THIS IS PHI BULANI

Dec 3rd.... Hard to believe today marks the 46th Anniversary of the NBC Special.   

"You lookin' for Trouble"

You came to the right place

Still as startlingly electric and fresh as it was in '68

.How many Uh huh huh's do you want... for Christmas?-

A Q&A with PHI BULANI

Q: What's your favourite Christmas song off the Special?

A: What are you kiddin' me?  Elvis only ever sang Blue Christmas on the Special... no wait a second, he launched into Santa Claus Is Back in Town before Blue Christmas.  

Q:  I know.  It was a trick question, 'cause I knew you wouldn't have just one favourite Christmas song by Elvis.  

A: Well, you're right I mean I don't have a favourite... I think he recorded well over an hour of incredibly spiritual, musically fun, and Festive Christmas music, as well as some of the Bluesiest vocals and rawest sounds he laid down on some of his first Christmas songs; like Santa Claus Is Back In Town and Santa Bring My Baby Back to Me...  man I can remember putting the infant baby Jesus out in the Creche of the Nativity scene that we'd put up on the Mantle in the Living room... and Santa Bring My Baby Back to me would be playing in the back ground! a -hahah and then it be followed by O' Little Town Of Bethlehem, I think it's the depth and breadth of his voice that for me exhalts the music of Christmas Season, and the more you know about Elvis, his generosity certainly shines through as well.  

Q: But getting back to '68

A: Yeah baby, well originally the Colonel wanted Elvis to come out and sing some Christmas Carols a la Bing Crosby Christmas Special, and we're fortunate that Elvis had Steve Binder in his corner otherwise we might never have seen Elvis at this magnitude... rockin' at the height of his magnetism, untouchable and intimately accessible all at the same time.  It's an incredible event and experience to this day.

Q: Favourite improv moment from the show.

A: Well, Legend has it that the large part of the sit down session was improvised and it was when Binder saw Elvis unwinding or rehearsing he knew and realized he needed to include it... but there's a Blooper Reel of out-takes from a commercial that was being set to air regarding the Singer Special, and the reel has Elvis being asked to sing Uh huh huh... I mean he delivers probably 10 -12 versions of "Uh huh huhs"  turning to the Camera each time.or; I'm All Shook Up", "uh huh huh"  as he's getting into the groove. Totally unscripted and Elvis enjoying himself in his work, y'know... as tedious and inorganic as something like that could be... so it's cool in that respect... and if you've ever worked in film or TV... it catches you on that level as well... it's called rare moments with the King or something like that.

Q: Oh I see-

A: Uh huh huh