James Brown was always a big fan of Christmas - in fact, he recorded several Christmas albums over the course of his career, including a rare Internet-only release just a couple of years before his passing. That aside, 'Funky Christmas' gathers together tracks from each of Brown's festive LP's, so fans can have him on the stereo instead of Cliff Richard (sorry, Cliff)!
This record places more emphasis on his soul work, and there are not as many funky grooves as some might expect. It is also surprisingly serious, even grim in some places, as James sings of Christmas in the ghetto, and trying to get by without a dime in December. It's good music to reflect to, and certainly one of the most original Christmas albums I've heard. However, at Christmas time, I think most people want to play carefree, uplifting music, or at least something they can dance to, and a lot of these songs don't fit that description.
'Funky Christmas' is worth collecting if you are a serious JB fan, but is probably best enjoyed after the big Christmas party, rather than during.