Kammy swings into festive season with Chris-tmas LP
He was one of the surprise contenders for the Christmas charts last year and now Chris ‘Kammy’ Kamara is ready to go again.
The Sky Sports reporter’s festive album Here’s To Christmas was a genuinely worthwhile record being made by someone from outside of the music industry.
Backed by a 23-piece big band, Kammy delivered a collection of swinging seasonal songs that finished up at number eight in the UK album charts.
Before he knew it, plans were being made for a followup ... And A Happy New Year.
It’s another collection of timeless festive gems, from White Christmas, In The Bleak Midwinter and Blue Christmas to a swing cover of Wizzard’s classic I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday.
It is the first single to be released from the album, which was released on December 4,
“We arranged this version of I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday and asked Roy’s blessing to cover the track in this way. Not only did he give it, but he asked to sing on it too,” said Kammy.
“I have to say that the two original songs on the album, Dear Mr Claus and Happy New Year, are both absolutely brilliant. Richard Scott and Kelvin Andrews have done such a great job with them. They really are absolutely fantastic, and I hope people love them as much as I do.”
Just as he did last time around, Kammy loved the whole experience of putting the album together, but the necessary restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic did mean a change in how they did it.
He said: “The one disappointment is that, as last year was such a wonderful experience with the big band, it’s a shame we never got to do that again.
“I had a 23-piece band with a conductor, which is something a lot of established singers don’t get to experience working with, so I was incredibly grateful to have it, as it’s the stuff that dreams are made of.”
“This time around, each
section understandably had to record on different days for safety reasons, so the brass was on one day, the rhythm the next and so on. The string section had to record remotely from Sofia, Bulgaria and I did my own part separately too.
“It’s all been put together brilliantly though, so it sounds wonderful.
Kammy never expected his debut album to do quite so well, but he was delighted that it did.
He’s not letting the success go to his head though and expecting another hit.
He’s just happy that people are liking what he’s doing and enjoying each moment as it comes.
He said: “I still can’t quite believe how well the first album did, to be honest. As well as the main charts, we were five weeks at number one in the jazz charts. I know people might say that the
jazz world isn’t massive, and it isn’t, but it was such a privilege and an honour for me to have achieved that. It was all such a great experience, so I’m never going to get carried away with it.
“I love doing these things, but I’m tongue-in-cheek with it at the same time. I’m just trying to have a bit of fun and hoping that people like what we’re putting out.”
No matter how well the new album does, Kammy has no plans to give up the day job.
As one of the most wellknown and well-liked faces on Sky Sports’ Gillette Soccer Saturday and Goals On Sunday, he’s doing something he loves.
He hopes a tour – cancelled this year – can go ahead next year.
“The dream of all dreams is to sing at the Royal Albert Hall, which was on the agenda at some point,” he said.