday CD, and discussing his collection and holiday music in general. This is one show I look forward to all year, which is why I wanted to mention it here.  The Sound Opinions Holiday Spectacular airs this Saturday, December 16 on stations across the country and is also available via podcast. Check the Sound Opinions website for details.