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Tom Rudd Nov 21 2011 at 10:57 AM |
Can anyone recommend any good Christmas Jazz Albums. I used to have Jimmy Smith Christmas on vinyl. Any others? |
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franksexton Jan 06 2012 at 1:25 PM |
Geri Allen has one. Her most recent album is 2011’s “A Child is Born,” a solo album that features Christmas carols, spirituals and original holiday music. |
djangocat Dec 14 2011 at 6:13 AM |
Jingle Bell Jazz is the best Christmas Jazz CD I’ve heard. Some highlights: Chico Hamilton’s "Winter Wonderland", McCoy Tyner’s solo piano rendition of "I’ll Be Home For Christmas", Duke Ellington’s version of "Jingle Bells", Dave Brubeck’s rendition of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town," with alto work from Paul Desmond; Dexter Gordon on "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas". |
healthy_scratch Dec 13 2011 at 7:02 AM |
Great recommendations so far, I cannot believe I have never heard the Oscar Peterson disc, I will remedy that immediately. Here are my essetials- Kenny Burrell- Have Yourself a Soulful Little Christmas The yule tide instrumental disc for me. I love this CD and believe it or not the version of "My Favourite Things" though not in the Coltrane stratosphere of exploration, is nonetheless just three and a half minutes of slammin’ joy. Ella Fitzgerald’s sublime voice works wonders on Christams standards. It along with the aforementioned Charlie Brown CHristmas form Vince Guaraldi are reference standards in my home at holiday time. Non-jazz must haves for me include You’re A Mean One Mr. Grinch, Run Run Rudolph by Keith Richards or Chuck Berry will do as well. Lest we forget, my all-time favourite A Fairy Tale In New York by The Pogues - a Christmas tune with an edge. And on a related Holiday listening note Phish’s New Year traditional transition vehicle Auld Lang Syne gets many listens around this time of the year. In particular the versions from their performances on New Years 1992 & the following year 1993 both rather impressive. In 1992 from Auld Lang Syne they come slammin into 1993 with one of the most raging versions of Weekapaug Groove ever. The following New Year (my all time favourite Phish show) they explode into 1994 again via an Auld Lang Syne jam into an instrumental version of the Down With Disease Reprise that is off the hook. |
thehague Dec 08 2011 at 12:16 PM |
Thanks Seadog. |
bucky1960 Dec 08 2011 at 8:14 AM |
two additional cd’s out there are from eric tingstad and nancy rumble. the first is titled "the gift" and the second is "star of wonder". both are acoustic renderings of various christmas tunes. the first is my choice. eric plays guitar and nancy woodwinds. these are very soothing and nice to sit down to with a snifter of brandy, a little bailey’s irish cream, or kahlua and coffee after a hectic day. both might be hard to find and pricey but worth it. |
fredsimon Dec 08 2011 at 2:19 AM |
Hey, seadog, thanks for the warm words ... glad you dig it. |
bluepno Dec 01 2011 at 9:34 AM |
One track...Miles Davis Blue Christmas. The Michael Franks is fun. Has anyone heard Kenny Rankins Christmas Album? |
dlm Dec 01 2011 at 9:17 AM |
A Charlie Brown Christmas is the must have Christmas jazz recording. The Tuck Andress Christmas CD is definitely worth getting. The GRP Christmas CDs are still available on Amazon. Vol 1 is the best. Great tracks from Mark Egan, Chick Corea and Gary Burton. |
seadog Dec 01 2011 at 6:48 AM |
thehague - Jazzy Wonderland was originally released in 1990 on the Sony Music label and then again in 2001 on Columbia. Its available through amazon. Well worth it, 12 of the cuts are not available on any other collection. Tony Bennett’s cut is one of Dexter Gordon’s last recordings, plus you get 4 Marsalises (or is it Marsalae?) Wynton, Branford, Delfeayo and daddy Ellis, though not on the same tracks. Another great holiday recording is Code: Indigo’s Merry Christmas Baby. A quintet of crack session players. Real nice retro/lounge jazz takes on all sorts of Christmas classics. |
thehague Nov 30 2011 at 2:47 PM |
Gotta have that Jazzy Wonderland. On the Linn label? |
bucky1960 Nov 30 2011 at 11:53 AM |
there is a cd by the pat metheny group that is christmas themed- oops - this is not the case. like they say on the segment before monday night football, "COME ON MAN". how about it pat, let’s have a christmas cd for next year. what’s the feeling of everyone else out there? good idea? |
hman01 Nov 29 2011 at 1:49 PM |
I like "It’s Christmas Man!" by Brave Combo.My favorite track is "Christmas in July". |
seadog Nov 29 2011 at 8:14 AM |
A couple of more: Wynton Marsalis, Crescent City Christmas Card; Yule Struttin, A Blue Note Christmas with Chet Baker, Count Basie, Sco, Dexter Gordon, Stanely Jordon and more. Also, one of my long time favorites, A Jazzy Wonderland, various artists including our own Fred Simon with Steve Rodby and Ross Traut with sweet version of "The Christmas Song". Soooo nice Fred! |
HAMBONE Nov 28 2011 at 11:51 AM |
I second dazedcat’s choice of Nat King Cole’s Christmas Song as a personal favorite holiday song. It has been from the first time I heard "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..." What a perfect voice to a perfect song! |
mugsy Nov 26 2011 at 9:11 PM |
I will throw two more into the mix: James Taylor’s Christmas and Marcus Roberts Trio - Celebrating Christmas. I also agree that the Oscar Peterson CD is a good one! |
LindaV Nov 25 2011 at 4:48 PM |
"sunship"....yeah, Tuck Andress.....my fav too! |
thehague Nov 25 2011 at 11:43 AM |
Methenyaddicted, just my kind of Xmas song, lol. |
bucky1960 Nov 25 2011 at 11:31 AM |
hey, any hosers out there? remember bob and doug mckenzie’s 12 days of christmas? this song, when played on the radio - if ever - always makes me smile. eh? |
Dazedcat Nov 25 2011 at 10:10 AM |
Nat King Cole singing The Christmas Song. He wasn’t called "King" without good reason. |
METHenyaddicted Nov 24 2011 at 3:47 PM |
Elvin Bishop has a song from "Don’t let the boss get you down" - I think you can purchase just the song - called "My Whisky Head Buddys" - yes it is a Christmas song. |
sunship Nov 23 2011 at 10:12 AM |
For me it has always been "Hymns, Carols, And Songs About Snow" by the superb Tuck Andress. |
thehague Nov 23 2011 at 5:37 AM |
I went through my collection. There’s ’A Jazzy Christmas with Telarc’ (ft. ao Mel GTormé, Al Di Meola), Diana Krall ’Christmas Songs’ (in gorgeous high resolution), Carla Bley/Steve Swallow ’Carla’s Christmas Carols’, Wilson Phillips ’Christmas in Harmony’ (no jazz but otherwise nice), Till Brönner ’The Christmas Album’, ’Making Spirits Bright, a Smooth KJazz Christmas’ on GRP, Spyro Gyra ’A Night Before Christmas, Larry Carlton ’Çhristmas at my House’, Manhattan Transfer ’The Christmas Album’ and of course James Taylor’s Christmas cd. If you play these and the ones already mentioned, Christmas will be over before you know it, lol. |
Chris Digger Nov 22 2011 at 9:40 PM |
Hi Tom! Also the following are worth checking out: Al Di Meola - Winter Nights, Fourplay - Snowbound, Kirk Whalum - The Christmas Message, Larry Carlton - Christmas at my House, Yellowjackets - Peace Round. |
Peterw Nov 22 2011 at 9:08 PM |
I agree with earlier posts...The jethro tull christmas album is definitely worth it. Vince Guraldi’s A Charlie Brown Christmas is a standard in the Holiday Genre. Also repeating an earlier post the GRP christmas albums were all tastefully done. I would also add to the list in a pop/jazz vein the Michael Franks Christmas album is very well done; and in a folk venue a favorite of mine would be the Roches x-mas cd. (Love their take on parts of Handel’s Messiah). |
mksone Nov 22 2011 at 6:39 PM |
I’ll second the Oscar Peterson Christmas CD, there’s something really special about that one. Others: Liona Boyd/A Guitar for Christmas, Diana Krall/Christmas Songs (with Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Brian Setzer. |
Tom Rudd Nov 22 2011 at 5:43 AM |
Found a couple good ones at Amazon. Kenny Burrell- Have Yourself a Soulful Little Christmas. and Wynton Marsalis- Christmas jazz Jam, Now I just have to plunk down the plastic. |
thehague Nov 21 2011 at 2:11 PM |
The GRP collections. I wonder if they’re still available. |
bucky1960 Nov 21 2011 at 1:08 PM |
another good standby is the charlie brown christmas album. dave brubeck also has one out from a couple few years ago though i’ve not heard this one it is probably very good. |
HAMBONE Nov 21 2011 at 11:46 AM |
There have been several "best of" cds and albums over the years, some better than others. But I like the Xmas albums by the old fashioned crooners, like Sinatra,Nat King Cole, Connick and Bennett. Oscar Peterson had a good one too. |
bucky1960 Nov 21 2011 at 11:19 AM |
check out chet baker’s christmas cd, found on amazon a couple of years ago. al jarreau has a good cd too. don’t forget the jethro tull christmas album. the traditional instrumentals are awesome. russ freeman’s, of the rippingtons fame, has a cd that is real good. lastly, i’m sure there are more, bella fleck put an unusual christmas cd out I think two years age. very worth it with the tuvan throat singers. hope this helps. maybe, PM would consider a holiday themed cd? |
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