tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21701408727417048642024-03-13T00:50:41.903-07:00Jazz ScanJazz ain't dead; it's just evolving!Derrick Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12885694730612878577noreply@blogger.comBlogger549125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-91260123953419152662023-12-17T11:06:00.000-08:002023-12-17T11:11:16.159-08:00Holiday jazz 2023: Back to basics<p class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">[Web master's note: Northern California film critic Derrick Bang — the eldest, youngest and only son of this site's primary jazz guru, Ric Bang — has surveyed the holiday jazz scene for more than a quarter century (!). Check out previous columns by clicking on the CHRISTMAS label below.]<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In early November, this looked like another disappointing year for holiday jazz.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">With fewer than half a dozen albums to consider — some still not released, as of that moment — I anticipated a woefully brief column.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Happily, an expanding number of late arrivals — some from quite obscure sources — has turned this annual survey into a joyful occasion akin to the pre-Covid years.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(A passing word, about those aforementioned “obscure sources.” A growing number of musicians are choosing either to distribute solely from their own web sites, or via micro-operations that seem to handle very little else. While I can appreciate an artist’s desire to eliminate the percentage paid to Amazon and its ilk, this decision makes it extremely difficult to <i>find</i> such releases. So ... is it <i>really</i> a better retail scheme?)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As also is a growing trend, several of the following albums are available solely as digital downloads: no physical media.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Back when I began this annual survey, it was fairly common for holiday jazz albums to include covers of Vince Guaraldi’s “Christmas Time Is Here,” and sometimes “Linus and Lucy” and “Skating.” More recently, I’m seeing an increased numbers of full <i>albums</i> devoted to Guaraldi’s Peanuts tunes — with emphasis on music from the Christmas TV special — and the following list includes two.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Onward!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">********<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92Fj-MK2-iZA_XrMAb2IcQWpMwFVC72kpkJG_mXwGEN4SBss3GeKIJ-spGvhmrb-S3u0C9eVKB7KLDmR9ivpLo6WlfLUSoqMNxNN7QgpCu-xG5gn28TmNA4cV2VZypVSbQYRhpeww4RajdLwdUtsFPt9kxqSpkwZR3nk3Q3OaUa-HI8xuh-bsX29SBV0/s500/big%20band%20holidays%203.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92Fj-MK2-iZA_XrMAb2IcQWpMwFVC72kpkJG_mXwGEN4SBss3GeKIJ-spGvhmrb-S3u0C9eVKB7KLDmR9ivpLo6WlfLUSoqMNxNN7QgpCu-xG5gn28TmNA4cV2VZypVSbQYRhpeww4RajdLwdUtsFPt9kxqSpkwZR3nk3Q3OaUa-HI8xuh-bsX29SBV0/s320/big%20band%20holidays%203.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">This band, quite simply, is a force of nature.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><i style="font-family: arial;">Big Band Holidays III</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"> follows earlier 2015 and ’19 releases by Wynton Marsalis and the 14-piece Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra: absolutely the finest, tightest, swingingest unit performing today. (If this quadrennial trend continues, we can expect another release in 2027, and it can’t come quickly enough.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This new album roars out of the gate with an explosive, double-time reading of “Go Tell It on the Mountain” that boasts sensational unison horn work, screaming sax and horn solos, and a vigorous pace that’ll leave listeners breathless. Marsalis brings down the intensity for a lovely “Christmas Time Is Here,” with the melody taken by sweet muted trumpets and Carlos Henriquez’s bass comping; Victor Goines supplies a tasty clarinet solo, after which the full band brings this venerable tune to a gorgeous conclusion, accompanied by lovely horn filigrees.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Those are the only two instrumentals. Vocalist Denzal Sinclaire trades lyrics with band passages during a buoyant reading of “Caroling, Caroling”; the clever arrangement finds Sinclaire singing in “slow time,” while the band backs him at twice the speed. Sleek solos are inserted by Ted Nash (alto sax) and Dan Nimmer (piano), then Sinclaire returns and noodles a bit of “Silver Bells” to bring the tune to a quiet finale.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sinclaire has more fun with a playful run at “All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth,” particularly when he pauses a few times, and “tries to whistle.” Henriquez and Marcus Printup (trumpet) supply deft solos, then Sinclaire concludes the tune while backed by a unison male choir.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The full choir delivers a vocalese introduction to “What Child Is This,” after which the rhythm section begins a vamp that introduces vocalist Vuyo Sotashe, who trades verses with the full band; tasty solos comes from Printup and Christopher Crenshaw (trombone). The band goes R&B for a pensive arrangement of Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas,” with Kim Burrell softly crooning the initial lyrics, until she turns into a dynamic belter who gives soloists Vincent Gardner (trombone) and Sherman Irby (alto sax) plenty of competition.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album’s dramatic finale, “No Room at the Inn,” is a full-blown gospel number with the audience clapping in time as Catherine Russell introduces Mahalia Jackson’s (rather redundant) lyrics, fueled by Nimmer’s lively keyboard work. Russell whips the audience into a frenzy as the full band gets louder; energetic solos come from Printup, Gardner and Walter Blanding (tenor sax). It all feels like part of the most glorious church service ever, and the audience erupts in cheers when the tune concludes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">At which point, all I can say is <i>Whew</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span></span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtnoPVikmDrlcIxd6-kfIaOjsNjNDTR_my5paumPZDoec-78q-fuJ2oRRAidl8IRDrg3UU86GRYMoSj4aYDQVU5282EIsKx6mehRqb1g1pLYd1LX3wccqVwo1zxYRsS_26nRpdGqlmiaSGrIKqybEGqcSb-eEkw2uaee0jjXEowqAPBo_vx1qXLmQnYo/s500/David%20Ian.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtnoPVikmDrlcIxd6-kfIaOjsNjNDTR_my5paumPZDoec-78q-fuJ2oRRAidl8IRDrg3UU86GRYMoSj4aYDQVU5282EIsKx6mehRqb1g1pLYd1LX3wccqVwo1zxYRsS_26nRpdGqlmiaSGrIKqybEGqcSb-eEkw2uaee0jjXEowqAPBo_vx1qXLmQnYo/s320/David%20Ian.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I’ve followed pianist David Ian since his first holiday album, 2011’s <i>Vintage Christmas</i>. <i><b>Vintage Christmas Trio Melody</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> is his fourth, following 2013’s <i>Vintage Christmas Wonderland</i> and 2017’s <i>Vintage Christmas Trio</i>. (He seems determined to deliver every possible permutation of those five words.) They’re all worth investigating, and his newest entry is one of my favorites among this year’s roster.<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">Ian’s approach is playful; it often seems as though he’s “discovering” a song for the first time. And then he doesn’t merely perform it; he </span><i style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">explores</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"> it, as if seeking some hitherto undiscovered nugget of emotional intensity. He also doesn’t adhere to conventional time signatures, often wandering all over the place: not quite free jazz, but certainly meditations on a given tune. Longtime drummer Josh Hunt rarely sets a beat, instead merely suggesting one, as he shadows Ian’s changing moods.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">They’re joined by bassist Jon Estes; the trio has been together for at least a decade, as proven by the tightness of their interplay.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album opens with an initially introspective handling of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,” which kicks into swing time as Ian gently deconstructs the melody. He similarly noodles his way into “We Three Kings,” enjoys some lyrical interplay with Estes, then returns to the melody and builds to a dramatic finale. Estes’ bass counterpoint, against Ian’s keyboard work, is particularly lovely during their handling of “Angels We Have Heard on High.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“O Little Town of Bethlehem” is somewhat friskier, becoming dramatic before granting Estes a tasty walking bass solo. “The First Noel” is reverential, with gentle chimes heard while Ian deconstructs the melody; Estes takes another choice walking bass bridge, after which Ian wanders back to the melody and concludes with a simple solo piano flourish.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album concludes with an ethereal, almost solo keyboard reading of “Silent Night.” Estes’ bass finally enters, along with quiet chimes, as Ian builds this soothing classic to a lovely finale.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Put this album at the top of your wish list. Fer shur.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUeIk36udCyF1XDeBjEHFPDAQjJGzS-KaBSleiuY0NTdG2X6KrzICNcZnYcqBgoVTAJ1jyumQ-ozyKub9sHZrRr08wIiZt2dFl_g2KXkQGzqi0TTBBT7OnNTAvef5qEGDI9crMwNV8qIwJms3dYmLZGwn8TR8bs5dZMGdZyzVF5VMtCJYhbCLdqQe3IEg/s500/George%20Gee.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUeIk36udCyF1XDeBjEHFPDAQjJGzS-KaBSleiuY0NTdG2X6KrzICNcZnYcqBgoVTAJ1jyumQ-ozyKub9sHZrRr08wIiZt2dFl_g2KXkQGzqi0TTBBT7OnNTAvef5qEGDI9crMwNV8qIwJms3dYmLZGwn8TR8bs5dZMGdZyzVF5VMtCJYhbCLdqQe3IEg/s320/George%20Gee.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">New York-born George Gee and his Swing Orchestra have been in residence at Times Square’s Swing 46 Club for 26 years. It’s easy to see why; this nine-piece unit swings like mad, drawing its <i>oomph</i> from the tight-tight-<i>tight</i> six-piece horn section, and solos that often scream into the stratosphere.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">A holiday album was long overdue, and the just-released </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Winter Wonderland</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"> certainly fills that bill. The aptly titled opening track, “Winter Wonderland Mambo,” is an energetic indication of things to come, with energetic solos by Freddie Hendrix (trumpet) and Anthony Nelson Jr. (also sax). The latter veers toward excess, though, which is particularly true of his solo on an otherwise reverential handling of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.” That track’s alto solo is painfully shrill.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A unexpectedly up-tempo, hard bop reading of “What Child Is This” is fueled by a feisty trumpet solo (Hendrix again), a lyrical tenor sax solo (Michael Hashim) and a playful trombone solo (music director/arranger David Gibson).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Half of these 10 tracks are vocals, starting with John Dokes’ poignant handling of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” backed by Andy Gravish’s sweet horn work. Dokes sounds equally nostalgic during a gentle arrangement of “The Christmas Song,” against Hashim’s tenor sax and Steve Einerson’s lyrical piano touches.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Patience Higgins’ cute baritone sax touches echo the title question posed by Dokes during a contemplative “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve,” and Gibson’s playful trombone solo highlights “O Tannenbaum.” “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” recorded during an earlier 2014 session, opens with a unison horn vamp that sets up the seductive give-and-take vocals by Dokes and Hilary Gardner.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album’s enjoyable features notwithstanding, it suffers from two flaws: one stylistic, the other technical. Gibson’s arrangements too frequently separate solos with redundant two- and three-note unison horn vamps, which get old. More critically, Einerson’s piano is badly mic’d or mixed; his solos, particularly when they follow a screaming horn, sound like he’s playing from the rear of a different room.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album concludes with a lively, New Orleans-style reading of “Jingle Bells” that finds Nelson Jr.’s alto sax in a more agreeable solo mode, while the entire unit comps behind him. One pictures the band then strutting off the stage: for the most part, a buoyant job well done.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaIgK4zkRGUsU58N1G0lAlkknw5-jux-fNU6cyYR3aLQjXCR-B87NF4Yk6L0n5RiFbZQhhUHdOo56XFuaIfnz-6DTwEmze75NQwQTH9q6Ktfuvu32oOUwPC6Aqjlzqq9JxM_9d17q9qlJmbN3NKf0yX59fZzn_CJHCj2sTj9Bfz9croXK9dhs8OY7cs1Y/s500/Ted%20Nash.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaIgK4zkRGUsU58N1G0lAlkknw5-jux-fNU6cyYR3aLQjXCR-B87NF4Yk6L0n5RiFbZQhhUHdOo56XFuaIfnz-6DTwEmze75NQwQTH9q6Ktfuvu32oOUwPC6Aqjlzqq9JxM_9d17q9qlJmbN3NKf0yX59fZzn_CJHCj2sTj9Bfz9croXK9dhs8OY7cs1Y/s320/Ted%20Nash.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Multi-instrumentalist/arranger Ted Nash and vocalist Kristen Lee Sergeant aren’t merely jazz collaborators; they bonded over a mutual passion for wine. She’s certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers and worked for years at New York City’s Gotham Bar & Grill. This “sidebar” interest prompted them to establish Two Notes Winery in Santa Barbara, California, where their 2015 Triola blends “three notes” of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">Musically, their newest collaboration is </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Holidays</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">, a nine-track jazz smorgasbord that finds them backed by a 15-piece big band. The album opens with a contemplative reading of “Snowbound,” an excellent showcase for Stewart’s sparkling vocal and the band’s tight unison horns. “My Favorite Things” is a veritable jazz feast: an ambitious, 7-minute arrangement that showcases Jay Anderson’s smooth bass work, Adam Birnbaum’s vibrant piano bridge, Nash’s sax and (of course) Stewart’s lyrical vocal stylings. (I particularly like the cute unison horn “pops” when the dog bites and the bee stings.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A clever introductory vamp opens a vibrant handling of “Sleigh Ride,” which finds Stewart in a sassier mood; she and the band build to what seems a climax, but then they pull back, yielding to Birnbaum’s ferocious keyboard solo. Nash’s subsequent sax solo is backed by Birnbaum’s comping and Anderson’s walking bass; the full band returns, and builds to another climax as Stewart returns.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Alas, a few corked selections intrude. Although Stewart gives it a game effort, nobody can sing “Blue Xmas” the way Bob Dorough did; she simply doesn’t sound cynical enough. That said, the track boasts a sassy trombone duel between James Burton, Jennifer Krupa and Matthew McDonald, along with a really dirty trumpet solo by James Zollar. Sergeant’s sweet vocal on “A Child Is Born” is similarly compromised by a rather strange arrangement that begins as the full band seemingly struggles to find its way into the tune.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The menu concludes with another stand-out track: a feisty reading of “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm,” which grants the band a lengthy intro — more terrific work by the unison horns — before Stewart enters against more of Anderson’s terrific walking bass. Paul Nedzela’s sassy sax bridge is followed by Marcus Printup’s joyous trumpet solo, after which Stewart and the full band bring the tune — and the album — to a climactic finale.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A (mostly) tasty vintage, indeed!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDTuxdQhoOHq7f18FKnA89_ylGH9YuVg5LhOzknvKJuhp6cQlkPDP-uxudKFsp3-HBiH8jgym0Co2sjgtmT8In4SJyNK3rNPS_V3Zydsydo5buLqnMedwCdq3gotoJK4ecu3-1qfXvkdmn8iLtoh0bpwkXvXpZe0X4YGjjccCf6liXt581yhgfVz_kJRc/s500/Isaiah%20Thompson.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDTuxdQhoOHq7f18FKnA89_ylGH9YuVg5LhOzknvKJuhp6cQlkPDP-uxudKFsp3-HBiH8jgym0Co2sjgtmT8In4SJyNK3rNPS_V3Zydsydo5buLqnMedwCdq3gotoJK4ecu3-1qfXvkdmn8iLtoh0bpwkXvXpZe0X4YGjjccCf6liXt581yhgfVz_kJRc/s320/Isaiah%20Thompson.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">As its title suggests, rising jazz pianist Isaiah J. Thompson’s <i><b>A Guaraldi Holiday</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> isn’t entirely devoted to Christmas; Halloween and Thanksgiving also are acknowledged by this album’s 12 tracks. But half either are seasonal classics or drawn from <i>A Charlie Brown Christmas</i>, so I deem it close enough for inclusion here.<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">Thompson is joined here by Anthony Hervey, trumpet; Julian Lee, tenor sax; Alexa Tarantino, alto sax and flute; John Pizzarelli, guitar; Philip Norris, bass; and Kyle Poole, drums and percussion. The liner notes make a point of mentioning that — aside from Pizzarelli — all the musicians are under 30. Remarkable, isn’t it, that so many young jazz artists are captivated by Guaraldi?</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thompson’s approach is varied. At times his arrangements definitely evoke Guaraldi’s touch and spirit; other tracks employ brief bits of a familiar melody merely as a springboard for complex jazz more in the hard bop vein of Thompson’s previous album, <i>The Power of the Spirit</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The latter is particularly true of Guaraldi’s “Thanksgiving Theme,” which begins with gentle piano against Hervey’s brass touches, followed by a thoughtful sax solo. But then Thompson sprints all over the keyboard during a lengthy bridge, the arrangement getting more aggressive with brass filigrees and vibrant sax and Poole’s drum work. A propulsive bossa rhythm fuels an atypically muscular handling of “What Child Is This,” with dueling trumpet and sax solos suddenly yielding to double-time rhythm work against another ferocious keyboard bridge, which finally slides into a slightly deconstructed handling of the familiar melody, before everybody joins for a unison finale.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Guaraldi’s lesser-known “Heartburn Waltz” — actually part of the score for 1975’s <i>Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown</i> — is given a delicate reading, with piano and flute trading the melody against gentle percussion. Guaraldi’s rock-inflected “Christmas Is Coming” initially sounds very much like Vince, then blossoms into a burner highlighted by cute percussion and feisty piano bridges; the tune concludes as the combo members clap and cheer (which reminded me of the similarly rowdy touches in Ramsey Lewis’ <i>Goin’ Latin</i> album).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The melody in “O Christmas Tree” is delivered by Hervey’s muted trumpet, clearly sounding like the <i>wah-wah</i>vocalizing of Charlie Brown’s school teachers. Norris’ cool walking bass and Thompson’s lyrical keyboard bridge highlight “Great Pumpkin Waltz,” while the pianist’s solo on “Auld Lang Syne” backs the combo members’ unison humming and <i>lu-lu-lu</i> vocalese delivery of the melody (much the way the Peanuts gang sings the first verse of “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” at the end of <i>Charlie Brown Christmas</i>).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album concludes with a kick-ass reading of “Linus and Lucy,” which begins as sax handles the core melody, with Thompson adding an ascending four-chord run at the end of each line. The first bridge is a spirited blend of sax and piano; a lengthy sax solo segues to the second bridge, which shifts to swing time and boasts more of Norris’ cool walking bass: a great finale to a truly pleasurable album.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYDJrhRYLpaaMQfmR0sgoymdM3iK5nJGaLNXDmIO4Y2BRznp9uS1La_lIgMjKO6SvSx7A3MVjNkrz0m_8HIQg2bVQBK9_IdRNqGDxO135w6AK9idhMEoekDSl-2jE9zDygvpOQHe7uvdrVk0sZPJjjP8imYaqBOTVwJEtnWYGEdkbMDwvbkhCVQqYufg/s500/Christoph%20Spendel.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYDJrhRYLpaaMQfmR0sgoymdM3iK5nJGaLNXDmIO4Y2BRznp9uS1La_lIgMjKO6SvSx7A3MVjNkrz0m_8HIQg2bVQBK9_IdRNqGDxO135w6AK9idhMEoekDSl-2jE9zDygvpOQHe7uvdrVk0sZPJjjP8imYaqBOTVwJEtnWYGEdkbMDwvbkhCVQqYufg/s320/Christoph%20Spendel.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Several years passed before I finally caught up with German jazz pianist Christoph Spendel’s first holiday album, 1999’s <i>Silent Night</i>. (International commerce wasn’t nearly as easy back then.) I was pleased; Spendel’s trio was a tight unit, and his arrangements were imaginative; it has remained one of my favorite seasonal albums.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">I’m therefore delighted to call attention to </span><i style="font-family: arial;">X-Mas Streaming</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">, which — among its many virtues — is the year’s best bargain: two full hours of music, for just $7.99.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Spendel is joined by Claudio Zanghieri, bass; and Jens Biehl, drums. All 17 tracks run long — between 5 and slightly north of 8 minutes — which grants the musicians plenty of space for solos during numerous bridges. Spendel is known for his signature blend of bebop and crossover fusion, often with unexpected touches of classical. The result is always satisfying.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Although capable of slow and sweet — as is the case with “White Christmas,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” — Spendel gets more exercise on the faster tracks; he’s adept at lightning-fast runs up and down the keyboard, both with chords and single notes. He demonstrates this with the album-opening “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” which will leave listeners breathless.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Biehl’s samba-style percussion highlights a full-blooded handling of “Feliz Navidad,” which boasts a lengthy keyboard solo and strong drum work, when the tune approaches its conclusion. A calypso-hued “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” is highlighted by Zanghieri’s droll bass solo; the lengthy “Angels We Have Heard on High” also gets a calypso treatment, concluding with an aggressive trio vamp that brings the melody home.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A few tunes have German titles. We know “Morgen Kommt Der Weihnachtsmann” as “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” (which also was a highlight of Spendel’s 1999 album). The dramatic “Herbei Oh Ihr Gläubigen,” recognized as “O Come All Ye Faithful,” features deft interplay between piano and bass. Finally, “Leise Rieselt Der Schnee” (“The Snow Falls Softly”), one of the German language’s most famous Christmas songs, emerges as a thoughtful, meditative tone poem (although, not being familiar with the tune, I found it hard to separate the melody from the solos).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The set concludes with “Auld Lang Syne,” which opens forcefully and turns celebratory, with more of Spendel’s dexterous keyboard work and a dynamic solo from Zanghieri, after which the tune concludes quite abruptly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This album demands a listener’s attention: probably not a good choice as cocktail party background music. But swing fans will find much to love!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnT1t1Q1DnvfStXNOEDXH9RWfm1_b0vluqwitpKxw6QHeaEwvoIXKPDnRp1OdycFpFYE-RE1P5hURVlwVlXrOyq94CX9OE6q7771ocf7rwXFLXFPUx0kYlVxXGRCrUV1-f65LYS5ms2dOCQWFpGWFhHykjGq35rWsrPrA-bDwA9HuIHfIhYLMweVpupAE/s500/Walt%20Weiskopf.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnT1t1Q1DnvfStXNOEDXH9RWfm1_b0vluqwitpKxw6QHeaEwvoIXKPDnRp1OdycFpFYE-RE1P5hURVlwVlXrOyq94CX9OE6q7771ocf7rwXFLXFPUx0kYlVxXGRCrUV1-f65LYS5ms2dOCQWFpGWFhHykjGq35rWsrPrA-bDwA9HuIHfIhYLMweVpupAE/s320/Walt%20Weiskopf.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Saxman/composer Walt Weiskopf began his New York career when he joined the Buddy Rich Big Band in 1981, at the youthful age of 21. Weiskopf subsequently earned numerous accolades for his playing and original compositions, and his European Quartet — Carl Winther, piano; Andreas Lang, bass; and Anders Mogensen, drums — has released roughly an album per year, since coming together in 2018.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">The just-released </span><i style="font-family: arial;">A Little Christmas Music</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">, a seven-track EP, finds the quartet in a relaxed mode. Mogensen’s percussion is quiet throughout, the pacing ranging from leisurely to mid-tempo. The style is supper-club standard: one or two verses of melody by Weiskopf — on alto sax throughout — followed by one or more improv bridges, and concluding with a return to the melody. Weiskopf’s improv bridges are thoughtful, sometimes “noodly,” often hinting at the given melody before wandering elsewhere.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The opening arrangement of “Let It Snow” is typical of this approach. Mogensen establishes a gentle, mid-tempo vibe while Weiskopf introduces the melody, then grants improv bridges to himself, Winther and Lang. Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime” is a bit slower, perhaps even wistful; Weiskopf’s improv bridge is backed by Lang’s tasty bass comping.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” is atypically unhurried, and the lengthy arrangement grants Winther a particularly lovely keyboard bridge. Mogensen kicks “God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen” into a higher gear, giving Weiskopf’s inventively syncopated arrangement a droll boost that adds spice to his lengthy sax solo, backed by Winther’s tasty comped chords. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album concludes with a lengthy, thoughtful handling of “Moonlight in Vermont” — probably the only time I’ve seen this standard on a holiday jazz album! — that finds piano and bass “shadowing” the melody during Weiskopf’s lengthy improv sax bridge. A sparkling keyboard solo is followed by Lang’s return to the melody; he yields to Weiskopf as the tune concludes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I’m mildly surprised to hear several of these tracks fade out, rather than conclude neatly; that seems oddly old-school, as if Weiskopf couldn’t figure out how to resolve the finale (which I highly doubt). But that’s a minor quibble about a thoroughly enjoyable 36 minutes of music.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDsGvjcZvFFMmYQt1UQIksJ4tDJRNNTtjAEUUPS0RIR5UAlZDHnBSs-uwkWZvaSCBOnbFQA5zS1zWboiydXJME-RRdfrSHQfswuNurAxxvsg7kUmwH2uL5xcgsDWe24UfocD-BhIZiXYF7aS5IJBG2s0N7dCECDUJ4RbNGtWB72G_3On6g6npD4Hn7oZQ/s500/Keystone%20Big%20Band.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDsGvjcZvFFMmYQt1UQIksJ4tDJRNNTtjAEUUPS0RIR5UAlZDHnBSs-uwkWZvaSCBOnbFQA5zS1zWboiydXJME-RRdfrSHQfswuNurAxxvsg7kUmwH2uL5xcgsDWe24UfocD-BhIZiXYF7aS5IJBG2s0N7dCECDUJ4RbNGtWB72G_3On6g6npD4Hn7oZQ/s320/Keystone%20Big%20Band.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The 17-piece Amazing Keystone Big Band, devoted equally to swing era stylings and the “bold virtuosity” of today’s jazz, comes to us from France. The arrangements come from pianist/artistic director Fred Nardin, joined by saxman Jon Boutellier, trombonist Bastien Ballaz, and trumpet player David Enhco, who’ve collaborated since they attended the <i>Conservatoire de Paris</i> together.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">The arrangements, solo and unison playing are terrific, and well showcased on their album </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Christmas Celebration</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">. Alas, the weak links are vocalist Célia Kameni and Pablo Campos; they’re fine on some tracks, but wholly unsuited to others. (One wishes at least a few of these dozen tracks were instrumentals, to showcase just the band.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album opens with a sensational run at “Let It Snow,” with the band delivering a lively swing arrangement matched by Campos’ equally energetic vocal. Pierre Desassis contributes a sweet alto sax solo, and the unison horn work is choice during an instrumental bridge. Vincent Labarre’s screaming trumpet solo opens an equally energetic “Frosty the Snowman,” powered by a rowdy, New Orleans swing arrangement, more unison horns and Campos’ appropriately frisky vocal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">On the softer end, Ballaz’s gentle arrangement of “The Christmas Song” is the perfect showcase for Kameni’s wistful vocal, backed by softly comping horn touches and lovely trombone filigrees. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">On the less successful end, Campos’ attempt on “ ‘Zat You, Santa Claus” doesn’t work at all; he isn’t nearly feisty enough, and one wishes Louis Armstrong could have been paired with the appropriately impertinent instrumental work. Kameni similarly spoils the cute, childlike arrangement of “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” — highlighted by Patrick Maradan’s slick walking bass — and ultimately makes the song sound more like a threat, than a promise.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Some tracks simply wear out their welcome. Nardin’s organ-style keyboard work opens an initially hymn-like reading of “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” with Kameni’s voice suitably worshipful. The first bridge shifts into an instrumental jazz waltz, with more sweet keyboard touches; the intensity builds, then retreats; Kameni continues with far more verses than normally are heard, going on and <i>on</i> and on, during an arrangement that runs nearly seven minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Fortunately, things improve with the dirty trombone and trumpet solos that highlight a raucous reading of “At the Christmas Ball,” delivered as a Dixieland strut; Campos’ vocal is well suited to this mood. The album concludes with a burning run at “Jingle Bells,” boasting great horn pops and a raging tenor sax battle between Prost and Fred Couderc; Campos and Kameni duet on the vocal, with everybody clearly having a great time. So will you (for the most part).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIfDjkJ2QUOdyYjSROzKs-8MTc10clpz5BDfQIb0ZiAXtKj0PUW8K_joaM3eGy3l8_UfJLUMJ1ICxq_kiHGUFu0mx6SnQTZTfCYl5Gl0SBhgYkbnQ3CSNvCymcnE_pnEPdKFBY_Ktt69eXOIJ1J3nH3g_KrMPShPbARVBRpPe_VoUp9ZMbKcs8LHwCq4/s500/Christian%20Sands.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIfDjkJ2QUOdyYjSROzKs-8MTc10clpz5BDfQIb0ZiAXtKj0PUW8K_joaM3eGy3l8_UfJLUMJ1ICxq_kiHGUFu0mx6SnQTZTfCYl5Gl0SBhgYkbnQ3CSNvCymcnE_pnEPdKFBY_Ktt69eXOIJ1J3nH3g_KrMPShPbARVBRpPe_VoUp9ZMbKcs8LHwCq4/s320/Christian%20Sands.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Connecticut-born Christian Sands’ <i><b>Christmas Stories</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> is a bewildering case of diminishing returns.<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">The Grammy-nominated jazz pianist is a monster on the keyboard, capable of a ferocity that occasionally makes listeners think they’re hearing </span><i style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">two</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"> players. That’s amply evident in his roaring, Afro-Cuban arrangement of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentleman,” wherein his working quartet — Marvin Sewell, guitar; Yasushi Nakamura, bass; and Ryan Sands, drums — is complemented by guest percussionist Keita Ogawa. The result is a veritable jazz symphony within this single song, with constantly shifting tempos, moods and piano bridges that range from thoughtful to full-tilt boogie.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album-opening run at “Jingle Bells” is flat-out sensational, with the familiar tune’s slightly deconstructed melody placed against a rhythm line lifted from Miles Davis’ “All Blues,” and highlighted further by tricky time signatures and sleek interplay between Sands’ piano and Sewell’s guitar. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">However…<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Five of the album’s six final tracks are Sands originals, and — his 2021 Grammy nomination for best instrumental composition notwithstanding — most aren’t memorable. “Shoveling” does indeed sound like shoveling snow, with whistling wind and footfalls in deep snow; the track is quiet, mysterious ... and rather dull. The music box-style intro to “The Gift,” which features Stefon Harris on vibes, is even more ethereal and random; its descending 3-3-3-1 motif gets quite old during the track’s 8-minute length.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The sweet, reverential “A Christmas Hymn” — a duet between Sands and Harris — suggests a deconstructed “Silent Night,” but it never develops.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The happy exception is Sands’ lively, surf rock-hued “Snow Dayz,” which opens against Ryan Sands’ intense drumming, and boasts amazing keyboard work. It sounds like a fast-paced accompaniment to a luge run or downhill skiing montage: quite fun.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album concludes with Sands’ “Last Christmas” — not to be confused with George Michaels’ popular pop tune — a string-laden wallow in melancholia that feels like a dirge: as if this upcoming December will mark somebody’s <i>final</i>Christmas.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In fairness, the album’s title is honest; many of these tracks <i>are</i> “Christmas stories” … but too many of them aren’t very interesting.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_OkYliAFZk8mk6kjJuKFumxnCd8zMqeUEQnRmoFAoSMuCtFBRxVADxa_kN3ESoZ1MbMqyOLIAH_UpgbjTeDNCcWl9E5TAp8FtXtjdHIetGK04yJL_PVHMIChOeDhbExew9uGlUy6hzHg3AmbPr5PlqfF8tk9nqy5OEWdlwvcQQbXrt04lT9HGpYoYKQ/s500/Carl%20Winther.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_OkYliAFZk8mk6kjJuKFumxnCd8zMqeUEQnRmoFAoSMuCtFBRxVADxa_kN3ESoZ1MbMqyOLIAH_UpgbjTeDNCcWl9E5TAp8FtXtjdHIetGK04yJL_PVHMIChOeDhbExew9uGlUy6hzHg3AmbPr5PlqfF8tk9nqy5OEWdlwvcQQbXrt04lT9HGpYoYKQ/s320/Carl%20Winther.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Danish jazz pianist Carl Winther is best know for his Latin, African and Herbie Hancock-style 1970s stylings, which makes his 8-track EP, <i><b>A Jazzy Christmas Celebration</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;">, a gentler outlier in his catalogue. It’s also deceptively titled, unless one accepts the notion that Disney movie standards are holiday music. Only three tracks qualify as actual Christmas tunes — “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “The Christmas Song” and “Mary’s Boy Child” — while Disney is represented by “When You Wish Upon a Star,” “Some Day My Prince Will Come” and “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes.”<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">The remaining two tracks — “Isn’t It Romantic” and McCoy Tyner’s “Search for Peace” — belong to neither camp.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Another vexing detail: There’s no indication who handles bass and drums.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">For the most part, these are mellow arrangements: soft trio jazz for late-at-night snuggling. The tracks are short: just long enough for Winther to improvise briefly during bridges between the melodies. You’d barely know the drummer is present, aside from <i>very</i> soft touches and occasional brushed cymbals. The exceptions are a lively, up-tempo handling of “Mary’s Boy Child” and the sparkling reading of “Some Day My Prince Will Come.” The latter allows the drummer to shine, and also features nice call-and-response between Winther and his bassist.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The latter individual spends most of his time comping quietly behind Winther’s keyboard work on melody and bridge solos; the bass touches are particularly nice on “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” The bassist also gets a noteworthy solo on “Search for Peace,” which concludes the menu.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Ultimately, this one isn’t such a much.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb_3QPgEuCcI6g7uaPI-SUivam1PvvKZ_SpHEyhey3MCb3t5Q7AdUVenMAV36YmTey7Ff1rHAgwITb1ytTOcJSfMtNmr3G9z_vIt4hGgg27MYlbbzulkMoKyWl55yLOHG-Ktb-h6MDmbxT2aSAH35EpNcUdgjGli5R1zl3FXTnT_jvo6l6k9bF5Jy1dPA/s500/Kat%20Edmonson.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb_3QPgEuCcI6g7uaPI-SUivam1PvvKZ_SpHEyhey3MCb3t5Q7AdUVenMAV36YmTey7Ff1rHAgwITb1ytTOcJSfMtNmr3G9z_vIt4hGgg27MYlbbzulkMoKyWl55yLOHG-Ktb-h6MDmbxT2aSAH35EpNcUdgjGli5R1zl3FXTnT_jvo6l6k9bF5Jy1dPA/s320/Kat%20Edmonson.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Houston-born Kat Edmonson memorably sang “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” with Lyle Lovett on <i>The Tonight Show with Jay Leno</i>, back in December 2010. (She toured as Lovett’s opening act that summer.) By that point, Edmonson already was a rising songwriter and jazz chanteuse, with an impish, often soft-spoken, old-style delivery that has made fans of a certain age wonder if she’s the reincarnation of Blossom Dearie.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">Beyond their near-identical, little-girl voices, Edmonson has a much broader range, and a helluva lot more personality. She’s by turns coy, feisty, playful and — yes, when an arrangement demands it — gently wistful.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Her 2021 seasonal album, </span><i>Holiday Swingin’!</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">, eluded my notice until recently, and — based on a subtitle that claims this is “A Kat Edmonson Christmas Vol. 1” — I’ll be among the first in line when its sequel arrives.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Edmonson is backed by a tight quartet: Roy Dunlap, piano; Matt Munisteri, guitar; Bob Hart, bass; and Aaron Thurston, drums. The 10-track album is brief, clocking in at just a few seconds over half an hour; the arrangements run just long enough to allow tasty instrumental bridges during most tunes. Edmonson knows how to get off the stage, leaving the listener wanting more.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">She often slides smoothly between singing and patter-style “speaking” the lyrics, which enhances the album’s overall playful atmosphere. She sorta-kinda scats her way into the sassy, album-opening arrangement of “Let It Snow,” which offers the first example of the sympatico vibe Dunlap and Munisteri display on piano and guitar, smoothly trading solos and comping. An atypically lively “White Christmas” finds Edmonson roaring against a double-time beat laid down by Thurston.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Happy Holiday,” blended playfully with Irving Berlin’s title theme for 1942’s <i>Holiday Inn</i>, becomes a bouncy cha-cha; the usually up-tempo “Jingle Bell Rock,” in contrast, emerges as a swingin’ New Orleans-style strut.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“The Christmas Blues” is appropriately sultry, and Munisteri’s lyrical guitar work adds a nice touch to a contemplative reading of “The Christmas Song.” Everybody has fun with a lively reading of “The Chipmunk Song,” wherein Dunlap switches to an electronic keyboard during a particularly frisky bridge; Edmonson demonstrates her capacity for belting during a final verse that finds her rattling off a wish list that includes far more than a Hula Hoop and a plane that loops the loop.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Dunlap returns to an acoustic keyboard to introduce a gentle handling of “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” the sole instrument backing Edmonton’s sweet vocal as the hymn begins. He and Munisteri then trade quiet licks when she builds to a solemn finale: a lovely way to conclude a very enjoyable album.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRZKwy8P6qjQy16PkEjeEc9qXLtEzVEKrwhafuXL_EhDbVhriU-D9t6SkZm4ctgyP5KUTyrC-JHcAUQKNpLr9v-hHp1kHBYVQQpWpdAcIXNNo5SvkiElHjeS8IS8oJ0pbYqb5jnPD4SkAjaIBpVkZnkYl3UlZyWl814CkLJ-6GeWTDlD4x08QUWg4H6F4/s500/Ron%20LeGault.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="500" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRZKwy8P6qjQy16PkEjeEc9qXLtEzVEKrwhafuXL_EhDbVhriU-D9t6SkZm4ctgyP5KUTyrC-JHcAUQKNpLr9v-hHp1kHBYVQQpWpdAcIXNNo5SvkiElHjeS8IS8oJ0pbYqb5jnPD4SkAjaIBpVkZnkYl3UlZyWl814CkLJ-6GeWTDlD4x08QUWg4H6F4/s320/Ron%20LeGault.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">During the past decade, jazz pianist Ron LeGault has turned his <i>Charlie Brown Goes to the Nutcracker</i> show into an annual tradition that sells out performances at the Hotel St. Julien in Boulder, Colorado. An album was an obvious next step, and the just-released <i><b>Charlie Brown Goes to The Nutcracker</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> finds him alongside Andrew Vogt, tenor and baritone sax, flute and clarinet; Curtis Fox, trombone; Dave Weinand, bass and bass clarinet; and Andreas Schmid, drums.<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">Based on the first two tracks, I expected to love this album. “Surfin’ Snoopy” is a fast-paced romp with a conventional combo arrangement that grants brief solos to each performer in turn; the whimsical, mid-tempo reading of “Charlie Brown Theme” cleverly trades the melody between keyboard and Fox’s </span><i style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">wah-wah</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"> trombone, which deliberately sounds like the wordless adults in Peanuts TV specials.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But then things become ... well ... less satisfying. “Troika,” apparently intended to introduce the program’s <i>Nutcracker</i>portion, is a peculiar mash-up of Tchaikovsky elements and snippits of Guaraldi’s “Linus and Lucy.” The subsequent <i>Nutcracker</i> “Overture” sounds discordant and “watery,” despite Weinand’s sleek walking bass touches; more crucially, the arrangement simply isn’t sufficiently dynamic.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Vogt’s sax becomes a squawky, intrusive presence in “Dance of the Reed Flutes” ... and also during numerous subsequent tracks. Schmid’s drum solos in “Reed Flutes” and “Pebble Beach” feel superfluous, and they aren’t very interesting. LeGault’s arrangement of “Happiness Theme” is surprisingly slow and mournful: hardly the mood customarily associated with this cheerful little tune. And all five musicians seem to be at odds with each other, during their reading of “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">On a happier note, “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” is a hoot, with Weinand’s bass clarinet dominating the melody against heavy 2/2 percussion. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album’s biggest flaw, however, has nothing to do with the musicians. The entire session sounds like it was recorded in a closet; there’s no sense of depth, and the overall presentation is “muddy,” rather than crisp. That’s quite ironic, given that LeGault’s album is available solely from psaudio.com, a high-falutin’ outfit that “specializes in high-fidelity audio components equipment for audiophiles and the sound recording industry.” Seriously? And this is an example of their “audiophile-quality” work?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The various album purchase options — including an eyebrow-lifting “Austrian gold-pressed dual-layer SACD” — command audiophile-level prices, rising to $39 (!). That’s ridiculous. Seems like psaudio put all its effort into PR blather, at the expense of recording, mixing and engineering.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_FrXCn_D_ybcRliSVQcmPDc1vGqS_2g1m9Mv4X4FtoGyf3Ie7nRSJMZfW3rGZnLKlc_8WmLffAk_IHM9H_B8BY_rgZhpwMcl34bAApUy1GZzlOu58QJ6trmwzr9JX-B3RKVwu9SQjQZwoptTcjCgrHnli2-liIEiUj_eP9OrDo7nwh8ZegxQ_bzZvzo/s500/John%20Paul%20McGee.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_FrXCn_D_ybcRliSVQcmPDc1vGqS_2g1m9Mv4X4FtoGyf3Ie7nRSJMZfW3rGZnLKlc_8WmLffAk_IHM9H_B8BY_rgZhpwMcl34bAApUy1GZzlOu58QJ6trmwzr9JX-B3RKVwu9SQjQZwoptTcjCgrHnli2-liIEiUj_eP9OrDo7nwh8ZegxQ_bzZvzo/s320/John%20Paul%20McGee.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">John Paul McGee’s <i><b>A Gospejazzical Christmas</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> is well-named, but that isn’t a compliment; the album suffers from an identity crisis. The billing also is somewhat misleading; although credited to the John Paul McGee Trio, three of the six combo numbers are performed by a quartet. That detail aside, McGee has formidable piano chops; he favors intricate, fast-paced single-note runs that span the entire keyboard.<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">The album-opening arrangement of Norman Hutchins’ “Emmanuel” — a 2020 tune, not to be confused with the venerable “O Come O Come Emmanuel” — is a sprightly charmer highlighted by McGee’s lively keyboard chops, Patrick Arthur’s peppy guitar bridge and a feisty rhythm established by drummer Larry Wilson and bassist Joel Powell. McGee’s handling of “The Little Drummer Boy” is a hoot, thanks to a rhythmic backing that borrows from Vince Guaraldi’s “Linus and Lucy,” and a clever arrangement that gives plenty of space to piano and guitar.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“God Rest Ye Merry, Gentleman” is another standout: an up-tempo arrangement with a great beat and sparkling keyboard work, particularly during the second, double-time bridge, where McGee positively roars. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The mood turns softer with an extremely slow trio handling of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas:” a lengthy 7-minute arrangement that grants McGee a chance to demonstrate a rich, expressive singing voice every bit as engaging as his keyboard work. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">However…<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Christmas Time Is Here” (a sweet vocal by Lori Williams), “O Holy Night,” “Go Tell It on the Mountain” and “The Manger Medley” — a mélange of “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” “Away in a Manger” and “Silent Night” — feature only McGee on solo piano. They’re all pretty, but they definitely aren’t jazz. A similarly solo piano reading of “Mary Did You Know” opens with a nod toward Beethoven’s <i>Moonlight Sonata</i>, before settling into the anticipated melody: more classical in nature, than anything resembling jazz.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Wendi Henderson-Wyatt’s powerful vocal dominates a slow, dynamic arrangement of the gospel tune “Jesus What a Wonderful Child,” which would be right at home during a church revival meeting. (Personally, I prefer the 1994 version by Mariah Carey.) At more than seven minutes, this tune wears out its welcome, despite Henderson-Wyatt’s talk/singing delivery and formidable belting ability.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">All told, then, this album’s target audience remains a mystery. Jazz fans will get impatient with the five solo piano tracks, despite the beauty of McGee’s keyboard work; listeners who prefer the delicacy of those solo arrangements likely won’t care for the combo performances.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3trBYmxdgkvg0_rNMlfAGqmNQWM0b37vVbf_TXApg5DHPTw68jv6LjnlcR_LIBFgZYl4-ylDHkthRtwVk1phf5Lmf_hE29lQn5P1hZeTq7Sg6NaVLVDoo9L49AF8QohRZTVUqM74kYgzNypmtDcXkpmHsNiwVNSlbGtCfp-1wDVdBV5bB4Sh8nj-1wAo/s500/Samara%20Joy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3trBYmxdgkvg0_rNMlfAGqmNQWM0b37vVbf_TXApg5DHPTw68jv6LjnlcR_LIBFgZYl4-ylDHkthRtwVk1phf5Lmf_hE29lQn5P1hZeTq7Sg6NaVLVDoo9L49AF8QohRZTVUqM74kYgzNypmtDcXkpmHsNiwVNSlbGtCfp-1wDVdBV5bB4Sh8nj-1wAo/s320/Samara%20Joy.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Further on the subject of misleading advertising...<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">Samara Joy has a truly gorgeous voice, and it’s well showcased on her new six-track EP, </span><i style="font-family: arial;">A Joyful Holiday</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">. But calling it a “jazz album,” as so many sources have claimed, is a stretch. Only the album opener, “Warm in December,” gives her backing trio — Sullivan Fortner, piano; David Wong, double bass; and Kenny Washington, drums — an opportunity to swing a bit. Joy “talks” the opening few lines, backed solely by Fortner; the tune then opens into a tasty, mid-tempo finger-snapper highlighted by a sparkling keyboard bridge and Wong’s smooth walking bass.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The trio supplies clever syncopation to a fun reading of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” which shifts to slightly faster swing time during the bridge, and Wong’s bass phrasing shines during a gentle arrangement of “The Christmas Song.” But neither offers an instrumental solo, which is disappointing, because the trio clearly is talented.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Joy is supported solely by Fortner on “Twinkle Twinkle Little Me,” a soulful little ballad highlighted by her warmly emotional delivery. Fortner switches to Hammond B3 for a moving rendition of “O Holy Night,” which finds Joy joined by five other singers; the result would be the highlight of a Christmas Eve church service, particularly when Joy holds one high note for an impressively long time. Both these tracks are exquisite, but they ain’t jazz.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album concludes with a second performance of “The Christmas Song,” this time a live duet with Antonio McLendon ... which seems needlessly redundant in a program that runs just shy of 25 minutes. It’s a lovely half-dozen, but don’t expect anything beyond minimalist jazz.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7OeZ6ijJ7z3MrNwA4jiOqk_uN_D9bSiSG5Elj8MMPgOfsw8ImCb436CZHkaxOV8Cva7b-uUDTtQNzd-f2fZ-48n0J6ObjnlnMWn2phLE4lYhDSNei3ljG5mSu40vg2KGw2Gti8G3stDTObEq0VvC15XFtBb5nmnhUA0fPjA2C_9HMdKBmeU4M4OR-_g/s500/In%20the%20Key%20of%20Chiaroscuro.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="500" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7OeZ6ijJ7z3MrNwA4jiOqk_uN_D9bSiSG5Elj8MMPgOfsw8ImCb436CZHkaxOV8Cva7b-uUDTtQNzd-f2fZ-48n0J6ObjnlnMWn2phLE4lYhDSNei3ljG5mSu40vg2KGw2Gti8G3stDTObEq0VvC15XFtBb5nmnhUA0fPjA2C_9HMdKBmeU4M4OR-_g/s320/In%20the%20Key%20of%20Chiaroscuro.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">But let’s conclude with something positive.</span><div><i style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold;"><br /></i></div><div><i style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold;">In the Key of Chiaroscuro — Holiday Jazz Mix</i><span style="font-family: arial;">, is the year’s sole new compilation release, as a benefit for the Jazz Foundation of America’s Musicians’ Emergency Fund. It’s also something of a sequel to 1995’s <i>A Chiaroscuro Christmas</i>, which I covered <a href="http://www.jazzscan.com/1998/12/holiday-jazz-1998-plenty-of-seasonal.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </span><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The label’s history and involvement with holiday jazz are intriguing. It was founded by Hank O’Neal in 1970, who — in this new album’s liner notes — recalls being inspired during a solo recording session by pianist Dave McKenna. In O’Neal’s words:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I don’t remember exactly why, but Dave recorded two Christmas songs at the session. As Christmas 1973 approached, I decided it might be fun to turn the two selections into a 45-RPM single, press up a few hundred, and send them out as Christmas cards.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(And boy, wouldn’t you love to have landed on <i>that</i> mailing list?)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">O’Neal continued this tradition until his label was sold in 1979; those “Christmas card” recordings eventually became the bulk of <i>A Chiaroscuro Christmas</i>. The label remained moribund until 1987, when businessman Andrew Sordoni contacted O’Neal and encouraged him to resurrect it. They became partners, and the label endures to this day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The “unplanned” Christmas tune recordings once again became a frequent part of studio sessions with various jazz artists; additional tracks were extracted from recordings made during the Floating Jazz Festival, a 20-year series of jazz cruises that ran through 2003.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Ten of the 18 tracks in this sumptuous new album were recorded at sea; the rest were Chiaroscuro studio sessions. The result is well over an hour of great music, which I lack the space to describe in sufficient detail.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Junior Mance/Joe Temperley Quartet delivers a nifty arrangement of “Silent Night,” against a rhythm section lifted from Miles Davis’ “All Blues.” Pianist Dorothy Donegan’s trio supplies a cool “Jingle Bells,” while New York Swing — Bucky Pizzarelli, guitar; John Bunch, piano; and Jay Leonhart, bass — heat things up with a sassy run at “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Pianist Bill Charlap supplies a soulful solo reading of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” while pianist Mike Jones goes for humor with his solo handling of “Frosty the Snowman.” Tenor saxman Frank Foster and his quartet — Danny Mixon, piano; Earl May, bass; and Dave Gleason, drums — spend well over 6 minutes stretching “The Christmas Song” into a minor jazz symphony, with plenty of cool solo bridges.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Tenor saxman Frank Wess’ quartet — Richard Wyands, piano; Lynn Seaton, bass; and Winard Harper, drums — similarly take plenty of time with “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,” which also boasts terrific solos (particularly by Wyands). The Nat Adderley Quintet supplies a jaunty reading of “Jingle Bells” — terrific piano solo by Rob Bargard — and no less than the late Steve Allen headlines a trio for one of his many holiday originals, “Here Comes Another Christmas.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album concludes with a terrific reading of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” by Boots Randolph, tenor sax; Tom Cherry, guitar; Steve Willets, piano; Tim Smith, bass; and Ray Von Rotz, drums. After which, I immediately played the album again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It’s that good.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(Be advised: The album is available solely from the <a href="https://jazzfoundation.org/32-bar-blues-in-the-key-of-chiaroscuro-proceeds-benefit-jfas-musicians-emergency-fund/" target="_blank">Jazz Foundation of America</a>.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">My earlier fears notwithstanding, this turned out to be a strong year!</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p></div>Derrick Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12885694730612878577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-8040193932021400082022-12-09T11:02:00.004-08:002022-12-09T11:03:23.358-08:00Holiday Jazz 2022: Where did everybody go?<p class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">[Web master's note: Northern California film critic Derrick Bang — the eldest, youngest and only son of this site's primary jazz guru, Ric Bang — has surveyed the holiday jazz scene for a quarter century (!), with lengthy columns that just keep growing. Check out previous columns by clicking on the CHRISTMAS label below.]<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Pickings were slim last year, for an abundance of reasons: Covid concerns, supply-chain issues, the lack of performance venues with patrons willing to attend in sufficient numbers, and the closure of studios unable to sufficiently staff the recording and engineering.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Alas, my annual round-up is even more sparse <i>this</i> year, and I can’t imagine why. Has the world abandoned holiday jazz?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I’ve focused primarily on instrumental ensembles, during the past couple of decades — purely a personal preference, no indictment of vocalists intended — but “needs must” forces a slightly broader sweep this time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Onward, then…<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">********<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPld4-Ez1_IneuMKcYtEBsJ2Zm7T3PNkjow_QTtxtddJSv38BkgniD3_2wI7qGU9KVN7vgTsExl1IKN9Ry2uLN-sEXNEntUl0H9VIn3aTAFX-FEsMFrXA7gWU3fxZw1jv-t2nzcHEwxgeHQjmQzxO8KkqZWe_lD9pSLN07Adw-9wr7Kewrp7Euk0Dz/s500/Lyn%20Stanley.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPld4-Ez1_IneuMKcYtEBsJ2Zm7T3PNkjow_QTtxtddJSv38BkgniD3_2wI7qGU9KVN7vgTsExl1IKN9Ry2uLN-sEXNEntUl0H9VIn3aTAFX-FEsMFrXA7gWU3fxZw1jv-t2nzcHEwxgeHQjmQzxO8KkqZWe_lD9pSLN07Adw-9wr7Kewrp7Euk0Dz/s320/Lyn%20Stanley.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Learning that chanteuse Lyn Stanley was “discovered” by the late, great jazz pianist Paul Smith — whom I’ve admired since first hearing him back in my teen years — immediately moved her debut holiday release to the top of the stack. (Check out her <a href="https://vimeo.com/66869159" target="_blank">terrific handling of “Makin’ Whoopee,”</a> backed by Smith’s trio in February 2011, at Alva’s Showroom in San Pedro, California.)<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i style="font-family: arial;">Novel Noël</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"> is an excellent showcase for Stanley, particularly when backed by the full-blown fury of Tom Kubis’ big band. (My reviews of his 2002 and 2015 holiday jazz albums can be found <a href="http://www.jazzscan.com/2002/12/holiday-jazz-2002-too-much-merry-not.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://www.jazzscan.com/2015/12/here-comes-s-n-t-s-n-t-a.html" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Her album opens with a whimsical, mildly ookie-spooky arrangement of “ ’Zat You, Santa Claus,” made famous by Louis Armstrong, whose distinctive voice Stanley cleverly imitates during the initial bars. Kubis’ band lends swinging support, with cool solos on sax and guitar, and a cute walking bass finale. An atypically jaunty handling of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is even better, with Stanley generously yielding to a terrific keyboard solo; she returns as the tune builds to a socko finale.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“The Little Drummer Boy” gets a clever 5/4 arrangement with familiar “Take Five” percussion elements; the keyboard comping is particularly nice behind Stanley’s vocal. A peppy blast of big band fury opens “The Christmas Waltz,” with Stanley’s vocal chops yielding to tasty guitar and piano solos, before the tune builds to another vibrant finish.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Not all of this album’s tracks are holiday-specific. Stanley’s saucy vocal highlights a tango-flavored reading of Sammy Cahn’s “Come Dance with Me,” which builds to a come-hither, <i>cha-cha-cha</i> climax. The Jerome Kern/Dorothy Fields standard, “The Way You Look Tonight,” begins playfully, before charging into swing time with a wild big band bridge; soft solo piano backs Stanley when she brings the tune to a close.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The instrumentation for a sweet arrangement of John Blackburn/Karl Suessdorf’s “Moonlight in Vermont” is more orchestral than jazz; Stanley’s approach is soft and sexy, and the track is punctuated by a fine trumpet solo.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A clever handling of “Merry Christmas Darling” begins in a similarly gentle vein, until Kubis’ band explodes in double-time fury while Stanley’s vocal maintains a conventional tempo; the juxtaposition is quite distinctive.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album concludes with two quiet orchestral “bonus tracks” that must’ve been recorded at a different time, with a different configuration: mostly piano and soft strings. A clever arrangement of “Holy Night” includes quotes from “Carol of the Bells,” while Stanley’s breathy handling of “Mary Did You Know” is achingly poignant.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This album is a true seasonal highlight.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span></span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoh3gn-1LtMOkL8s4J4jU3YqA-7ARWVMwFsi8xcrVfR2je31Pg0txk9MRobFHMNUYQc-M40fDYTqMKiKpFJZWqkOW9Tb4lXwpy6fOcqcG8JrAZI8JNEN6N638nlFIa6XN-QpGwye3mqaogKQjUL7OzbGMrLsZMBV0loyd6TLP7Vk_FfDcfV_ULBPX2/s500/Louis%20Armstrong.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoh3gn-1LtMOkL8s4J4jU3YqA-7ARWVMwFsi8xcrVfR2je31Pg0txk9MRobFHMNUYQc-M40fDYTqMKiKpFJZWqkOW9Tb4lXwpy6fOcqcG8JrAZI8JNEN6N638nlFIa6XN-QpGwye3mqaogKQjUL7OzbGMrLsZMBV0loyd6TLP7Vk_FfDcfV_ULBPX2/s320/Louis%20Armstrong.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Although several Louis Armstrong tunes have become standard yuletide fare, he never released a Christmas album during his lifetime (which likely will come as a surprise).<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">Satchmo’s feistiest (and most iconic) holiday tunes — “ ’Zat You, Santa Claus?” and “Cool Yule” — were issued solely as a Decca single in 1953, although both have since been included in dozens of holiday jazz compilations. “Christmas Night in Harlem” is almost as familiar; it, too, appeared only as a 1955 Decca single, paired with “Christmas in New Orleans.” </span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">All four were gathered for a 1958 EP titled <i>Armstrong as Santa Claus</i>, but that doesn’t count as an album. But they’re also an essential part of Verve’s new full-album release of </span><i>Louis Wishes You a Cool Yule</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">You’ll also find a pair of charming duets: “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” alongside Velma Middleton; and “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm,” with Ella Fitzgerald.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Armstrong was backed by the Gordon Jenkins Orchestra on “Winter Wonderland” and “White Christmas,” issued as a 1952 Decca single. I’m hard-pressed to call them jazz, since Jenkins’ string-heavy orchestra maintains a gentle pace and ambiance, but Armstrong’s gravelly voice is no less delightful. The former track offers a brief piano solo, the latter (ahem) a sweeping unison strings bridge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Although the poignant “What a Wonderful World” wasn’t designed as a holiday-themed tune, it became one of Satchmo’s signature hits, and has since been “adopted” by the Christmas jazz fraternity.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Finally, the icing on the cake: Armstrong’s previously unreleased vocal solo on Samuel Clement Moore’s “A Visit from St. Nicholas” — better known as “ ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” — which he read twice at home on one of his reel-to-reel tapes, on February 26, 1971 … not quite four months before he died. It has been enhanced here by gently lyrical backing from New Orleans pianist Sullivan Fortner.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A genuine treat of an album.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3vG1wp2XvuqS1JKgV2vPwZmDKwteikHTlE5sRisINc5TMPsEPFA3-2YVJeD5E0HoftCACK_ijbt7aG-aup94Raxxyr5VJ5DwDYHVZk1YMBNgMkzbv0tMuIw88QG3LAeg4ZA_1TXJX0F8EB_SrdazeEgrJPGLjUOZqimJR2Nl8-DpgyjLMmYnhCSjZ/s500/Oddgeir%20Berg.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3vG1wp2XvuqS1JKgV2vPwZmDKwteikHTlE5sRisINc5TMPsEPFA3-2YVJeD5E0HoftCACK_ijbt7aG-aup94Raxxyr5VJ5DwDYHVZk1YMBNgMkzbv0tMuIw88QG3LAeg4ZA_1TXJX0F8EB_SrdazeEgrJPGLjUOZqimJR2Nl8-DpgyjLMmYnhCSjZ/s320/Oddgeir%20Berg.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Norway’s Oddgeir Berg Trio claims to have crafted “the world’s slowest Christmas album,” and I’d hate to encounter a combo that tries to top that boast. The eight tracks on <i>Christmas Came Early</i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> sound like an <i>extremely</i> somber Christmas Eve church service.</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">“Christmas does seem to be a bit darker in Norway,” the group’s website cheekily insists.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Pianist Berg — accompanied by double bassist Karl-Joakim Wisløff, and drummer Lars Berntsen — have, with their previous albums, embraced a moody, melancholy space that feels like breaking dawn or impending twilight. This holiday-themed outing is no different; these are unhurried, thoughtful and even challenging arrangements of carols: most familiar, a few not.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This isn’t “comfortable” background jazz; these arrangements demand one’s full attention. Berg’s keyboard work dominates throughout; the bass and drums are employed primarily as shading, the latter often via gently brushed cymbals.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album opens with a sweet Swedish carol, “Nå tennes tusen julelys (Now Are Lit a Thousand Christmas Candles),” which features nice bass touches by Wisløff. He subsequently introduces the melody on “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” with Berg comping softly alongside; a lovely keyboard bridge segues to unison piano and bass when the melody returns, and the song concludes with a brief quote from “Jingle Bells.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Mysterious drum work and a contemplative keyboard bridge highlight “Silent Night”; Berg’s piano is reverential, with dramatic chords throughout the German/Latin carol “In Dulci Jubilo (In Sweet Rejoicing).” Wisløff’s bass handles the melody in a delicate reading of “Mitt hjerte alltid vanker (My Heart Always Wanders),” a Scandinavian carol that builds to a mildly portentous conclusion. The trio’s reading of “O Come All Ye Faithful” is the album’s most upbeat and cheerful track, while a deconstructed “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” spins into the unmelodic stratosphere of free jazz.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Slow, gentle drums introduce the spiritual final track, “Deilig er jorden (Wonderful Is the Earth),” a Norwegian dirge often sung at funerals (!), with Berg’s piano melody bookending a brooding bass solo. Listeners are left with the feeling of having experienced something profound (although attempting to explain <i>why</i> will be a challenge).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Folks expecting the big band pizzazz of Harry Connick Jr.’s previous three Christmas albums, are apt to be disappointed by </span><i>Make It Merry</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">, which too often sounds like a church service. It also frequently sounds canned, which it is; this album is a Covid project, which he “created” in his home studio. (I don’t care how talented a musician is; programmed percussion <i>always</i> sounds fake.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The result, at times, is atrociously overproduced, with Connick’s otherwise clean keyboard work overshadowed and even ruined by overlaid strings, mock orchestral filigrees and choral shading. He freely admits to such effort, cheerfully explaining — during a November 18 interview for <i>American Songwriter</i> — that “It was as simple as playing ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ and adding 30 backing tracks, and thinking, ‘That’s cool.’ ”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, no; it isn’t. Most of the album is over-produced and syrupy. This merely reinforces the notion that even if something <i>can</i> be done, it doesn’t follow that it <i>should</i> be done.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Connick also repeats three of his own compositions from those earlier albums, which seems a bit of a cheat: “I Pray on Christmas,” “(It Must’ve Been Ol’) Santa Claus” and “When My Heart Finds Christmas.” The original versions are far superior to those here.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In fairness, the few livelier tracks sound more “open,” and therefore are more fun and enjoyable. A strong two-beat kicks off a Cajun-flavored tune called “Papa Noel,” complete with a peppy fiddle solo; “Go Tell It on the Mountain” emerges as a raucous, revival tent-style spiritual; and the album’s concluding run at “Jingle Bells” is a cheerfully boisterous party number.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Alas, most of the other tracks verge on somber dirges, as with “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “The Christmas Song” (badly marred by background strings), the hymn-like “On This Christmas Morning” and “Christmas Day” (ruined by canned percussion).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Connick’s unusual arrangement of “Christmas Time Is Here” is frankly bizarre, with its lyrics intoned like a somber narration: totally off-putting.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Unlike Connick’s other holiday albums, this one’s available solely via iTunes. That isn’t surprising.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsiycIQct0ayE09hWePcf_mSCUqPlzTkZZrf9RhFk3-OiFovSxA1EPZHwzBbp7HU6bJkrtMQAlQNLHFJeNfU6GKHczOUdhekYFBaDsnYdBdJG4_cM1jSEU6vc9vyLhHnEiaQ1iwX4RtG06Nu7IHpf1yvGJvO4XavVFtBEwxyyuHNyQo-V2rI6jZVX/s500/Doc-Watkins-Front-3000x3000.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsiycIQct0ayE09hWePcf_mSCUqPlzTkZZrf9RhFk3-OiFovSxA1EPZHwzBbp7HU6bJkrtMQAlQNLHFJeNfU6GKHczOUdhekYFBaDsnYdBdJG4_cM1jSEU6vc9vyLhHnEiaQ1iwX4RtG06Nu7IHpf1yvGJvO4XavVFtBEwxyyuHNyQo-V2rI6jZVX/s320/Doc-Watkins-Front-3000x3000.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Covering Vince Guaraldi’s iconic soundtrack for 1965’s <i>A Charlie Brown Christmas</i> has become something of a cottage industry among regional jazz combos, and the first of this year’s two album entries — <i>The Music of A Charlie Brown Christmas</i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> — comes from San Antonio-based pianist Doc Watkins, backed by bassist Franklin Skaggs, drummer Ryan Shaw, and an impressively large ensemble.<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">(For the past several years, Watkins and his orchestra also have presented this program live during most of December, at San Antonio’s JazzTX. Makes me want to take a quick trip to Texas!)</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I’m hard-pressed to call most of this album’s 10 tracks jazz, as the often string-enhanced arrangements hue more closely to what you’d expect from the Boston Pops or a lavish Broadway musical. That’s particularly true with mellow readings of “The Christmas Song,” “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” and “Skating,” the latter blended with “The Christmas Waltz” (which gives Watkins a chance to demonstrate his vocal chops).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That said, the exceptions are choice. Watkins opens “Fur Elise” with Beethoven-esque solo piano, and then the tune kicks into high gear with Shaw’s jump jazz drums and tasty big band swing. Mike Cottone delivers a sassy trumpet solo, backed by Skaggs’ cool walking bass.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Linus and Lucy” also opens quietly, before erupting into big band swing; Watkins’ feisty piano bridge yields to unison horns that take the melody, with some cool counterpoint by Cottone’s muted trumpet. “Greensleeves” is slow, reverential and mildly mysterious; it’s highlighted by Jason Goldman’s wistful alto sax bridge, which segues to Watkins’ Guaraldi-esque keyboard finale.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album concludes with a lively reading of “Christmas Is Coming,” which boasts lovely unison horns and a droll alto sax bridge from Goldman; Skaggs’ walking bass then is backed by Watkins’ tasty keyboard comping, after which the tune builds to a rousing big band finale. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This album is a good choice when hosting guests who may not be totally jazz-oriented.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYXPXHgTcG6bAPoEluf8u90U2t4aU1ApVibRZXG4uLnmfQSWy8vZG9B-OuXlPcsSJqmu0sT7AIUfd801t1ga5ZJB2A9v13nqfiJMz3291248ZQVxNs8FzX89hGRTsyuI_Jm77r6cYCHohj4GUvng6nK90fJe8rS5rclf9Q6_4Wrldx3908z6sMGNti/s500/Nate%20Hance.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYXPXHgTcG6bAPoEluf8u90U2t4aU1ApVibRZXG4uLnmfQSWy8vZG9B-OuXlPcsSJqmu0sT7AIUfd801t1ga5ZJB2A9v13nqfiJMz3291248ZQVxNs8FzX89hGRTsyuI_Jm77r6cYCHohj4GUvng6nK90fJe8rS5rclf9Q6_4Wrldx3908z6sMGNti/s320/Nate%20Hance.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Those seeking more of the swing that Guaraldi put into that iconic Peanuts TV special will love the Nate Hance Trio’s <i>A Charlie Brown Christmas NHanced</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">. (Cute title, that.) Hance, on piano, is a generous leader; several of these 11 tracks run long enough to grant tasty solos by bassist Keith Yanes and drummer Lars Johnson.<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">The album opens (as it should) with “O Tannenbaum”; Hance’s solo introduction hearkens back to Guaraldi’s tasty arrangement, but with a bit more “sauce.” The tune quickly kicks into swing time, and Hance’s lyrical improv bridge is backed by tasty walking bass. Yanes then takes a solo with echoes of the familiar melody, after which Hance and Johnson indulge in some playful drums/piano call and response.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Johnson sets up “My Little Drum” with a cute march cadence, backed by Hance’s deft keyboard filigree; the tune gradually becomes more dramatic, at which point Hance includes a brief quote from “Jingle Bells” (a clever reference to Schroeder’s attempt to perform that tune to Lucy’s satisfaction, in the TV special). Bowed bass introduces “Christmas Time Is Here,” which proceeds softly, even reverentially; the bass is barely discernable, and the improv bridge sparkles.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Hance nails the opening keyboard cascade in “Skating,” which delivers some feisty, toe-tapping improv work during the bridge. “Christmas Is Coming” is a lively romp that boasts another dazzling keyboard bridge. “What Child Is This” begins mysteriously, with Johnson supplying clever syncopation while Hance relies on lovely full chords for the melody; Yanes delivers a tasty bass solo midway through the tune.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The TV special’s iconic tunes are supplemented by several other Peanuts themes. Hance solos on both a slightly deconstructed arrangement of “Peppermint Patty,” and an initially gentle reading of “Schroeder,” which turns majestic as it rolls into an upper-octave finale.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The trio’s larkish handling of “Charlie Brown Theme” makes it sound like ol’ Chuck is much happier than usual, thanks to a cheerful improv piano bridge backed by more of Yanes’ sleek walking bass. “Oh, Good Grief” is equally buoyant; Hance and Yanes truly go to town with their respective solos, and the tune builds to a rousing finale.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album concludes with a delightfully funky run at “Linus and Lucy,” which Johnson sets up with a captivating beat. Hance doesn’t mess with the main theme, but his first keyboard bridge is positively sassy; the second is even more ferocious, after which the trio brings the tune home. All in all, a job well done.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Check out some of their work in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU2c9YSLSZ0&list=PLU3r2UVjX3BVoGKtfT-c7IwZPyyXHkHLk" target="_blank">these videos</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRRVZXoQ3e_FGKh2DALGozXy5RSXrKLVQdtAUNCO5UUYyXIBn3ixUz8SiSqvC4mjsEGnHbW0UbIaYh7a60usIOYShXkFE5tOBDOngVUzUuu5JwBjW5rgVZ2zWdvzVllxTf2RHcmHoDNPaZ4xuGmntXQ-iYZTVutkEVpKVXGHzYOqR5d1wmG0YyCze/s500/Richard%20Williams.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRRVZXoQ3e_FGKh2DALGozXy5RSXrKLVQdtAUNCO5UUYyXIBn3ixUz8SiSqvC4mjsEGnHbW0UbIaYh7a60usIOYShXkFE5tOBDOngVUzUuu5JwBjW5rgVZ2zWdvzVllxTf2RHcmHoDNPaZ4xuGmntXQ-iYZTVutkEVpKVXGHzYOqR5d1wmG0YyCze/s320/Richard%20Williams.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Pianist/arranger Richard Williams’ <i>Hollywood Christmas</i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> is an unusual album.<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">The title is accurate, given that only half of these tracks qualify as jazz; the rest are best described as orchestral pop. Between that, and Williams’ fondness for medleys, this feels more like a family-friendly Las Vegas show, with just enough jazz to keep Grandpa happy. A dozen different vocalists are featured, along with an Andrews Sisters-style trio dubbed “Company B.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album opens with a lively version of “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” followed by a similarly up-tempo medley of “The Holiday Season” and “Happy Holidays.” Both boast plenty of big band swing, and are a lot of fun. “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” is equally playful; the big band backdrop is highlighted by a sparkling (if brief) unison horn bridge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A tasty sax solo augments the mild country twang of “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” while bright unison horns turn “Winter Wonderland” into a spirited finger-snapper. A medley of “Here Comes Santa Claus” and “Jingle Bells” — with Company B’s fleeting quote from “Frosty, the Snowman” — boasts plenty of big band sass, and a medley of “Let It Snow” and “Up on the Housetop” sports some double-time big band backing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">On the other hand…<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Most of the remaining tracks — notably “The Christmas Song,” “White Christmas,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “(There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays” — are slow, string-heavy orchestral numbers, with both arrangements and vocalists verging on overwrought. Matters aren’t helped by shading from a six-member women’s choir, which adds a superfluous religious touch. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Then, following a concluding instrumental medley of “Somewhere in My Memory” and some brief Williams originals, things get downright odd.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album’s second half features all of the same tracks, in the same sequence, but absent the vocals … but with no featured instruments inserted to “fill” the missing melody line. As you’d expect, the listening experience is both unsatisfying and baffling; does Williams expect folks to sing along?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I’ve never before encountered such a bizarre stunt, and I can’t imagine why Williams felt it was a good idea.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7PxGX_L0OxOW8vaXKfAztaAhx2AScWtudJTzrpTdScSQQnReaVmPmE4x0Htkqf-jQD-880sXY_8Rvv1RjQhSUyOG6_REbgNt5c_p1Q6iOUl3mmT64pZR6-vli6zqjB5jbN_0q4w6wh0Uuss5Gct5FxjEx_BPjbGULMhm-dzupPkGBkNlq2q2aiuf/s500/Mr%20Jazz%20Quartet%202.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="500" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7PxGX_L0OxOW8vaXKfAztaAhx2AScWtudJTzrpTdScSQQnReaVmPmE4x0Htkqf-jQD-880sXY_8Rvv1RjQhSUyOG6_REbgNt5c_p1Q6iOUl3mmT64pZR6-vli6zqjB5jbN_0q4w6wh0Uuss5Gct5FxjEx_BPjbGULMhm-dzupPkGBkNlq2q2aiuf/s320/Mr%20Jazz%20Quartet%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Japanese drummer Go Nakazawa founded the Mr. Jazz Quartet in late 2019, with Seiji Endo (piano), Yoshiyuki Takuma (vibes) and Kenji Shimada (bass) at his side. They produced their first holiday album a year later, with others following annually. Their first release remains elusive, but the two later albums are readily available here in the States, so I’ll begin with the quite enjoyable <i>Christmas Time Vol. 2</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">. Guest artist Michihiro Hanebuchi (flute) joins the combo on several songs.<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">All 10 tracks feature inventive and lengthy arrangements that allow generous solos, usually on piano and/or vibes. The opening reading of “Jingle Bells,” at 6:25, is a perfect example; the melody kicks off on vibes and piano, followed by lively solo bridges on both, with Shimada and Nakazawa lending finger-snapping support. (That said, I could have lived without the oft-repeated chant of “Jingle bells … jingle bells.”)</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Fleeting quotes from several familiar holiday tunes cleverly signal that “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” which opens with Hanebuchi’s sparkling flute. Occasional party sound effects drift through this whimsical arrangement, as flute and piano trade the melody back and forth. A lively reading of “Bella Notte” — still best remembered as the romantic dinner ballad from 1955’s <i>Lady and the Tram</i>p — also tosses the melody between piano and flute, against Shimada’s sassy walking bass.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A reverential handling of “O Come, All Ye Faithful” begins quietly, with the piano melody backed by gentle percussion; the intensity slowly builds, with Shimada granted a sleek bass solo, after which piano and vibes join for a dramatic finale. Shimada’s bass solo also is a highlight of the sparkling “Carol of the Bells,” which concludes with a furious drum solo against repeated bars of the key melody.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“We Wish You a Merry Christmas” is slightly deconstructed following a clever solo piano introduction, with just enough notes to suggest the familiar melody; Endo and Takuma again trade solos in between refrains of the core melody.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” the album’s highlight, opens with Nakazawa’s snappy drums, after which the tune kicks into lively double-time swing; subsequent drum solos alternate with vibrant piano and vibes interludes. The combo then builds to what we expect will be a dynamic finish, but no; we’re surprised instead by a softly delicate final few bars.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Unfortunately, the album concludes with an ill-advised group vocal on “White Christmas,” with the singers backed by gentle piano, vibes and bass. Stick to instrumentals, guys; that’s where you all shine.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDg11IRF78xnWZ8auRZagB9Z00aNIzQYKhs7FiTeVFrZNPd4yekJyNdTKm1Z2oO1bveHygsGoDqVMwjSxr2Nz-jOZUPPIs3XoiD1qxtCiSk0eYg4afI82cmvTQYJ0BybML5o6OyIJAEBxRk3NTsWcNnfVYvv4WVUrWx6LpGjFESt1bQzZyTnhvm9Cx/s500/Mr%20Jazz%20Quartet%203.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDg11IRF78xnWZ8auRZagB9Z00aNIzQYKhs7FiTeVFrZNPd4yekJyNdTKm1Z2oO1bveHygsGoDqVMwjSxr2Nz-jOZUPPIs3XoiD1qxtCiSk0eYg4afI82cmvTQYJ0BybML5o6OyIJAEBxRk3NTsWcNnfVYvv4WVUrWx6LpGjFESt1bQzZyTnhvm9Cx/s320/Mr%20Jazz%20Quartet%203.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Volume 3</i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> maintains the quartet’s intriguing tendency to shift styles midway through a given tune. The album opens with a bouncy reading of “Deck the Halls,” with Takuma’s vibes introducing the melody; Shimada’s walking bass brings the tune into swing time. Endo and Takuma shadow each other during an improv bridge; everybody then takes a solo, after which the melody concludes on piano.<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">Nakazawa’s cute drum work turns “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” into a finger-snapping cha-cha; a tinkly “music box” effect precedes a lengthy bridge dominated by Endo’s piano and Nakazawa’s hard-charging drumming. Droll piano and bass open “Jingle Bell Rock,” which kicks into a New Orleans-style shuffle backed by a driving bass/drum vamp. A ferocious improv bridge segues to a delicate reprise of the tune’s melody; the tempo and “attitude” intensify … and then everybody comes to a dramatically abrupt stop.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album’s highlight is a three-part arrangement of themes from <i>The Nutcracker Ballet</i>. The playfully choppy “March” is charming, with gentle violin backing the melody on piano; the percussion ramps the tempo into double-time for Takuma’s vibrant vibes solo, backed by violin filigrees. Ethereal vibes then introduce “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” which shifts into a feisty <i>oom-pah</i> beat as vibes and piano share the melody. Sassy drums signal a free jazz bridge that’s a terrific showcase for all four musicians. Soft piano and vibes then open “Waltz of the Flowers,” with the melody initially so subtle as to be nearly indistinguishable. The tempo accelerates into double-time, with Shimada’s walking bass shadowing a nifty vibes solo. An echo of the previous track’s <i>oom-pah</i> beat yields to vibes and violin, which bring the melody home.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The combo’s handling of “The Little Drummer Boy” is unexpectedly unhurried, and slightly deconstructed; thoughtful vibes and piano anticipate a lengthy drum solo backed by vibrant piano chords, after which Takuma returns to the familiar melody.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album concludes with an initially gentle arrangement of “When a Child Is Born,” with Takuma’s vibes introducing the somber melody. The tone becomes more dramatic when — surprise! — the melody shifts to a <i>whistled</i> duet, which intensifies and crescendos until Endo’s sparkling piano enters, and then fades into silence: a lovely finish to an engaging set.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrkAQ7luOdZjffFURUqk8CzKMeb1BpsfMfskJw302dHag8WXhiQwfTS4yH-sFQNkASIcxl4U9AdeMnkg6mevQZYn0woZlO8Ma-3QHD9-wZY1HQt-Z0X3AhHARBQt1nt_wvP_R4MmY_Mqw0C-tK-0GYDStKB8NljHBB_iPkn5zC13C02jQswEdt36id/s500/Chris%20Ruggiero%20Cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="500" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrkAQ7luOdZjffFURUqk8CzKMeb1BpsfMfskJw302dHag8WXhiQwfTS4yH-sFQNkASIcxl4U9AdeMnkg6mevQZYn0woZlO8Ma-3QHD9-wZY1HQt-Z0X3AhHARBQt1nt_wvP_R4MmY_Mqw0C-tK-0GYDStKB8NljHBB_iPkn5zC13C02jQswEdt36id/s320/Chris%20Ruggiero%20Cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Portions of <i>Christmas with Chris Ruggiero</i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> feature the vocalist accompanied by plenty of big band jazz swing … but, alas, only portions. Most of the album leans more toward orchestral pop, with backing strings eliminating any possibility of pizzazz.<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">That said, the album-opening “This Christmas” is one of the tasty exceptions. The tune opens leisurely, but soon kicks into big band sass, highlighted by Christian Tamburr’s cool keyboard solo. The next track, a vibrant arrangement of “Sleigh Ride,” is a hard-charging romp with cheeky key changes, and an energetic unison horn bridge. Ruggiero has a lot of fun with both.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">You’ll detect some country twang in a peppy reading of “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” highlighted by Mike Harvey’s dynamic drumming, cheerful unison horn backing, and a full band fanfare. Ruggiero adds a touch of poignant blues to “Please Come Home for Christmas,” which features a deliciously dirty sax solo.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The mood shifts when Ruggiero is accompanied solely by Tamburr’s solo piano and a touch of strings, on a gentle reading of “The Christmas Song”; the instrumental backing is similarly restrained during a gentle handling of “It’s Christmas Once Again,” which grants Tamburr an unexpectedly lengthy piano solo. (I say “unexpectedly,” because very few of the instrumental solos on this album are more than fleeting.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” sounds very much like its early 1960s pop origins, with backing chorus and a brief sax solo; Lindsey Blair’s sweet guitar work stands out in a leisurely arrangement of “Merry Christmas Darling.” None of these four tracks can be considered jazz, and the latter is marred by a surfeit of frills.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That tendency hits overload during an overwrought run at “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” with Ruggiero’s Frankie Valli-style falsetto backed by a Beach Boys-style chorus. The intention may have been another homage to the 1960s, but the result is wincing. Matters are even worse in “Silent Night,” which initially is quite pleasant — Ruggiero’s tender vocal backed mostly by harp — but then the full orchestra swells, the intensity builds, and Ruggiero seems to channel Michael Bolton while belting toward the stratosphere of the upper balcony’s final row. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It’s a shame more tracks aren’t akin to Ruggiero’s calmer handling of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” backed solely by a piano/bass/drums trio, along with Wayne Bergeron’s soft muted trumpet work. It’s a refreshing change from the aforementioned bombast. You’ll likely cherry-pick which of this album’s tracks to include in your holiday playlist.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1I5QQKfprWaUpiF3EvK3B2mtWPVxqTwJ0nrOyzAjSTEGgqD9bS_d-sP4T7sXH_pieGMGeowN12I4PGAG278lF8MZIA4Xh3yp0Ux9ddS6dLqkemWkPEvQclXTeAvIuFEuX57eOA9ZVWW7FrCYD9VzUBanpdipitQekCfZ5YK-v5cuuZP5yop7CPMX/s500/Jay%20Rowe.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1I5QQKfprWaUpiF3EvK3B2mtWPVxqTwJ0nrOyzAjSTEGgqD9bS_d-sP4T7sXH_pieGMGeowN12I4PGAG278lF8MZIA4Xh3yp0Ux9ddS6dLqkemWkPEvQclXTeAvIuFEuX57eOA9ZVWW7FrCYD9VzUBanpdipitQekCfZ5YK-v5cuuZP5yop7CPMX/s320/Jay%20Rowe.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Halfway through the first track of Jay Rowe’s <i>Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">, I thought it would be one of this season’s hits.<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">A few tracks later, doubts began to rise.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Halfway through the album, the problem became obvious:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rowe doesn’t share.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">He’s an aggressive, hard-charging keyboardist, with arrangements that favor half-tone key changes, but you’d barely know his sidemen were alive. With the exception of a cute reading of “O Tannenbaum,” which grants fleeting solos to bassist Dave Anderson and drummer Trevor Somerville, they’re otherwise relegated to the way-<i>way</i>-background. Guitarist Andy Abel, supposedly present on five of these 10 tracks, can’t be heard at all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">More egregiously, everything soon sounds the same.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Granted, Somerville’s rock ’n’ roll beat on “Do You Hear What I Hear” and “Joy to the World” distinguishes those arrangements to a degree, and the concluding reading of “Auld Lang Syne” is a peaceful bit of calm after the ferocious runs at the preceding nine tracks. And yes, Anderson’s cool walking bass is a highlight on “Deck the Halls.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But this album mostly is Rowe, Rowe, Rowe … and he does himself no favors by overdubbing many of the tracks with violin-style synth “shading.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Connecticut-based jazzer obviously is quite popular, and I’ve no doubt he’s a phenomenally entertaining live performer: a total keyboard monster. If that’s sufficient, this album will be quite enjoyable. But my taste in jazz relies more on nuance, and the engaging “conversations” between combo members: neither of which is in much evidence here. It would have been more honest if Rowe had made this a solo project.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p>Derrick Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12885694730612878577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-16386130471604050972021-12-08T08:43:00.007-08:002022-02-07T11:42:32.023-08:00Holiday Jazz 2021: The lockdown edition<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>[Web master's note: Northern California film critic Derrick Bang — the eldest, youngest and only son of this site's primary jazz guru, Ric Bang — has surveyed the holiday jazz scene for a quarter century (!), with lengthy columns that just keep growing. Check out previous columns by clicking on the CHRISTMAS label below.]</i></span></div><p class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The pickings are slim this year, no doubt prompted by Covid fears, the lack of open performance venues with patrons willing to attend in sufficient numbers, the closure of studios unable to sufficiently staff the recording and engineering, and probably even supply-chain issues that have stalled all manner of retail goods … including, yes, recorded music.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Small combos still could have recorded material in isolation, of course, and then issued the results via social media. But it’s tough (impossible?) for most artists to generate a revenue stream that way, and musicians are like everybody else: They need to eat.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I hope the brevity of the following list is merely a temporary aberration. I’d hate to think holiday jazz was falling out of favor!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Onward, then…<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">********<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A few releases always arrive late each year, sometimes into January, and therefore get saved until the following season. Let’s start with a few of those, and they’re corkers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjw6aTG7jNgHG_bw9FNtiUAL5oc5sFIjo3CLhApsXW5QOUa8BVL60YqddHMvVqvZmly2bRFR32gqDt3x1-p7DDzV3l23LoizkjPXnQOVE4YOHLl_En-OWs4O5z28f73XPVUJps-aArXpzl8IG_MkCXWrnkG_O819rADEv9c1BqqS1HX2qRb2Z-FeKnS=s403" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjw6aTG7jNgHG_bw9FNtiUAL5oc5sFIjo3CLhApsXW5QOUa8BVL60YqddHMvVqvZmly2bRFR32gqDt3x1-p7DDzV3l23LoizkjPXnQOVE4YOHLl_En-OWs4O5z28f73XPVUJps-aArXpzl8IG_MkCXWrnkG_O819rADEv9c1BqqS1HX2qRb2Z-FeKnS=s320" width="318" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">British pianist Gabriel Latchin has become quite a fixture across the pond, appearing regularly at premier London jazz venues such as Ronnie Scott’s, Pizza Express Jazz Club and the 606. He gets excellent support on <i>I’ll Be Home for Christmas</i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> — his third album — from Dario Di Lecce (double bass) and Josh Morrison (drums). <o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">Latchin’s touch is both dynamic and tasty; his lengthy improvisational bridges are melodic, lyrical and fun. I suspect he spends a lot of time smiling, during live performances; his keyboard work positively sparkles. The set list is dominated by 1930s and ’40s titles from Great American Songbook composers, but Latchin’s arrangements have a clever twist: They’re interpreted through the eyes (and fingers) of his musical idols.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thus, Latchin’s gentle, leisurely approach to “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” with its thoughtful bridge, is straight out of Bill Evans: all the way up to its effervescent finish. Latchin’s reverential introduction to “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” slides into traditional swing, and then explodes with a lengthy, forcefully sassy piano solo that reminds me of Herbie Hancock.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Latchin channels Ahhad Jamal for a peppy run at “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” backed by Morrison’s rapid-fire, double-time percussion. The latter also takes a vibrant drum solo, which totally cooks. Other idols cited in the album’s liner notes include Thelonious Monk, Cedar Walton, Phineas Newborn and Barry Harris. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I detect Monk in “Winter Wonderland,” with its mildly mysterious atmosphere. The arrangement also cleverly messes with time signatures, and Di Lecce’s walking bass is particularly choice. As for Walton and the others … I’m not sure.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Di Lecce opens the melody on “Jingle Bells,” and also has a cool solo following another of Latchin’s fiery bridges. He begins “The Christmas Song” with a slow, delicate keyboard intro, and then Morrison kicks things into double-time, and the tune takes on a bossa nova ambiance. “White Christmas” is simply gorgeous, with another soft keyboard intro, after which Latchin gives the tune a contemplative atmosphere, backed by Di Lecce’s lovely walking bass.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“A Toast to Friends,” a Latchin original, is a charming ballad that genuine sounds like its title; Di Lecce is granted another of his sleek solos. The album concludes with a mid-tempo, rolling waltz reading of “Silent Night”: a bit peppier than this perennial carol usually warrants, with Morrison’s drums setting a cheerful mood.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As you’ve likely realized by now, yes: This one’s a keeper. It’s <i>lush</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span></span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvXXoM-8JiNX7541em5DR-kKepStmQrhqJBEgaxkrZ_SbXYHUtHnpU__gyVRCGLS28IrwF8Qm2N8kY3J9k5sIbQyzPsLzTYV3TI8ZO5QMi-V_RTfDFhsjnzzgs22F_PWbiY2vAOxBSaNkVSZPIopu8jPrbT5ADB64KVfq19sFt6DOwL1LekJCdNNRs=s400" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="400" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvXXoM-8JiNX7541em5DR-kKepStmQrhqJBEgaxkrZ_SbXYHUtHnpU__gyVRCGLS28IrwF8Qm2N8kY3J9k5sIbQyzPsLzTYV3TI8ZO5QMi-V_RTfDFhsjnzzgs22F_PWbiY2vAOxBSaNkVSZPIopu8jPrbT5ADB64KVfq19sFt6DOwL1LekJCdNNRs=s320" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">It doesn’t happen often, but sometimes — just a few tracks into an album — I think <i>Goodness</i>, but it would be nice to see these folks live.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">That’s absolutely the case with the 3D(ivas) Jazz Trio’s </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Christmas in 3D</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">, which is the most holiday jazz fun I’ve had in years. These gals — Jackie Warren, piano; Amy Shook, bass and fiddle; and Sherrie Maricle, drums — aren’t merely an awesome trio; they’re also a highly entertaining stage act. And let it be said: It’s refreshing to see a jazz trio comprised entirely of women.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Every track on this album is faster than one would expect, including traditionally somber carols such as “Silent Night” and “I Wonder as I Wander.” And as for the tunes that already are known to be peppy — say, “Winter Wonderland” — I’m not sure, but I think these ladies exceed the speed of sound.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This album is almost too much fun, all at once; you’ll be breathless just three tracks in. Several of the arrangements display a touch of Appalachia, particularly when Shook swaps her upright bass for fiddle, during a jug-band swing arrangement of “Please, Daddy (Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas”), a mildly obscure tune that Alan Jackson introduced on his 1993 album, <i>Honky Tonk Christmas</i>. The lyrics’ bleak narrative is buried completely beneath Maricle’s heavy 4/4 beat and Warren’s explosive keyboard work.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Warren doesn’t merely have awesome chops; she’s a veritable force of nature. This is amply demonstrated in the album opener: the aforementioned “Winter Wonderland,” which Marcile backs with an aggressive 4/4 <i>oom-pah</i> beat. Warren doesn’t merely play the song; she <i>devours</i> it, segueing from the familiar melody to a lengthy improv solo that’s all over the keyboard, and laden with runs, trills, rolls, shimmers, block chords and every other touch of razzle-dazzle one could imagine.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In lesser hands, the result likely would be little more than chaotic noise … but Warren keeps it melodic, quirky and clever. I <i>defy</i> anybody to get through that track without grinning, ear to ear.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Up on the Housetop” is an equally hot toe-tapper, backed with surf-rock percussion; it’s highlighted by a “call and response” duel between Warren and Maricle, and I swear the latter makes her drums sound just like the keyboard riffs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Shook’s sassy walking bass is equally ubiquitous throughout, and she trades delightful solos with Maricle during the bridges on “Greensleeves,” “O Christmas Tree” and “White Christmas.” The latter is another swinging finger-snapper, with Warren’s keyboard bridge once again all over the place. You’d think she’s playing on a piano with 11 or 12 octaves, rather than the usual seven.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Shook’s bass gently begins the melody on “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,” and the impulse is to think, Ah, at last, ballad tempo. But no; Maricle picks up the pace, as Warren barrels into a mildly mysterious — but still ferocious — keyboard solo. “Silent Night” is similar; Warren opens with a delicate keyboard solo, and then the others join for what remains a <i>comparatively</i> tender arrangement, with a lovely bowed bass solo by Shook during the bridge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album concludes with a lengthy (seven minutes!) arrangement of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” which grants ample space for all three to solo; the intensity increases in what feels like a race to the finish against another of Maricle’s powerful 4/4 beats. Cue a quick, cute finale … and done. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And we collapse on the couch, thoroughly exhausted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(As for watching them <i>almost</i> live, that’s easy; their December 20, 2020, concert at the First Presbyterian Church of Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania — where Vince Guaraldi’s Grace Cathedral Jazz Mass was memorably re-created, during a 50th anniversary presentation in 2015 — is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2dOhDKx8fw" target="_blank">readily available via YouTube</a>. Prepare to be gob-smacked.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmBMhLkmgsa3lMas-3wcpc4_2VjConCRIYiG6m_3kXcGLDrhuT4L-zDPJGPRqrqb9A5DjlxHF0AFuF0m9ux4aNwPA16XwYxTKK9kyV6u6LOMn1VvohlseyWpS8LiO9A_9dttTP7uL4VQcx5bMR-9jgvUVB0xMTWB9muhLRViUpOadpjJR0bTulcJxC=s400" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="400" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmBMhLkmgsa3lMas-3wcpc4_2VjConCRIYiG6m_3kXcGLDrhuT4L-zDPJGPRqrqb9A5DjlxHF0AFuF0m9ux4aNwPA16XwYxTKK9kyV6u6LOMn1VvohlseyWpS8LiO9A_9dttTP7uL4VQcx5bMR-9jgvUVB0xMTWB9muhLRViUpOadpjJR0bTulcJxC=s320" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Speaking of music in the church, Christmas-themed jazz worship services seem to be gaining traction across the country. The Rev. Bill Carter, who holds forth at the aforementioned First Presbyterian Church of Clark’s Summit, has led his Presbybop combo in a Christmas Eve jazz concert for many years now. (Check out their swinging holiday album here.)<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">A few states west, in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, famed jazz bassist Rodney Whitaker and his sextet have made a tradition of joining the Christ Church Cranbrook Choir, shortly before December 25 each year, for a Christmas jazz performance. The collaboration proved popular enough to generate an album, </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Cranbrook Christmas Jazz</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is a extensive album — more than 70 minutes — with most tracks granted long arrangements that allow plenty of time for solo showcases. Many are forceful and challenging; this is jazz in the purest sense, far removed from a supper club vibe.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Although the album’s 14 tracks are dominated by vocals, two are instrumental, including the opener: “Personent Hodie,” an obscure Medieval chant that became a popular processional hymn when arranged by Gustav Holst in 1916. It’s a showcase here for all the players in the combo, with Whitaker and drummer Michael Reed providing a polyrhythmic foundation that grants a solid backdrop for solos by Timothy Blackmon (trumpet), Len’I McKinney (sax), Chris Glassman (bass trombone) and Rick Roe (piano). <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Roe’s solos, shading and deft comping are a highlight throughout the entire album. He opens “Winter Wonderland” — the second instrumental — with a deliciously clever deconstruction of the melody, in a solo that runs almost three minutes before the arrangement switches to swing time when he’s joined by Whitaker and Reed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Guest artist Vanessa Rubin’s warm, earthy vocals highlight five tracks, starting with her heartfelt handling of “The Christmas Song,” which grants Glassman a lovely solo on bass trombone. Rudin’s wistful reading of “Christmas Time Is Here” is equally sweet; she pauses long enough for brief solos by everybody, with Blackmon’s muted trumpet adding a contemplative touch. Her approach to Thad Jones’ “A Child Is Born” is positively reverential, with Whitaker’s bass and the horns supplying gentle shading.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rudin shifts into sassy jazz mode for a Calypso-hued arrangement of “Little Drummer Boy,” fueled by Reed and Whitaker’s infectious beat. Toward the end, Rudin and McKinney enjoy a delightful “call and response” via scat and sax.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The choir enhances the album’s three liturgical songs: “Silent Night,” with some lovely shading by Whitaker; “O Holy Night,” which grants all the musicians brief solos; and “In the Bleak Midwinter,” backed solo by piano and drums, and featuring a solemn vocal by Tom Shilakes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Christopher McDole’s melancholy vocal on “It’s Easy to Blame the Weather” — which Billie Holiday recorded back in 1939 — is somewhat ill-served by the playful swing arrangement and Blackmon’s cheerful trumpet solo. Rubin tackles “My Favorite Things” with feisty panache, and its arrangement sneaks in a slight touch of Coltrane.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But there’s nothing “slight” about the album closer — a sassy reading of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” — with its “Killer Joe” ambiance. Rubin leaves no doubt when she name-checks that jazz classic, following Glassman’s killer trombone solo … after which she warbles a line or two from almost a dozen other Christmas carols, before everybody brings the tune — and the album — to a rousing finale.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOr2XdrhlzC3YcIscs-2GD06V7yrpFBgg87Fu8LjBi_pABhnepb7NFQeZWg7O34tW9r89LBqC9hRmwm01QhOqgF4ZmbsgAYMtWlpLOU-2QSgrG1xR7wsfrds1ZmYOJaRDL8v9_Xl_otWL59tuIsXyHiMCi6R8bGf6p2HoRd1akZAuMDSnCyjce2RTS=s400" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOr2XdrhlzC3YcIscs-2GD06V7yrpFBgg87Fu8LjBi_pABhnepb7NFQeZWg7O34tW9r89LBqC9hRmwm01QhOqgF4ZmbsgAYMtWlpLOU-2QSgrG1xR7wsfrds1ZmYOJaRDL8v9_Xl_otWL59tuIsXyHiMCi6R8bGf6p2HoRd1akZAuMDSnCyjce2RTS=s320" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The original Nat King Cole Trio featured piano, guitar and bass, with the latter two deftly “filling” for the absent drummer: a configuration that Vince Guaraldi also employed, with his initial name trio. The Iowa-based trio Roots of Rhythm takes this an unusual step further, with the piano replaced by Lynne Hart’s clarinet, alongside guitarist Pat Smith and bassist Richard Wagor. Their recent album, <i>Winter Jazz</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">, is a gentle addition to the holiday jazz scene.<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">Wagor and Smith are inventive, in terms of the variety of percussive stylings they supply for these 13 tracks. The set list also is a bit more imaginative than most, with space given to lesser-known carols and songs such as “Sing We Now of Christmas,” “Still, Still, Still,” “Huron Christmas Carol” and “In the Bleak Midwinter.” </span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Style and syncopation aside, the arrangements are classic jazz-traditional. The album opens with a mid-tempo bossa nova arrangement of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” with Hart introducing the melody and then comping while Smith and Wagor take solos; Hart then grants herself a solo, reprises the melody, and brings the tune home. This approach is repeated, with very little variation, throughout the entire album.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Wagor switches to bowed bass for the delicate reading of “Midwinter,” and Smith’s cheerful folk guitar strum adds a bit of pizzazz to “Still, Still, Still.” Bass and guitar establish a droll and deliberately heavy beat for a mid-tempo handling of “Jolly Old St. Nick,” while much gentler percussion turns “Silver and Gold” into an unexpectedly wistful ballad.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album highlight is a playful, finger-snapping run at “Do You Hear What I Hear,” which features a bouncy “call and response” duel between Hart and Smith. “Sing We Now of Christmas” is another peppy swinger, powered by Wagor’s walking bass.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Although each track is pleasant on its own, the melody-solo-solo-solo-melody format eventually becomes redundant; the style shifts and (mild) tempo variations notwithstanding, everything soon sounds the same. This album therefore is best used in rotation with several others, to add variation to the overall listening experience.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjAt6BryETebrRiWBsaCFYViBgKZdK5Xr40X28Q0TiWxh6HBNW9bbTT7nwSuPMBDLwZnpNNwHOkWsgU_wETUcVjUXrxQmplCUsYTABVWL1XZqt7kIkOlQBIF3sJl1x583ngb39Cm5W39SGMhroTvbzGPHz2xeKf701nSigUMM4mZe1HpwfObpwqXlI5=s400" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjAt6BryETebrRiWBsaCFYViBgKZdK5Xr40X28Q0TiWxh6HBNW9bbTT7nwSuPMBDLwZnpNNwHOkWsgU_wETUcVjUXrxQmplCUsYTABVWL1XZqt7kIkOlQBIF3sJl1x583ngb39Cm5W39SGMhroTvbzGPHz2xeKf701nSigUMM4mZe1HpwfObpwqXlI5=s320" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The Ku Il Oh Trio’s <i>Holiday Songs Volume One</i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> is misleading on several counts. For starters, it’s actually a cover album of Vince Guaraldi’s Peanuts themes; while “Great Pumpkin Waltz” and “Thanksgiving Theme” can be considered “holiday songs” alongside several tunes from <i>A Charlie Brown Christmas</i>, that can’t be said of tracks such as “Happiness Theme” and “Charlie Brown Theme.” Second, this combo is a quartet, not a trio.<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">Finally, you could be forgiven the assumption that it’s actually alto saxman Dan Lipsitz’s combo, since he gets the lion’s share of attention … which is a serious problem, because his work is passable at best, and downright obnoxious at worst. He’s usually restrained while introducing and concluding a melody, but his so-called improv solos sound more like the bleating of a badly injured animal. On top of which, his sax is recorded/mixed </span><i style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">louder</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"> than the other instruments. (To which I say, why?)</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Oh’s willingness to tolerate such dreadful playing is bizarre, since his bass work — alongside that of pianist Anthony Pocetti and drummer John Bishop — is quite tasty. Indeed, they’d be an enjoyable combo if they <i>were</i> simply a trio.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Pocetti’s lively improv solos on “The Christmas Song” and “Charlie Brown Theme” are pleasantly melodic in a way that Lipsitz never gets <i>close</i> to imitating. Oh’s cool walking bass touches highlight “O Christmas Tree” and “Charlie Brown Theme,” while Bishop lays down a sassy bossa nova beat for “Greensleeves” and “Linus and Lucy.” Actually, the latter is a perfect example of what’s wrong with the entire album; Pocetti’s solo on the first bridge is delightful, and then Lipsitz totally butchers the second bridge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Oh may have seen the light in hindsight, because </span><i>Holiday Songs Volume Two</i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> is a completely different experience. Lipsitz is vastly subdued; he’s still an average player at best, but at least his work is palatable on this five-track EP sequel (which definitely is a Christmas jazz effort). Oh shifted the remaining personnel, this time working alongside Chul-soo Kim (piano) and Jung-hoon Kim (drums). The result more frequently sounds like a combo performing in unison, rather than an excuse for Lipsitz to hog the spotlight.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jung-hoon Kim establishes a peppy beat for “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” which features a solid keyboard solo against Oh’s walking bass. Oh dominates a slow, gentle take on “Silent Night,” as his bass trades the melody with sax. “Let It Snow,” also uncharacteristically mellow, includes some lovely piano work by Chul-soo Kim. “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” and “Winter Wonderland” are similarly low-key and pleasant; this is by no means aggressive jazz.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Unfortunately, Lipsitz is back to his dreadful self on </span><i>Holiday Songs Volume Three</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">, which finds Andy Kim and Seonghwa Kim taking over, respectively, on piano and drums. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This six-track EP does have a few bright spots. Andy Kim’s lovely solo piano intro to “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” yields to some pleasantly restrained sax on melody, backed by Oh’s cool walking bass; brief sax and piano improv bridges segue to a final hint of melody. Andy Kim’s piano also highlights a gentle, dreamy arrangement of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” which captures the tune’s wistful topic; unfortunately, Lipsitz spoils an otherwise lovely track with a bizarre sax filigree at the end.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And it’s all downhill from there. Andy Kim’s soft approach to “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” is ruined by a needlessly shrill sax solo; Lipsitz is even worse on “Sleigh Ride,” when his piercing, squawky sax overwhelms yet another sparkling piano solo. The up-tempo reading of “Auld Lang Syne” boasts more of Oh’s sassy walking bass, but the ghastly sax finale shrieks into the stratosphere … and then Lipsitz absolutely destroys “We Three Kings.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Honestly, what makes this guy think he can play? And why did Oh tolerate it over the course of three releases? <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Volume 2 is worth a listen, but it’s best to ignore the others.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVBh3Uf3VLiwsPx7kySk_xjY8BaA50Hi9ACyoQxDo0b7QW0sqXFXYqGZIm1pdv_WLak--Rth_tFRAL8l3D2FhiMxxw46KK2VSFeQGEBffRwfAZ_4o-McA2pMcaHbvkqPjwkHT7uMfsJyTqIMa1Z29fwPjy14D_NszIHGs_r6k7UHfTjPZ9aYS3DC5v=s400" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVBh3Uf3VLiwsPx7kySk_xjY8BaA50Hi9ACyoQxDo0b7QW0sqXFXYqGZIm1pdv_WLak--Rth_tFRAL8l3D2FhiMxxw46KK2VSFeQGEBffRwfAZ_4o-McA2pMcaHbvkqPjwkHT7uMfsJyTqIMa1Z29fwPjy14D_NszIHGs_r6k7UHfTjPZ9aYS3DC5v=s320" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">As the saying goes, when life hands you lemons … make lemonade. Or, as the folks at the non-profit organization/label Jazz at the Ballroom cheekily explained: “What happens when a pandemic shuts down any and every place that can present, record and produce live music? Naturally, you reach out to some of the most enterprising, creative jazz artists.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">“The only way to describe [how this album was made] is to say it was like a progressive dinner party circa 1970. One artist recorded however they could, another artist took the track and added their part.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The result: the thoroughly delightful compilation album </span><i>Holiday “In”</i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> (clever title, that). The 14 tracks are divided between vocals and instrumentals, with contributions coming from eight different sets of musicians. Most performers are backed by the piano/bass/drums trio of Konrad Paszkudzki, Dylan Shamat and Alex Raderman.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jazz trumpeter/vocalist Benny Benack croons a solemn reading of “The Christmas Song,” then switches to muted trumpet for a lengthy improv bridge against Shamut’s walking bass; Paszkudzki’s lively cascading keyboard work backs Benack when he sings the final verse. His droll, peppy arrangement of “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” has a slight Dixieland vibe; his muted trumpet solo opens with what you’d swear is the whinny of a horse.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Veteran jazz vocalist Freddie Cole takes a fresh crack at “Jack Frost Snow,” one of the many tunes included on his 1995 album, <i>I Want a Smile for Christmas</i>. That earlier arrangement was peppy and laden with lengthy instrumental solos; this new reading is slower and more contemplative, with tasty backing by Randy Napoleon (guitar), Elias Bailey (bass) and Henry Conerway (drums).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Australian bassist/vocalist Nicki Parrott handles two of the season’s most wistful ballads. Her soft, yearning voice is perfect for “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” and she backs herself with subtle bass shading; a brief piano solo yields to her return for the final verse. She’s equally poignant on “Christmas Time Is Here,” with her solemn vocal bookending lovely solos on piano and bass.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The New York City-based vocal trio Duchess — Amy Cervini, Hilary Gardner and Melissa Stylianou — is famed for its tight harmonies and nods to famed groups such as the Andrews Sisters. Their frisky reading of “Mele Kalikimaka” is backed by an energetic combo that evokes Hot Club de France: Anat Cohen (clarinet), Nadje Noordhuis (trumpet), Nick Finzer (trombone),Michael Cabe (piano), Jesse Lewis (guitar) and Matt Aronoff (bass). The result is a hoot.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Pianist/vocalist Champian Fulton, also hailing from New York City, opens with a feisty arrangement of “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm”; she’s backed by Shamat’s terrific bass work, and grants herself a vigorous keyboard solo in between verses. Her tone becomes playfully imploring during a sultry handling of “Santa Baby,” which features a delectable swing bridge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Moving on to the instrumentals, veteran saxman Harry Allen offers a trio of seasonal classics. “Sleigh Ride” opens deceptively unrushed, then roars into finger-snapping double time, with his tasty sax backed by Paszkudzki’s deft keyboard comping; the improv bridge offers more of Aronoff’s tasty walking bass, cool keyboard work and Allen’s lively solo.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Winter Wonderland” includes a particularly playful sax bridge by Allen, again backed by Aronoff’s cool walking bass. Allen’s sax becomes positively sexy during a bluesy reading of “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve, which also features a choice improv bridge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Georgia-based trombonist Wycliffe “Pinecone” Gordon roars through an energetic, New Orleans strut-style arrangement of “Jingle Bells,” which barely touches the familiar melody before yielding to sassy improvs by both Gordon and Paszkudzki. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Paszkudzki’s Trio delivers an intriguing interpretation of “Let It Snow,” which cleverly messes with the melody while bouncing back and forth between swing and a choppier time signature.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Paszkudzki then solos on the album closer: an equally creative reading of “White Christmas” that gets percussive bounce from a ferocious left hand vamp, while his right handles the melody with simple single notes. That said, there’s nothing “simple” about the lightning-quick improv solo at the bridge: an exhilarating way to conclude an album which is — to quote Spencer Tracy — “pure cherce.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Moving now to this season’s new releases…<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHetV1BSOTIygbyFxR9Mnw-JqcgNSbIZNcr23HU6BjenwwKtK7hfw9yGuWEPQgnnFc2mFiQ1Zf1DLnAchBSrydmJNqTlK8mvsLhFJg2-QxfGCaHb4bVgKNzeLvYipIjuHE1_-M0sJ1FC_ztAe0DpJINfJ199EKlqcmjnVHco1fJxNMbLdezmE874-z=s400" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHetV1BSOTIygbyFxR9Mnw-JqcgNSbIZNcr23HU6BjenwwKtK7hfw9yGuWEPQgnnFc2mFiQ1Zf1DLnAchBSrydmJNqTlK8mvsLhFJg2-QxfGCaHb4bVgKNzeLvYipIjuHE1_-M0sJ1FC_ztAe0DpJINfJ199EKlqcmjnVHco1fJxNMbLdezmE874-z=s320" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Drummer extraordinaire Jeff Hamilton has been ubiquitous on the jazz scene for more than four decades, so it’s impossible to do justice to his stellar career in a few sentences; that said, he’s possibly best known as co-leader of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, and for his albums and concert tours with Diana Krall. Indeed, he blended the two when the Clayton-Hamilton ensemble backed her 2005 holiday album, <i>Christmas Songs</i>. (As a sideman, he also backed Natalie Cole’s 1994 Christmas album, <i>Holly & Ivy</i>.)<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i style="font-family: arial;">Merry & Bright</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"> is his first Christmas album as leader of his own trio, joined by pianist Tamir Hendelman and bassist Jon Hamar. In a word, it’s spectacular.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">These guys aren’t merely tight; they’re just this side of mind readers. Their interplay is vibrant, enthralling and — at times — even breathtaking. The arrangements are clever, with numerous tracks weaving in and out of different time signatures and key changes, and it’s clear the musicians are having a ball. All three are sensational, but Hamilton’s drumming stands out for its depth and inventiveness; it’s rare to find a drummer with this much <i>personality</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">His rolling rhythm is matched by Hamar’s heavy walking bass on the album opener: a lively reading of “It’s the Holiday Season,” which also boasts Hendelman’s deft keyboard work. The pianist weaves a playful riff on “Caroling, Caroling,” deconstructing the familiar melody against Hamilton’s droll percussion.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“The Little Drummer Boy” is powered by Hamilton’s impressively busy drum work, with Hendelman delivering a minor key arrangement of the melody; the result makes this classic tune more solemn and contemplative than usual. A bold, lusty reading of “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” opens with heavy 4/4 swing and Hamar’s marvelous walking bass; the latter also takes a tasty solo during the bridge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Hamar’s walking bass also is front and center during an impudent handling of “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow,” which features clever interplay between piano and drums. “Santa Baby” is similarly impish, with brief drum and bass solos sandwiched between Hendelman’s sparkling keyboard work.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Hamilton charges into a forceful Brazilian vibe with a “Calypso swing” version of “Here Comes Santa Claus,” which features a positively ferocious improv keyboard bridge, before all three build to an exciting finale. (It’s hard to avoid applauding.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">After all this intensity, the album concludes with much gentler readings of “O Tannenbaum” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” The former finds Hendelman’s simple keyboard work honoring the melody in its traditional form, backed by Hamar’s gentle comping; some thoughtful piano improv yields to Hamar, as he resumes the melody on bowed bass.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Quiet bass introduces a leisurely, swing-time handling of “Have Yourself,” with Hamar again comping quietly behind Hendelman’s soothing melody; the arrangement’s intensity builds slightly during the bridge, but then retreats for a delicate finale.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I don’t often re-play an album, immediately after hearing it the first time; this was one of the few. Utterly marvelous.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhL4CpFduaXc66fKE5lnOMKdVWokmDgJ9W6KszERu6NnOR7KNW9Dp9wmTta4Z5wyxR66pO4wH0f52j0nHpfDfFtUGeMnBiXuNKSn22T1YpknyCE1kftvReaCQcfPOZjXpJpxmr74cKnHVzuJU34krBVj2NfvslTMsxFcEfcGtvS6tbYRjqM0NywcpkK=s400" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="400" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhL4CpFduaXc66fKE5lnOMKdVWokmDgJ9W6KszERu6NnOR7KNW9Dp9wmTta4Z5wyxR66pO4wH0f52j0nHpfDfFtUGeMnBiXuNKSn22T1YpknyCE1kftvReaCQcfPOZjXpJpxmr74cKnHVzuJU34krBVj2NfvslTMsxFcEfcGtvS6tbYRjqM0NywcpkK=s320" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet has been a fixture in Washington, D.C., for three decades; no less than sax luminary Richie Cole, who worked for years with The Manhattan Transfer, has favorably compared Uptown to that iconic group. Indeed, Uptown’s tight harmonies and scat-inflected arrangements are a true pleasure, and they’re backed by a tight combo that most frequently features Frank Russo (drums), Max Murray (bass) and either Chuck Redd (vibes) or Alan Blackman (piano).<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">Their new holiday release, </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Fools for Yule</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">, is a blend of familiar holiday chestnuts and four original compositions by group leader Ginny Carr Goldberg, who also arranges most of the other selections. Most readings make room for generous improv solos by Redd or Blackman, and the stylings shift from up-tempo to gentle ballads, with a couple of hymns along the way.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album opens with a sprightly reading of “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm,” with Goldberg and Holly Shockey taking the melodic lead, while Robert McBride and Lane Stowe insert droll sidebar remarks between lyrics: somewhat like vocal comping. The unison quartet makes “Christmas Time Is Here” even more poignant than usual, and the song’s slight lyrics leave space for a lengthy piano solo backed by Murray’s soft comping.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A mid-tempo approach to “Winter Wonderland” features a nice division of voices, and is laden with vocalese and a bit of shoobie-doo scat; the backing combo switches to swing time when the singers return to the lyrics.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Most of Goldberg’s originals aren’t likely to set the world on fire. The reverential “Whisper” is a gentle reminder of why we celebrate the season; “It Doesn’t Feel Like Christmas,” a gentle ballad that brackets tasty vibes and bass solos, is a wistful recognition that adults often have trouble re-capturing the Christmas magic they remember experiencing as children. The bossa-inflected “L’Amour Nous Entoure Ce Soir (Love Is Surrounding Us Tonight)” is lovely, and boasts a lengthy guitar solo by guest artist Donato Soviero, but it’s sung entirely in French; listeners not adept at that language are at an obvious disadvantage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Goldberg’s title song, however, deserves to become a seasonal hit. The playful “Fool for Yule” is built upon flirty boy/girl call-and-response, and clearly evokes “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” Goldberg’s lyrics are a bit spicier however, as typified by this eyebrow-lifting line: “I’ve got a seat for you here, on Santa’s gentle lap.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The chorus handles “The Christmas Song” as a purely a cappella affair; the result is truly gorgeous. The album closes with a solemn a cappella reading of “Silent Night,” although the vocalists bracket an Irish bousouki solo by guest artist Keith Carr.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It’s clearly worth seeking Uptown’s four previous albums; check ’em out <a href="https://www.uptownvocaljazz.com/recordings/" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgIIoUukB7_a_rUGKMNM-JxdfVNB8seiT41a8CUOfUAgflYRGeyW3HLxwzvY1pj_bNSrDzawl_Uy3Tc2cKITB5kZBsHC0IEBM2lX0bP4s72-ugY1te0O_ENlreTPKyKetBGVEvjHVWKe8OpjA8zoCD3UeMWQMENByLZHF0VABYYH3HXD8XWlNKnvi3W=s400" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgIIoUukB7_a_rUGKMNM-JxdfVNB8seiT41a8CUOfUAgflYRGeyW3HLxwzvY1pj_bNSrDzawl_Uy3Tc2cKITB5kZBsHC0IEBM2lX0bP4s72-ugY1te0O_ENlreTPKyKetBGVEvjHVWKe8OpjA8zoCD3UeMWQMENByLZHF0VABYYH3HXD8XWlNKnvi3W=s320" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Jazz trumpeter and singer Till Brönner is a phenomenon in his native Germany, with numerous best-selling albums in every genre from swing and bossa nova to movie standards, in every configuration from duos to the RIAS Big Band Berlin.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i style="font-family: arial;">Till Christmas</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"> is his second holiday-themed album, following 2007’s <i>The Christmas Album</i>. But whereas that early album is laden with vocals, guest artists and even orchestral touches, this new one is a purely instrumental trio: Brönner (trumpet and flugelhorn), Frank Chastenier (piano) and Christian von Kaphengst (bass).</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The dozen tracks are primarily thoughtful and reverential, each showcasing Brönner’s beautifully pure horn work. This isn’t a party album; it’s better suited to late in the evening, after everybody else has gone home, and you and a preferred companion quietly enjoy a final glass of port or egg nog.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Brönner tends to wander around the outskirts of a given melody, returning to a couple of familiar measures just often enough to identify the tune. Chastenier and von Kaphengst primarily shade and comp quietly in the background, although both shine during improv bridges on several tracks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Half the tracks could be considered hymns or spirituals, such as the delicate arrangement of George Michael’s “Jesus to a Child,” which opens the album; Brönner’s muted trumpet is quietly backed by Chastenier’s keyboard work. The latter takes the melody during the bridge on an equally soft “Maria durch ein Dornwald ging (Mary Walked Through a Wood of Thorn),” a contemplative German Advent song.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A relaxed arrangement of “Stille Nacht (Silent Night)” emerges without a detectable beat or time signature; following a speculative horn bridge, the tempo increases slightly as Brönner brings the melody home. Bach’s “Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier (I Stand by Your Manger Here),” an equally elegant German Christmas hymn, is a duet of horn and piano. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Brönner’s playful side emerges with a perky, mid-tempo handling of “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” which features some lively piano improv against tasty bass; von Kaphengst’s sleek walking bass also is a highlight during a whimsical, slightly deconstructed arrangement of “Jingle Bells.” All three musicians mosey their way through “O Tannenbaum” quite inventively; the melody emerges only rarely.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Conversely, a tender arrangement of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is faithfully traditional, without any improv; Brönner and Chastenier trade the melody back and forth, the result so poignant that one pictures young Margaret O’Brien listening intently, even without Judy Garland singing the lyrics.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album closes with a contemplative reading of “La-Le-Lu (Only the Man in the Moon Is Watching),” a German lullaby made famous in the 1955 film <i>Wenn der Vater mit dem Sohne</i> (<i>When Father with Son</i>). Brönner takes the initial melody, pauses during another improv piano bridge against thoughtful bass, and then brings the tune home. Chastenier’s concluding keyboard touches sound like the pealing of a clock tower, as he and von Kaphengst fade to finish: a quietly charming finale to a truly lovely album.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5tCA2I4ABXyHtSVCoYnk2h1EUKNcrvm4uWHy7TmhVVaV1bRtLTgtOQR5sMljXqCl9dnFkQWO10zUOhzPK_z5k0Ez5q5NiPgJIUzETvsbJCDyW8k8Ry_i4bSLlh1ztbpZP1xa-gRoh-F7GeX2qEf7VaivDTSWQQnZriUa4sMojj9Cexx-xrrW86iCb=s400" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="400" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5tCA2I4ABXyHtSVCoYnk2h1EUKNcrvm4uWHy7TmhVVaV1bRtLTgtOQR5sMljXqCl9dnFkQWO10zUOhzPK_z5k0Ez5q5NiPgJIUzETvsbJCDyW8k8Ry_i4bSLlh1ztbpZP1xa-gRoh-F7GeX2qEf7VaivDTSWQQnZriUa4sMojj9Cexx-xrrW86iCb=s320" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Listening to this next album — which I’ve done three times already — makes me want to hop a plane to Chicago, to catch this outfit on stage; they must be <i>dynamite</i> in person. That’s an apt descriptor for the Pete Ellman Big Band’s <i>The Twelve Grooves of Christmas</i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> (which actually has 13 tracks, but who’s counting). The arrangements are clever, the unison playing is beyond tight, the solos are well integrated within each melody, and the comping frequently includes a droll touch or two.<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">The album roars out of the gate with ferocious, double-time percussion (Matt Plaskota and Rich Trelease) and piano (Larry Harris), which introduces guest vocalist Katie Ernst as she swings into “Mister Santa.” The full band kicks in, Andy Schlinder takes a frantic sax solo, Ernst returns for the final lyric and a bit of scat, and then fade: the fastest 2 minutes and 53 seconds you’ll likely ever experience.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Ernst contributes vocals on two more tracks. The band supplies soft backing for her sultry, poignant reading of “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve,” which grants Jim Gailloreto a tasty sax solo before she returns, backed solely by Harris’ piano, to finish the tune. Finally, her handling of “Mack the Halls” — “Deck the Halls,” by way of Bobby Daren’s “Mack the Knife” — is quite amusing; the band gets more vibrant with each successive verse.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A mid-tempo swing approach to “Jingle Bells” boasts gorgeous unison horn work, along with tasty solos on sax (Chris Werve) and muted trumpet (David Katz). The toe-tapping “O’Schwingenbaum” is the feistiest version of “O Tannenbaum” I’ve ever heard, with bouncy solos on sax and trumpet (Werve and Katz again). Playful unison horns and Keith Pitner’s trombone solo highlight a sassy, bossa-inflected medley of “Gesu Bambino” and “O Come All Ye Faithful”; a gentle, leisurely arrangement of “O Little Town” offers Keith Pitner’s sparkling trombone solo and Ian Letts’ lively sax solo.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A totally delightful handling of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” is dominated by tuba (John Blane) and bass sax (Ted Hogarth), until Katz’s shrill trumpet mimics the verbal smack-down of the tune’s final verse. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Grammy-winning vocalist Kurt Elling is joined by members of the Young Naperville Singers for a bouncy, mid-tempo delivery of “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” The children blend nicely with Elling, but the arrangement is a bit too sugary. And while Harris’ gorgeous solo piano opens an initially sentimental arrangement of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” it’s the one time a tenor sax solo (Andy Schlinder) overstays its welcome.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Given the way the band concludes that latter tune, you’d think the album was over. But no, the best is yet to come: a lengthy arrangement of “The 12 Grooves of Christmas” that turns the song into a veritable jazz symphony. Each verse is performed in a different style, from Dixieland and classical, to Latin and World War II-era swing. And of <i>course</i> the fifth verse is an homage to the iconic “Take Five.” Like, <i>wow</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I can’t get enough of this album. Neither will you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4XJbOimweYGgb7RfvsVGKPqztvzdOjPl1zEJpQI2bWUrwAx4barJzi5Chp-ua65gCT-QyxPtRsaOKRfSnNARZYXCU_FHjwoPKdrJTGIgttY59SzfD37N0nZbDc35XOQHFKKVoD6Z8rDCH57xKJ3MFez7r0dRQB0R-C634iR2G_91LFmhtCzNSCToQ=s400" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="400" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4XJbOimweYGgb7RfvsVGKPqztvzdOjPl1zEJpQI2bWUrwAx4barJzi5Chp-ua65gCT-QyxPtRsaOKRfSnNARZYXCU_FHjwoPKdrJTGIgttY59SzfD37N0nZbDc35XOQHFKKVoD6Z8rDCH57xKJ3MFez7r0dRQB0R-C634iR2G_91LFmhtCzNSCToQ=s320" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">That likely won’t be the case with the Jeff Steinberg Jazz Ensemble’s <i>Cocktail Lounge: Easy Jazz Christmas</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">. Green Hill Productions has made a cottage industry of holiday music for several decades; the various genres include jazz, the most notable starring pianist Beegie Adair as a soloist or combo leader. She’s about as aggressive, swing-wise, as the label allows; most of Green Hill’s output falls under the heading of “soft” jazz.<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, there’s soft … and there’s somnambulant. For starters, Steinberg is this album’s arranger/producer, not one of the players; ergo, calling this “his” combo is rather cheeky, if not tacky, particularly since the actual musicians are identified only within the sparse liner notes. The core trio — Chris Walters, piano; Jim Ferguson, bass; and Marcus Finnie, drums — backs different guest artists in three different quartet configurations on these 12 tunes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The approach to each song is identical: an opening verse or two of the familiar melody, followed by one or two brief improv solos, then a concluding return to the melody; Walters and the guest soloist take turns leading and comping behind each other. The solos are pleasant but unremarkable; one gets the impression these guys just aren’t trying very hard (which, in fairness, may have been Steinberg’s brief).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Saxophonist Sam Levine gets the lion’s share of attention, with half a dozen tracks. He and Walters are droll on “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” with the piano and tenor sax standing in for the patter song’s two vocalists; Levine switches to soprano sax for a mildly lively run at “The Man with the Bag.” He’s actually best on the more reverential carols, displaying tender expectation on “We Three Kings,” and a wistful tone on “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Finnie and Ferguson supply a gentle bossa nova beat for classical guitarist Jack Jezzro’s handling of “Christmas Time Is Here”; the bossa touch is equally evident on Jezzro’s approach to “White Christmas,” which also features a tasty solo piano introduction by Walters.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Electric guitarist Pat Bergeson’s highlight is a cute rendition of “Santa Baby,” which features nice interplay with Walters, and some tasty bass comping by Ferguson. Bergeson also displays a nice touch on the album’s closer, “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But even with the different instrument configurations, everything soon sounds the same. These tracks are best used in rotation with a lot of other albums.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Seasonal tribute performances of Guaraldi’s score for <i>A Charlie Brown Christmas</i> have become quite the cottage industry for regional combos and touring artists, for well over a decade now. The roster of participating groups has grown over time; although Covid slowed things down last December, bookings has returned with a vengeance this year; check out <a href="https://impressionsofvince.blogspot.com/2021/11/a-jolly-guaraldi-holiday-2021.html" target="_blank">this ever-expanding list</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqg26UstnLPRRdiFb_Q3OhS6Xbr57SrrqRJR53A5aw7ljvHLtNuQfsstoEztX1jpIuZeXe4UMGGZFZ7sGJEEr39luFLEPJcFoO9yeLNPl2KtGM9pY0GuxMNYDu8ZoTa6Pk26V81MPaWETs5t6K6VoYVczLcIzTc_BX3tWeXdxxklNkAaKHafccUARr=s400" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqg26UstnLPRRdiFb_Q3OhS6Xbr57SrrqRJR53A5aw7ljvHLtNuQfsstoEztX1jpIuZeXe4UMGGZFZ7sGJEEr39luFLEPJcFoO9yeLNPl2KtGM9pY0GuxMNYDu8ZoTa6Pk26V81MPaWETs5t6K6VoYVczLcIzTc_BX3tWeXdxxklNkAaKHafccUARr=s320" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">By total coincidence, three such groups have released their efforts on CDs or downloadable singles this year, starting with the New England-based Eric Byrd Trio. Byrd, a veteran jazz pianist, has performed professionally for more than three decades, and has shared a stage with Wynton Marsalis, Chick Corea, Randy Brecker, Warren Wolf, Charlie Byrd and numerous other jazz luminaries. He and his longtime trio — acoustic bassist Bhagwan Khalsa, and drummer/percussionist Alphonso Young Jr. — got into the Guaraldi holiday gig quite early; their first cover album came out back in 2009.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">That was a studio production; their new release — </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Charlie Brown Live</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"> — was recorded last December 18 and 19 at the Carroll Arts Center in Westminster, Maryland. The seven-track compilation is a solid, mainstream jazz affair, with the familiar melodies peppered with plenty of aggressive improv solos. Happily, audience applause and ambient noise never intrude (as often is the case with live recordings).</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Byrd opens the album with Guaraldi’s signature solo keyboard introduction to “O Tannenbaum”; the arrangement slides into gentle mid-tempo jazz as the sidemen join the fun. Byrd’s forceful keyboard solo is followed by a contemplative bass solo and a few tasty drum solos, before the trio slides back into the melody; it’s a nice showcase for all three players.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Linus and Lucy” boasts sassy keyboard work on the first bridge, and a truly wild ride up and down the keyboard during the second; Khalsa’s walking bass comping is equally solid. Noodly solo piano eventually slides into a bold reading of “What Child Is This,” which trades off between the familiar melody and heavy chord improv and hard-hitting drum work. “My Little Drum” opens with a lengthy quote from the hymn “In the Bleak Midwinter,” after which Byrd slides into an upper-octave arrangement of the melody; he pauses for Khalsa’s tasty bass solo, which yields to (of course!) some powerful drum work.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album closer, “Christmas Is Coming,” is a lot of fun; it opens with a heavy beat, sashays into a swing-time bridge and then a raucous piano solo and equally tasty improv on bass and drums. The tune concludes with some playoff music, as Byrd introduces his band mates: a playful finale to a brief but impressively dynamic set. Both this and the 2009 album are available <a href="https://ericbyrdtrio.com/shop/" target="_blank">via his website</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBIX0k68vUdqd2esi7-Y79Nsmr4WGG2TLIGWy-CfibS-c6-NkN9GV54HAk2ccQ_D6-e8MPbRSZJtKoSyyabgYBa5KogX78ZZN7JKq5ChYEDCgyoLZc-lThJJGxU3qFg4K2vPPGTEOgQ5fURUfdVlVgzYtyT3VZGzCsisPDV9CgCrLP3Wl9Y74zQYAE=s400" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBIX0k68vUdqd2esi7-Y79Nsmr4WGG2TLIGWy-CfibS-c6-NkN9GV54HAk2ccQ_D6-e8MPbRSZJtKoSyyabgYBa5KogX78ZZN7JKq5ChYEDCgyoLZc-lThJJGxU3qFg4K2vPPGTEOgQ5fURUfdVlVgzYtyT3VZGzCsisPDV9CgCrLP3Wl9Y74zQYAE=s320" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The Chicago-based Michael “Mich” Shirey is a relative newcomer; I began tracking his activities in 2018. Imitation being the death of freshness, over time I’ve been drawn to musicians who treat Guaraldi’s beloved arrangements as a springboard, rather than a stencil … and I’ve been particularly impressed by those who do so with a different instrumental configuration.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">Mich’s lead instrument is a guitar, rather than a piano. Adapting the sound and swing of 88-note keyboard jazz to a stringed instrument is no small task, and the results aren’t always pleasant to the ear. (I speak from listening experience.) I</span><span style="font-family: arial;">’m pleased to say that Mich</span><span style="font-family: arial;">’s efforts</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b>o</span><span style="font-family: arial;">n </span><i style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold;">Guitar for Guaraldi</i><span style="font-family: arial;"> are lovely. He</span><span style="font-family: arial;">’</span><span style="font-family: arial;">s ably accompanied by Nick Fane (upright bass) and Dave Brandwein (drums). Their interplay is solid, and I’m particularly impressed by Nick’s comping and counterpoint throughout the entire album. Dave never indulges in flash, like so many drummers; he’s content to supply the mellow backdrop these songs demand. And his timing is </span><i style="font-family: arial;">tight</i><span style="font-family: arial;">. </span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As with the original soundtrack, this album opens with a lovely reading of “O Tannenbaum”: the one track with strong echoes of Guaraldi’s arrangement. Mich solos the meditative introduction; the tempo picks up as his mates enter after close to a minute. Mich and Nick take cool solos at the bridge, and then bring the tune home. Nick’s thoughtful bass improv highlights the sweetly sensitive reading of “Christmas Time Is Here,” and Mich’s hard-charging improv bridge adds plenty of spice to “Great Pumpkin Waltz” (long one of my favorite Guaraldi melodies).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Mich’s talent shines on his handling of “Linus and Lucy,” where you’ll notice he simultaneously plays the bass vamp and melody: no small feat! He’s equally adept with the Mount Olympus of Guaraldi challenges: the opening descent of “Skating,” which is every bit as effervescent here (and Mich impishly tosses in a brief quote from “Frosty, the Snowman”).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Dave sets a sassy bossa beat for “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,” which is a showcase for Nick; he takes the melody and also offers a sleek improv bridge, with Mich deftly comping alongside. The mood remains feisty during a bossa/rock handling of “Christmas Is Coming,” which boasts plenty of lively walking bass. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The trio closes with a traditional reading of “The Christmas Song”: no solos, no improv, just a quietly sentimental blend of guitar and bass, backed by Dave’s soft brushes. A lovely way to conclude a lovely album. It can be purchased <a href="https://michshireytrio.bandcamp.com/album/guitar-for-guaraldi-a-christmas-tribute" target="_blank">via Bandcamp</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijile8kufnMzaWbJ8eLVqjlihGvSH_1dIedw-ki4BOvRNxWrkwjRvYn0NEh6WTiUUmpYV4iMn6FdLfKeSipfCKP5PTm2De9tK5rZFM7057m8d17f6iGfhGP48rWE9kP1r013tVaSo96n8PSwDbwfIEn8G1ZK47euNU-O1yXvOKQ1uH_bFH-XU2MrED=s400" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijile8kufnMzaWbJ8eLVqjlihGvSH_1dIedw-ki4BOvRNxWrkwjRvYn0NEh6WTiUUmpYV4iMn6FdLfKeSipfCKP5PTm2De9tK5rZFM7057m8d17f6iGfhGP48rWE9kP1r013tVaSo96n8PSwDbwfIEn8G1ZK47euNU-O1yXvOKQ1uH_bFH-XU2MrED=s320" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Moving now across the pond, pianist/composer Jason Frederick is quite the busy fellow. He’s heavily involved in film and television scoring, with credits that include <i>101 Dalmatians 2</i>, <i>Bela Lugosi: The Forgotten King</i> and <i>Slacker Cats</i>. As head of the aptly named Jason Frederick Cinematic Sound, he issued <i>Mods and Coppers</i>, a way-cool 2015 album that features inventive covers of title themes from crime, spy and secret agent films and TV shows such as <i>The Thomas Crown Affair</i>, <i>Ironside</i>, <i>Bullitt</i>, <i>Dirty Harry </i>and many more. (He has long promised a sequel to that album, but other projects keep getting in the way.)<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">At this time of each year, he also fronts a smaller combo — the Jason Frederick Cinematic Trio, with Greg Hagger (bass) and Dan Mullins (drums) — for concerts devoted to Vince Guaraldi’s music from <i>A Charlie Brown Christmas</i>. In that vein, Frederick has just issued the first three tracks from an ongoing project cheekily dubbed </span><i style="font-family: arial;">The Charlie Brown Experiment</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">. Get ready, because his approach is completely unique.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“The real charm of Guaraldi’s music for me, apart from its obvious brilliance in composition and playing,” he explains, “is the lovely sort of ‘lo-fi’ quality of it. So our tribute to him is in the spirit of the great 1960s arrangers such as Roland Shaw, Geoff Love, Billy May and others who did ‘sort of faithful’ but slightly ‘alternative’ versions of music from the James Bond films, <i>Mission: Impossible</i>, and so forth. We used good mics, cheap mics and old mics, in an effort to make something as vintage-sounding as possible.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Indeed, “Linus and Lucy” opens with audience applause and an echo effect that makes Frederick’s keyboard attack unexpectedly dynamic. Percussive clapping backs the first bridge, and bits of “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” are woven into the tune, as the band slides into the second, swing bridge. The melody returns via a key change, and draws to a breathless finale after a false stop.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Skating” begins with the simulated needle drop and “fuzz” one would expect of a 45 single; the melody emerges faintly in a distant “tinny” mode, as though we’re listening via the single tiny speaker of a 1960s-era hand-held portable radio. Frederick then kicks the tune into high gear, with his cool keyboard work backed by an aggressive percussion vamp. The melody returns for what one expects will be a finale, but then switches back to the tinny speaker as the band weaves in a brief quote from “Joy to the World.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The final track, an impish mash-up of Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime” against the “Linus and Lucy” bass vamp, is totally fun: laden with chimes, inventive keyboard filigrees and more hand-clapping during a lively improv bridge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The tracks are available via <a href="https://jasonfrederick.bandcamp.com/track/linus-and-lucy" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Which brings the 2021 round-up to a delightful close.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p>Derrick Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12885694730612878577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-73933227054281150152020-11-30T13:09:00.007-08:002021-01-01T15:29:19.363-08:00Holiday Jazz 2020: A world affair!<p class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: arial;">[Web master’s note: Northern California film critic Derrick Bang — the eldest, youngest and only son of this site’s primary jazz guru, Ric Bang — has surveyed the holiday jazz scene for 24 years, with lengthy columns that just keep growing. Check out previous columns by clicking on the CHRISTMAS label below.]</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As a greater number of releases have become solely digital, it has gotten harder to separate the (rare) wheat from the (all too common) chaff. The primary reason is an absence of data. Most digital releases offer only a cover image, and nothing else, in the way of information. No little essay about or by the primary artist(s), no recording or mastering engineers, and — quite often — no instrument personnel. </span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is a frustrating a throwback to the early days of LPs, when (as but one example) several of Vince Guaraldi’s Fantasy albums failed to credit his sidemen. It was rude and unacceptable then, and it’s just as intolerable now.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I also mourn the loss of cdbaby’s online store, which ceased operation in March, in order to focus exclusively on helping artists to monetize and promote their music. Every album listed in the former store — whether digital or hard media — had its own page, with all the essential information one would expect from a detailed CD booklet. Visitors also could sample tracks from every entry.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Fortunately, iTunes, Spotify and Amazon still allow sampling.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Even so…</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Little by little, it’s getting harder to “browse” music — as in the good ol’ days of record bins — looking for wonderful stuff that you won’t know you want, until you stumble across it.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is progress?</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I think not.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">********</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi-aYkgcgqb49ixLfa-zfSQid8Ubsb1aQFQlr0Q5XUyEBOsZWWFxV1f9tGwaQC-hFUo0crvfP_Znywx1x2iTtoXBf6xMOCOVk3qHMX90y37bKpPrtivMesOrYpO8pETgTwf9NprLxrp0Q/s400/Ben+Paterson.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi-aYkgcgqb49ixLfa-zfSQid8Ubsb1aQFQlr0Q5XUyEBOsZWWFxV1f9tGwaQC-hFUo0crvfP_Znywx1x2iTtoXBf6xMOCOVk3qHMX90y37bKpPrtivMesOrYpO8pETgTwf9NprLxrp0Q/s320/Ben+Paterson.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">New York-based pianist Ben Paterson is both a Steinway artist and winner of 2018’s inaugural Ellis Marsalis International Jazz Piano Competition. No surprise, then: He has serious keyboard chops. He also performs smoothly alongside bassist Luke Sellick and drummer Charles Goold, with whom he shares one of those symbiotic relationships that suggests mutual mind-reading. They’re a <i>tight </i>unit, and <b><i>I’ll Be Thanking Santa </i></b>is a terrific album.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Paterson is a generous leader, granting Sellick almost as much solo time as he takes himself. Sellick favors walking bass, and his licks are quite engaging on “O Tannenbaum” and “Winter Wonderland.” He also introduces the melody on “The Christmas Waltz” and subsequently dominates that tune.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Goold tends to be less visible, establishing solid rhythmic backing without calling attention to himself; it’s almost startling when he takes occasional drum solos, on “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” and “Winter Wonderland.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I love Paterson’s solo introduction on a thoughtful reading of “The Christmas Song”; his keyboard work sounds like a series of melodic questions and answers. His contemplative solo handling of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” precisely captures the wistful tone Judy Garland gave that song, when she introduced it in 1944’s <i>Meet Me in St. Louis</i>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“O Tannenbaum” is a groovy, mid-tempo toe-tapper that challenges listeners <i>not </i>to get up and boogie; the arrangement of “Christmas Time Is Here” is much peppier than usual, backed by driving rhythm that feels like a moving train. “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” emerges as a bossa nova sparkler, while the Tagalog carol “Pasko Na Naman” is transformed into a tango-esque swinger that builds to an aggressive climax by all three musicians. Paterson also is all over the keyboard during most of “Winter Wonderland”; it’s easy to see how he won that Marsalis competition.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Paterson includes two vocal originals. “Christmas, Won’t You Stick Around for Awhile” is a wistful ode to those who can’t bear to see the holiday season conclude; “I’ll Be Thanking Santa” is a cheerier love song that acknowledges life’s <i>truly </i>most important gifts. Both tunes boast clever lyrics and rhymes; Paterson definitely could moonlight as a songwriter.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This album demands heavy rotation on your playlist.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> <span></span></span></o:p></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUoFms1qQ6XAcjab4-SFAoI85cQ3dZeZrw0OhWTNa0cppjoG8-246qFmd9KjzQdG4_s3vEIyC9PMjn5Huat2JMp83OR8DxTIIiLu__RGUP621OjM415QnxKR82OCXzphimZZEP_xc1nQA/s400/Randazzo+Big+Band.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUoFms1qQ6XAcjab4-SFAoI85cQ3dZeZrw0OhWTNa0cppjoG8-246qFmd9KjzQdG4_s3vEIyC9PMjn5Huat2JMp83OR8DxTIIiLu__RGUP621OjM415QnxKR82OCXzphimZZEP_xc1nQA/s320/Randazzo+Big+Band.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Richmond, Virginia, is blessed with a full-blown swing band fronted by bassist/arranger Andrew Randazzo, which performs as the R4nd4zzo Big Band. The 15-piece unit boasts four trumpets, three trombones, four reeds and a rhythm section of keyboards (Jacob Ungerleider), guitar (Alan Parker), bass (Randazzo) and drums (DJ Harrison). The ensemble presented a swinging tribute to Guaraldi’s <i>Charlie Brown Christmas </i>to a packed house at Richmond’s Vagabond on December 18, 2017; the performance was recorded and released as a Bandcamp digital album — <b><i>A Big Band Tribute to Vince Guaraldi </i></b>— a month later.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I can’t imagine why it took so long for me to find it; this album definitely shouldn’t be missed.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Aside from his inventive arrangements, Randazzo also has a cheeky sense of humor; the classic holiday tunes and Guaraldi originals have been given fresh titles that occasionally require a bit of thought … such as “SK8N,” which features unison brass on the familiar melody, following Randazzo’s tasty solo bass introduction. The pace picks up, with Toby Whitaker and JC Kuhl delivering cool solos on (respectively) bass trombone and baritone sax.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The set kicks off with “Tannenbomb,” which begins in gentle Guaraldi fashion; the full band then sets a mid-tempo pace for sleek solos on piano and brass, against Randazzo’s bass comping. The ensemble returns to the melody and then concludes with a double-time burst of speed.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The mid-tempo “Drum Closet” (“My Little Drum”) is dominated by groovy rolling percussion, the melody taken by brass against Parker’s guitar comping. Parker similarly dominates the melody in a thoughtful cover of “Black Friday” (“Christmas Time Is Here”), and he also gets plenty of exposure — notably during a lengthy bridge solo — in “Whose Baby Is This!?”</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A few arrangements may challenge Guaraldi purists, starting with an unusually contemplative, mid-tempo reading of “Linus, Single Again,” dominated by Ungerleider’s sweet piano solo and some cool rhythm work. But the stand-out, for exploratory ambition, is “Xmas on a Thursday,” a deconstructed handling of “Christmas Is Coming.” It’s dominated by funky bass and percussion, a barely recognized melody in a minor key, and an acid rock electric guitar solo that soars into outer space … after which the track concludes with a traditional solo piano reading of “Fur Elise.” Far out, man!</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The set finishes with a gentle reading of “Chestnuts,” featuring guest vocalist Roger Carroll; Randazzo’s acoustic bass solo at the bridge is particularly lush, backed by unison brass comping. The horns takes over the melody when Carroll returns to croon the iconic tune to a close. At which point, a very good time clearly has been had by all.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(One minor issue: I rather doubt Peanuts Worldwide, Fantasy/Concord and all others concerned would be pleased by this digital album cover!)</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgng8bf63jHo_mCdmbelc46nzQUSGh71IsY5fE1ZjREJbnSaJbN2IpkNIkH7mkv8mqhO64AxUaAxoGHiM592yOrH-O9mPX-x_hWobmNxAieV9LKLp8ng53OLDwYi15FmFQSHaw4VlDCdk8/s400/Hideaki+Hori.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgng8bf63jHo_mCdmbelc46nzQUSGh71IsY5fE1ZjREJbnSaJbN2IpkNIkH7mkv8mqhO64AxUaAxoGHiM592yOrH-O9mPX-x_hWobmNxAieV9LKLp8ng53OLDwYi15FmFQSHaw4VlDCdk8/s320/Hideaki+Hori.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Proving once again that both jazz and pop-culture Christmas songs are beloved around the world, <b><i>Christmas Time </i></b>is a fantastic duo album from Japanese pianist Hideaki Hori and bassist Hiroshi Takase. They’re both veritable monsters on their respective instruments, and many of this album’s tracks are jaw-dropping displays of speed, jazz chops and always-engaging harmonic and improv interplay.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But you wouldn’t suspect that from the album’s opening track, a leisurely reading of “Christmas Time Is Here” that deftly captures the tune’s wistful qualities. The duo’s handling of “Silent Night” — which appropriately concludes the album — is similarly peaceful and reverential, and Hori’s solo reading of “The Christmas Song” also is gentle; all three tracks probably can’t be considered jazz.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Ah, but everything in between is a different story. Many of the remaining tracks run long, allowing ample space for sensational improv work as the two musicians trade off; sometimes one comps the other, other times they both roar in tandem.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A fast-paced “Jingle Bells” is great fun; Hori is all over the piano, with Takase’s dynamic walking bass keeping up every step of the way. “Jingle Bell Rock” is equally peppy and playful, with plenty of keyboard runs and a midpoint shift that puts the straight-time melody against double-time bass. “Let It Snow” is buoyant and sparkling, cleverly conveying precisely what it feels like to play in snow. Takase’s bass work is particularly clever in “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The arrangement of Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime” is unlike any other cover I’ve ever heard: ferocious double-time, with simply stunning keyboard work during the lengthy improv bridge. “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” is equally clever, with the melody introduced in blocked chords, and a lively improv bridge that slides in and out of swing time.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Takase shifts to bowed bass to introduce the melodies for both “Coventry Carol” and “Deck the Halls.” The former remains delicate and solemn, as befits its qualities as a traditional hymn, but the latter becomes increasingly more intense during the lengthy improv bridge.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By the time we reach the penultimate track, most listeners will be breathless. Thankfully, Hori and Takase slow our heartbeats with a thoughtful handling of “O Holy Night,” with bold chords and an inquisitive bass solo; and then conclude with the aforementioned “Silent Night.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This album must, must, <i>must </i>find its way into your library.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYw0B9mVsv1oZV7YGH_pWQVnzKqLshPGaTzuLeYIUc0BAknq651rT9Z-1sQV9SUPtMrxDtNo7sQe53nM7_wwPVXkjh1lNIfSXGi_4upU5BOfB6Sl7IJKQn_qAmN9HR91tospDHBY0jqJY/s401/Kazumi+Tateishi.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYw0B9mVsv1oZV7YGH_pWQVnzKqLshPGaTzuLeYIUc0BAknq651rT9Z-1sQV9SUPtMrxDtNo7sQe53nM7_wwPVXkjh1lNIfSXGi_4upU5BOfB6Sl7IJKQn_qAmN9HR91tospDHBY0jqJY/s320/Kazumi+Tateishi.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">And it’ll be in good company, when placed alongside the Kazumi Tateishi Trio’s <b><i>Christmas Meets Jazz</i></b>. The prolific pianist/composer/arranger and producer is well known for his clever concept albums, such as <i>Ghibli Meets Jazz</i>, with its lovely covers of themes and songs from <i>Kiki’s Delivery Service</i>, <i>My Neighbor Totoro </i>and other Studio Ghibli hits; and <i>Classics Meets Jazz</i>, featuring swing arrangements of Mozart, Chopin Beethoven and others.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Tateishi favors lyrical “quiet jazz” that is inventive enough to be captivating, without ever straying aggressively into the stratosphere. Jazz purists might dismiss him as too simplistic, but that’s unfair; Tateishi has the same flair for catchy melodic hooks — within his improv bridges — that served Vince Guaraldi so well.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Tateishi shares this album with bassist Shinobu Sato and drummer Mao Suzuki. Their approach is conventional: Tateishi generally begins a tune with a solo keyboard intro, and then he and Sato trade the melody back and forth, with Suzuki maintaining a leisurely to mid-tempo beat. A straight-ahead reading of “Let It Snow” suggests the frivolity of dancing in falling snowflakes; ambitious keyboard improvs and a bit of call-and-response between keyboard and drums highlight “Winter Wonderland.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A gentle reading of “O Holy Night” is positively reverential, with lovely solos on both bass and keyboards; a lengthy handling of “White Christmas” is truly charming, particularly when Sato takes the melody for a spell. Peppier highlights include a lively medley of “Jingle Bells” and “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town,” with Sato’s bowed bass bridging the two songs; and a cute arrangement of “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” which slides between swing time and New Orleans-style shuffle, and boasts cool walking bass.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album concludes with “December in Seoul,” a sparkling Tateishi original that opens with cymbal shimmer and a gentle keyboard theme. As the tune develops between piano and bass, it takes on a wistful quality, as if this tune recalls a rather <i>sad </i>December.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Absolutely excellent, from start to finish: Difficult to find, but worth the search.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdD8r7D2LNaKSOSWQlMEndoYlwMco7CfVf1_osi2-umyL0TSU21UD4gmb-tjjJ47Vx1Z3b4M-yPXB3wjqqm8zSPTsklZmuNTzEME3qAazzpHKP_OIMY5fVqBP1dqLETSpjCx4V-Ujbw4/s400/Steve+Davis+Trio.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdD8r7D2LNaKSOSWQlMEndoYlwMco7CfVf1_osi2-umyL0TSU21UD4gmb-tjjJ47Vx1Z3b4M-yPXB3wjqqm8zSPTsklZmuNTzEME3qAazzpHKP_OIMY5fVqBP1dqLETSpjCx4V-Ujbw4/s320/Steve+Davis+Trio.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Drummer Steve Davis has been quite busy since the early 1980s, dividing his time between faculty positions and performance tours throughout North American and Europe. He currently teaches at Missouri’s Washington University in St. Louis, while freelancing and putting out the occasional album. <b><i>Jazz for Christmas </i></b>is a tasty trio package, with Davis backed by Nick Schlueter (piano) and Chris Turnbaugh (bass). They’re a tight unit, and Davis is a generous leader; both sidemen get ample opportunity for lengthy solos.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The track list is a bit droll, with titles that coyly suggest the actual tune. The album opens with “Jingles,” which immediately calls attention to Turnbaugh’s slick walking bass. The mid-tempo, straight-ahead arrangement includes some lovely improv piano at the bridge, and Davis grants himself a brief but pleasing solo.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Schlueter’s work throughout is terrific; most of his improvisational bridges are melodies in their own right (as frequently was the case with Guaraldi’s solos).</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Let It Snow” is another straight-ahead, mid-tempo charmer, highlighted by Turnbaugh’s handling of the melody against gentle piano comping. Davis maintains a gentle, toe-tapping beat while bass and piano trade roles.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">An ethereal, reverential reading of “Night of Silence” opens with quiet solo piano; the arrangement expands to include gentle touches on bass and drums. “A New Xmas Song” (actually just “The Christmas Song”), similarly sweet and delicate, also opens with solo piano; bass and drums come in equally softly, and the tune builds to a lovely solo piano conclusion.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">On the other hand, the groovy arrangement of “Snowman” (as in Frosty) opens against the familiar “Killer Joe” rhythm line, with Schlueter’s keyboard improv backed by vibrant work on bass and drums. “Drummer Boy” is flat-out sassy; Davis establishes a swinging beat that evokes a New Orleans-style strut, and Schlueter responds with equally feisty improv work. “House Top” (as in “Up on the”) emerges as a peppy bossa nova, with Davis’ lengthy drum solo backed by deft piano comping.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The bright and bouncy “Christmas Waltz” finds Schlueter’s melody notes landing just behind Davis’ droll oom-pah beat; the result is a lot of fun, ultimately dialing back to a slower solo piano finish, with a final brief quote from “Jingle Bells”: an affectation Schlueter also inserts to the conclusion of a mellow reading of “A Christmas Tree.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">You really can’t ask for more; this is an excellent treat for fans who prefer their jazz on the melodic, (mostly) softer side.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcJJ0FmhSzv-eYV0PVCJOegdSX9peUNNMlOiglfSyLxeV5dyLMZwTDLQeGBpK0YddtlGg2ksFNNOTk3xWgskiouzQKeTfp9NykCNuD88YwsF54rfL-84uhB9EDIEFHpd0fV917Emt7vE/s400/David+Benoit.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcJJ0FmhSzv-eYV0PVCJOegdSX9peUNNMlOiglfSyLxeV5dyLMZwTDLQeGBpK0YddtlGg2ksFNNOTk3xWgskiouzQKeTfp9NykCNuD88YwsF54rfL-84uhB9EDIEFHpd0fV917Emt7vE/s320/David+Benoit.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Popular jazz pianist David Benoit has made a cottage industry of holiday jazz. In addition to having fronted — or co-starred in — ambitious Christmas concert tours for many years now, these performances have been accompanied by a roster of albums going back to 1983’s <i>Christmastime</i>. (It was followed by 1996’s <i>Remembering Christmas</i>; and 2015’s <i>Believe</i>.)</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">He also has played a vital part in keeping Guaraldi’s Peanuts music relevant in today’s market: a role Benoit absolutely deserves, since he scored five of the franchise’s animated specials, for a decade starting in 1992. That also generated several albums: 2000’s <i>Here’s to You, Charlie Brown: 50 Great Years</i>; 2005’s <i>40 Years: A Charlie Brown Christmas</i>; and 2008’s <i>Jazz for Peanuts</i>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">His newest album, <b><i>It’s a David Benoit Christmas!</i></b>, also covers both passions. The 18 tracks are a blend of traditional carols and Guaraldi’s many Peanuts themes (not all of them Christmas-related). It’s a solo piano endeavor, which is both good and bad. On the one hand, it’s great to hear Benoit in a solo mode; he puts considerable emotional feeling into (as a couple of examples) his covers of “What Child Is This” and “Christmas Time Is Here.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That said, a couple of Guaraldi’s bouncier Peanuts tunes — notably “Red Baron” and “Christmas Is Coming” — sound “empty” without the swinging bass and drums that power both, in their original jazz/rock fury.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Benoit’s arrangements of several other Guaraldi covers are too “pretty”: more like challenging keyboard exercises, devoid of the bossa nova touch that always makes Guaraldi’s listeners smile.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Benoit mostly follows the standard jazz “head” form, with one or more improv bridges sandwiched between the familiar melody. He favors rapid-fire bridges that showcase either swift chords or lightning-quick keyboard runs in the right hand, sometimes backed by a bouncing stride/ragtime style with the left. His robust handling of Guaraldi’s “Skating,” “Pebble Beach” and “Peppermint Patty” are great examples of this; the latter is particularly ferocious, with Benoit all over the keyboard.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">On the gentler end, he gives a mischievous, even charming reading of “Oh, Good Grief”; turns “You’re in Love, Charlie Brown” into a sweetly wistful ode to unrequited love; and delivers a poignant reading of his own original ballad, “Just Like Me.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Traditional carols include “O Tannenbaum,” highlighted by a breezy, shuffle-style bridge; a sparkling arrangement of “My Favorite Things”; a reverential approach to “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” (punctuated by another peppy bridge); and a cute, mildly deconstructed handling of “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(I couldn't help noticing that this album’s presentation of “Carol of the Bells” owes much to the way Benoit performed it on 1983’s <i>Christmastime </i>… but it’s his own arrangement, so I suppose he’s entitled.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The production end features a couple of odd quirks, starting with the lengthy silence (up to 10 seconds!) between tracks; I kept thinking the disc had stopped playing. And somebody is math challenged; the back jacket claims a running time of 68:47, when in fact it’s 52:42.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Both are inconsequential, of course, and in no way detract from what is (mostly) another solid entry in Benoit’s Christmas/Peanuts library.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjheA5Yizxs-k1DSXBEsTM077omY7Vzfa9rM8mcpv7FHTTmolM6ZN3Jn8IeW-MnhMRv0rEJ5lPjBYpI6AdnO4SEJZyDDURfOAPAMTGEvp3NB5negdc_JGmYuvXQWxO4gAJ-x01VD6nkB9Q/s400/Simone+Kopmajer.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjheA5Yizxs-k1DSXBEsTM077omY7Vzfa9rM8mcpv7FHTTmolM6ZN3Jn8IeW-MnhMRv0rEJ5lPjBYpI6AdnO4SEJZyDDURfOAPAMTGEvp3NB5negdc_JGmYuvXQWxO4gAJ-x01VD6nkB9Q/s320/Simone+Kopmajer.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Famed Austrian chanteuse Simone Kopmajer is best known for her warm and sparkling jazz chops, which makes her new holiday release — simply titled <b><i>Christmas </i></b>— something of a puzzle. The album’s 16 tracks are all over the map, in terms of genre and style: mildly swinging covers of seasonal classics, along with folk, pop and hymn-like spirituals (the latter performed in her native language).</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The jazz selections are quite tasty, starting with the album-opening reading of “Santa Baby,” with Kopmajer sounding playfully flirty (in contrast to Eartha Kitt’s much, ah, earthier reading). Kopmajer is backed by John di Martino (piano), Boris Kozlow (bass) and Reinhardt Winkler (drums). An equally lively “Jingle Bells” is highlighted by Kopmajer’s scat passages, Kozlow’s sleek walking bass and Aaron Heick’s feisty sax solo.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“White Christmas,” another mid-tempo swinger, features Dominik Fuss’ muted trumpet solo at the bridge; a leisurely, mischievous “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” grants the piano/bass/drums trio some lovely work at the bridge, followed by a sax solo. Di Martino delivers a particularly gorgeous piano solo midway through “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” while the soft arrangement of “The Christmas Song” boasts a lovely duet between Kopmajer and Allan Harris.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The folk/pop realm is acknowledged with “My Grown-Up Christmas List,” “Driving Home for Christmas” and “The Most Wonderful Time” (a Kopmajer original), none of which comes anywhere near jazz. As mentioned above, the Austrian/German selections — “Leise Rieselt Der Schnee,” “Es Wird Scho Glei Dumpa,” “Oh Heiland, Rei<span style="color: #5f6368;">ß</span>Die Himmel Auf” and “Is Finsta Drau<span style="color: #5f6368;">ß</span>t” — more properly belong in a church. They’re lovely, but a rather jarring shift from the other tracks. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Kopmajer closes with a sweetly lyrical reading of “Silent Night,” sung in both German and English, and backed by both de Martino’s piano and a background chorus.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPKp37XNdM7NqBp0wYDyvPF5_Q-wHsPLiXi6_7dgELlpS63lCTCqBwSmsw92eAERpw0wpczRDSQs-my70n_ZyKBTVtsNm2kcYC2M5_sCB207jHakXhpWuYTWRPC3WayuSW-Qe2P6nqQ8/s400/Warren+Wolf.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPKp37XNdM7NqBp0wYDyvPF5_Q-wHsPLiXi6_7dgELlpS63lCTCqBwSmsw92eAERpw0wpczRDSQs-my70n_ZyKBTVtsNm2kcYC2M5_sCB207jHakXhpWuYTWRPC3WayuSW-Qe2P6nqQ8/s320/Warren+Wolf.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Baltimore-based vibraphonist/keyboardist Warren Wolf Jr.’s jazz chops are as formidable as his mega-watt smile. His lively <b><i>Christmas Vibes </i></b>finds him joined by Jeff Reed (acoustic and electric bass) and Carroll “CV” Dashiell III (drums), with guest vocalists Allison Bordlemay, Christie Dashiell and Micah Smith popping up on a few tracks. The result is an excellent showcase for all concerned.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to the wonders of overdubbing, Wolf plays both vibes and piano: most frequently taking the melody with the former, and comping himself with the latter.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album-opening reading of “O Christmas Tree” establishes the template: punchy percussion, deft walking bass and an improv bridge that dances back and forth between vibes and piano. Wolf’s arrangement of Guaraldi’s “Skating” is a total sparkler: The descending melody is gorgeous on Wolf’s rapid-fire vibes, and (again) the vibes/piano improv bridge is lots of fun.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” is slow and solemn, the somewhat deconstructed melody augmented by lovely bass touches and a noodly bridge. “Do You Hear What I Hear?” is soft and mysterious, as if the song’s title is a whisper; Dashiell’s drums and cymbals positively “shimmer.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Dashiell establishes a strong rock ’n’ roll 4/4 beat for “This Christmas,” Wolf shifting this time to a blend of vibes and Fender Rhodes. Smith’s smooth vocal is just right for this Donny Hathaway/Nadine McKinnor classic, and Reed gets a brief (but sassy) electric bass solo at the bridge. “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” also with a strong rock beat, finds Wolf adding some tambourine touches as Bordlemay croons the lyrics.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Sleigh Ride” is simply awesome: an up-tempo, percussively furious arrangement that showcases lightning-quick vibes and bass work. It literally leaves the listener breathless. Smith’s vocal is perfect on “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” presented as a mid-tempo swinger backed by droll bass and drums, with Wolf’s cheerful piano/vibes improv building to the final line’s “Stink … stank … <i>stunk</i>,” with a drum roll between each word.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The only questionable note is the album closer: a Wolf original titled “Wake Up Little Kids, It’s Christmas.” The song can’t seem to decide what to be — church spiritual or aggressively bluesy anthem — and the mismatch is rather jarring. That track aside, this slice of Christmas Vibes is a stylish additional to any holiday playlist.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSa3wLmNQxeTL_lNknFsXNOCu7VTZn7gwvCAyauEtY_2oYZlshdOr3EaXqA2jfWjfqaGbeJwoO9UgAfnNHzyuXCF6qqGSN3QqGQsDgZBWjfbY7AdLIY9om4uquExim55N7UhQjhN1P49w/s400/Amber+Weekes.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSa3wLmNQxeTL_lNknFsXNOCu7VTZn7gwvCAyauEtY_2oYZlshdOr3EaXqA2jfWjfqaGbeJwoO9UgAfnNHzyuXCF6qqGSN3QqGQsDgZBWjfbY7AdLIY9om4uquExim55N7UhQjhN1P49w/s320/Amber+Weekes.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Southern California-based jazz chanteuse Amber Weekes has a truly gorgeous voice: warm, soulful and laden with poignant inflection. When she sings a ballad, she always sounds like every word is heartfelt. Although she’s splendidly showcased on her debut Christmas album, <b><i>The Gathering</i></b>, only half of its 10 tracks can be considered jazz. The rest are more accurately described as pop/spirituals, due mostly to producer Mark Cargill’s abundance of backing strings.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That said, the peppier numbers are a lot of fun; Weekes concludes many with playful, spoken-word “tags” that add a bit of mischief. The album highlight is an up-temp reading of “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” which swings like crazy and features solid solos by Ricky Woodard (sax) and Tony Capodonico (piano). The larkish, mid-tempo handling of “Winter Wonderland” is equally fun, thanks to Kevin Brandon’s bass licks and more tasty piano/sax from Woodard and Capodonico.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Drummer Fritz Wise lays down a heavy 4/4 beat for a bluesy reading of “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve,” with Weekes’ mildly sassy delivery making her sound <i>quite </i>eager for that upcoming evening; Jacques Lesure delivers a solid guitar solo at the bridge. Wise and bassist Adam Cohen turn “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” into a gentle bossa nova, with Weekes putting wistful angst into every word.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Andrew Carney’s soft, muted trumpet trades licks with Kevin Brandon’s bass on a swinging reading of “Let It Snow,” which Weekes turns into a teasing invitation for a snowball fight; Capodonico and Carney trade brief (but tasty!) solos at the bridge.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album concludes with a Cargill/Weekes/Gregory Cook original, which gives this album its title; unlike far too many modern efforts at new Christmas songs, this one is a captivating ear worm that has a solid shot at becoming a holiday standard.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQ4UJRlJjQqZbq-PPJB4PMGDZ07QRAUy4F7N50lZRlrOeQxuvV10d2hKwQtozrdFshghVLhC6A03qVB_fzp1sDLQxdDTrnWwzfZhSyXEMnDlvkYUyX4edkmCz8rC6G-SLzkPlL-Ayx1Y/s400/Univers+Big+Band.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="362" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQ4UJRlJjQqZbq-PPJB4PMGDZ07QRAUy4F7N50lZRlrOeQxuvV10d2hKwQtozrdFshghVLhC6A03qVB_fzp1sDLQxdDTrnWwzfZhSyXEMnDlvkYUyX4edkmCz8rC6G-SLzkPlL-Ayx1Y/s320/Univers+Big+Band.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">You’ll have a lot of fun with Univers Jazz Big Band’s <b><i>Christmas Jazz</i></b>, which hails from our French cousins across the pond. This is a sensational unit in the classic big band mold — four trumpets, four trombones, four saxes, a French horn, piano, bass, two drummers and percussion — and their playing is <i>tight</i>. The ensemble was founded in 1994 by Jean-François Durez, who handles the piano, and comprises conservatory graduates from France’s Nord-Pas-de Calais region.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Big bands always are judged by both solos and unison playing, and this group scores an A-plus with both.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Many of the arrangements are brief, with tracks clocking only two or three minutes: just enough time for an exhilarating introduction, a tasty solo at the bridge, and a reprise of the melody. The album opens with a finger-snapping swinger cheekily titled “Yo Hark! Those Angels Swing,” which boasts a peppy clarinet solo by Frédéric Vandeputte. A kick-ass reading of “Sleigh Ride” is just as much fun, highlighted by another of Vandeputte’s solos. (Longtime jazz fans will recognized Dave Wolpe’s big band arrangement, complete with concluding horse whinny.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Durez clearly likes medleys, and this album offers three. The first, “A Big Band Christmas,” touches on “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” “Jingle Bells” (with some tasty walking bass by Hubert Fardel), “O Come, All Ye Faithful” (with exquisite unison horns) and “We Three Kings” (featuring Denis Kowandy’s sleek tenor sax solo). “A Charlie Brown Christmas” cycles through a peppy reading of “Linus and Lucy” (with nice counterpoint by the horns), “O Christmas Tree,” “Skating” (the melody covered by those luxurious unison horns, rather than piano) and “Christmas Time Is Here” (with Fabrice Binoit’s achingly lovely alto sax solo).</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album’s standout track is an ambitious 12-minute medley of songs from classic Disney animated movies: not exactly holiday fare, but you’re unlikely to mind. The unison horns dominate the opening “When You Wish Upon a Star,” which is followed by “Some Day My Prince Will Come” (showcasing tenor saxman Denis Kowandy), “Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho, It’s Off to Work We Go,” “Everybody Wants to Be a Cat” (with Fred Pisson’s screaming trumpet solo), “Chim Chim Cher-ee” (with Durez taking a sleek keyboard solo against Fardel’s walking bass), “Alice in Wonderland” (offering another lovely solo by Binoit, this time on soprano sax) and a cheerful, percussion-laden “The Bare Necessities.” Sheer magic.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Half the tracks are vocals. Chanteuse Anne Vandamme’s charming French accent highlights her English-language renditions of “Everybody’s Waiting for the Man with the Bag,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (initially backed, rather unexpectedly, by a harp), and sweet, softer readings of “Let It Snow” and “The Christmas Song.” French actor and cabaret performer Smaïn Faïrouze prefers his native tongue for “Noël Blanc (White Christmas),” in a playful arrangement that feels like folks skipping hand-in-hand through a snowy landscape. His handling of the French tune “Flocon d’été (Summer Snowflake)” is more dramatic, backed by Fred Pisson’s bugle solo.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album concludes with a gorgeous duet arrangement of “A Child Is Born,” with Pisson’s bugle accompanied by Durez on vibes: a stylish way to leave us wanting much, much more.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdm9jB6buBNbG2M0GNKxRlq1x9iyivX49xGrCg5t-D6UcY5fm06R3zs7SdUp2gH16iZTFj5wF3PWHdKz0VswmqUDsOaj9KwwacGpuM-GVFDF8My1jn1kZCtR7-rwNNlCZry_WnfTTsV78/s400/Rat+Big+Band.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdm9jB6buBNbG2M0GNKxRlq1x9iyivX49xGrCg5t-D6UcY5fm06R3zs7SdUp2gH16iZTFj5wF3PWHdKz0VswmqUDsOaj9KwwacGpuM-GVFDF8My1jn1kZCtR7-rwNNlCZry_WnfTTsV78/s320/Rat+Big+Band.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Austria’s Rat Big Band, formed in 1984, is an equally large ensemble: five trumpets, four trombones, six saxes, two pianists, guitar, bass, drums and percussion. The unit favors the classic Glenn Miller approach, and in fact has made a tradition of “Miller style” concerts — complete with U.S. Army Air Force uniforms — since 2007.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The band also is celebrated for its “Swingin’ Christmas Concert,” traditionally presented on the first Sunday of Advent. Alas, COVID concerns have canceled that annual benefit this year, but all is not lost; you can attend from the comfort of your own living room, thanks to the ensemble’s <b><i>Swingin’ Christmas </i></b>album, recorded live on December 3, 2017, at Scharnstein’s Parish Church.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The overall approach is the finger-snapping medium swing favored by Miller, back in the day, along with plenty of unison horn passages in arrangements that also favor drum and unison brass “pops” along the way. The one caveat: This performance lacks the balance and crisp perfection of a studio recording, and a few instruments — notably one piano, the xylophone and some muted trumpets — aren’t properly miked, and cannot be heard well during solos.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The group opens with a punchy arrangement of “Winter Wonderland,” then slides into a smooth, somewhat dreamy reading of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” with the melody dominated by a sleek sax soloist. Various solo horns trade the melody back and forth, in a thoughtful handling of “Christmas Time Is Here,” while a soft and reverential “Silent Night” opens on solo piano, before expanding to include the full band.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A particularly catchy “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” kicks off in a punchy bossa nova style, then shifts to swing time at the bridge; heavy percussion establishes a similar Latin vibe in an equally dynamic reading of “Feliz Navidad,” with a solo sax supplying melodic counterpoint. A cute arrangement of “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” opens in peppy 4/4 time, then shifts to swing time and concludes with a quick quote from Charlie Parker’s “Salt Peanuts.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Sleigh Ride” should be peppier, and it also suffers from a piano solo that’s too faint to be appreciated; a clever arrangement of “Jingle Bells” is much more satisfying, building in intensity until its dynamic finale. It’s also nice to hear a cover of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” which opens with a lonely trumpet and slowly builds to a joyous, triumphant climax. The album concludes with a dramatic reading of “The Christmas Song”; it opens slowly, almost moodily, with unison horns backed by lovely piano filigrees, and then builds to an all-stops-out crescendo by the entire band.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The audience is quite polite, and doesn’t interferes with the music; the applause never begins until each tune’s final note has died out. Long may this band reign!</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHlKhN3TVF9RGb5FUlwUtteTOXdDovudypWRGN95rOBy1baQuXWuKocjhlrABY2QzoZMhXL2VsP_XL8zDoZolO66zY_NsuMlBPKOAEo-_sQQ_xEOqFvv96wQ4zZHXhenMZwrESIBkeVTc/s400/Bill+Cunliffe.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHlKhN3TVF9RGb5FUlwUtteTOXdDovudypWRGN95rOBy1baQuXWuKocjhlrABY2QzoZMhXL2VsP_XL8zDoZolO66zY_NsuMlBPKOAEo-_sQQ_xEOqFvv96wQ4zZHXhenMZwrESIBkeVTc/s320/Bill+Cunliffe.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I covered pianist/composer/arranger Bill Cunliffe’s <i>That Time of Year </i>— a lovely and inventive solo album — back in 2012. He has returned to the Christmas well, this time in a trio format alongside bassist Dave Robaire and drummer Marvin “Smitty” Smith, with <b><i>Christmas in the Dog House</i></b>. The cover image, and presence of several tracks by Guaraldi, suggest a partial tribute to his score for <i>A Charlie Brown Christmas</i>.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It’s also nice to see an imaginative collection of tunes, including several that rarely make holiday jazz albums: Irving Berlin’s “Snow,” from 1954’s <i>White Christmas</i>; and Ryiuchi Sakamoto’s melancholy title theme to 1983’s <i>Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence</i>. Cymbal and keyboard shimmer open the former, which boasts Cunliffe’s lightning-quick keyboard runs and a swing-time bridge; the arrangement perfectly evokes falling snowflakes. The latter’s gentle 5-6-5 motif is given a softly thoughtful reading with a slight Japanese flavor; a mainstream trio improv bridge leads to a fading percussive close.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album opens with a playful 5/4 arrangement of “Ding Dong Merrily on High,” which boasts peppy piano and bass solos, and builds to a dramatic finale. Guaraldi’s rock-flavored “Christmas Is Coming” opens with bouncy percussion that backs guest Ralph Moore’s peppy tenor sax solo, followed by more of Cunliffe’s sparkling piano work amid several key changes.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” begins as a lively jazz waltz, then slides between 3/4 and 4/4 time during a ferocious keyboard solo backed by Robaire’s cool walking bass. A lengthy reading of Guaraldi’s “Linus and Lucy” is an inventive blend of novel syncopation, key changes, lyrical bridges, more walking bass and electrifying keyboard runs.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">On a more serious note, Moore’s magisterial sax work highlights a church revival-style arrangement of “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” while a sweet arrangement of “Merry Christmas Darling” — a hit for the Carpenters, back in the day — is dominated by Cunliffe’s soft solo piano and barely heard backing on bass and drums.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The sole eyebrow lift is an “out there” reading of the 16th century carol “On This Day (Earth Shall Ring),” which gets lost amid aggressively dissonant sax work.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cunliffe concludes with a gorgeous — and quite tender — solo reading of “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">On the production end, some bright spark made a serious error; the jacket claims 11 tracks, but the disc contains only 10. The intended track 6, a cover of Percy Grainger’s “The Sussex Mummers,” is nowhere to be found.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyz7fGgu3q2NiR-F9lnn16wBMKcBwnst-GUvxq5ff9ANbukzgUnM3LnkskF_JtGFoDcZ1T22yCU0uSvQtE5sTj9BkkHbnNSQM4P1eQCfdYKMxCMiMPfDZtUVa_r1PzBsBvgxYIn5jbBe0/s400/Marco+Marzola.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyz7fGgu3q2NiR-F9lnn16wBMKcBwnst-GUvxq5ff9ANbukzgUnM3LnkskF_JtGFoDcZ1T22yCU0uSvQtE5sTj9BkkHbnNSQM4P1eQCfdYKMxCMiMPfDZtUVa_r1PzBsBvgxYIn5jbBe0/s320/Marco+Marzola.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Italian-born bassist Marco Marzola, based these days in London, has become quite a fixture in the European jazz scene. He slides between double bass and electric bass, and he takes the genre quite seriously: “Jazz is the heartbeat of the universe,” he insisted, in a 2014 interview.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">No surprise, then, that his <b><i>Jazz Christmas Celebration </i></b>offers serious chops: his own, and those of the sidemen involved in various quartet/quintet configurations. He’s joined by Steve Turre (trombone); Sherman Irby (sax and flute); Nico Menci (piano); and Darrel Green and Dion Parson (alternating on drums). Most of the album’s nine tracks are lengthy arrangements that grant plenty of space for sleek solos.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The set kicks off with a lively, mid-tempo reading of “Let It Snow,” with Irby’s sax introducing the melody and then yielding to feisty solos on piano, sax and bass. “White Christmas” opens in swing time, with Marzola’s cool walking bass backing another round of solos on sax and piano; the arrangement builds to an unexpectedly quiet — and quite lovely — finale.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Everybody is quite animated on “Winter Wonderland.” Green and Marzola open with saucy, rock-inflected percussion; Turre and Irby’s unison horns introduce the melody, and the bridge features vibrant solos on trombone, sax and piano. Menci opens “O Christmas Tree” with some saucy solo piano; Marzola’s walking bass once again compliments aggressive solos on sax, piano and drums.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The combo’s reading of “Santa Baby” is particularly droll, with Turre’s muted trombone and Irby’s flute standing in for the two “voices” generally featured in this patter song. The trombone/flute “conversation” is so clever and precise, that we can almost hear the lyrics. An unexpectedly playful 4/4 reading of “Silent Night” is just as much fun, with Marzola’s bass shadowing droll solos on sax and piano. (Rest assured, Marzola also takes plenty of his own solos.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album concludes with an eyebrow lift: an outré arrangement of “We Three Kings” completely unlike everything that has come before. That one track aside, this is a solid set of holiday jazz.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjkyaAU_JiRDMam1w1EwjjzIec1oCPI7OmwsR4fw8cRf7lpNsr90YYaISPIhFCAE99tAMybQWfQgORrzgaxbGU-xEvdPIlAPOppJ5Pb0zFXpNlMueIhNRHddPN7iC4wyoDDJ8LVx52xY/s400/Shin+Giwon.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjkyaAU_JiRDMam1w1EwjjzIec1oCPI7OmwsR4fw8cRf7lpNsr90YYaISPIhFCAE99tAMybQWfQgORrzgaxbGU-xEvdPIlAPOppJ5Pb0zFXpNlMueIhNRHddPN7iC4wyoDDJ8LVx52xY/s320/Shin+Giwon.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">South Korean pianist Shin Giwon has made a cottage industry out of Christmas music; his playlists and digital albums are all over the Web, various social media outlets, and the usual download sources.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Most are best categorized as easy listening; one compilation — <i>Relaxing Smooth Christmas Jazz Instrumental Collection </i>— could cure insomnia. Isolated tracks, on their own, are pleasant enough … but listening to 14 lethargic arrangements in a row is beyond my skill set. On top of which, slow-slow-<i>slow </i>covers of “Jingle Bell Rock” and “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” are a contradiction in terms.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But Giwon shrewdly caters to all ends of the listening spectrum, and <b><i>Happy Christmas Jazz Instrumental Collection </i></b>is a tasty trio project. His chops here are solid, and he runs the keyboard top to bottom — and back again — during the lengthy improv bridges bookended by each of these familiar holiday chestnuts.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The approach is fairly consistent, from the opening “Feliz Navidad” to the concluding “Silent Night.” The arrangements favor mid-tempo swingers; Giwon introduces the melody against gentle bass and percussion, roars through some vigorous improv against sleek walking bass, and then reprises the melody to bring the track home. He doesn’t credit sidemen anywhere, which raises suspicion regarding their existence; amplifying that notion, the bass never gets a solo, and there’s only one fleeting drum solo, in the middle of “Jingle Bells.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That said, the bass and drums elements — subtle as they are — certainly don’t <i>sound </i>canned. </span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I like Giwon’s “little touches.” He tends to land just after the beat, which always makes an arrangement more interesting; he also has a clever way of repeating the same verse — a common occurrence in Christmas songs — while making each reprise sound fresh. His lengthy handling of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” includes nods to Pachelbel’s Canon in D, while “Winter Wonderland” concludes with the call-and-response couplet, “Shave and a haircut/two bits.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Giwon gives “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” strong 4/4 backing, granting this tune a mildly sober military atmosphere, which reflects its 1943 origins as a World War II lament. “Jingle Bells” earns a particularly fiery solo, then he dials down the intensity for “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and the aforementioned “Silent Night,” which bring the album to a gentle conclusion.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Which is a good thing, because three or four of Giwon’s ferocious bridge solos, in a row, can leave one breathless!</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi005w5S4VD58ndw-bKG3V5GQbTU3PDh37HBy78yoh3C9lzvTRFBKa_5fMr-iMhgofvONuymGHStgFauv_5rNz0auWv-ycax5VBuNbrsE1F5jWeCetoqHegWB8mzNqISCxDSlC3nwrT8fg/s400/Mason+Embry.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi005w5S4VD58ndw-bKG3V5GQbTU3PDh37HBy78yoh3C9lzvTRFBKa_5fMr-iMhgofvONuymGHStgFauv_5rNz0auWv-ycax5VBuNbrsE1F5jWeCetoqHegWB8mzNqISCxDSlC3nwrT8fg/s320/Mason+Embry.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">On the gentler side, pianist Mason Embry has released a follow-up to his 2015 release, <i>Martinis & Mistletoe: Christmas Jazz Piano</i>. This one, a six-track EP, is predictably titled <b><i>Martinis & Mistletoe 2: Christmas Jazz Piano</i></b>, and is available solely as a download. His sidemen aren’t credited on this sequel — see my rant, at the top of this lengthy article — so I’m going to assume he’s still accompanied by bassist Michael Rinne, and drummer Joshua Hunt.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Embry’s approach leans toward quiet and contemplative; this is a nice set for late in the evening, when you’re relaxing with that final glass of wine. He opens with an atypically unhurried arrangement of “Frosty the Snowman,” which emphasizes the song’s sentimental nature; Embry slides into gentle swing during the bridge. An equally wistful “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” offers a similarly lyrical bridge.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The trio comes alive for a sassy handling of “Cool Yule,” with Embry’s piano backed by Rinne’s spirited walking bass; the latter is granted a brief solo during the bridge. A sparkling, mid-tempo reading of “The Man with the Bag,” also highlighted by walking bass, is just as much fun.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album highlight is a beautiful arrangement of John Williams’ “Somewhere in My Memory,” which opens with soothing solo piano, and then blossoms into gentle swing as Embry is joined by bass and drums. (Just in passing, it’s clear — exactly 30 years after the release of <i>Home Alone </i>— that Williams’ tune has become a Christmas standard. So many try to achieve as much; so few succeed.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Embry concludes with a melancholy, even haunting reading of “What’re You Doing New Year’s Eve,” which sounds as if the person asking the question expects to be turned down. Rinne’s bass again adds a nice touch, and Embry’s piano cleverly riffs the melody during a lengthy bridge: a lovely way to conclude these half-dozen tunes.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp6Gd-qr9_owi5K4JOlC4Wp_7H1SMp3pSFh1yQBAN4iAtahMbXiPOpAJoUvjB7ob4cj3py5A9vknwYKJ4MdBD73QWEitxa6pv5JPeQUhchdF3bRDajaBXU8nVl3k1vLevj4z3or2R_Gnc/s409/Monterey+Jazz+Ensemble.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp6Gd-qr9_owi5K4JOlC4Wp_7H1SMp3pSFh1yQBAN4iAtahMbXiPOpAJoUvjB7ob4cj3py5A9vknwYKJ4MdBD73QWEitxa6pv5JPeQUhchdF3bRDajaBXU8nVl3k1vLevj4z3or2R_Gnc/s320/Monterey+Jazz+Ensemble.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">To quote Winston Churchill, this one’s a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Amazon (and other sources) offer a 16-track digital album titled <b><i>A Jazzy Christmas</i></b>, credited to the Monterey Jazz Ensemble and Tommy Eyre Quintet … but the tracks are woefully mislabeled, and tracks 12-15 are identical to tracks 1, 3, 5 and 6. The only known “Monterey Jazz Ensemble” belongs to the University of Central Oklahoma, and that’s a much larger unit than any of this album’s small-combo arrangements. </span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Tommy Eyre was a well-respected British session keyboardist known for his work with Joe Cocker, B.B. King and many, many others; Eyre also worked jazz circuits — he died in 2001 — and released his own 1995 Christmas jazz album (<i>Have Yourself a Jazzy Little Christmas</i>) in a quintet format … but his sound isn’t remotely similar to what’s on this disc.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Amazon (and others) also offer a 12-track digital album titled <b><i>Jingle Bell Jazz</i></b>, credited solely to the same Monterey Jazz Ensemble. Although it lacks the repeats cited above, most of the tracks are mislabeled in exactly the same way.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That said, this doesn’t sound like Frankenmusic; it’s a tasty quartet or quintet that features sax, trumpet, keyboards, vibes, bass and drums (although the latter are almost invisible on most tracks). The approach is mellow throughout: gentle and leisurely arrangements with melodies generally taken by sax or muted trumpet, with comping via vibes or a pianist who favors chords over single-note runs. You won’t hear any burners.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The mildly whimsical “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” is typical: a leisurely reading with vibes backing muted trumpet, against a smooth descending percussion ostinato. “Silent Night” arrives as a gentle swing waltz initially dominated by piano, bass and drums, with sax taking the melody and contributing a lyrical solo. The pianist sets up a similarly calm tempo for a cute 3/4 handling of “The Holly and the Ivy.” The reading of “The 12 Days of Christmas” is quite unique: It merely repeats the first five days on either side of piano and synth solos, paying no mind to the remaining seven.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The album includes two originals, neither of which can be identified accurately. The first is a catchy ear-worm dominated by vibes, with a cheeky bass solo; the second is a soft sax and piano lament, with the two trading melody and comping.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The set concludes with a saucy reading of “Merry Christmas Baby,” which sounds completely unlike everything else, and easily could have come from an entirely different combo. A deliciously dirty sax handles the melody, against heavy 2/2 percussion; both sax and electric keyboard take raucous solos.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Curious listeners are directed to the 12-track package, although you’ll need to change most titles. As for the musicians’ identities … who the heck knows?</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoYZVR0CzX_EZdbhEZBE9HchLKrj0o1HRgV10n_tJ-xXKJWswy0k7NUiR3tvFkIPvur9gsXXn6daj2GmLFvggy4SGhi7UsgaYZW3mTcb8zX5vlGl1xMsi6lGdukisxAWVyGUtaJ30t15o/s401/Christmas+Swings.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoYZVR0CzX_EZdbhEZBE9HchLKrj0o1HRgV10n_tJ-xXKJWswy0k7NUiR3tvFkIPvur9gsXXn6daj2GmLFvggy4SGhi7UsgaYZW3mTcb8zX5vlGl1xMsi6lGdukisxAWVyGUtaJ30t15o/s320/Christmas+Swings.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The Stardust Swing Band is typical of the outfits hired to provide categorized music for the interactive audio kiosks that popped up in high-end gift stores, most of which didn’t survive the turn of the century: the Museum Store, Suncoast, Sharper Image and their numerous brethren. The ensemble put out a holiday CD titled <i>A Big Band Christmas</i>, originally released in 1993 on Metacom’s Listener’s Choice sub-label. That album has been digitally resurrected under the slightly different title of <b><i>Christmas Swings: Big Band Favorites</i></b>.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As also was typical of most such albums, the band personnel remained anonymous aside from — usually — the executive producer (in this case, David Milner). In this era of digital-only releases, even his name has been omitted.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">These 10 tracks are a pleasant collection of holiday chestnuts, presented in user-friendly arrangements that won’t challenge folks who don’t naturally gravitate toward jazz: in other words, a good choice for party hosts looking for something a bit more ambitious than so-called “smooth jazz.” The ensemble work is pleasant, in the mid-tempo swing mode; solos are lyrical, and never too long.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Good King Wenceslas” benefits from a cute arrangement against a heavy rock ’n’ roll beat; the melody yields to a bridge with pleasant trumpet and trombone solos. Engaging call-and-response between piano and trombone highlights “Deck the Halls,” while “Go Tell It on the Mountain” offers touch of electronic keyboard while building to a majestic finale.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Silent Night” is slow and reverential, with a contemplative sax bridge; “The Holly and the Ivy” boasts a lovely flute solo. The album concludes with a feisty swing version of “Carol of the Bells,” highlighted by walking bass and a solid trombone solo.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Alas, the musicality — despite rarely rising above average — is superior to the engineering. The album isn’t mixed well; the brass and piano are badly under-miked at times, and the latter occasionally sounds out of tune. The unison horns, at times, are a bit too bright and “watery.” Jazz purists are advised to look elsewhere.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And, to conclude, a few warnings:</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It’s getting harder to recognize Frankenmusic, during a casual listening experience. Musically adept programmers have advanced beyond the simplistic and insufferably repetitive bass and drum loops; these superior “parts” also are better balanced against melodic leads on keyboards or horns. (Early-gen programmers tended to focus solely on the “lead” instruments, and lacked the harmonic skill to pay similar attention to bass and drums.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As a result, it’s no longer as easy to distinguish a single “faux” track stuck amid dozens of “real” tracks in (for example) Pandora or Spotify playlists.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Packaging, though, frequently remains a red flag. A digital album titled <i>Christmas Swing: Big Band Favorites</i>— with absolutely no indication of individual musicians — almost certainly was fabricated on a computer. (That said, exceptions exist: See “library music” above.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxHjERYghy9EtcfmLjxIRteDPaEadDfor1MdKKqD9n2mixjCb1G9zTJsyP9ajRktxjxpeC9cw1L6SM-PBX2MzoIlYqAnmKJ8aSBZTCD93EPlR12H-fDx2bh5A2JQVvH_c-utl0dUW1VVo/s400/North+Pole+Jazz.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxHjERYghy9EtcfmLjxIRteDPaEadDfor1MdKKqD9n2mixjCb1G9zTJsyP9ajRktxjxpeC9cw1L6SM-PBX2MzoIlYqAnmKJ8aSBZTCD93EPlR12H-fDx2bh5A2JQVvH_c-utl0dUW1VVo/s320/North+Pole+Jazz.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Then, too, an isolated track that seems legit may reveal its programmed origins when placed alongside a dozen tracks on an album. That’s definitely the case with <b><i>Christmas Is Coming!</i></b>, a production credited to the “North Pole Jazz Band.” I find no evidence that such an outfit exists, even though somebody put more thought into the jacket art, than is customary for such projects.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The “band” is a quartet: sax, piano, bass and drums. Any one of these 12 tracks is reasonably enjoyable, following the frequent tendency to introduce the melody via sax or piano, transition to improv on one or both instruments during the bridge, and then reprise the melody for the concluding fade-out. The walking bass work on many of these tracks is reasonably complex; the double-time percussion (on “Here We Come a-Wassailing” and “Deck the Halls”) and Latin touches (on “Ding Dong, Merrily on High”) also lend a bit of variety.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But four or five tracks in, the listener will notice the absence of shading; everything is relentlessly at the same volume and intensity. There are no highs, no lows: no soft spots, no dramatic crescendos. The result quickly feels “mechanical,” as also is the case with the sax solos, all of which soon begin to sound the same.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Ironically, the album concludes with its closest thing to a legitimate track: a sweet solo piano reading of “O Come All Ye Faithful.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The rest, alas, is product … not music.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNBUlxorm2zT0bKdcj_rm06c5X11EKoEeVV7DVHRZ_TPB54M8hAwuU-32n93XExWHoxdCO18Daa00lYMrV9OTWnuIdbgPSP2XrYSkWZd5761ontNdcOc1JZvwUYuTOmLiq0H1eSi2gtk/s401/Stockholm+Jazz.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNBUlxorm2zT0bKdcj_rm06c5X11EKoEeVV7DVHRZ_TPB54M8hAwuU-32n93XExWHoxdCO18Daa00lYMrV9OTWnuIdbgPSP2XrYSkWZd5761ontNdcOc1JZvwUYuTOmLiq0H1eSi2gtk/s320/Stockholm+Jazz.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The Stockholm Jazz Quartet’s <b><i>Christmas Jazz Music 2019 </i></b>is a flat-out lie in every respect: This isn’t a quartet, it isn’t jazz, and it isn’t even Christmas music … and I rather doubt anybody involved hails from Stockholm. This is unimaginatively programmed swill, with supposed input from players on sax, trumpet, keyboards, electric guitar, bass and drums … when, in fact, everything is cooked up on a synth.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Many of the tracks are originals, with mood-suggestive titles such as “Very Soft & Easy,” “Jazz Lounge,” “Christmas Eve: Piano Music” and “Christmas Jazz Piano.” Every one sounds like an incomplete gentle lullaby or music box theme: haphazard noodling on a supposed piano and child’s xylophone.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Even the tracks with familiar titles — “White Christmas,” “Jingle Bells” and so forth — offer no more than a measure or two of the appropriate melody, before soaring off into random dissonant directions. That would be acceptable, if the result were pleasant to the ear … but it isn’t. The proverbial chimpanzee at a keyboard could do better.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The faux instrumentation and arrangements vary a bit — “sax” and “trumpet” trading off during “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” a fitful attempt at swing time in “O Holy Night” — but the result, each time, always sounds the same. On top of which, all the tracks just trail off or stop abruptly, rather than concluding in any reasonable manner.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is the worst sort of junk. Stay well away.</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></div>Derrick Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12885694730612878577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-30860340085623443162019-12-04T07:36:00.000-08:002019-12-04T07:38:10.860-08:00Holiday Jazz 2019: Plenty of tasty stocking-stuffers<i style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">[Web master’s note: Northern California film critic Derrick Bang — still the eldest, youngest and only son of this site’s primary jazz guru, Ric Bang — has surveyed the holiday jazz scene for 23 years, with lengthy columns that just keep growing. Check out previous columns by clicking on the CHRISTMAS label below.]</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let’s start with a blast from the past, finally (<i>finally!</i>) making its debut on CD.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Longtime holiday jazz fans have always prized the Ramsey Lewis Trio’s two classic albums: 1961’s <i>Sound of Christmas </i>and 1964’s <i>More Sounds of Christmas</i>. Both initially were released by Argo and then reissued by Cadet and Chess; the first one went digital in 1989, first on Chess/MCA, and then on Verve. The second album logically should have hit CD simultaneously … but that didn’t happen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Three decades passed (!). Then, just a few months ago, Verve quietly issued </span><i>More Sounds of Christmas </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">on CD. Modern listeners now can delight in the trio’s droll handling of “Snowbound,” “We Three Kings” and “Jingle Bells” — the latter a particularly saucy arrangement — and numerous other seasonal chestnuts, along with a couple of originals (“Egg Nog” and “Plum Puddin’ ”). <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The hitch: Five of the 10 tracks are accompanied by syrupy strings, which’ll raise an eyebrow or two. (Oh, well.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Folks just starting a holiday jazz collection will be delighted by New Continent’s </span><i>Christmas Hits: Jazz, Lounge and Rhythm & Blues</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">. This three-disc anthology offers 25 iconic tracks in each of the three genres. The <i>Christmas Jazz </i>CD features classics by Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Kenton, Mel Tormé, Chet Baker and many others. <i>Christmas Lounge </i>is laden with vocals by Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Johnny Mathis, Judy Garland, Eartha Kitt, Julie London and others. <i>Christmas Rhythm & Blues</i>, finally, is a smorgasbord featuring The Cadillacs, Brenda Lee, Elvis, Chuck Berry, The Drifters and much more.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With 75 tracks for slightly less than $13, you can’t go wrong!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">As this survey was going to bed, Santa dropped a copy of up-and-coming vocalist Rebecca Angel’s CD single cover of </span>“Santa Baby.”<span style="font-weight: normal;">Considerable bravery is required to tackle this classic, in the wake of Eartha Kitt’s iconic 1953 version, along with respectable later covers by Kylie Minogue and Madonna. To her credit, Angel has the appropriate little-girl coo, and her flirty reading is backed by a tasty quintet: Dennis Angel (Flugelhorn), Jason Miles (keyboards), Jonah Prendergast (guitar), Reggie Washington (bass) and Brian Dunne (drums).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But will it stand the test of time? Hard to say. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now, let’s see what else Santa brought jazz fans this year (or recently, anyway) …<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Christmas with Tony Glausi </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">is a lovely album from the New York-based trumpeter, keyboardist and composer, who has been hailed as a “great writer and a terrific trumpet player” by no less than Burt Bacharach.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Glausi’s holiday album offers a variety of configurations — duet, quartet and octet — and the results are enjoyable all around. The arrangements favor the traditional style that introduces a familiar tune via one or two verses, then launches into one or more improvisational solos, and then concludes with a reprise of the melody. Glausi is a generous leader; he grants ample space to his sidemen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most of the tracks feature a quartet, with Glausi joined by George Colligan (piano), Tom Wakeling (bass) and Jason Palmer (drums). The album opens with a perky, mid-tempo swing arrangement of “Frosty the Snowman,” which deftly suggests the waddle of that corpulent Christmas spirit. The reading is highlighted by cool walking bass and Colligan’s lengthy piano solo; the latter gets a sparkling improv solo during a similarly lively handling of “Greensleeves,” backed by a rolling rhythm section and Glausi’s sparkling trumpet work.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Winter Wonderland” is an equally jovial mid-tempo swinger, with energetic solos by Colligan and Wakeling; Ghausi’s muted trumpet delivery of the melody sounds almost mocking, as if itching for a snowball fight. Muted trumpet also handles the melody on “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” which is softer and slower, with a whimsical tone that belies the song’s melancholy lyrics.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ghausi shifts personnel for “O Tannenbaum,” accompanied now by Lee Burlingame (alto sax), Josh Hettwer (tenor sax and clarinet), Matt Hettwer (trombone), Jack Radsliff (guitar), Leo Bae (piano), Garrett Baxter (bass) and Ken Mastrogiovanni (drums). This strong 4/4 arrangement is very “front forward,” with the melody carried by the full horn section. The octet goes full-throttle with a double-time arrangement of “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” with ferocious drumming and bass backing vibrant trumpet and sax solos.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Alternatively, the octet turns quiet for a somber reading of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” which opens with a gentle guitar/muted trumpet duet on the melody; the arrangement expands as the other horns enter, but the tone remains solemn.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The approach is equally hushed on Ghausi and Radsliff’s two duet numbers: an unusually soft arrangement of “O Christmas Tree,” and a poignant “Silent Night,” with Ghausi’s sweet trumpet backed by Radsliff’s soft guitar comping. The latter concludes the album, and it’s a lovely track with which to depart a thoroughly enjoyable program.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh3PM5kQl_VuffrgWNThgC-nhxaQ3u8-Ge54hPd0EoBYw9cQgM0Spp48K37vtrIBGa_JEkYrPIlJUJwzfSRUj21Yy8eeriG0qLEKUFCDNyfMlroxuZN9BH5gBvS24nkVPy-Dx6I9Ljv9M/s1600/Craig+Fraedrich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh3PM5kQl_VuffrgWNThgC-nhxaQ3u8-Ge54hPd0EoBYw9cQgM0Spp48K37vtrIBGa_JEkYrPIlJUJwzfSRUj21Yy8eeriG0qLEKUFCDNyfMlroxuZN9BH5gBvS24nkVPy-Dx6I9Ljv9M/s320/Craig+Fraedrich.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">It seems to be the year for jazz trumpet players. Virginia-based Craig Fraedrich spent three decades as a featured soloist with The U.S. Army Blues, while also serving as music director and trumpet section leader; aside from his solo career as combo leader and sideman, he also teaches at Shenandoah University, where I’ve no doubt his Pujé trumpet gets considerable exercise.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">It certainly does on </span><i>Silent Night: A Cool Capital Christmas Carol</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">, a terrific collection of holiday chestnuts that slides from Chet Baker “cool” to Miles Davis “hard bop.” This album is aimed more at jazz lovers; only the barest traces of melody open and close each track, most of which run long, granting plenty of room for sometimes stratospheric improv solos by Fraedrich, Jim Roberts (guitar), Regan Brough (bass) and Larry Ferguson (drums).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The stage is set with the album-opening “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” an up-tempo swinger with a nod toward “Killer Joe,” and lengthy solos that’ll raise a smile from listeners who enjoy challenging chromatic harmonies. Brough’s peppy walking bass brings even more sass to “Sleigh Ride,” which offers some particularly tasty guitar comping behind Fraedrich’s horn work.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">His touch turns positive plaintive on a gentle, samba-style handling of “Mary Did You Know,” which also boasts Roberts’ fine guitar licks. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is equally tender — almost folksy — with a delivery that borrows from the jazz lullaby “Little Darlin’.” And everybody will recognize Miles Davis’ “All Blues” rhythmic backing on a “Silent Night” that’s anything but, in a cheeky arrangement that plays with time signatures.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A few of the solos go pretty far “out there,” notably on a minor blues waltz handling of “Carol of the Bells.” It opens against hypnotic drums, bass and guitar; Fraedrich subsequently sails out of sight during his lengthy solo. “Coventry Carol” begins deceptively: initially a slow rubato trumpet/guitar duet that abruptly blossoms into a mid-tempo swinger highlighted by lengthy solos from everybody.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The album closes with a double-time arrangement of “Good King Wenceslas,” wherein Brough <i>really </i>goes to town; Fraedrich and Roberts maintain the pace during their equally ferocious solos. After which, listeners also will be out of breath … while hastening to play the album again from the beginning.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGQc8BGw6kfjOXd4W6W9MgcHaa94p_6qNCRaQDvaZEj_fv4QnXVgQu86OTspD4VZAizRNX2ib0evoiNiqSofqzM0Jl9XvWZ16KqpAb2awsMzZKghpbXIuklj5VxUah3eX9Ozi6p0NPbAQ/s1600/Jody+Nardone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGQc8BGw6kfjOXd4W6W9MgcHaa94p_6qNCRaQDvaZEj_fv4QnXVgQu86OTspD4VZAizRNX2ib0evoiNiqSofqzM0Jl9XvWZ16KqpAb2awsMzZKghpbXIuklj5VxUah3eX9Ozi6p0NPbAQ/s320/Jody+Nardone.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">Nashville-based jazz pianist Jody Nardone maintains an impressively busy performance schedule, and for the past several years has included holiday tribute concerts to Vince Guaraldi’s iconic music from <i>A Charlie Brown Christmas</i>. 2018’s sold-out show took place in front of an enthusiastic audience at Nashville’s City Winery; the gig was recorded and has just been released as (no surprise) </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A Charlie Brown Christmas</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nardone, a veritable keyboard monster, is joined by trio members Jerry Navarro (acoustic bass) and Chris Brown (drums). The lengthy concert includes covers of every track from Guaraldi’s 1965 album, along with additional treats. Although easily capable of replicating Vince’s gentle bossa nova touch — as evidenced by the album’s opening medley of “The Great Pumpkin Waltz” and “Thanksgiving Theme,” and also during “What Child Is This” — Nardone is much more aggressive with his improvisational bridges. He favors ambitious chord structures, whereas Guaraldi leaned toward single-note runs and filigrees.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That distinction is key; it makes this album’s listening experience pleasantly familiar, but by no means slavish.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nardone’s improv work is playful during “O Tannenbaum” and “The Charlie Brown Theme,” and his “Christmas Time Is Here” is soft, sweet and lyrical, with a lovely keyboard interlude at the bridge. These early tracks definitely channel Guaraldi, but Nardone’s own style becomes more prominent as the performance proceeds. The shift occurs during the quintessential “Linus and Lucy,” when Nardone makes the second bridge distinctly his own.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The audience subsequently gets a couple of engaging “his and mine” examples, starting with Nardone’s “Guaraldi version” of a fleeting melody (“Surfin’ Snoopy”) heard in the TV special — during a comic encounter between Schroeder, Lucy and Snoopy — but not included on the original album. Having tickled patrons’ memories, Nardone and trio then launch into <i>their </i>version of “Surfin’ Snoopy”: a double-time blast of energy with jaw-dropping solos by all three musicians.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This one-two punch repeats with Nardone’s solo keyboard duplication of Schroeder’s nod to Beethoven, on “Fur Elise.” But that’s not <i>Christmas jazz</i>, Nardone cheekily insists, at which point he and the trio launch into a lively blend of Beethoven and Brubeck/Desmond, with an arrangement dubbed “Five Elise.” Once again, the dynamic solos bring down the house.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The cutest interlude comes when Nardone instructs the audience on how to deliver the chanting elements of Guaraldi’s arrangement of “My Little Drum,” and then performs the tune to the Nashville crowd’s impressively accurate unison vocal. <i>Very </i>inspiring.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Other highlights include Nardone’s gentle, achingly sweet solo piano arrangement of “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing”; his great keyboard runs during the lyrical “Skating”; and the ambitious chord work and tempo shifts during the rock-inflected “Christmas Is Coming.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The trio obliges the call for encores with engaging covers of “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” By which point, the listener has had plenty of merry, but the experience has been <i>far </i>above little.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">One of Colorado’s favorite swing bands, After Midnight, has been entertaining fans for slightly more than two decades. Clarinetist Roger Campbell leads the sextet, whose sound will evoke smiles from Benny Goodman fans; Campbell is supported by Mike McCullough (guitar), Rick Weingarten (vibes, bells and percussion), Jerry Weiss (piano), Dwight Thompson (bass) and Jim Moore (drums).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Their holiday album is appropriately titled </span><i>Christmas Time Is Here</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">, given that the combo covers that title song and two of Guaraldi’s other compositions from <i>A Charlie Brown Christmas</i>. Campbell’s clarinet takes the lead in a spirited reading of “Skating,” trading the cascading melody with Weiss’ piano; the up-tempo jazz waltz expands to include an equally feisty vibes solo, after which Campbell and Weiss bring the tune home.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Piano and guitar trade the melody during an equally vibrant “Linus and Lucy,” in an arrangement that favors McCullough’s rambunctious guitar solo during the single swing bridge. (The song traditionally has two.) The group dials the action down for the traditionally slow and sweet title song, highlighted by a gentle vibes solo backed by tasty guitar comping.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Thompson, Weingarten and Moore lay down a rhythm line right out of “Caravan,” for a terrific version of “We Three Kings” that shifts into swing time after the first verse; “Jingle Bells” is cleverly mashed into Miles Davis’ “All Blues,” and the delicious result should be titled “Jingle Blues.” The group also gets playful with “Angels We Have Heard on High,” transforming that carol into a 5/4 swinger highlighted by lengthy improv solos on clarinet and piano.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Carol of the Bells” becomes a sleek jazz waltz with some tasty bass work during the bridge; “Winter Wonderland” surrounds clarinet, guitar and piano solos with a melody tweaked by intriguing syncopation touches; a thoughtful, somber “Silent Night” features lovely piano comping behind the clarinet melody, and tasty walking bass behind Weiss’ improv solo.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Weingarten supplies a beautiful solo reading of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,” and I’ll now forever associate that carol with solo vibes. Droll clarinet, guitar and piano highlight an original appropriately titled “A Campbell Christmas.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My one caveat is the wish that McCullough had resisted the impulse to sing on five of these 15 tracks. He’s certainly heartfelt, and usually croons only one or two quick verses before turning the rest of the song over to his comrades, but his vocal chops aren’t in the same league as the instrumentalists … which is particularly true during an ill-advised handling of “Mary’s Little Boy.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But that’s a minor kerfuffle. This is otherwise a thoroughly enjoyable album, and well deserving full rotation during a holiday gathering.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Don’t be alarmed by the CD cover art, which fails to mention any human beings, and therefore makes the disc look suspiciously like a Frankenmusic production. That was a lamentable art department decision.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">New York-based composer, educator and jazz guitarist Dave Stryker first entered the holiday scene with 2005’s <i>Six String Santa</i>, a sassy solo album that blended straight-ahead arrangements with some post-bop pizzazz. His second seasonal release, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eight Track Christmas</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">, is a group project with regular sidemen Stefon Harris (vibes), Jarod Gold (organ) and McClenty Hunter (drums and percussion). </span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The result is a tasty collection of traditional mainstream arrangements; the overall approach is mellow and mid-tempo. Each track opens and closes with a familiar melody, bookending lively improv solos by each combo member. (My one objection is that — for the most part — the sequence remains the same: a guitar solo, followed by solos on vibes and organ. Switching up the order a bit would offer more variety.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The album opens with a smooth handling of Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas,” with Hunter’s soft rhythm backing a melody traded between guitar and vibes, and a bridge that offers the aforementioned improv solos. Aside from this and similar opportunities for Gold to shine individually, his organ work functions primarily as background color for Stryker and Harris, who display an effortless give-and-take that bespeaks plenty of practice together.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Happy Christmas (War Is Over)” is gentle, Gold’s organ comping positively wistful, while the others deliver doleful solos that reflect a message that the world has yet to embrace; “What Child Is This” is mysterious and somber, although it concludes with a droll quote from “My Favorite Things.” Hunter sits out a particularly peaceful “Christmas Time Is Here,” with Stryker and Harris gently trading the melody during a slow and thoughtful arrangement. “Blue Christmas” has an appropriately country twang against a strong four-beat.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Things heat up during a sassy, double-time handling of “Sleigh Ride.” Hunter establishes a ferocious beat that enhances some equally feisty improv from Harris; indeed, many of his solos are all over the place (and I mean that as a compliment). Fun as this track is, it’s bested by “Soulful Frosty,” a clever mash-up of “Frosty the Snowman” and Young-Holt Unlimited’s iconic 1968 hit, “Soulful Strut.” The result is wildly entertaining, although the fiery “soul” tends to melt the fleeting traces of “snowman.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The program concludes with a swinging arrangement of “O Tannenbaum,” which grants each musician one final chance to exit with some sassy improv. I expect this album to get heavy rotation during this year’s holiday jazz radio shows.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">Its title notwithstanding, the holiday album by Steve Bradley and the BMS Project strays rather frequently from jazz. </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christmas Jazzpressions </i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">boasts some nifty tracks, but others fall under the heading of “thoughtful” or “pretty” … which is to say, they ain’t swingers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That’s a shame, because at times Bradley is an inventive arranger who clearly enjoys playing with time signatures. A mash-up of “We Three Kings” and “Good King Wenceslas” slides between 5/4 and 6/4 time, Derrick Siebert (sax) and Ryan Nottingham (trumpet) cleverly counterpointing each other on the two melodies. A similarly inventive 5/4 handling of “Angels We Have Heard on High” also boasts fine work by Siebert and Nottingham, particularly with improv solos during a 4/4 swing bridge powered by Ron De La Vega (bass), Peter Young (drums and percussion) and Matt Schaffner (additional percussion).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bradley highlights a cool samba arrangement of “What Child Is This” with his rhythmic piano melody and solo; a dramatic reading of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” is highlighted by plenty of sax and trumpet, with Bradley comping skillfully in the background. He and Nottingham dial down the intensity for a thoughtful duet mash-up of “In the Bleak Midwinter” and “Going Home,” the piano and horn supporting each other quite smoothly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sax and piano duel playfully on “Christmas Bossa Nova Blues,” a Bradley original that is engaging, but doesn’t stray anywhere near a holiday mood; another original, “Waltz for Snoopy,” is a whimsical trifle with little substance. Delicate covers of “O Come Emmanuel” and “While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks”/“Away in a Manger” are sweet, but they’re not jazz.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Guitarist Mark Liesenger solos and also croons on “Christmas in Vienna,” his own original: a lyrical little waltz tune that veers toward syrupy sentimentality. His vocal chops nonetheless are better than Bradley, who makes the mistake of singing along with his own keyboard and violin duet; the result leaves something to be desired.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even so, it’s clear — given more discipline — that this combo can deliver the goods.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">BRIEFLY NOTED:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">• Annie Booth has an inventive touch with arrangements, which has much to do with the delights to be found on her holiday release, </span><i>Festive! </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">The Denver-based pianist/composer is joined by recurring trio members Patrick McDevitt (bass) and Alejandro Castaño (drums), and their comradeship shows; they’re a tight little combo, with each musician in that “mind-reading” groove that bespeaks plenty of practice and performance time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Booth’s approach is nothing fancy; she enjoys tweaking syncopation, tempo and time signatures, and she’ll unexpectedly re-cast a familiar major-key tune into an intriguing minor or diminished mode. This is evident in the album-opening handling of “White Christmas,” with Booth’s feisty keyboard chops accompanied by McDevitt’s sleek walking bass. “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” turns into a bright, mid-tempo swinger also highlighted by walking bass and Booth’s lively improv during the bridge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Silent Night” earns a more thoughtful approach, as befits this gentle carol; the minor key counterpoint is quite effective. A leisurely reading of “The Christmas Song” is particularly heartfelt, with McDevitt once again supplying lovely counterpoint; Castaño cheekily inserts some jingle bells as the tune concludes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” is a droll, raucous swinger punctuated by a brief but wholly appropriate vocal; “Carol of the Bells” benefits from tempo shifts that alternately accelerate and decelerate, and Booth inserts a thoughtful improv solo during the bridge. The program concludes with “Auld Lang Syne,” re-cast as a toe-tapping New Orleans shuffle: a lively finish to a thoroughly enjoyable album.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">• Grammy Award-winning blues singer, guitarist and songwriter Keb Mo (born Kevin Roosevelt Moore) waited almost four decades — after his 1980 debut album, <i>Rainmaker </i>— to release a holiday disc. And although he covers some Christmas blues classics, </span><i>Moonlight, Mistletoe & You </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">is unexpectedly mainstream for an artist regarded as a “living link to the seminal Delta blues.” Two tracks are even fully orchestrated.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The album opens with an unexpectedly upbeat take on Charles Brown’s “Please Come Home for Christmas,” with cheerfully funky instrumentation backing Mo’s optimistic reading of the lyrics. A duet with Melissa Manchester on “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” is fun and flirty: one of the fully orchestrated arrangements, backed by strings, brass and sax, and further highlighted by Mike Pachelli’s lovely guitar solo.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Longtime fans will be delighted by the pure blues handling of Teddy Edwards’ “Santa Claus, Santa Claus,” backed by Mo’s wailin’ electric guitar and Phil Madeira’s saucy keyboard touches. Charley Jordan’s equally classic “Santa Claus” blues gets a similarly heavy dose of Mississippi spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Half of the 10 tracks are Mo originals, highlighted by a pair of lovely romantic ballads: the title song, accompanied by Gerald Albright’s playfully sexy sax solo; and “One More Year with You,” with Shelly Berg’s grand piano touches and full orchestration backing a sweetly sentimental reflection on the end of the holiday season, and the pleasure of anticipating another full year with one’s sweetheart.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The whimsical “Christmas Is Annoying,” in hilarious contrast, is a spiritual descendent of Bob Dorough’s 1962 hit, “Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern)”: a similarly cynical take on the exploitative commercial elements that obscure the true meaning of Christmas. (It was true in ’62, and it’s still true today.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It’s darn near impossible to introduce a new holiday tune that’ll stand the test of time, but I’ve got money on “Moonlight, Mistletoe & You.” Let’s check back in 25 years.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">• Keyboardist Michelle Pollace’s </span><i>A Latin Jazz Christmas </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">is a tasty little EP that offers a quartet of traditional carols given a lively salsa/bossa nova twist. She’s joined by Ron Sotelo (bass), Sam Sotelo (drums, timbales) and Willie Garza (congas, bongos, chekere and bells), with guest musician Lucy Skystone adding some violin touches to the album opener — a playful cha-cha arrangement of “Deck the Halls” — in order to “capture that classic charanga orquesta vibe” (to quote Pollace’s notes).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The mood is more serious on “What Child Is This,” which is transformed into a rolling waltz with Pollace’s piano work turning positively magisterial. Sotelo takes a sleek bass solo at the bridge, and Pollace makes the final verse mildly mysterious, by switching the melody to a minor key. She favors flowery arpeggios and also has an engaging tendency to jump ahead of the beat — or lag behind it — which makes her arrangements more provocative.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Joy to the World” is slower and more reverential, the familiar melody slightly deconstructed into a series of descending and ascending motifs; the percussion work is a bit gentler here, as befits the tone. “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” is the disc’s sole disappointment; Pollace’s shift to electric keyboard is a nice twist, but the rhythm section sounds too “canned” (and since she’s also credited for shakers and loops, I’d argue this track relies too heavily on the latter).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pollace knows when to get off the stage. At slightly more than 16 minutes, this EP is just the right length; too many Latin-ized holiday albums rapidly turn monotonous, with rhythmic backing that sounds all the same. Pollace’s arrangements are unique enough to satisfy throughout.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">• Pianist Terry Lower, on the other hand, doesn’t know when to get out of his own way. His trio’s </span><i>Sleigh Ride </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">has some lovely moments, but too much of the disc is marred by over-production and the highly irritating presence of strings, invariably in the unvarying rising and falling of canned computer elements. He should have trusted his basic trio configuration — alongside Ray Tini (bass) and Larry Ochiltree (drums and percussion) — because they’re just fine, without any extraneous “sweetening.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The proof comes with his combo’s handling of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” which offers Tini’s cool walking bass against Lower’s keyboard lead; the arrangement is peppier than usual for this song, with a nifty keyboard change toward the end. “What Child Is This” is even more fun; it opens with some lively piano/bass interplay, then slides into a double-time bridge with a hint of salsa. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An up-tempo “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” is flat-out sassy, again with slick walking bass behind Lower’s melody. He takes a sparkling improv bridge on this one: a bit more ambitious than his usual approach, which favors single-note runs over more ambitious chord structures.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A whimsical arrangement of “Sleigh Ride” boasts cute “galloping” percussion touches, but the track is marred by the aforementioned faux strings … as is the case with a slow waltz handling of “Silent Night.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most of the remaining tracks feature vocals by Edye Evans Hyde, and that’s another weakness; she often slides upwards while seeking the proper note, and she hits a decidedly bad one at the beginning of a wildly overwrought handling of “Christmas Time Is Here.” She also can’t come anywhere near the energy required by “O Holy Night.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ironically, her scatting is far more successful than her singing, as demonstrated by her animated efforts on a double-time “Winter Wonderland,” and an equally enthusiastic “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.” The latter includes a nice guitar solo by guest artist Mike Hyde. Even so, the overall disc is too uneven to warrant a thumbs-up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">• John Basile’s </span><i>Silent Night </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">is equally disappointing. He has the chops, performance and recording history to warrant his billing as a jazz guitarist, but you’d never know it from this disc. Almost all arrangements are gentle and undemanding, aside from modestly peppy stand-outs such as “Silver Bells” and an unexpectedly up-tempo reading of “What Child Is This?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I’m more dismayed by the fact that all backing “instrumentation” is computer-generated, which Basile cheekily describes as “MIDI technology to create colorful textures against ‘live’ jazz guitar improvisations.” In other words, Frankenmusic backing. Doesn’t matter how it’s defined; the result — notably keyboard and percussion touches — can’t help sounding canned and redundant.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some of Basile’s arrangements also don’t quite succeed. Although he tries for contrasting guitar “voices” on “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” the song simply doesn’t work without its flirty lyrics performed by sparring lovers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Basile’s guitar work is pleasant throughout, but this album doesn’t come within shouting distance of deserving its claim of “jazz improvisations.” This is true background music, and that’s not meant as a compliment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">• Les McCann’s </span><i>A Time Les Christmas </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">is an odd duck, particularly coming from a keyboardist/vocalist who was one of the early innovators of “soul jazz” back in the late 1960s and ’70s. One therefore expects this program to emphasize bluesy, rumbling vocals against funk-laden backing, much like the album-opening arrangement of “Merry Christmas Baby”; it oozes saucy blues, with McCann’s throaty growl backed by Bobby Sparks’ Hammond B3 and Josh Sklair’s sleek guitar solo at the bridge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“This Christmas” is a similarly cheeky mid-tempo swinger; McCann shares space with Ricky Peterson’s cool electric piano solo. And “Let It Snow” finds McCann backed by a full big band; the tune opens with a flourish of unison brass, then slides into toe-tapping swing, highlighted by Michael Wolff’s deft piano solo against John Patitucci’s walking bass.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Alas, that’s it for the cool stuff. The remaining seven tracks vary from maudlin, string-laden arrangements burdened by the monotonous drums and percussion of mediocre smooth jazz — “The Christmas Song” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” being typical examples — and overwrought, spoken-word patter songs that seem to have been lifted from a church service. A McCann original titled “The Gift” is particularly egregious: insufferably syrupy, and burdened further by a relentlessly repetitive single line.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“My Christmas Heart,” another McCann original, is an instrumental piece that wanders bewilderingly from tasty swing touches — McCann on piano, accompanied by Del Atkins (bass) and Stix Hooper (drums) — to the sort of phrasing one would expect to back a jubilation choir. The 54-second final track, a solemn, single-verse reading of “Away in a Manger,” merely reinforces the liturgical atmosphere. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At which point, listeners will wonder what the heck happened to the blues and swing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">• Although I’ve long been drawn to piano trios, guitar trios can be equally tasty; portions of the Anthony Pieruccini Trio’s </span><i>Figgy Pudding </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">definitely fall into that category. The trio designation is somewhat misleading, since half of this album’s tracks add Josh Spada’s sax chops to the mix. The approach slides between jazz (with Pieruccini usually on acoustic guitar) and rock/fusion (electric guitar), and the transitions can be jarring. That said, the jazz-inflected arrangements make the album a worthwhile purchase.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An up-tempo reading of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” is a lot of fun, with the melody shifting between 4/4 swing and waltz time; the interplay between Pieruccini’s guitar and Spada’s sax gives the improv bridge some sparkle. Jeremy Blouch’s walking bass enlivens an equally peppy “Jingle Bells,” given a strong four-beat by drummer/percussionist Nick Kochanek.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Blouch’s bass work also highlights a mid-tempo reading of “Good King Wenceslas”; and Kochanek turns “Up on the Housetop” into a vibrant, New Orleans-style strut, with the droll sax melody yielding to feisty guitar and sax solos at the bridge. A mid-tempo “Angels We Have Heard on High” flat-out swings, and is highlighted by more solid improv guitar work.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The rock-inflected arrangements are less successful. Pieruccini’s electric guitar is inappropriately harsh for “Mary Did You Know,” a carol that demands a softer, more respectful treatment. The rock ’n’ roll touch is better employed on a majestic arrangement of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.” A rolling, rhythmic jazz waltz handling of “Greensleeves” also veers into rock as the arrangement proceeds.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The album concludes with a brief — but soft and quite sweet — solo guitar reading of “O Tannenbaum,” at which point Pieruccini and his mates gracefully exit the stage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">• Jazz/classical guitarist Peter Curtis has performed and recorded with notable jazz and blues musicians such as James Carter, Taj Mahal and James Moody, and he garnered all manner of accolades for his 2005 quartet album <i>Swing State</i>. That said, his new holiday release — </span><i>Christmas with your Jewish Boyfriend </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">— doesn’t come within shouting distance of jazz. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It’s nonetheless a lovely album that showcases Curtis’ lyrical solo guitar chops. The title is a droll reference to the ironic fact that many (most?) of our “modern” Christmas tunes came from Jewish songwriters.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Curtis opens with sparkling arrangements of “Winter Wonderland” and “White Christmas,” and then shifts to a quieter, contemplative approach on the wistful “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” He takes a sweet, exploratory solo during a lengthy bridge, then returns to the familiar melody as the track concludes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">His up-tempo handling of “Sleigh Ride” is vibrant, perky and fun; “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” benefits from intriguing time signature twists. And he somehow makes his guitar sound “female” and sexy during a droll arrangement of “Santa Baby.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The album concludes with an original Curtis tune that gives the album its title; he croons the droll lyrics with a heartfelt earnestness that compensates for vocal chops that display more sincerity than range. The song concludes with a brief quote from “Jingle Bells,” at which point you’ll likely want to play the album again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• A cappella groups have become quite the rage of late, and Accent is one of the best. The sextet is novel in that its members hail from many different countries: tenors Simon Åkesson (Sweden), Jean-Baptiste Craipeau (France), Danny Fong and Andrew Kesler (both Canada); baritone James Rose (UK); and bass Evan Sanders (USA). Their harmonizing is gorgeous and quite “full”; you’d often swear they were backed by an instrument or two.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">That’s actually the case with their holiday release,</span><i>Christmas All the Way </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">… but only sometimes. The album opens with a brisk a cappella medley of “Ding Dong Merrily on High,” “What Child Is This” and “O Christmas Tree,” which highlights the lively vocal interplay. Another a cappella number — “Jul, Jul, Strålande Jul” (in Swedish) — is pretty, but nowhere near jazz; the same is true of the two songs — “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “O Holy Night” — backed by the string-laden Budapest Scoring Orchestra.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the other hand, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and “Let it Snow” get plenty of swing from Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band. The former opens with vibrant piano and bass, after which the band roars for almost two minutes; the vocalists then trade lyrics and licks with the instrumentalists until the tune’s swinging finale. “Let it Snow” boasts an equally ferocious band intro, along with clever syncopation and a great instrumental bridge highlighted by Arturo Sandoval’s sparkling trumpet solo.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“The Christmas Song” is a softer, slower ballad, with the vocalese supported by tasty piano comping; Don Shelton contributes a lengthy, lyrical clarinet solo during the bridge. “A Holly Jolly Christmas” gets a funkified makeover, with George Shelby’s saucy sax solo backed by cool vocal comping. An a cappella “Petit Papa Noël,” in French, is literally a finger-snapper; the lyrics are crooned to a slow swing beat.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Those who enjoy tight-tight-<i>tight </i>a cappella groups will love this album; jazz fans must be content with only half the tracks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">• James Morrison is all over </span><i>This Is Christmas</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">, and not merely because he’s the name attraction; during the course of this baker’s dozen of holiday chestnuts, he rotates between trumpet, trombone, alto horn, flugelhorn, piccolo trumpet, tenor sax and Hammond organ. He’s accompanied by the Ray Brown Trio — Brown, bass; Benny Green, piano; and Jeff Hamilton, drums — and when they cook, they <i>really </i>cook. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This quartet, in turn, is backed by Berlin’s RIAS Orchestra … and therein lies the disc’s identity crisis. Roughly half the tracks are leisurely to mid-tempo big band swingers; the others slide between easy-listening orchestral, and magisterial “church brass.” The latter are pretty and reverential, but they ain’t jazz … and it’s frustrating to hear the quartet’s jazz elements overpowered by strings and (in one notorious case) <i>woo-woo/ah-ah </i>choir vocalese.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That said, the album opens with a marvelous mid-tempo handling of “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” with solid solos on sax, drums and trumpet; the arrangement concludes with a three-note Count Basie flourish guaranteed to prompt a smile. Hamilton sets up a terrific beat for a way-cool reading of “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” which boasts nifty solos and concludes with a resounding crescendo of unison horns.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Guest percussionist Luiz Rodolfo “Rolo” Rodriguez gives “Jingle Bells” a sizzling Latin twist, with plenty of rolling rhythm backing vibrant solos on keyboards and muted trumpet; this arrangement is just plain <i>fun</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Those sassy tracks are balanced by equally enjoyable slower numbers, such as the lovely bass/sax interplay that opens “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,” before the full orchestra kicks in; “O Come, All Ye Faithful” is similarly reverential, although Hamilton and Brown contribute some rhythmic snap as the song builds to a unison horn climax.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The album concludes with a droll, bluesy handling of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” which boasts plenty of Brown’s sleek bass work alongside a cool piano solo and Morrison’s muted trumpet melody. One wishes the entire album could have stuck to jazz, but when the results are this polished, I’ll take what I can get.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• I cannot find <i>any </i>information about the “Manhattan Jazz Masters” — nor is anybody identified at CD Baby or other sources — which fuels the suspicion that this project didn’t involve living, breathing musicians. (One also must be suspicious of a release that claims to be "the classic Christmas jazz album.") But if it <i>is </i>Frankenmusic, the results are impressive. This is a small combo configuration: sax, piano, bass and drums, with occasional flute touches. The rhythm section never sounds “canned,” which is the usual giveaway; the interplay between sax and piano is reasonably agile, and the solos are solid (if not terribly adventurous).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Many of these 18 tracks open with solo piano, after which the melody is traded between keyboard and sax, with the other comping agreeably. The overall tone shifts as the tracks proceed; the initial arrangements are cheerful and peppy, with a mid-tempo bounce that suits standards such as “A Holly Jolly Christmas” (which gets a droll <i>oom-pah</i>beat), “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (highlighted by sleek walking bass) and “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” (a tasty jazz waltz).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The mood turns more thoughtful toward the end, with reverential arrangements of “O Holy Night,” “O Come All Ye Faithful” (with cleverly changing time signatures) and a particularly lovely “Silent Night.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In between, the side-by-side pairing of a slow, soft and sweet “Christmas Time Is Here” contrasts nicely with a delightful minor key arrangement of “Linus and Lucy,” boasting peppy sax bridges backed by a shuffle beat. A similarly playful “rolling” rhythm kicks off “Feliz Navidad,” which features a lengthy quote from “Auld Lang Syne” during the bridge. A droll arrangement of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is highlighted by more tasty walking bass.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The package appears to have one flaw: The melancholy, slow-waltz arrangement of John Lennon’s “Happy Christmas” abruptly cuts off, right in the middle of a sax solo. It’s quite jarring, particularly when we next hear the traditional gentle solo piano introduction to “The Christmas Song.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Whether programmed or actually performed by incredibly shy musicians, this album would make a good backdrop for a quiet holiday gathering.</span><span style="font-family: "times";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Derrick Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12885694730612878577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-86755796734826561282018-12-06T10:45:00.000-08:002018-12-30T06:16:56.071-08:00Swingle Bells: Holiday jazz 2018<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<i style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); color: #444444; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">[Web master’s note: Northern California film critic Derrick Bang — still the eldest, youngest and only son of this site’s primary jazz guru, Ric Bang — has surveyed the holiday jazz scene for 22 years, with lengthy columns that just keep growing. Check out previous columns by clicking on the CHRISTMAS label below.]</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So much terrific new Christmas music, and most of the season’s publicity is going to Captain Kirk.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The rest of the media attention focuses on releases by John Legend, Pentatonix, Lindsey Stirling and Eric Clapton (!). Jazz isn’t even an afterthought this year.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is no justice.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Okay, fine; 87-year-old William Shatner deserves credit for longevity and a willingness to step <i>way</i>outside his comfort zone, and he was smart enough — with <i>Shatner Claus </i>— to align himself with top-flight engineers and an impressive roster of guest stars, that ranges from Judy Collins and Todd Rundgren, to Rick Wakeman and Iggy Pop.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But trust me: You can do better.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You won’t find any heavyweights or readily familiar names among this year’s roster of holiday jazz releases, although Joey Alexander should prompt a smile of recognition. But that’s not the point: The goal here is cool seasonal sounds, and it’s always gratifying when terrific material comes from hitherto unknowns, who subsequently make it to your preferred playlist.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So what are we waiting for? Let’s dive in!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Proving once again that jazz is an international phenomenon, this year’s round-up starts with Italian trumpeter Fabrizio Bosso’s </span><i>Merry Christmas Baby</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">. Bosso has played his horn since age 5, and his career took off with the release of his first album in 2000; subsequent projects included collaborations with Carla Bley, Charlie Haden, Dianne Reeves and a veritable Who’s Who of Italian jazz stars.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">His quartet on this tasty holiday release features Julian Oliver Mazzariello (piano), Jacopo Ferrazza (acoustic double bass) and Nicola Angelucci (drums), and their interplay is <i>tight</i>. Most arrangements hover in the mid-tempo range, and Bosso grants ample time for generous solos by his compatriots.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The album-opening handling of “Winter Wonderland” is typical of the delights to come: a straight-ahead arrangement with Bosso’s sweet trumpet introducing the melody, then yielding the floor to Mazzariello and Ferrazza. The former’s quiet keyboard solos introduce “Grown-Up Christmas List” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” with Bosso’s horn taking over for the respective melodies, against gentle piano and bass comping.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The quartet’s delivery of “Silent Night” is a lot of fun: Angelucci lays down a terrific New Orleans-style beat that gives this tune an atypically peppy reading, with some wild solos on trumpet and piano. Mazzariello opens “Let It Snow” with some stride piano, then shares the stage with Bosso for what becomes a bouncy little duet. The entire combo goes wild on “Jingle Bells,” which kicks off with some lively drumming, sassy trumpet and “shimmering” piano riffs, eventually yielding to trumpet and piano solos that shoot off into the stratosphere.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Guest vocalist Karima’s wistful handling of “The Christmas Song” is backed by gentle trumpet and piano comping, both instruments supplying lyrical solos when she pauses during the bridge. Walter Ricci offers an equally delicate vocal on “What’re You Doing New Year’s Eve,” against soft trumpet and piano; he has more fun scatting throughout a lively “Jingle Bell Rock,” with Angelucci shifting into swing time during a bridge that features nifty keyboard and trumpet solos.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bosso’s switch to muted trumpet is a cute touch on “Merry Christmas, Baby,” as you can almost hear the lyrics emanate from his expressive horn; the song also features some sultry byplay between piano and bass during the bridge. All and all, this is a nifty album that deserves plenty of rotation in your holiday library.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Continuing our world tour, the Catalonia-based <i>La Locomotora Negra </i>(The Black Locomotive) debuted as a quintet back in 1971, and over time grew into a 17-piece ensemble that reigns as the Spanish region’s oldest stable big band. The group initially released its holiday album <i>’Round Christmas </i>in 1992, drawing charts from its annual Christmas Eve performance at Cova del Drac. In 2010, the band re-visited what had become its best-selling album, retaining nine of the original 16 tracks, and replacing those left behind with six newly recorded pieces. The result — </span><i>’Round Christmas Plus </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">— is by no means new, but it’s new to me, and that’s what matters. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The approach is a playful blend of traditional big band swing and France’s <i>Le Jazz Hot</i>, with an occasional nod toward American Dixieland. The program blends familiar American holiday standards with Catalan and Andalucian carols. The unison horn work is dynamic, as would be expected from a roster of up to four trumpets, four trombones and five saxes, backed by a rhythm section of piano, guitar, bass and drums. Many tracks are powered by ferocious 2/2 and 4/4 beats, with introductory melodies — often on sax or muted brass — yielding to lively solos from every section of the band.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The album opens with a swinging, mid-tempo arrangement of “Sleigh Ride,” highlighted by tasty solos on sax and piano, and concluding with a droll horse whinny. “Let It Snow” is equally lively, with a strong <i>oom-pah </i>beat backing a melody traded between numerous soloists. “Fum Fum Fum” is just plain fun, with stride-style piano and muted trumpet backed by those ferocious unison horns. At times, the rhythm section sounds like the eclectic instruments that powered the droll jazz soundtrack to 2003’s <i>The Triplets of Belleville</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the quieter side, “Silent Night” is appropriately reverential, with a slow, rolling beat supporting a baritone sax melody against expressive piano comping.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Moving to the Catalan carols, “Twelve O’Clock Shuffle” features a cute unison horn melody against a great rhythm line, while the up-tempo “Campana Sobre Campana (Bell Over Bell)” boasts Jordi Casanovas’ walking bass, along with tasty solos on piano (Tòfol Trepat) and guitar (Albert Romani). The slow jazz waltz of “El Noi de la Mare (Mother’s Boy)” is a hoot, thanks to the melody taken by Lluis Trepat on bass clarinet.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Unfortunately, half a dozen of these tunes are vocals. While it’s tempting to give the singers an “A” for effort as they navigate the lyrics of “The Christmas Song,” “Jingle Bells,” “White Christmas” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” the results are longer on enthusiasm than anything else, and tend to detract from the listening experience. Vocals should have been confined to their native tongue, as is amply evident in the second (Catalan) version of “The Christmas Song.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the technical end, portions of the album sound a bit too “bright,” with the mixing/mastering calling <i>too</i>much attention to the brass.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Such caveats aside, it’s hard to complain about a disc that delivers this much spirit, zest and fine ensemble work.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Pittsburgh-based saxman Richie Cole’s </span><i>Have Yourself an Alto Madness Christmas </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">is a delectable blend of combo and “little big band” arrangements, with three original tunes sprinkled among a baker’s dozen of seasonal classics. The give-and-take between the core performers is smooth, polished and bespeaks lots of practice, and there’s no doubt these cats would be quite entertaining in concert. Cole handles most of the melody lines, although he frequently trades off with various sidemen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The album opens with a swinging version of “Christmas Time Is Here,” at a peppier tempo than usual; Cole allows ample space for tasty solos on piano (Jeff Lashway) and guitar (Mark Lucas), backed by Jeff Grubbs’ sleek walking bass. The tune concludes with a brief quote from “Winter Wonderland,” which is typical of the charming touches found within Cole’s arrangements.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The double-time reading of “Let It Snow” is equally feisty, kicking off with Cole’s wild sax work against drummer Reid Hoyson’s ferocious beat; Lashway, Lucas and Grubbs once again offer solid solos. James Moore (trumpet), Jeff Bush (trombone) and Mike Tomaro (tenor sax) add unison horn sparkle on a finger-snapping cover of “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” while a different trio — J.D. Chaisson (trumpet), Reggie Watkins (trombone) and Rick Matt (tenor sax) — is similarly tight on a mid-tempo reading of “Sleigh Ride,” which includes a nod to Gershwin’s “An American in Paris.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A doo-wop approach to “Blue Christmas” is a hoot, with Cole’s sax backed by Lashway’s piano comping and Lucas’ twangie guitar licks. When the tune concludes, we practically expect Elvis himself to say “Thank yuh … thank yuh very much.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The softer, slower numbers are equally scrumptious. Lashway and Cole open a poignant reading of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” with a piano/sax duet, after which the bass and drums set a gentle beat that backs lyrical guitar and piano solos. “White Christmas” gets a similar touch — sax/piano introduction, piano and guitar solos — against Hoyson’s bossa nova beat.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cole’s originals are a mixed bag. As the title suggests, “Mr. Grinch B. Bopsky” is a fast-paced bop romp, with spirited piano and guitar solos … but it doesn’t sound anything like Christmas or the iconic Dr. Seuss character. The gentler “Christmas in New England” is more successfully seasonal, with its lengthy piano solo and terrific interplay between Cole and Grubbs. (The song reminds me of the Modern Jazz Quartet’s “Skating in Central Park.”) <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Bad Santa,” finally, is another mid-tempo swinger that gives Grubbs plenty of room to stretch. (Cole also offers an amusingly earthy vocal version of this tune as a downloadable single at cdbaby.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Unfortunately — as often is the case with sax leaders — Cole has an occasional tendency toward the lengthy, overly squawky solos that put people off jazz entirely. There’s simply no denying that an unrestrained, stratospheric sax solo isn’t nearly as pleasant as (for example) most keyboard solos. The combo’s handling of “Jingle Bell Rock” is a perfect example; Hoyson lays down a droll <i>oom-pah </i>beat that gives Lucas an opportunity to shine on melody, but then the arrangement gets bogged down by Cole’s needlessly long and cacophonous solo. He’s equally intrusive on the album’s title track, a rather silly vocal re-working of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” that further loses its way during a jarring sax solo.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At the other end of the spectrum, the atypically gentle arrangement of “Silver Bells” is delivered as a lovely sax and piano duet, and Cole concludes the album with an equally sweet solo reading of “The Christmas Song.” It’s easy to forgive his self-indulgent digressions when the rest of the album is such a pleasure.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Grammy Award-winning producer/singer Laura Dickinson likely is best known for her behind-the-scenes work with Michael Bublé, and as vocal director/contractor for popular Disney Channel animated shows such as <i>Phineas and Ferb </i>and <i>Sofia the First</i>. That may change soon; she enhanced her performance profile with 2014’s well-received <i>One for My Baby: To Frank Sinatra with Love</i>, and has followed that with the just-released </span><i>Auld Lang Syne</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This 11-track album is a blend of styles. Familiar seasonal classics are presented against lively, big band backing; while newer holiday-themed tunes are granted Broadway-style orchestral arrangements. The latter aren’t jazz by any means, but they nonetheless showcase Dickinson’s crisp articulation and impassioned delivery. (It’s refreshing to hear a contemporary singer whose impeccable diction ensures that listeners can understand every syllable of an earnest lyric.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The album opens with a kick-ass medley of “Happy Holiday”/“The Holiday Season,” with a lively big band handling a joyously rowdy chart that’ll be recognized from the Manhattan Transfer’s 2005 <i>Christmas Album</i>. Drummer Bernie Dresel and bassist Dan Lutz lead a wicked rhythm section, with Dickinson’s sassy tones rising smoothly above a backing chorus. She pauses during the bridge to accommodate energetic solos from Kye Palmer (trumpet), Dan Higgins (alto sax) and Andrew Synowiec (guitar).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dickinson turns sultry for arranger Brent Fischer’s rolling, rock-inflected arrangement of “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm,” which she describes as “Baden Powell meets Earth, Wind and Fire.” It’s a ferocious swinger that grants plenty of space to backing unison horns, while the rhythm section playfully shifts tempo and syncopation. Steve Trapani’s bass trombone adds playfully droll touches to “The Man with the Bag,” to the point where you’d swear you can hear Santa Claus tip-toeing behind the band.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Let It Snow” gets updated with fresh, Hollywood-style lyrics during a finger-snapping arrangement that evokes a New Orleans strut, with Dickinson getting plenty of supporting pizzazz from what she describes as the “polite ragtime swing” trio of Palmer, Tom Luer (clarinet) and Steve Holtman (trombone). And I’m delighted by her saucy handling of the ferocious 2/2 arrangement of “Christmas Is Starting Now,” a recent arrival that debuted in 2009’s <i>Phineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation</i>, where it was performed by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. Dickinson’s version is just as much fun, and that’s saying quite a lot.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">She turns sentimental with an orchestral threesome of torch songs: a string-laden arrangement of Mariah Carey’s “Miss You Most (at Christmas Time)”; “Love, You Didn’t Do Right By Me,” which Rosemary Clooney made famous in 1954’s <i>White Christmas</i>; and “Peace and Joy,” from the 2013 <i>Sofia the First </i>special, <i>Holiday in Enchancia</i>. All three slide dangerously close to becoming overwrought, but Dickinson always pulls back at just the right moment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">She’s even warmer during the two gentler songs with which the album concludes. The lovely “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” a duet with pianist Alan Steinberger, is achingly poignant in the manner that few vocalists since Judy Garland have been able to manage. “Auld Lang Syne,” a similarly gentle duet with Synowiec, is equally beautiful: a fresh harmonic interpretation that’s even more touching, thanks to Dickinson’s heartfelt handling of some sweetly modified lyrics. As the saying goes, there won’t be a dry eye in the house.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">So: Come for the half-dozen energetic big band swingers; stay for the entire album.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Some groups turn holiday swing into a cottage industry, and that’s definitely true of Canada’s B3 Kings. They first crossed my radar back in 2005, when they shared <i>A Cellar Live Christmas </i>with the Bruno Humbert Trio. The B3 Kings obviously enjoyed the experience, and in 2013 recorded their own holiday album: the aptly titled <i>You Better Watch Out</i>. And here we are five years later, and the original quartet — Cory Weeds, tenor sax; Bill Coon, guitar; Chris Gestrin, Hammond organ, tambourine, shaker and bells; and Denzal Sinclaire, drums and vocals — has gifted us with </span><i>Laughing All the Way</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That title notwithstanding, this disc is more likely to make you smile all the way. Jazz organists inevitably get compared to the great Jimmy Smith, and Gestrin definitely holds his own. He never hammers or sustains notes too long — in the manner of lesser players — but instead deftly “flavors” every track, whether taking lead on the melody, or gently comping behind Weeds or Coon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These mostly traditional arrangements open and close with a given melody, generally bookending tasty solos. The combo’s up-tempo reading of “White Christmas” is a perfect example, with its swinging improv solos on sax, guitar and organ. “God Rest Ye Merry, B3 Kings” is equally peppy, with a rolling R&B introduction given additional swing by guest artist Jack Duncan’s congas and shaker. The album-opening original, “The Twelve Bars of Christmas,” is a fast-paced hoot with sassy sax and organ solos surrounded by plenty of clapping and shouting.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The slower numbers are equally sweet, starting with an uncharacteristically gentle reading of “Toyland,” as Coon’s guitar introduces the melody and then hands off to Gestrin. The two of them contribute silky solos midway through a similarly quiet handling of “Winter Lullaby,” another original tune. Sinclaire’s soft vocals lend poignancy to tender arrangements of both “Little Drummer Boy” and “What Child Is This,” the latter featuring a particularly wistful solo by Weeds.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The usually reverential “O Holy Night” is transformed into a mid-tempo swinger here, trading the melody between sax, organ and guitar, and granting all three lengthy solos. And Sinclaire lays down a rollicking beat for a cute, unexpected 3/4 arrangement of “Winter Wonderland,” which trades lively sax and guitar riffs against a rhythm section with echoes of Miles Davis’ “All Blues.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All told, a solid package. Dare I hope, in another five or six years, that you guys will bring out a fourth album?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The Chris McDonald Jazz Orchestra’s </span><i>A Big Band Swinging Christmas </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">lives up to its billing: definitely the album with which to kick off a lively holiday gathering. The unit boasts four trumpets/flugelhorns — augmented on a few tracks by two more trumpets — five trombones, five saxes/flutes and a rhythm section of keyboards, guitar, bass, drums and percussion. The resulting sound will fill the room, and the straight-ahead arrangements never approach the outré extremes that irritate unenlightened folks who insist they “don’t like jazz.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">McDonald’s approach is big band traditional: Each of these 11 tracks runs roughly four minutes, with the familiar holiday tune kicking off and concluding the arrangement. Bridges are occupied by two or three solos per track, with each musician deftly passing the improv to the next.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You’ll detect occasional winks to other jazz classics — holiday or otherwise — and McDonald definitely has a soft spot for key changes and Dizzy Gillespie’s “Salt Peanuts”; the rhythm section references that bebop classic in both “Joy to the World” and “The Holly and the Ivy (and the Bones).” The former opens the album and sets the template for what follows, with lively solos from Barry Green (trombone), Rod McGaha (trumpet) and Mark Douthit (alto sax).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The band takes a particularly droll approach to “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” which includes some slick walking bass from Craig Nelson. The rhythm section establishes a lively rolling beat for “Here We Come A-Wassailing,” which boasts a great trumpet solo from Jim Williamson; Nelson’s walking bass also is a highlight on “Deck the Halls.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Good Christmas Men, Rejoice” is presented revival style, against a heavy two-beat, with a sleek muted trumpet solo from Steve Patrick. Pat Coil’s lovely piano solo anchors a quieter, mid-tempo reading of “Angels We Have Heard on High.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the other hand, the album doesn’t benefit from the two tracks featuring guest vocalist Matt Belsante, who can be called “earnest” at best, particularly on an overwrought handling of “Let There Be Peace on Earth.” And while it’s refreshing to see a female face among all these guys — Lindsey Miller, on guitar — it’s a shame McDonald didn’t grant her a solo. Tsk-tsk.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rotate the vocals out, though, and you’ve got a finger-snapping treat, start to finish.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This year’s award for clever packaging and imaginative arrangements goes to The Clickard Consortium’s </span><i>Noël Nouvelet</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">, assembled by Dr. Stephen D. Clickard, a music professor and director of several ensembles at Pennsylvania’s Bloomsburg University. His Clickard Consortium is a “little big band” of 11 musicians: three brass, three saxes and a rhythm section of piano, guitar, bass, drums and “auxiliary percussion.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">His approach here reminds me slightly of The ACME Brass Company’s 2005 release, <i>X-Mas X-ing</i>, which interpolated each of its 13 tracks in the manner of a different jazz classic, and/or in the style of a well-known jazz icon. Thus, their “Jingle Duke” was arranged in the style of Ellington’s “Take the A-Train,” with nods along the way to “Satin Doll,” “C-Jam Blues” and a few other bits of Ellingtonia.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Clickard Consortium isn’t <i>quite </i>that ambitious, restricting its occasional cross-pollinations to a given tune’s rhythm section. The album’s first track — the title song, actually a jazz arrangement of a carol we Americans know as “Sing We Now of Christmas” — kicks off with a lively rhythmic ostinato that everybody will recognize from “The James Bond Theme.” The lengthy arrangement leaves plenty of room for delectable solos by pianist Steve Adams and tenor saxman Dick Adams.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Similarly, “Here We Come A-Wassailing” is set against the equally familiar rhythmic elements of Miles Davis’ “All Blues.” This arrangement boasts a nice alto sax solo by Larry Fisher, backed by Adams’ keyboard comping and Chris Wheeland’s sassy bass licks; Fisher switches to flute, to take the tune to its fade-out.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The other arrangements aren’t as obvious. A bossa nova handling of “The Holly and the Ivy” sounds a bit Santana-esque, and features Tim Breon’s nifty guitar solo; the opening measures of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” reminds me of the rhythm backing to the Manhattan Transfer’s cover of “Birdland,” and again features Wheeland’s walking bass, along with solos by Clickard (muted trumpet) and tenor sax (Dick Adams).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most arrangements are traditional in the sense of introducing the holiday melody, then pausing for a lengthy bridge that offers one or more solos, and finally returning to the melody while ushering the tune to its conclusion. The solos tend to be more improvisational than melodic; the handling of “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” is pretty “out there,” with similarly outré solos from Clickard and Dick Adams.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the other hand, Steve Adams delivers a long and quite lovely keyboard solo during a swinging arrangement of “Christmas Time Is Here,” which bounces back and forth between 6/4 and 5/4 time. Clickard also plays with time signatures on “Angels We Have Heard on High,” which switches from 4/4 to 5/4 and offers another of Breon’s tasty guitar solos.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Unfortunately, the solos are much stronger than the unison horn work, which occasionally is “watery” and not as tight as one might hope. I’m also puzzled by the presence of an alternate take of “Christmas Time Is Here” (which, intriguingly, is more enjoyable than the first version). Much as I love that tune, once is enough.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">These are minor caveats. </span><i>Noël Nouvelet </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">is a kick, and also its own party game. (“Wait, wait; that sounds like…”)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">New Jersey-based trombonist/composer Michael Treni gets a lot of effervescent pizzazz from his well-rehearsed 19-man unit on </span><i>You Better Watch Out</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">, a sassy, swinging collection of big band arrangements. Most of these nine tunes run long, granting plenty of space for vibrant solos from up to half a dozen players. But the solo work isn’t the sole attraction; the band’s collective energy is palpable, with particularly choice unison horn work.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Treni favors arrangements that start soft and slow, gradually building into full-blown ensemble fury. “The Christmas Song” is a perfect example, opening at a reverential tempo with Treni’s solo trombone work; the song suddenly shifts into mid-tempo swing for the middle refrain, and then ratchets back down. “I Wonder As I Wander” is equally respectful of the carol’s liturgical origins, and is highlighted by Frank Elmo’s sweet soprano sax solo against Jim Ridl’s gentle piano comping.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ridl opens another tune with an impressive, two-minute improvisational solo that’ll have listeners perplexed, until the band chimes in with the familiar melody from “Jingle Bells.” And Ridl is all over the keyboard during an electrifying solo midway through a lengthy reading of “Carol of the Bells,” also highlighted by drummer Wayne Dunton’s rhythmic 6/4 beat and Vinnie Cutro’s way-gone trumpet solo. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Unfortunately, Bryan Smith’s equally aggressive electric guitar does that track no favors; that instrument simply doesn’t belong alongside its more traditional jazz colleagues.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Treni’s Latinesque arrangement of “The Dreydl Song” is a hoot (not to mention the first time I’ve heard that Chanukah classic given a jazz spin). The tune swings like crazy, anchored by another of Ridl’s sassy keyboard solos, and a lyrical flute solo from Craig Yaremko. Tremi’s mash-up of “Let It Snow” and “I’ve Got Your Love to Keep Me Warm” is quite clever, and includes a sleek trombone solo from Scott Reeves.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The album concludes with a lengthy handling of “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,” anchored by a dynamic, descending four-note rhythm section; vibrant solos come from Frank Elmo and Rob Middleton (tenor sax), Jim Fryer (trombone) and Reeves (also flugelhorn). Middleton supplies cute touches with a high-pitched recorder.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This album probably is too dynamic for a casual gathering, but it’ll sure liven up a rowdy holiday party!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Guitarist Jack Jezzro has long been a staple of the Green Hill’s “repertory company,” with numerous albums under his own name, along with plenty of guest appearances alongside the label’s other artists. His earlier holiday albums — <i>Christmas Italiano </i>and <i>Dixieland Christmas </i>— didn’t feature enough mainstream jazz to hit this annual survey’s radar, but he scored with this year’s </span><i>Christmas Jazz Guitar</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It’s a pleasant collection of small-combo cocktail jazz, with Jezzro supported on most tracks by Mason Embry (piano), Jacob Jezioro (bass) and Joshua Hunt (drums); additional Green Hill musicians pop up on individual tracks. Jezzro’s arrangements are comparatively brief, granting space for one or two soloists. Most tempos are mid-range, and the approach tends to be gentle; this is a lovely album for late at night, while enjoying a final glass of wine after having cleaned up the remnants of a lively holiday party.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The mood is set with the album opener, a leisurely reading of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” with Jezzro’s lyrical guitar backed by Embry’s tasty keyboard comping; Denis Solee’s tenor sax supplies additional sparkle. “White Christmas” and “The Christmas Song” are similarly relaxed, with Jezzro’s guitar sounding dreamily romantic.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The tempo picks up on bossa-hued arrangements of “Happy Holiday,” which features Solee’s lovely jazz flute solo; and “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” with a soprano sax solo from Sam Levine. Both are mid-tempo swingers. Hunt sets a peppy, double-time beat for “Here We Come A-Caroling,” which features a deft bass solo from Jezioro; he contributes similarly dynamic solos on “Up on the Housetop” and a frisky cover of “O Christmas Tree.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jezzro has fun with his jazz waltz arrangements for “The Holly and the Ivy,” “Silent Night” and “My Favorite Things,” and the tone turns appropriately whimsical on “Santa Baby” — with a sparkling trumpet solo from Leif Shires — and a mildly stealthy “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The set concludes — as do many holiday albums — with a slow, thoughtful reading of “Auld Lang Syne.” Jezzro opens as a soloist, with the rest of the combo joining to bring the tune home. All in all, an enjoyable collection with enough swing and musical chops to avoid being dismissed as elevator-friendly smooth jazz.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The Laura Caviani Trio’s </span><i>Holly, Jolly and Jazzy </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">dates back to 2013, but only recently crossed my radar. Its origin story is just as captivating as the album itself. The Minneapolis-based Caviani has performed and recorded since roughly the turn of the century, garnering praise from no less than Marian McPartland, and sharing the stage with jazz heavyweights such as Toots Theilemans, Bob Mintzer and Dave Liebman.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This holiday album — Caviani’s second, after 1999’s equally fine <i>Angels We Haven’t Heard </i>— originally was commissioned for Target stores in 2007. The album came to the attention of the Chicago-based game and puzzle retailer, Marbles: The Brain Store, which played it in their 37 brick-and-mortar outlets. When they decided to offer it as a point-of-purchase impulse item, Caviani and her side men — Gordon Johnson (bass) and Joe Pulice (drums) — recorded a “new and improved” version in 2013.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Marbles: The Brain Store is no more, having filed for bankruptcy in 2017, but the album continues to be available via cdbaby and Caviani’s web site. Good thing, too, because you’ll definitely want this one in your home library. (Actually, you’ll want both of her holiday albums.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">Holly, Jolly and Jazzy </span></i><span style="font-weight: normal;">is a tasty collection of 12 straight-ahead arrangements: not flashy or the slightest bit “out there,” but rather mainstream piano trio jazz at its finest. Caviani favors gentle solo piano introductions on many of these holiday chestnuts, and then she often launches into stride as Johnson and Pulice help kick up the pace. Her syncopations are clever, and she — and her sidemen — slide in and out of swing, often at the bridge between verse and chorus, or melody and improv. These folks are <i>tight</i>; they’ve clearly performed together a lot.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The album opens with a Guaraldi-esque handling of “O Tannenbaum,” delivered as a mid-tempo swinger with Caviani and Johnson trading solos, and comping each other (as they do on numerous other tracks). “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” and “Greensleeves” are both peppy waltzes, the former featuring some choice walking bass. “The Holly and the Ivy” is faster and more cheerful than most arrangements of this church hymn; at times, Caviani’s delicate keyboard work sounds just like rainfall. Pulice lays down a terrific rolling beat for “Jingle Bells,” which features another of Johnson’s excellent bass solos.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I’m particularly taken with the trio’s handling of “O Come All Ye Faithful,” which opens as Johnson and Pulice lay down a rapid double-time beat, against which Caviana plays the melody in slower, standard time. The contrast is momentarily disorienting, but then quite beguiling; it’ll definitely make you smile.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Caviani concludes with a delicate solo piano reading of “Auld Lang Syne,” which brings this nifty album to a lovely close. It’ll get heavy rotation in our house this year.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">BRIEFLY NOTED:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">• Keyboard <i>wunderkind </i>Joey Alexander’s </span><i>A Joey Alexander Christmas </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">is a lively four-song EP released just in time for the holidays. It opens with a kick-ass arrangement of “O Come All Ye Faithful,” with drummer Eric Harland and bassist Larry Grenadier laying down a playfully rhythmic beat that turns the tune into a lively strut; it’s impossible to hear without wanting to break out some cool dance moves.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The sweetly bluesy “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” is the exact opposite: a sweet, leisurely ballad that opens with Alexander’s lyrical keyboard work against a gently rolling beat. He moves in progressively more aggressive directions during a lengthy improvisational solo, then ramps back down as he returns for a final refrain of the melody. Grenadier opens a lengthy arrangement of “My Favorite Things,” a remastered track from Alexander’s debut 2015 album of the same title; it’s a lengthy give-and-take between piano and bass, with the melody weaving in and out of numerous improv solos.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Alexander concludes with a gorgeous solo handling of the Louis Armstrong classic, “What a Wonderful World,” a previously unreleased track from the sessions that produced his 2016 album, <i>Countdown</i>. This gentle arrangement is wistful and melancholy, with Alexander never straying too far from the melody. What a wonderful way to conclude this set … and we can hope that, one day, he expands it into a full-length album.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">• Pittsburgh-based bassist Jason Hollar’s </span><i>Cadillac Jazz Christmas </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">is a lovely EP that features deft interplay between its leader and pianist Joe DeFazio, with solid backing by drummer David Jamison. Hollar and DeFazio typically trade melody and comping chores, and the seamless transitions bespeak plenty of practice.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The set opens with a mid-tempo handling of “Deck the Halls,” which boasts a lovely piano interlude and a rhythmic touch that slyly echoes Benny Golson’s “Killer Joe.” Hollar’s upright bass is solemn during an unexpectedly relaxed presentation of “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,” and the trio turns an initially gentle reading of “Auld Lang Syne” into a sassy, toe-tapping barrelhouse swinger.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hollar truly shines with his mash-ups, starting with “We Three Kings Saw Three Ships.” This gentle waltz opens with a bass reading of “Kings,” followed by a piano reprise; Hollar and DeFazio then slide smoothly into “Ships,” at which point the two playfully duel their way through a lengthy improvisational finale. “Away in a Silent Night” is much more delicate: A solo piano opening of “Away in a Manger” segues to a bass reprise, and then to an equally gentle verse of “Silent Night.” “Joy to the Faithful” similarly trades both melodies between bass and piano.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is a lovely little treasure, and a must for every holiday jazz library. Hollar makes it easy: <i>Cadillac Jazz Christmas </i>is available from cdbaby at no charge! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">• Toronto-based clarinetist and bandleader Bob De Angelis flirts with jazz on </span><i>Christmas Swing</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">, but far too much of the album finds his 50-piece Champagne Symphony in over-produced children’s pops mode: lots of strings, a harp and arrangements that stray too far from the Benny Goodman influence that characterizes De Angelis’ approach.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the other hand, five tracks are solid, big band jazz, with nary a string to be heard. The dance band arrangement of the “Huron Carol” is particularly choice, with drums and a rhythm section right out of Goodman’s classic cover of Louis Prima’s “Sing, Sing, Sing.” Sleek walking bass introduces “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,” highlighted by terrific unison horns and a “duel” between De Angelis’ clarinet and a solo muted trumpet.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Piano and bass kick off a lively reading of “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,” and a peppy “Joy to the World” offers sprightly solos on trombone, piano and vibes. The latter two players also offer short-but-sweet solos on “Deck the Halls,” alongside some sweet trumpet work. Unfortunately, none of these individuals can be cited, because the disc offers absolutely nothing in the way of liner notes or musician IDs. (Shameful!) Five tracks out of 15 probably isn’t enough to justify a purchase, which is a shame; it’d be nice to hear more of De Angelis’ swing unit, without the intrusive strings.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">• I’ve been captivated by the Chad Lawson Trio since his clever re-working of the music from <i>The Wizard of Oz</i>, on their 2002 album, <i>Dear Dorothy: The Oz Sessions</i>. No surprise, then, that I’d be similarly charmed by </span><i>Jazz the Halls</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">. Lawson’s playful piano once again is augmented by equally skillful work from Elisa Pruett (upright bass) and Al Sergel (drums), and the result is a cheerful romp through five seasonal classics.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lawson frequently opens and closes a tune via solo piano, and his improvisational passages favor rapid flurries of single notes punctuated by simple, well-chosen chords: not hummable melodies <i>per se</i>, but always beguiling sprints up and down the keyboard. Page gets plenty of exercise, as evidenced by the trio’s peppy rendition of “Deck the Halls,” where the walking bass beautifully complements Lawson’s sparkling solo. “Angels We Have Heard on High” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” are cheerful mid-tempo swingers; “Silent Night” emerges as a slow, contemplative waltz given gentle zest by Lawson’s delayed, slightly-off-the-beat approach to the melody.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lawson also released a thoughtful arrangement of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” as a single back in 2009 (downloadable from iTunes and other outlets), alongside Zack Page (upright bass) and Sergel (drums). It features Lawson’s similarly novel syncopation on the melody, against a gentle snowfall suggested by Sergel’s quiet brushes. All six tracks deserve plenty of play during your next holiday gathering. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">• Far too many combos I’ve covered over the years are dominated — or, generally, populated exclusively — by men. I therefore was delighted to come across the Mistletone Trio’s four-track EP, </span><i>Christmas Lights</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">: a nifty little program by Dharma Dorazio (bass), Carmen Murray (drums) and Edward Gabrielyan (piano). They’re students at the San Diego, California-based Young Lions Jazz Conservatory, where it’s obvious that educator/trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos is doing a fabulous job.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These kids have impressive chops for their age, and the arrangements here are dominated by cool rhythmic backing that grants far more attention to bass than we usually hear. A nifty, up-tempo handling of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” establishes finger-snapping backing for guest artist Castellanos’ sweet trumpet reading of the melody; he yields to tasty solos by Gabrielyan and Dorazio, the latter sharing her bass licks with smooth piano comping.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Castellanos also shines on a mid-tempo jazz waltz approach to “We Three Kings,” with the melody traded between his trumpet and Gabrielyan’s keyboard. The latter does well with his improv solo during a lengthy arrangement of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” again built upon a sleek bass/drums framework. Finally, Murray and Dorazio set up a ferocious double-time rhythm behind Gabrielyan’s majestic keyboard riffs on “Deck the Halls.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I look forward to a full-length holiday jazz release by these and/or other Young Lions alums. It’s bound to be a similar treat.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDTRWindS7tjvJnM2NbGn6C9PVx69oI1aDOfxKBbVcb5DwVYoWBSRyw9yUTiOE_JLlfxlf7IcNHO-fiSltcWuSfOkKJwP1FbaXXNwMdgsGLgQSJW87ka6L0WlTeOKkWbA0jZMco0xNmtM/s1600/chris+sidwell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="400" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDTRWindS7tjvJnM2NbGn6C9PVx69oI1aDOfxKBbVcb5DwVYoWBSRyw9yUTiOE_JLlfxlf7IcNHO-fiSltcWuSfOkKJwP1FbaXXNwMdgsGLgQSJW87ka6L0WlTeOKkWbA0jZMco0xNmtM/s320/chris+sidwell.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">• One would assume that an album titled </span><i>Christmas Piano Jazz Music</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">, with only one name on the cover — Chris Sidwell — features keyboard work by the gent in question. But no: Sidwell actually handles acoustic bass and guitar. He’s joined by Tony Campodonico (piano) and Sinclair Lott (drums), and their 10-track holiday collection qualifies as short but sweet: a gentle program that’s ideal as quiet background music during a gathering when you’d actually like to hear the folks you’re talking to.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The arrangements and solos are straightforward and unchallenging, but — important distinction — definitely not as puerile as most lobotomized smooth jazz. Sidwell and Campodonico deftly trade the melody on most tracks, and the solos never stray too far from the familiar verses and choruses. “O Christmas Tree,” “Winter Wonderland” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” are given a tasty bossa nova beat, while “A Holly Jolly Christmas” emerges with a subtle country twang.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jean Frye Sidwell adds vocals to two selections; her honeyed tone is just right for “The Christmas Song,” but she doesn’t have near enough playful sass for “Santa Baby.” That’s not a song for timid singers, and she simply doesn’t live up to the saucy arrangement.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On a sidebar note, the label — Pacific Coast Music — definitely needs to try harder with its liner notes and disc information; these are strictly from hunger. Curious listeners shouldn’t have to spend time on the Internet, trying to figure out who’s handling which instrument (a rapidly growing problem, in this era of digital downloads). Back in the day, sidemen often got no respect on early LPs; are we really heading backwards, to those unenlightened times?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fortunately, the album itself is nowhere near that slapdash.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBRSQRVBy_j1efQszh4dlHg4yTHwMUDy7T76XQzCoIr5RAC-01D-UxhIIqmfxsLgutuIk_1B6Fu9AYCNfzk-2aWePH92S9RcNZjmR4Osg65X7ctJvlRyPUfVOk0wUP6SDtCvmAMyep2fk/s1600/kevin+kelly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBRSQRVBy_j1efQszh4dlHg4yTHwMUDy7T76XQzCoIr5RAC-01D-UxhIIqmfxsLgutuIk_1B6Fu9AYCNfzk-2aWePH92S9RcNZjmR4Osg65X7ctJvlRyPUfVOk0wUP6SDtCvmAMyep2fk/s320/kevin+kelly.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">• Speaking of poorly described projects, one must beware of albums that fail to list sidemen at all; that’s often an indication of Frankenmusic that is partially — or completely — created on a computer. “Partially” seems to be the operative description for St. Louis-based drummer Kevin Kelley’s </span><i>A Soulful Christmas</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">, which backs a bit of fine keyboard work with a lot of mechanical percussion and frequently irritating sound effects. (You’d think a guy who bills himself as “one of the nation’s most versatile and sought-after professional drummers” would do a better job of concealing blatant fakery.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It’s easy to tell on tracks such as “White Christmas,” and “Let It Snow,” which insert identical, repetitive “finger snaps” on <i>every single down beat</i>; the obnoxious “water squirt” sound effect in “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” is even worse. The drumming throughout shows little life or spontaneity, with a few notable exceptions: “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” slides deftly between 5/4 and 6/4 time, and offers a wild keyboard solo at the bridge; “Winter Wonderland” is a pleasant, mid-tempo swinger, again highlighted by a nifty keyboard solo.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The quieter arrangements are more successful. “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” emerges as a gentle jazz ballad backed by some well-placed “shimmer” effects, and the reverential handling of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” is equally nice.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For the most part, though, Kelley’s tendency toward excess — most tracks are over-produced — obscures occasionally fine keyboard chops by … somebody. Although he acknowledges a “brotherhood of musicians” that includes Tony Simmons, Lawrence “Larry” Johnson, Keith Fowler and brother Kyle E. Kelley, there’s no indication of who does what, or where.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Don’t be misled by this album’s breathless promotional exaggeration; it’s not worth your time.</span></div>
Derrick Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12885694730612878577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-69394246310317279372018-03-29T09:46:00.000-07:002018-03-29T09:46:41.611-07:00Steve Slagle: Dedication<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><a href="https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/steveslagle3" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">Panorama Records</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By Ric Bang</b></span></b></span><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Buy CD: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dedication-Steve-Slagle/dp/B078P59NJB/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1522341869&sr=1-1&keywords=steve+slagle+dedication" style="color: #944c0b; text-decoration: none;">Dedication</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This
new release by alto/flute/soprano reed man and composer Steve Slagle grew on
me. It begins nicely and gets increasingly better, as we progress through its
nine tracks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir_1vxy8bLLdeOHRvNYHw2MqgFEJqKm8SMMd3lXvlNWwmi9OkJ-V4heGsU6yzcmelcFRlzHhl5B_qdKOGkTh7zhagvIxUpz90qNwdlE2lkVb3NK_wyqyNgIHlXlClSZy-dI-zNcoIGImM/s1600/dedication.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="400" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir_1vxy8bLLdeOHRvNYHw2MqgFEJqKm8SMMd3lXvlNWwmi9OkJ-V4heGsU6yzcmelcFRlzHhl5B_qdKOGkTh7zhagvIxUpz90qNwdlE2lkVb3NK_wyqyNgIHlXlClSZy-dI-zNcoIGImM/s320/dedication.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Slagle
isn’t a jazz newcomer, but he’s not as well known as many top-flight musicians.
He has had plenty of experience, but is better recognized by the artists with
whom he has played, than by their fan base. Slagle has advanced degrees from
Berklee and the Manhattan Schools of Music; he has written arrangements and
performed with Charles Mingus’ Big Band; he has played with Lionel Hampton,
Jack McDuff,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carla
Bley and Woody Herman; and is now fronting his own groups.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
unit backing him here includes pianist Lawrence Fields, bassist Scott Colley, drummer<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bill Stewart, percussionist Roman Diaz,
and guitarist Dave Stryker. Slagle composed all but two of the charts; the
exceptions are Stryker’s “Corazon” and Wayne Shorter’s “Charcoal Blues.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Slagle’s
sax “sound” is different than most. Art Pepper (as one example) produced <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“cleaner,” more rapid phrasing — like a
popcorn popper — while Slagle’s approach is “earthier.” That said, he sure
swings. He’s also adept on the soprano sax <a href="" name="_GoBack"></a>and flute. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although
a lot of his work — and compositions — are based on a Latin sound, most of this
release features grooving, bluesy modern lines that make use of multiple key changes
and up-tempo phrasing. This is particularly true of the menu’s latter half.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a nice, swinging,
album: Slagle is a genuine pleasure to experience.</span></div>
Ric Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634123099801235907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-87647145961123826502018-03-29T09:41:00.000-07:002018-03-29T09:41:03.063-07:00John Vanore: Stolen Moments<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><a href="http://www.johnvanore.net/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">Acoustical Concepts</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By Ric Bang</b></span></b></span><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Buy CD: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Stolen-Moments-John-Vanore/dp/B074WGP87M/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1522341197&sr=1-1&keywords=stolen+moments+john+vanore" style="color: #944c0b; text-decoration: none;">Stolen Moments</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oliver
Nelson, who died too young at 43, is one of our icons. He played saxophone and
clarinet, but is best known as a composer, arranger and bandleader. He started as
an instrumentalist at age 15, playing in territory bands in the St. Louis area;
he joined the Louis Jordan group at 20, then served as a Marine. During this
military stint he was exposed to “concert” music, and it changed his life; once
returned to civilian life, he studied music composition and theory, graduating
with a master’s degree. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIun_H49a5EV3ln7yYKLX6j1G0jiVIMctUqkvOjaw2EL7hQ9TgXsomPMX4lubdhNBAy7i_pKazNvG4-8nFkGGPz9ob-_-Yos4_BlxU3vv7I3JgxacawsS0fHDqDCe-7lsicu7yBFk9LP0/s1600/stolen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIun_H49a5EV3ln7yYKLX6j1G0jiVIMctUqkvOjaw2EL7hQ9TgXsomPMX4lubdhNBAy7i_pKazNvG4-8nFkGGPz9ob-_-Yos4_BlxU3vv7I3JgxacawsS0fHDqDCe-7lsicu7yBFk9LP0/s320/stolen.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nelson
quickly became an in-demand artist, playing with Erskine Hawkins, Louie
Bellson, Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Quincy Jones. Nelson’s skill as an
arranger, then composer, moved him into the big time; he did background music
for TV shows and movies, and worked with key entertainers such as Nancy Wilson,
James Brown and Diana Ross. All this, while continuing to work with many of the
greats in groups that produced some of the historic jazz of the 1960s and ’70s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Composer/arranger
and trumpeter John Vanore is one of many influenced by Nelson, and this album
was created to acknowledge the latter’s contribution to jazz. Vanore chose not
to use Nelson’s arrangements, but to “re-imagine” and rearrange some of his
most famous music.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vanore
also uses a unique format in his ensemble: two reeds, five trumpets or
flugelhorns, two trombones or French horns, and a rhythm section consisting of
piano, bass, guitar and drums. This instrumentation, in conjunction with Vanore’s
arrangements, results in a smooth, refined sound. It still swings, but the
music is more “polite” than that generally associated with a big band.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
nine tracks here are all based on Nelson compositions or arrangements. The most
famous is the album title tune, “Stolen Moments,” a staple in every jazz group
library. (As just two examples, Bill Evans and Bill Cunliffe <a href="" name="_GoBack"></a>have
delivered terrific covers.) “Blues & the Abstract Truth” is another from
Nelson’s “jazz bible,” and this album also includes famed standards such as “A
Taste of Honey,” “St. Louis Blues” and “Greensleeves.” Additional Nelson
originals include “Self Help Is Needed,” “Reuben’s Rondo,” “El Gato” and “I
Hope in Time a Change Will Come” ... all done with finesse by Vanore’s
ensemble.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all, a very
enjoyable album.</span></div>
Ric Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634123099801235907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-71503875146402671522018-03-17T09:38:00.000-07:002018-03-17T09:38:10.583-07:00Hal Galper & The Youngbloods: Live at the COTA Jazz Festival<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><a href="http://originarts.com/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">Origin Records</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By Ric Bang</b></span></b></span><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Buy CD: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Live-At-Cota-Jazz-Festival/dp/B071NY3FHR/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1521304530&sr=1-1&keywords=hal+galper+live+at+the+COTA&dpID=51SAcm8X-eL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch" style="color: #944c0b; text-decoration: none;">Live at the COTA Jazz Festival</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beat
always has been one of jazz’s key elements. Tempo and “style” can change — it
can be balladic, grooving, flag-waving, funk, rock, bop or whatever — but beat
usually is consistent. That’s what makes it “danceable.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi02IZr3CrJP2SXvmubF8B9XxhYBInD9BZYDYX8RXHTszcPgRDOcGZB1_bB7dyUQ8cofptc4zbfkmDzs5WBwHaWTZgD58iCLnKy7MwtKzQxTl4SpVgIlOQlKR2t2RGlelbiWmsUK8_Xoao/s1600/galper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="364" data-original-width="400" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi02IZr3CrJP2SXvmubF8B9XxhYBInD9BZYDYX8RXHTszcPgRDOcGZB1_bB7dyUQ8cofptc4zbfkmDzs5WBwHaWTZgD58iCLnKy7MwtKzQxTl4SpVgIlOQlKR2t2RGlelbiWmsUK8_Xoao/s320/galper.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ah,
but that has changed, as some jazz has moved into the modern age. Some artists
have moved to what is referred to as a “rubato” style of playing: A consistent
beat isn’t used. This is left up to the predominant soloing instrument; the
other artists in the group follow this lead’s beat variations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pianist
Hal Galper is a proponent of this style; the Youngbloods who support him here
are his disciples. Alto saxophonist Nathan Bellott, bassist Dean Torrey and
drummer David Frazier are honor graduates of Galper’s Purchase Conservatory;
this album was recorded at last year’s COTA (Council On the Aging) Jazz
Festival, held to honor great alto sax artist Phil Woods.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
rubato style also can be open-ended, which is to say, it doesn’t have a set
number of bars or choruses. As a result, each tune generally is longer than the
usual jazz composition, and that’s the case here. The four charts
(respectively) run more than 17, 11, 14 and 14 minutes. Galper composed of
them; Gordon Jenkins’ “Goodbye” is the exception.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This
release<a href="" name="_GoBack"></a> doesn't “swing” in the usual sense, but it’s definitely
musical, and can be classified as modern jazz. Each artist’s skill is evident
during solo sections, and unison passages and supporting contributions are
outstanding. It’s beautiful “listening” music, clearly meant for concert hall
presentation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fans
of this sub-genre will be thrilled by this album. If it’s new to you, give it a
try. I suspect you’ll be quite impressed.</span></div>
Ric Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634123099801235907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-713260797521190982018-03-17T09:33:00.000-07:002018-03-17T09:33:26.969-07:00Delfeayo Marsalis: Kalamazoo<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><a href="https://www.dmarsalis.com/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">Troubadour Records</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By Ric Bang</b></span></b></span><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Buy CD: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kalamazoo-Delfeayo-Marsalis/dp/B077H4Z3QS/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1521304062&sr=1-1&keywords=delfeayo+marsalis+kalamazoo&dpID=516LLKIP47L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch" style="color: #944c0b; text-decoration: none;">Kalamazoo</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
Marsalis family remains one of the most famous gatherings of jazz artists in
existence. Father Ellis is a pianist and teacher; Wynton, the best known, plays
the trumpet; eldest brother Branford chose saxophone. Their brother Delfeayo,
the trombonist, is featured here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhIUCX9DJAPjDcwHl25czAc3YTpcFNPR4S30YPDpH1iCEFjkJTV4F12ll3O9MLTvjdDs4vp40GVnja5TO9Qj_jsRMGtP1WPWwjFI5NrjiHIfyLGuyq7iQ6SoKIHlp1iLheSwqEcGYh9w/s1600/delfeayo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhIUCX9DJAPjDcwHl25czAc3YTpcFNPR4S30YPDpH1iCEFjkJTV4F12ll3O9MLTvjdDs4vp40GVnja5TO9Qj_jsRMGtP1WPWwjFI5NrjiHIfyLGuyq7iQ6SoKIHlp1iLheSwqEcGYh9w/s320/delfeayo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Delfeayo
is much more than an instrumentalist and composer; he’s also an educator and
producer, and his work in recording techniques has earned him both Grammy and
3M Visionary Awards. Although he has played with many well-known jazz artists
and groups, this is his first live album, recorded during a concert at Western
Michigan University. The players’ reactions and comments can be heard during
the performance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Delfeayo
heads a quartet that consists of his father, Ellis, on piano; Reginald Veal on
bass; and Ralph Peterson on drums.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
album menu is traditional in that the tunes are familiar: “Autumn Leaves,” “My
Funny Valentine,” “If I Were a Bell” and “It Don’t Mean a Thing,’ among others.
Almost all the swingers use a blues format, including the theme from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sesame Street</i>. It obviously was a very
relaxed and entertaining concert; one of the charts even includes participation
by two audience members. Everyone had a ball!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You
will, as well.</span></div>
Ric Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634123099801235907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-9037571277389183312018-02-16T12:33:00.002-08:002018-02-16T12:33:51.586-08:00One O'Clock Lab Band: Lab 2017<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><a href="http://music.unt.edu/store/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">North Texas Jazz</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By Ric Bang</b></span></b></span><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Buy CD: <a href="http://music.unt.edu/store/" style="color: #944c0b; text-decoration: none;">Lab 2017</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ve
always been partial to colleges that offer degrees in jazz. The University of North
Texas is one of many and, in fact, was the first to do so. The school formed
a stage band as far back as 1923, performing Friday night concerts that were
broadcast live from a Fort Worth radio station. The unit really became famous in
1927, and in 1947 North Texas launched the world’s first jazz degree program.
Things have accelerated ever since, and the program’s faculty, students and
graduates are legion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKfY8DsdwrJ9WyYvSV7e-g_f30CaIvgJAhZ0yzjxS604shLf9_hqZpkWO_f-qP-J7hznhhgi7sYU74UBqySThllmec1rJzIIfyMreVeD6kQrETvPn3X0SAqbqUV9pF7tFEl8fsLWmJnGc/s1600/Lab2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKfY8DsdwrJ9WyYvSV7e-g_f30CaIvgJAhZ0yzjxS604shLf9_hqZpkWO_f-qP-J7hznhhgi7sYU74UBqySThllmec1rJzIIfyMreVeD6kQrETvPn3X0SAqbqUV9pF7tFEl8fsLWmJnGc/s320/Lab2017.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
One O’Clock Lab Band — named for the class rehearsal time — is one of nine such
university units, all of which use standard 19-piece instrumentation: five
reeds, five trumpets, five trombones, piano, bass, guitar and drums.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
band director for this album is Alan Baylock; all charts were arranged by band
members. Only three are from the Great American Jazz Standards book: Harold
Arlen’s “My Shining Hour,” Chick Corea’s “500 Miles High” and Ellington’s “I’m Beginning
to See the Light.” Every track is a gem, but my favorite is the opener, “My
Shining Hour.” It’s<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>a real
barn-burner; I haven’t heard a track that swings like that in years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
band is stunning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two
words say it all: swinging and meticulous. You can’t often group those words,
because one of the key factors in jazz is spontaneity; that sometimes leads to
fluffs or mistakes. Not so with his group; it’s one of the best-rehearsed units
I’ve ever encountered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fortunately
for all jazz fans — and this blog’s readers — North Texas’ many years of
operation, and its excellence, have produced an extensive discography starring the
various Lab Bands.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don’t miss this album ...
and stay tuned for more equally fine releases from the University of North
Texas!</span></div>
Ric Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634123099801235907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-54249202305188622562018-02-16T12:27:00.000-08:002018-02-16T12:27:43.871-08:00Tom Rizzo: Day and Night<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><a href="http://originarts.com/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">Origin Records</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By Ric Bang</b></span></b></span><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Buy CD: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Day-Night-Tom-Rizzo/dp/B06XQ5CT5H" style="color: #944c0b; text-decoration: none;">Day and Night</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This
album is proof-positive of several things:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJItfis_LAQ-Q2UUR6qxWWibFIXOFhl1ujt6OtQBBrmmHSk6AAB20o2moSn2MGWQYdEfqANhM9yh73PSvssymCStjkX8tXZLm4Jh8GnuyTM7fHc9PRKn_J1L0YJVzNKqVI8hhokq3qJ24/s1600/Rizzo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="400" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJItfis_LAQ-Q2UUR6qxWWibFIXOFhl1ujt6OtQBBrmmHSk6AAB20o2moSn2MGWQYdEfqANhM9yh73PSvssymCStjkX8tXZLm4Jh8GnuyTM7fHc9PRKn_J1L0YJVzNKqVI8hhokq3qJ24/s320/Rizzo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•
Tasty, swinging jazz is alive and well in the Los Angeles/greater West Coast region;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•
The artists from that neck of the woods continue to demonstrate that they’re
among the best who share the love for this genre; and <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•
Origin continues to be one of the top distributors that satisfies the souls of true
jazz fans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Guitarist
Tom Rizzo produced this release, and his performance truly stands out. He has
been heard by millions, due to his membership in several of the bands that have
been key to television’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tonight Show</i>.
His basic quartet — pianist Dennis Hamm, bassist David Hughes, and drummer
Steve Schaeffer — is the core of the tentet (the “little big band”) that makes
this album groove.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trombonist
Dick Lane did all the arrangements; the rest of the brass section includes Bob
Summers (trumpet), John Dickson (French horn) and Doug Tornquist (tuba). The
reed section features Bob Sheppard (tenor sax) and Jeff Driskill (soprano sax).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
menu is a nice blend of standards and originals: Cole Porter’s “So in Love,”
Vincent Youmans’ “Without a Song” and Henry Mancini’s “Moon River,” along with
up-to-date melodies such as Wayne Shorter’s “Infant Eyes,” Peter Bernstein’s “Little
Green Men,” Ornette Coleman’s “Law Years” and Stevie Wonder’s “Living for the
City.” And if those aren’t enough, we also re-visit “School Days” and “Lonesome
Cowboy,” as interpreted by Rizzo.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This
a genuinely pleasant jazz journey: danceable, listenable and quite swingable.</span><a href="" name="_GoBack" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Bring it home.</span></div>
Ric Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634123099801235907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-26139086578839934522017-12-03T10:26:00.000-08:002017-12-03T10:26:41.232-08:00Let it swing, let it swing, let it swing!<b style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/12885694730612878577" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">Derrick Bang</a> </b></span></b><br />
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></i>
<i style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">[Web master’s note: Northern California film critic Derrick Bang — still the eldest, youngest and only son of this site’s jazz guru, Ric Bang — has surveyed the holiday jazz scene for 21 years, with lengthy columns that just keep growing. Check out previous columns by clicking on the CHRISTMAS label below.]</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdHvcBbv-mtwhtfXW3-XlENVbqXOLowDydjexNlgZoso0usQOpA7kdhaLNeaMVxukDfJOkq0GY5kd0JgPSFOGmn6daDovGP01Z9b3R8c909wg6INu6E_ngdQ5wZWCdCVZDi619nTo3o8Q/s1600/Bobby+Timmons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdHvcBbv-mtwhtfXW3-XlENVbqXOLowDydjexNlgZoso0usQOpA7kdhaLNeaMVxukDfJOkq0GY5kd0JgPSFOGmn6daDovGP01Z9b3R8c909wg6INu6E_ngdQ5wZWCdCVZDi619nTo3o8Q/s320/Bobby+Timmons.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It’s another solid year for holiday jazz albums, and
the nicest surprise — to paraphrase the Old English rhyme — is that this year’s
offerings feature <i>both</i> “something
old, something new.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To be more precise, a trio of “something olds.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Longtime readers of this annual survey know that
three vintage albums have topped my Gotta Have list for decades: classics
which, for unknown reasons, have neither been digitized nor re-released since
their initial vinyl appearance. I’ve complained about this for years and years;
apparently, somebody finally listened.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To a degree.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwEx30tfyoXWzAz0U01wS2V2IH91zhAYBIujG-7dhV7fSWG0b2LB9YB4J_IGH77qWsQUR9A0vJ7qzW0A4gaEjJyI8zVpTRNlOXrvCMTF3GjOixHdzaKZVMPQYh36s36HgEnGDgd-m4XGs/s1600/duke+pearson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwEx30tfyoXWzAz0U01wS2V2IH91zhAYBIujG-7dhV7fSWG0b2LB9YB4J_IGH77qWsQUR9A0vJ7qzW0A4gaEjJyI8zVpTRNlOXrvCMTF3GjOixHdzaKZVMPQYh36s36HgEnGDgd-m4XGs/s320/duke+pearson.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jazz pianist Bobby Timmons released <i><b>Holiday Soul</b></i> on the Prestige label way
back in 1964; jazz organist Don Patterson confused things by using exactly the
same title for <i style="font-weight: normal;">his</i> Prestige release
the same year. Five years later, jazz pianist Duke Pearson produced <i><b>Merry Ole Soul</b></i> for Blue Note. All three
albums are terrific, although Pearson’s boasts the most inventive arrangements
and tastiest jazz chops; his iconic cover of “Sleigh Ride” has been included on
at least a dozen holiday jazz compilation albums.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(For the sake of historical accuracy, I should
mention that Pearson’s album was issued on CD by Japan’s Toshiba EMI in 2004,
with a bonus track — “An Old Fashioned Christmas” — that isn’t available
anywhere else. But it’ll cost you a pretty penny, assuming you even can <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">find</i> the blamed thing.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All three albums once again are readily available — <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">finally!</i> — but with a hitch. In a nod
toward current market forces, you have the option of vinyl or streaming ... but
not CD. That’ll be fine for vinyl purists who prefer the warmth of LPs, and
new-tech streaming fans who aren’t concerned about bitrates and information
loss via compression ... but it leaves CD fans out in the cold. Which is a
shame.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As for this year’s crop of new releases ... read on!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">***************<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Starting with a jewel always feels like a good omen,
and the terrific </span><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yule Be Swingin’</i> </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">was the first album to cross
my desk this year. The disc features North Carolina Central University’s Jazz
Faculty Combo, headed by director/saxophonist Ira Wiggins. Based on this
evidence, NCCU must be an excellent institution for jazz studies; every one of
this disc’s 10 tracks is a solid swinger.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Wiggins and his colleagues take the old-school
approach: Each song begins and concludes with the familiar theme, while lengthy
bridges offer ample opportunity for solid solos by two or three sidemen.
Wiggins’ fellow faculty members are Albert Strong (trumpet), Robert Trowers
(trombone), Aaron Hill (sax), Baron Tymos (guitar), Ed Paolantonio (piano) and
Thomas Taylor (percussion). Timothy Holley inserts some well-placed cello
touches, and graduate student James Suter handles the bass.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The album kicks off with a roaring 6/8 arrangement
of “We Three Kings,” with the melody introduced on sax against lively brass;
the bridge opens with a sparkling sax solo against sparkling piano comping,
followed by Strong’s enthusiastic trumpet solo and a bit of ferocious drumming
by Taylor. “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” is a bit slower but no less rhythmic,
with unison brass introducing the melody before handing off solos on sax,
trumpet and piano.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The ensemble is equally adept at slower, sweeter
numbers. A lovely reading of “Carol of the Bells” opens with delicate piano and
guitar, then sails into lyrical solo improvs by Tymos and Paolantonio. “A Child
Is Born” is equally languid, the melody introduced on bowed bass against gentle
piano comping, after which Tymos delivers an elegant guitar solo. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Paolantonio and Taylor lay down a cool vamp that
turns “Little Drummer Boy” into a mid-tempo finger-snapper, with the melody
introduced on jazz flute; the lengthy arrangement expands to highlight bluesy
solos on trumpet, piano and (particularly nice) Suter’s sassy walking bass.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I’m impressed by Wiggins’ decision to cover a couple
of lesser-known holiday tunes, most notably a droll, salsa-style reading of
“The Miser Brothers, Heat and Snow,” from the 1974 animated TV special, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Year Without a Santa Claus</i>. Tasty
solos come from Strong, Tymos and Taylor. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A slow, reverential reading of “O Come O Come
Emmanuel” is particularly sweet: essentially a serene duet on bowed bass and
guitar.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Vocalist Lenora Helm joins the ensemble for two
numbers: a swinging cover of Steve Allen’s “Cool Yule,” with cleverly updated
lyrics; and an unhurried, deliciously sultry reading of “What Are You Doing New
Year’s Eve.” Rarely has that classic sounded more like a suggestive invitation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This disc deserves frequent rotation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><b>Christmas Tidings</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> is pianist Rick
Gallagher’s third holiday album, following 2002’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Sleigh, a Song & a Baby Boy</i> and 2006’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Snowriding</i>. All three find Gallagher backed by the same sidemen —
Paul Thompson (bass), Thomas Wendt (drums) and George Jones (percussion) — and
let’s just say that this quartet has gotten even tighter with time. Their
musical interplay is akin to mind-reading, and this newest album continues the
combo’s tradition of tasty, thoroughly enjoyable holiday jazz.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Gallagher favors slow to mid-tempo “happy”
arrangements; he often opens with a keyboard prologue that makes guessing the
song a fun exercise. The mood is always cheerful, and the rhythm section is
excellent throughout; it’s obvious these guys are having a great time. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It’s also nice to see jazz covers of lesser-known
holiday chestnuts such as “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” “O Come, O Come
Emmanuel” and “Coventry Carol.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The album opens with a droll reading of “Good King
Wenceslas,” handled as a mid-tempo swinger that blends Gallagher’s tasty
keyboard chops with Thompson’s walking bass. The cover of “Angels We Have Heard
on High” is uncharacteristically playful, with the melody traded between piano
and bass; rolling percussion gives the aforementioned “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”
a thoughtful tone.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The quartet goes to town during a peppy arrangement
of “Jolly Old Saint Nicholas,” which boasts a sleek bass solo and
lightning-quick piano/bass improv during the bridge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The slower tracks are equally fine, as with a
reverential reading of “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” which features
another of Thompson’s lovely bass solos. Gallagher delivers “Away in a Manger”
as a gentle piano solo, and his thoughtful handling of Lennon/Ono’s “Happy
Christmas (War Is Over)” is mostly piano against Jones’ soft background bongos.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A relaxed, swooningly romantic cover of “White
Christmas” is particularly charming; Gallagher retained the core melody of this
Irving Berlin classic, but added new and complex harmonies that give it an
entirely fresh spin.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Apparently encouraged by the positive reception that
greeted the original composition (“Snowriding”) on his previous album,
Gallagher includes another of his own tunes here: “Rainflakes” is a lyrical keyboard
showcase that is strongly reminiscent of Vince Guaraldi’s “Skating,” and just
as evocative as its title.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is a great album to play for visitors who claim
not to like jazz; it’s bound to make converts.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Speaking of Guaraldi, seasonal tributes to his music
for 1965’s iconic TV special, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Charlie
Brown Christmas</i>, have become quite the cottage industry at this time of the
year; the instrumentation usually (and logically) takes the form of a piano
trio. Seattle-based jazz pianist Jose “Juicy” Gonzales has presented such
concerts for several years now, and I’m happy to report that one no longer must
visit the Pacific Northwest, in order to enjoy his efforts. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><b>Linus and Juicy: A Holiday Album</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> covers
most of Guaraldi’s score — “What Child Is This”/“Greensleeves” was left behind
— along with some apt extras. The versatile Gonzales is ably supported by
bassist Michael Marcus and drummer Matt Jorgensen, both of whom get plenty of
chances to demonstrate their own chops. The album opens with a ferocious double-time
reading of “White Christmas” that positively roars, and offers lively keyboard
and bass solos: just a taste of further delights to come.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Given how many hundreds (thousands?) of soloists,
combos and bands have covered “Linus and Lucy,” this album’s highlight may well
be “Linus and Juicy,” Gonzales’ playful and marvelously unique arrangement of
that tune: a wild re-interpretation also highlighted by another of Marcus’
sleek bass solos. The trio’s handling of “Skating” is buoyant and lyrical;
“Christmas Is Coming” is aggressively peppy, with a terrific swing bridge
dominated by Marcus’ walking bass.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jorgensen sets an infectious march tempo for “Little
Drummer Boy,” adding tasty percussion touches behind Gonzales’ lyrical keyboard
noodling; “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” is suitably thoughtful and majestic.
Gonzales opens “O Tannenbaum” with gentle solo piano, in a respectful echo of
Guaraldi’s arrangement, and then “expands” the tune with some delectable swing
that invites a tasty bass solo, which segues to lively byplay between keyboard
and drums.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A lengthy, 7-minute arrangement of “Christmas Time
Is Here” is properly gentle, offering plenty of lyrical improv by both Gonzales
and Marcus. Unexpectedly playful and up-tempo readings of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”
and “Silent Night” deliver more sizzle than we generally expect from these two
reverential carols.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Gonzales adds enthusiastic but clearly untrained
vocals to “The First Noel” and “The Christmas Song,” which may raise eyebrows;
although his delivery is heartfelt, Tony Bennett and Harry Connick Jr. don’t
have anything to worry about. But that’s a minor quibble, given the
finger-snapping “juice” that characterizes the rest of the album.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Anthology albums often are a mixed bag, and </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><b>Jazz at the
Ballroom Christmas</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> is no exception. The project comes from the
still-youthful Jazz at the Ballroom, a Northern California non-profit arts
organization based in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, which is a couple
seasons into a regular jazz series, and which also advocates on behalf of jazz
in area schools.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This album’s roster features many of the artists
who’ve performed in the JATB series, including several of this season’s stars:
double bassist/vocalist Nicki Parrott, Australian pianist Konrad Paszkudzki,
legendary vocalist/pianist Freddy Cole and clarinetist Ken Peplowski. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The disc kicks off with a fresh take of Cole’s “Jack
Frost Snow,” a droll Ray Parker tune that Cole first recorded on his 1995
holiday album, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I Want a Smile for
Christmas</i>. He’s backed here by a solid trio — Elias Bailey (acoustic bass),
Henry Conerway (drums) and Randy Napoleon (guitar) — with the latter delivering
tasty licks against Cole’s playful crooning and piano chops. The same quartet
also contributes a slow, sweet reading of “O Tannenbaum,” highlighted by
Bailey’s bowed bass.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Clarinetist Dave Bennett shines on a leisurely cover
of “The Christmas Song,” with solid backing from Jeff Kressler (piano), Ed
Fedewa (bass) and Doug Cobb (drums). Peplowski weighs in with an equally
lyrical arrangement of “Carol of the Bells,” joined by Ehud Asherie (piano) and
Mike Karn (bass).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Parrott contributes lovely readings of “I’ll Be Home
for Christmas” and “Christmas Time Is Here,” accompanied by Paszkudzki and Dag
Markhus (drums); she coaxes plenty of seasonal sentiment from the latter tune. She
also has fun with co-vocalist Tony Desare during the droll byplay of “Baby,
It’s Cold Outside.” Desare delivers similar jovial bounce during an impish, 2/2
arrangement of “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Vocalist/pianist Champian Fulton gets plenty of
spirited sass from “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?,” suggesting that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">her</i> time will be spent cozying up to
somebody very warm; she and bassist David Williams present an equally lovely
reading of “The Christmas Waltz.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Paszkudzki and his trio — Dylan Shamat (bass) and
Markhus (drums) — are new to me, and I’ve become an instant fan. They
contribute three instrumentals: a tasty, mid-tempo handling of “O Christmas
Tree”; a cute Paszkudzki original titled “Fireside Sizzle,” which lives up to
its name; and a roaring, double-time arrangement of “Winter Wonderland” powered
further by Shamat’s slick walking bass.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Vocalist Kitty Margolis, alas, is less successful
with her efforts. Her warbling, disinterested takes of “Have Yourself a Merry
Little Christmas” and “Let It Snow” simply don’t gel; she even sounds flat in
the latter. And while Kathryn Crosby may have been a logical sentimental choice
to sing “White Christmas,” her delivery is uninspired; surely there were far
better options for this seasonal classic.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You’ll likely rotate several tracks out of this
collection, but one thing is obvious: Paszkudzki deserves his own full-length
holiday album, and I hope he makes one soon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><b>Jazzin’ Around Christmas</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> stars
the celebrated Danish Radio Big Band, founded in Copenhagen back in 1964. The
incredibly tight unit features five trumpets, five trombones, five saxes and a
rhythm section of piano, guitar, bass and drums. American jazz drummer,
composer and arranger Dennis Mackrel conducts the unit for this holiday
release, and the musicians are impressive throughout, with particular mention
going to the unison horn passages.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Alas, the same cannot be said for the 10 different
vocalists who perform on all but one of this album’s tracks. Some blend well
with the band; others are an unfortunate distraction. Most of the arrangements
open and close with the vocalists, who then pause to allow one or more instrumental
soloists during a lengthy bridge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The disc kicks off with a terrific reading of “I’ll
Be Home for Christmas,” with Bobo Moreno sashaying through the lyrics until
yielding to Karl-Martin Almqvist’s lovely tenor sax solo. Kaspar Vadsholt’s
cool walking bass opens an equally peppy handling of “Jingle Bells,” with
singer Sinne Eeg giving a scat-laden introduction to Mads la Cour’s sweet
flugelhorn solo.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A delightfully rocking arrangement of “This
Christmas” features crisp solos by Vincent Nilsson (trombone) and Peter
Fugisang (alto sax), and vocalist Mirian Mandipira turns “I Pray on Christmas”
into a vibrant, church-style revival hymn, complete with Kevin Christensen’s
reverent trombone solo.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A calm handling of “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”
opens with a lovely duet between vocalist Lisa Nilsson and pianist Henrik
Gunde; the full band adds majesty and pauses for Steen Nikolaj Hansen’s cool
trombone solo.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Unfortunately, vocalist Mimi Terris never seems to
be on the beat, during “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” and Caecilie
Norby’s intrusive vocal frankly ruins Gunde’s lyrical keyboard work on a
thoughtful arrangement of “Snowfall.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The arrangement of “Deck the Halls” is a mess all
around, from Ola Onbulé’s off-putting vocal, to Gerard Presencer’s dissonant
and needlessly squawky flugelhorn solo.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The album concludes well, with a gorgeous
instrumental cover of “When You Wish Upon a Star,” offering lovely solos on
piano and trumpet. It’s a shame Mackrel didn’t opt for more instrumentals and
fewer vocals, because the band clearly is capable of standing perfectly well on
its own.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I’d have purchased North Carolina-based gospel
pianist Jeff Collins’ </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><b>The Keys to Christmas</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> for the
fourth track alone: an arrangement of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” cleverly
set against a pastiche of Scottish composer John Lunn’s title theme for
television’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Downton Abbey</i>. Collins excuses
this artistic choice — as he explains in the album liner notes — on the basis
of this being a “haunting English traditional carol,” and therefore quite
appropriate to the show’s traditionally English characters.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We hardly need any justification, when the results
are so charming.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Collins’ album covers a lot of territory, from
orchestral pop and chamber music, to combo jazz and full-blown big band swing.
As such, jazz purists are likely to zip past the gentle piano/violin
arrangements of “Mary Did You Know” and “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” along with
an opening medley — “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” “O Come, All Ye Faithful”
and “Joy to the World” — that sounds like the orchestral overture of a stage
musical.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The remaining eight tracks, though, are a lot of
fun. “The Man with the Bag” is delivered with big band fury, in Collins’ quite
obvious homage to 1950s swing ensembles. A soul-flavored reading of “Go Tell It
on the Mountain” also swings like crazy, and is highlighted by Steve Patrick’s
vibrant flugelhorn and trumpet riffs. “Let It Snow, Let It Snow” begins as a
raucous, Latin-fueled toe-tapper, then switches to traditional big band swing
at the bridge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The full band also is on hand for a jazz waltz
arrangement of “Carol of the Bells,” while “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve”
blends the smaller combo with some nice sax work by Sam Levine. Collins even
works in an updated arrangement of Vince Guaraldi’s “Linus and Lucy,” with an
additional swing bridge that features a sleek guitar solo.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Collins’ core group includes David Johnson and
Jeremy Medkiff (electric and acoustic guitars), Jason Webb (Hammond B3), Roger
Fortner and Tim Surrett (upright bass), and Tony Creasman (drums and
percussion). I do wish Collins had resisted the urge to add strings so
frequently; it would have been nice to get a few more combo jazz numbers, since
these guys obviously know how to cook.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A thought for your next holiday album, Mr. Collins?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">New York-based trumpeter Chris Pasin made his bones
as a member of the Buddy Rich and Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabackin big bands, and
as an accompanist for stellar vocalists such as Sarah Vaughn, Frank Sinatra,
Nancy Wilson and Mel Tormé. These days, Pasin lives and leads smaller combos in
the upper Hudson Valley; </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><b>Baby It’s Cold Outside</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> is his
first holiday-themed album.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He’s a generous leader, granting ample solo time to
sidemen Armen Donelian (piano), Peter Einhorn (guitar), Ira Coleman and Rich
Syracuse (bass), and Jeff Siegel (drums). Guests vocalist Patricia Dalton
Fennell adds husky sparkle to three of the album’s 11 tracks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The disc opens with Fennell’s wistful reading of
“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” against mellow backing by Donelian
and Pasin, both of whom take lyrical solos at the bridge. Too many artists
cover this song as an upbeat number, which is completely wrong; it’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">supposed</i> to be melancholy, and these
folks get it right.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” is arranged as a
droll, peppy salsa, the Latin touch given additional lift by Pasin’s muted
trumpet and Einhorn’s sleek guitar improv at the bridge. Unusual syncopation
highlights “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” the melody almost deconstructed and
heard only briefly, before segueing to horn and guitar improvs, the latter against
Syracuse’s sleek walking bass, which leads into his own nifty solo.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” is a slow swinger
highlighted by smooth horn and guitar solos; “Christmas Time Is Here” is gentle
and exquisite, Pasin’s horn taking the melody against soft guitar comping, and
both getting soft improv solos at the bridge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In recent years, “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” has been
given a droll gender switch: Instead of the guy trying to persuade the gal to
stay, bolder groups now have the gal coyly teasing the guy to hang around.
Pasin and Fennell make their verbal flirting cute and sexy, “talking” the song
more than singing it, while a multi-tracked Pasin backs this banter with his
soft horn.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pasin also includes two tracks for folks who prefer
aggressive jazz. A peppy arrangement of “We Three Kings” sails straight into
dissonant Coltrane territory during lengthy horn and piano solos; and the
trumpet/keyboard duet on “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” is similarly “out there”
during its lengthy solos.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The album concludes with a relaxed cover of “The
Christmas Song,” Pasin once again employing muted trumpet for the melody; the
lengthy arrangement includes poetic solos on piano, trumpet and bass. It’s a
nice finish to an agreeably varied yuletide menu.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jazz pianist, composer and educator Mark Flugge was
a beloved presence at Ohio State University and Capital University when he
succumbed — at far too young an age — to a debilitating hearing affliction in
May 2014. At the time of his passing, he had programmed, produced and performed
in a Chamber Jazz Series that he founded for the Columbus Museum of Art. The
annual December concerts were a particular treat, as they featured Flugge in combo
settings of jazz holiday tunes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><b>A Chamber Jazz Christmas: Mark Flugge Remembered</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> gathers
11 tracks performed live between 2007 and ’11, along with a pair of solo piano
arrangements believed to have been laid down during a 2011 studio session.
Given the recording parameters, the audio quality is a bit uneven, and the
applause occasionally distracts; that said, the album is an engaging listen,
and a tribute to both Flugge and post-production engineer Jay Alton.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Flugge favored Latin/Cuban arrangements and hypnotic
keyboard vamps behind the improv solos from his various sidemen; both are immediately
evident in the album’s droll opener, “Rudolph in Havana,” which boasts sleek
solos from Flugge and guitarist Derek DiCenzo. The latter also is all over
“Jingle Bells,” which emerges as a joyous strut. “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen”
is blended with “Take Five” in the appropriate time signature, and offers
lyrical solos by Flugge and DiCenzo, along with some lively drum work by Joe
Ong.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">DiCenzo doubles on steel drums for a soft,
thoughtful reading of Vince Guaraldi’s “My Little Drum” (itself a slight
re-working of “Little Drummer Boy); Flugge adds some leisurely country swing to
“Blue Christmas,” highlighted by more of DiCenzo’s deft guitar licks. Dave
DeWitt’s sublime bass solo is the highlight of “Here Comes Santa Claus,” and
you’ll detect a nod to Sergio Mendes and Brasil 66’s iconic “Mas Que Nada” in
Flugge’s arrangement of “Coventry Carol,” which also offers some tasty vibes
work by Ong.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Flugge’s keyboard chops are particularly evident
during his solos: a long, leisurely reading of “What Child Is This”; a playful
handling of “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town,” laden with great improv; and a
slow, gentle cover of “Sleigh Ride in July.” The album concludes with a second,
more traditional reading of “Rudolph” that still has a catchy Latin touch, with
tasty work by Flugge, DiCenzo and drummer Dave Weinstock.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Flugge’s reputation is well deserved, and I’ve no
doubt he’s sorely missed in Ohio; this album is an affectionate — and
well-deserved — tribute.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>BRIEFLY NOTED:</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">• David Ian, </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><b>Vintage Christmas Trio</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;">: The
third in Ian’s “Vintage” holiday series — following 2011’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Vintage Christmas</i> and 2013’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Vintage
Christmas Wonderland</i> — is a sweet little album that once again teams the
pianist with Jon Estes (bass) and Josh Hunt (drums and percussion). The approach
is consistently gentle: quiet “supper jazz” that makes a tasty listening
experience at the conclusion of a long day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ian’s arrangements are traditional: He trades the
melody with Estes’ sleek walking bass licks, one comping behind the other,
either or both taking a short improv during the bridge before bringing the tune
home. Each of the 10 tracks is brief, the album coming in at a modest 34
minutes. Hunt favors soft sleigh bells amid his percussion elements, and Ian
goes for a mildly mysterious tone on classics such as “Good King Wenceslas” and
“We Three Kings,” the latter opening with a lengthy keyboard solo as Ian
“explores” his way to the melody.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He gives a droll reading of “Up on the Housetop” and
almost deconstructs “Joy to the World” in a clever arrangement; a soft handling
of “Silver Bells” shifts tempo at the chorus, while “White Christmas” opens
with a particularly lovely piano solo. The album concludes with a solemn
arrangement of “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” Ian backed solely by Hunt’s soothing cymbal
brushes. A lovely album: short but truly sweet.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">• Reta Watkins, </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><b>That Christmas Feeling</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;">: The
Philadelphia-based vocalist’s debut album is a blend of big band jazz charts
and orchestral easy listening; the song selection leans heavily toward her faith-based
roots, while allowing room for a few up-tempo classics. She kicks off with an vigorous
reading of “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” which gives ample
exposure to the Benny Goodman/Glenn Miller big band sound with which she grew
up; her band delivers a terrific blast of instrumental swing during the bridge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Watkins’ cover of “Sleigh Ride” is equally
energetic, and I immediately recognized Harry Connick Jr.’s big band chart
arrangement, from his 1993 holiday album. Her sassy, double-time cover of Paul McCartney’s
“Wonderful Christmas Time” is another showcase for big band swing, and she
brings smoldering sensuality to a relaxing reading of “I’ve Got My Love to Keep
Me Warm.” It’s a shame that several of the big band arrangements are cluttered
with unnecessary strings. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Both Watkins and the string-heavy orchestra also are
needlessly overwrought on a pair of Jeremy Johnson/Paul Marino Christian
anthems, “Behold Emmanuel” and “Christmas in Heaven.” Her understated approach
to Mark Lowry and Buddy Green’s “Mary Did You Know” is far more satisfying,
with just the right amount of dramatic punch. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgINHx6knoLU9bUAKVSBgcHqhnXJp0idMUhqxqmyVAyOMMbPWMH_JGr7BuXoN6ga2yigyrsNS8WPRVrx4gor1vx2j_IZvsVjF-K_ThnxuDOAKG6xx7I7ANvotaBWgS1ybNUL4RyhIhhc6Y/s1600/lawrence+juber.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgINHx6knoLU9bUAKVSBgcHqhnXJp0idMUhqxqmyVAyOMMbPWMH_JGr7BuXoN6ga2yigyrsNS8WPRVrx4gor1vx2j_IZvsVjF-K_ThnxuDOAKG6xx7I7ANvotaBWgS1ybNUL4RyhIhhc6Y/s320/lawrence+juber.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">• Laurence Juber, </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><b>Holidays & Hollynights</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;">:
Distinguished fingerstyle guitarist and studio musician Laurence Juber perhaps
remains best known (in certain circles) for his stint on lead guitar alongside
Paul McCartney and Wings, from 1978 to ’81. But that’s just one note from the
symphony of praise accorded an extraordinary musician who deserves the accolade
“one of the world’s most remarkable acoustic guitarists.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although this seasonal album barely flirts with true
jazz, it’s simply too gorgeous to be ignored. Juber is joined by Domenic Genova
(upright bass) and Michael Jochum (drums), and every track is a gem. The
delivery is consistently soft, at gentle tempos that allow every note to shine.
“What Child Is This” emerges as an unhurried, rhythmic waltz; Genova and Jochum
add playful touches to “Sleigh Ride.” You’ll detect some country twang in the
arrangements of “Blue Christmas” and “Joy to the World.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Juber’s droll handling of “Jingle Bells” includes
some cute <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">oom-pah</i> touches; his
arrangements of “Winter Wonderland” is appropriately peppy. The album concludes
with his solo reading of “The Christmas Song”: a delicate and reverential
arrangement that seems to encapsulate the entire seasonal spirit. My only
complaint is that the album clocks in at a scant 38 minutes; I wanted more!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8W-Afy1M8jxPVUOicxjblMZ05wJZP4WPZhb03kmbqOa7jbTbtY2cAjF0pu_q72AZOdRT8PEM8hlfBKdHkXgNyubfN2zjMAI7pwbfw7W4I6btTqpWTXVdttb5nPpVhDngOpsS9IjUB8o/s1600/Dave+Koz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8W-Afy1M8jxPVUOicxjblMZ05wJZP4WPZhb03kmbqOa7jbTbtY2cAjF0pu_q72AZOdRT8PEM8hlfBKdHkXgNyubfN2zjMAI7pwbfw7W4I6btTqpWTXVdttb5nPpVhDngOpsS9IjUB8o/s320/Dave+Koz.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">• Dave Koz & Friends, </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><b>20th
Anniversary Christmas</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;">: Although known primarily as “smooth jazz”
artists, saxophonist Dave Koz and pianist David Benoit are capable of serious
swing chops, as both have demonstrated on previous albums (and previous holiday
albums). But there’s little indication of that on this release, which — no
doubt intentionally — plays more like a 46-minute TV variety special. Most of
these tracks are orchestral pop at best, and some positively sag beneath
string-laden sentimentality.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Half the tracks are vocals by different guest stars
— Selina Albright, Gabriel Orengo, Jeffrey Osborne, Javier Colon and Kenny
Lattimore — and the latter does a nice job with Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The family-friendly arrangements are unremarkable,
with two exceptions that veer dangerously close to actual jazz. “O Little Town
of Bethlehem” starts softly, Koz’s soprano sax gently backed by Rick Braun’s
trumpet and Peter White’s guitar. But then the tempo accelerates, bass and
drums giving momentum to Benoit’s piano riffs; he, Braun and Koz then deliver
peppy solos during a lengthy bridge. “O Tannenbaum” is even more fun; it begins
(literally) as a mid-tempo finger-snapper, with Benoit and White adding some pizzazz.
The arrangement shifts to 4/4 swing during the bridge, the four soloists
inserting droll quotes from “It’s Only a Paper Moon,” “Killer Joe,” “Rhapsody
in Blue,” “On Broadway” and more.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It’s
a shame more of the album doesn’t have that energy; as things stand, it’s
unlikely to satisfy this column’s readers.</span></div>
Derrick Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12885694730612878577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-67454265549298240432017-10-20T08:59:00.000-07:002017-10-20T08:59:12.888-07:00Tom Dempsey/Tim Ferguson Quartet: Waltz New<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><a href="http://originarts.com/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">OA2 Records</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By Ric Bang</b></span></b></span><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Buy CD: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Waltz-New-Dempsey-Ferguson-Quartet/dp/B01N9P8QHV/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1508514974&sr=1-1&keywords=waltz+new+dempsey+ferguson" style="color: #944c0b; text-decoration: none;">Waltz New</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Guitarist
Tom Dempsey and bassist Tim Ferguson have been friends for more than 25 years,
and have worked together numerous times since their college days. Dempsey may
be better known, because his career experiences have included stage and TV
exposure: with dancer Savion Glover, in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bring
In ’da Noise, Bring In ’da Funk</i>; and as part of the ensembles behind <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Rosie O’Donnell Show</i> and HBO’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sex and the City</i>. Dempsey is one of the
best jazz guitarists I’ve ever heard, and he also is a teacher, educator and
author.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjgfwENVOlXQ4HoHGLbo-hQLKyD-Fr_JPhjvkGOknCK9RuSsrcT1GK9xTAnchXaHwcP9sZ40t3d3VhGPY9y8Yl4lsDYiTBbo_ES8fpBlWSO-27Kil0RYIm2uqylDdfps1mq-1rZfqY5Yg/s1600/Waltz+New.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="400" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjgfwENVOlXQ4HoHGLbo-hQLKyD-Fr_JPhjvkGOknCK9RuSsrcT1GK9xTAnchXaHwcP9sZ40t3d3VhGPY9y8Yl4lsDYiTBbo_ES8fpBlWSO-27Kil0RYIm2uqylDdfps1mq-1rZfqY5Yg/s320/Waltz+New.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ferguson
has been a first-call bassist in the New York City jazz scene for 20 years. He
also composes and arranges, and teaches privately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over
time, both have worked with numerous name members of the jazz fraternity;
they’ve also played in a quartet format with tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm and
drummer Eliot Zigmund. One of those meet-ups produced the 2013 album <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Beautiful Friendship</i>; Waltz New is their
second outing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dempsey
and Ferguson both admire guitarist Jim Hall, who composed six of this new
album’s songs. The rest are Dempsey’s “Village Waltz,” Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein’s
“All The Things You Are,” Arthur Sch<a href="" name="_GoBack"></a>wartz and Howard
Dietz’s “Alone Together,” Hoagy Carmichael’s “Skylark,” and Ron Carter’s “Receipt
Please.” Dempsey handled the new arrangements.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All the tracks are played
beautifully, with masterful recording and mixing. Each artist delivers
thoughtful and imaginative solos, which perfectly complement the melodic themes
and chord changes. This “blending” of instruments adds greatly to the album’s
enjoyment. It deserves prime placement in your musical library.</span></div>
Ric Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634123099801235907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-52093620483423035212017-10-20T08:55:00.000-07:002017-10-20T08:55:19.680-07:00The Blueprints Trio: Souvenir<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><a href="https://blueprintstrio.bandcamp.com/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">Self-Published</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By Ric Bang</b></span></b></span><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Buy CD: <a href="https://blueprintstrio.bandcamp.com/" style="color: #944c0b; text-decoration: none;">Souvenir</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When
we left Los Angeles for to Portland, Oregon, more than 30 years ago, my only
concern was missing the excitement and variety of the jazz Mecca that runs from
Southern California to San Francisco. I shouldn’t have worried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfT7v4BLOGXQN9_GGWpNR3pblYTKpB5jLSu26E0X869TV3urYkmdA7FIwtS9g2MyU07q67dIcQixLBYUMduLLQepWA-W8VVw0bblAglA3UPmnwJKMuIU4JesHD7ZdAdTXBoQZ6_7jaX4/s1600/Blueprints.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="400" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfT7v4BLOGXQN9_GGWpNR3pblYTKpB5jLSu26E0X869TV3urYkmdA7FIwtS9g2MyU07q67dIcQixLBYUMduLLQepWA-W8VVw0bblAglA3UPmnwJKMuIU4JesHD7ZdAdTXBoQZ6_7jaX4/s320/Blueprints.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ve
yet to find a big band outfit here, but Portland does offer jazz-oriented clubs
and, surprisingly, enough fans to keep combos busy with public and private gigs
for “special occasions.” I’m also delighted by the considerable jazz interest
in the local public schools, some of which include combos and orchestras as
part of their music curriculum.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This
album features one of the many jazz groups that make the Pacific Northwest
their home: a trio consisting of Matt Tabor (piano), Craig Snazelle (bass) and Dave
Averre (drums). It’s interesting to note that — as with many of the musicians who
populate this area’s jazz fraternity — these guys began their careers in other
parts of the country, then decided to settle down here, where they teach and
play.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Their
forté is straight-ahead jazz, and the album focuses on standards: Cole Porter’s
“All Of You,” Mel Tormé and Robert Wells’ “Born to Be Blue,” Hoagy Carmichael’s
“The Nearness of You,” Joe Henderson’s “Isotope,” David Mann and Redd Evans’ “No
Moon at All,” and the Herb Ellis/John Frigo/Lou Carter classic, “Detour Ahead.”
The remaining tracks are originals: Averre’s “Waltz of the Rainbow Trout” and “Kind
of Bill,” and Tabor’s “Can’t Quite Get It Right.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These
guys swing nicely, and their years together is evident. Tabor is a “less is
more” pianist, while Snazelle’s facility on bass is impressive; his solo work
is quite lyrical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Averre, in turn,
is a “tasteful” drummer who <a href="" name="_GoBack"></a>keeps things moving.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s
a genuine pleasure to hear this group swing.</span></div>
Ric Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634123099801235907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-47104059044066463132017-10-19T09:57:00.001-07:002017-10-19T09:57:54.675-07:00Brian Landrus: Generations<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><a href="http://www.bluelandrecords.com/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">BlueLand Records</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By Ric Bang</b></span></b></span><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Buy CD: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Generations-Brian-Landrus-Orchestra/dp/B0742PNHSH/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1508432192&sr=1-1&keywords=brian+landrus+generations" style="color: #944c0b; text-decoration: none;">Generations</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
got turned on to baritone sax after hearing Serge Chaloff, who played that
instrument in Woody Herman’s second herd. That unit’s reed section set the
standard for all subsequent big bands. Gerry Mulligan arrived on the scene next;
his prowess truly cemented that horn’s importance to jazz. More great artists
have followed those two, but one who really stands out is Brian Landrus, the
musician/composer featured on this release.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikm8TLeajenBD_EuCItlMwsdQJxRxVplIVygRzEwk0jCxs11ujG39DlapB4tRYw787lLjNJUovJdh3NtIQCn7upg_6iSAvVAFgQVyaWeUKCj2ez-Vohd3omaySN6G1po3cai7rQVFyRJU/s1600/Brian-Landrus-Generations.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikm8TLeajenBD_EuCItlMwsdQJxRxVplIVygRzEwk0jCxs11ujG39DlapB4tRYw787lLjNJUovJdh3NtIQCn7upg_6iSAvVAFgQVyaWeUKCj2ez-Vohd3omaySN6G1po3cai7rQVFyRJU/s320/Brian-Landrus-Generations.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Landrus
plays all of the low woodwind instruments: baritone and bass saxophones, bass
clarinet and flute. He’s also a gifted and prodigious composer. He began to
play professionally at 15, earned master’s degrees in music and composition
from New England Conservatory, and currently is finishing a doctorate in composition
at Rutgers University.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Generations</i>, Landrus’ newest
release, is an artistic and compositional <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tour
de force</i>. It features a 25-piece orchestra that contains the basic
instrumentation of a big band, along with horns more commonly found in symphonic
groups (oboe, bassoon, tuba, etc.), strings (violin, viola, cello), a harp and
a vibraphone. The music is presented in a dozen segments: five movements
presented as the “Jeru Concerto” (Gerry Mulligan’s nickname); and seven stand-alone
tunes that reflect individuals or elements of Landrus’ life. These are titled “Orchids,”
“The Warrior,” “Arrow In The Night,” “Arise,” “Human Nature,” “Ruby” and “Every
Time I Dream.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
lack descriptors accurate enough to describe the impact and excellence of this
album’s music. It’s in a class of its own, and must be heard time and again to
appreciate.</span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Generations</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> is</span><a href="" name="_GoBack" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> amazing concert jazz. Do </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">not</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> miss it!</span></div>
Ric Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634123099801235907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-26855822636374926792017-10-19T09:52:00.000-07:002017-10-19T09:52:29.137-07:00Ben Markley Big Band: Clockwise<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><a href="http://originarts.com/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">OA2 Records</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By Ric Bang</b></span></b></span><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Buy CD: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Clockwise-Ben-Markley-Big-Band/dp/B01NCKO1D8/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1508431861&sr=1-1&keywords=ben+markley+clockwise" style="color: #944c0b; text-decoration: none;">Clockwise</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All
jazz fans know pianist, composer and arranger Cedar Walton. He was born in 1934
and immersed in the scene at the same time as Art Tatum, Thelonious Monk, Bud
Powell, Charlie Parker and John Coltrane, but was best known for his
association with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. Many of Walton’s charts are
legendary, and are staples in the books of name combos and big bands throughout
the jazz world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlsF6OGOr9CgiSraBTs56MkO2XLS4ZO8KoXNF2Xk1t4SPI2Zj_KgwtEa5yw382nNLZglH2NMqRXMvO1U1I9COM3BEvY23t19gusigStVMFdzEetHTyhUSLNHXXTTAjd7yEmq_F05MV2Ks/s1600/Ben+Markley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="364" data-original-width="400" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlsF6OGOr9CgiSraBTs56MkO2XLS4ZO8KoXNF2Xk1t4SPI2Zj_KgwtEa5yw382nNLZglH2NMqRXMvO1U1I9COM3BEvY23t19gusigStVMFdzEetHTyhUSLNHXXTTAjd7yEmq_F05MV2Ks/s320/Ben+Markley.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every
tune in this tribute album by Markley is a Walton original.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Markley
is a pianist, educator, composer and arranger; he heads the big band featured
in this release. He’s an active performer in the Denver area, and is director
of jazz studies at the University of Wyoming. He also teaches applied jazz
piano and improvisation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His
group here is standard: five reeds, four trumpets — including the famed Terell Stafford
— four trombones, and a rhythm section of piano, bass and drums. Two tracks
also feature guitar. This tasty result has earned rave reviews, including
four-and-a-half stars from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Downbeat</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Walton’s
compositions were always swingers at any tempo, and Markley maintains that level
of excellence. As an added bonus, the chord structure and changes made possible
by the use of full reed and brass sections makes “everything old, new again.” The<a href="" name="_GoBack"></a> artists have been given plenty of room for solos, and they
make good use of every opportunity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
hadn’t heard Stafford for awhile, and had forgotten what a groovin’ horn player
he is.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s
terrific to hear a truly excellent band swing like this one. Purists who yearn
for those good ol’ days — and the wonderful groups that rocked us back then —
will find that this album brings back some great memories, and satisfies the
soul.</span></div>
Ric Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634123099801235907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-68117135163287893702017-10-19T09:45:00.001-07:002017-10-19T09:45:53.750-07:00Bill Cunliffe: BACHanalia<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><a href="http://billcunliffe.com/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">Metro Records</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By Ric Bang</b></span></b></span><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Buy CD: <a href="http://billcunliffe.com/store/cds/bill-cunliffe-bachanalia.html" style="color: #944c0b; text-decoration: none;">BACHanalia</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This
terrific album comes from Bill Cunliffe, one of the finest big band composers
and arrangers in the modern jazz world. The music is performed by some of today’s
best instrumentalists, and the result is a marvelous demonstration of what the
“new” can do with the very “old.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLjVciT4V4Z58QVeMR79VvT_R98Gm1gLdiFU45jxGq8KpPlrbt0_MU4_ATx71cTS2sHd76XHwQ5g_6mAbpOKK6_np6vCYB6m9vc84KLyegjlSa9CXRDV2oXx-KP6Z4GG2Qh8qghr-KNfk/s1600/Bill+Cunliffe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="400" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLjVciT4V4Z58QVeMR79VvT_R98Gm1gLdiFU45jxGq8KpPlrbt0_MU4_ATx71cTS2sHd76XHwQ5g_6mAbpOKK6_np6vCYB6m9vc84KLyegjlSa9CXRDV2oXx-KP6Z4GG2Qh8qghr-KNfk/s320/Bill+Cunliffe.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
core of this release is based on compositions by J.S. Bach, C.P.E. Bach, Sergei
Prokofiev and Manuel de Falla. Cunliffe has taken several of their most famous
works, rewritten and arranged them into big band charts, and then gathered the
most disciplined and swinging jazz orchestra that has come down the pike in
years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two
dozen artists are involved; the basic unit consisted of 18 performers, although
the sessions were mixed and matched so that each was used on one or more
tracks. Cunliffe conducts and serves as pianist on everything, as does drummer
Joe La Barbara.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
“classic” tracks include J.S. Bach’s “Sleepers Wake” and “Goldberg Contraption”;
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Prokofiev’s
Piano Concerto No. 3, First Movement; C.P.E. Bach’s “Solfeggietto”; and de
Falla’s “The Three-Cornered Hat.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cunliffe’s
re-writing and arranging is unbelievably excellent, and his keyboard skills are
marvelous. The orchestral passages, support and instrumental solo work are mind-boggling.
Pay particular attention to La Barbara; he’s a stupendous percussionist. He
hits every emphatic phrase perfectly, has beautiful volume control, and drives
the band like crazy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
other charts are equally great. A Cunliffe original (“Afluencia”) is joined by “Blame
It on My Youth,” featuring trumpeter Terell Stafford and guitarist Larry
Koonse; and <a href="" name="_GoBack"></a>“I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” starring
vocalist Denise Donatelli. She also contributes vocalese passages to several of
the other charts; she has a gorgeous voice, hits every note dead-on, and is a
true swinger.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This
fantastic album is a must.</span></div>
Ric Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634123099801235907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-70547933242499075612017-06-29T07:32:00.001-07:002017-06-29T07:32:34.036-07:00University of Toronto Jazz Orchestra: Sweet Ruby Suite<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><a href="http://orangegrovepublicity.com/Clients/university-of-toronto-jazz-orchestra-sweet-ruby-suite/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">Self-Published</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By Ric Bang</b></span></b></span><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Buy CD: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/sweet-ruby-suite-feat-norma-winstone-dave-liebman/id1177066067" style="color: #944c0b; text-decoration: none;">Sweet Ruby Suite</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once
in awhile, if lucky, you stumble across a musical diamond in the rough: a
wholly unfamiliar gem. This album is just such a find.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9k_vJ5zNH28P2Lg23AX4PB9lZa_R4FTiSbQc5PmMGfbCxnhMBfVRHSvtNdl8fTGB-E1JT8hPl2whMtMq1YxX_HJQLu1xqA-lxSBNw1OCheR_Oz7TJ4P88NGvdBW0AHvkIIpUayPthb3E/s1600/UTJO-front_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9k_vJ5zNH28P2Lg23AX4PB9lZa_R4FTiSbQc5PmMGfbCxnhMBfVRHSvtNdl8fTGB-E1JT8hPl2whMtMq1YxX_HJQLu1xqA-lxSBNw1OCheR_Oz7TJ4P88NGvdBW0AHvkIIpUayPthb3E/s320/UTJO-front_cover.jpg" width="316" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Canada’s
University of Toronto Jazz Orchestra (UTJO) is one of that school’s many
musical ensembles, built from faculty and students<a href="" name="_GoBack"></a>.
Gordon Foote directs this group. Prior to this job, he worked for more than 25
years as a professor of jazz studies at McGill University in Montreal,
Quebec.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
UTJO consists of five trumpets, four trombones, five reeds, and a rhythm
section of piano, guitar, bass and drums. David Liebman guests here on soprano
sax, and Norma Winstone on voice. All the music was written by
trumpeter/composer Kenny Wheeler, who was born in Toronto in 1930, but spent
most of his life and career in Great Britain. He died in a London nursing home
at age 84. As this release amply demonstrates, he was an outstanding artist,
way ahead of his time in many respects.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More
than half of the album — almost 30 minutes — is devoted to Wheeler’s “Sweet
Ruby Suite,” a beautiful balladic composition. The orchestral work is gorgeous,
and some of the finest I’ve heard in years: particularly impressive, given that
students comprise the aggregation. Winstone’s contribution consists largely of
vocalese passages, as opposed to actual lyrics, and the lady has a stunning
voice. Liebman’s sax work is equally impressive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Three
shorter works — “WW,” “Canter No. 1” and “Winter Sweet” — complete the album.
The music won’t make you dance or snap your fingers, but its elegance is mesmerizing;
you’ll want to hear it again and again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
University of Toronto clearly is a music school to be reckoned with. One can
only hope that we’ll hear a </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">lot</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> more
from these students.</span></div>
Ric Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634123099801235907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-25062502268631439732017-06-28T10:13:00.000-07:002017-06-28T10:13:13.372-07:00Michael Zilber: Originals for Originals<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><a href="http://originarts.com/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">Origin Records</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By Ric Bang</b></span></b></span><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Buy CD: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Originals-Michael-Zilber/dp/B01N6FCZD8/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1498669673&sr=1-1&keywords=michael+zilber+originals+for+originals" style="color: #944c0b; text-decoration: none;">Originals for Originals</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instrumentalist/composer
Michael Zilber is better known by fellow musicians than by jazz fans. Born in
Vancouver, B.C., he moved to Boston in his late teens, then to New York City
about five years later. It didn’t take long for his talents to be recognized by
artists who frequented that area. Zilber performed or recorded with giants such
as Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Stitt, the Brecker brothers and Dave Liebman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1AgkYAgVl85JeaaVCeSM5gzTCvmbmtgAht69p-eaUbqyFVVJtpWt0ZUVY9tqFb969cU2-m8uy3ejpFvpKYVRaJWWXP65SvgNLfTXt-UWCdPs4NuuwMM9w6G5iz8W6tk547KmjR44IpE/s1600/82729_600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="400" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1AgkYAgVl85JeaaVCeSM5gzTCvmbmtgAht69p-eaUbqyFVVJtpWt0ZUVY9tqFb969cU2-m8uy3ejpFvpKYVRaJWWXP65SvgNLfTXt-UWCdPs4NuuwMM9w6G5iz8W6tk547KmjR44IpE/s320/82729_600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Zilber’s
second album as a leader, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stranger in
Brooklyn</i>, was included in a 1992 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jazz
Fusion</i> list of “The Best 30 Recordings of All Time.” He now works out of
the San Francisco area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He
wrote all the tracks on this new album, his 11th, and these compositions are
done to acknowledge the reed artists he considered to be masters of their
instruments, and whose music strongly influenced his own development. They
include Michael Brecker, Sonny Rollins, Dave Liebman, Wayne Shorter, Joe
Henderson, John Coltrane and Paul Desmond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
track titles are plays on the names: “Breckerfast Club” and “Leaves” are
dedicated to Brecker; “Party Sonny” acknowledges Rollins; “Autumn Lieb” and “Lieb
Dich” honor Liebman; Shorter gets the nod with “Weather Wayne” and “Pastel
Blues”; “Hen House” is a nod toward Henderson; “Late Night Trane” and “Coltraning
Days” credit Coltrane; and “St. Paul” is a shout-out toward Desmond.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Zilber
alternates between tenor and soprano sax. His supporting rhythm section
features<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>pianists David Kikoski
and Matt Clark; bassists James Genus and Peter Barshay; and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>drummers Clarence Penn and Akira Tana. Zilber
has played with all of them at some<a href="" name="_GoBack"></a> point in his career;
as a result, each combo configuration “thinks as one.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This album superbly
exemplifies the style used by today’s artists. It’s beyond bop, often using
altered chord structures; the mid- and up-tempo charts swing nicely, and the ballads
are thoughtful and poignant. This is a smooth, richly enjoyable group.</span></div>
Ric Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634123099801235907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-60902194469689206462017-06-26T09:24:00.001-07:002017-06-26T09:24:36.941-07:00Brad Myers and Michael Sharfe: Sanguinaria<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><a href="http://musicbybrad.com/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">Colloquy Records</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By Ric Bang</b></span></b></span><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Buy CD: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sanguinaria-Brad-Myers/dp/B01N16FUS1/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1498493850&sr=1-1&keywords=brad+myers+sanguinaria" style="color: #944c0b; text-decoration: none;">Colloquy</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although
most jazz musicians are concentrated on the West and East coasts, some
excellent artists and groups that operate in the Midwest. Guitarist Brad Myers
and bassist Michae<a href="" name="_GoBack"></a>l Sharfe are two of the best working in
the Tri-State area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6NlpUnTP5ha6O07odug12wAym2vWgr6kFSDuyeE4Sum7sq1VUqIRSZEWzFh-_Xcshsl7GQ1Ol_-wsWH836OomiLSy7ZUEA3Uqpx5EBkK9VyGQ9YsCFJM5pqZapNa7BfPp9a-1bmrba3k/s1600/Sanguinaria_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="359" data-original-width="400" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6NlpUnTP5ha6O07odug12wAym2vWgr6kFSDuyeE4Sum7sq1VUqIRSZEWzFh-_Xcshsl7GQ1Ol_-wsWH836OomiLSy7ZUEA3Uqpx5EBkK9VyGQ9YsCFJM5pqZapNa7BfPp9a-1bmrba3k/s320/Sanguinaria_Cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Myers
began studies on the piano when he was 6, switched to the guitar at 10, and fell
in love with jazz at age 13. Originally from Washington, D.C., he moved to
Cincinnati in 1994, where he studied at the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory
of Music (CCM) on an honors scholarship; he ultimately received a master’s
degree in jazz studies. He composes and arranges, and is also teaches. His
first album, with the CCM Jazz Ensemble, was released in ’98, and he has been
featured on 15 more since then.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sharfe,
another Tri-State alum, is a founding — and current — member of the legendary
Blue Whisp Big Band; he also plays with a 16-piece Latin jazz ensemble. Both he
and Myers are first-call artists for name groups and artists when visiting the
Midwest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This
album features a wide assortment of genres and composers. Four tunes — “Sanguinaria,”
“In from Somewhere,” “Norm’s Ridge” and “Bentley’s Blues” are Myers compositions.
Gerry Mulligan’s “Line for Lyons” has always been one of my favorite charts; it’s
played here as a quiet, mid-tempo swinger. Guitarist Jim Hall contributed “Waltz
New,” while Keith Jarrett composed “Country.” Two other tunes — “In Your Own
Sweet Way” and “The Great Pumpkin Waltz” — are by Dave Brubeck and Vince
Guaraldi, respectively.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This
is a lovely, softly swinging album: one that you’ll listen to again and again.</span></div>
Ric Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634123099801235907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-79922469301358168312017-06-25T11:30:00.000-07:002017-06-25T11:30:32.537-07:00Luke Sellick: Alchemist<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><a href="https://cellarlive.com/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">Cellar Live Records</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By Ric Bang</b></span></b></span><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Buy CD: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Alchemist-Luke-Sellick/dp/B01MXXFZ19/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1498415106&sr=1-1&keywords=luke+sellick+alchemist" style="color: #944c0b; text-decoration: none;">Alchemist</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ve
noticed a recent increase in the number of jazz albums by artists who reside in
and/or have come from Canada. Proximity plays a role, as does the modern ease of
producing CDs; that said, it’s nice to see a greater number of albums crossing
the border, and giving us a greater opportunity to appreciate the talents of
our neighbors. Bassist, composer and teacher Luke Sellick is an excellent
example of the high quality coming from Due North.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSZ9fpX5EiEFPz-KG_xeY-mP9TSEcBu1e0L-irZmX7GUxAZYcddPu5u469rPJMK0Ku22rPaCElv2zk7Umh8V0s3_ShDq73p7VpkPCDt832OvrWo8TRalxsnQT-fF7CsOoM86LALZh4zk/s1600/Luke-Sellick-Alchemist-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSZ9fpX5EiEFPz-KG_xeY-mP9TSEcBu1e0L-irZmX7GUxAZYcddPu5u469rPJMK0Ku22rPaCElv2zk7Umh8V0s3_ShDq73p7VpkPCDt832OvrWo8TRalxsnQT-fF7CsOoM86LALZh4zk/s320/Luke-Sellick-Alchemist-cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sellick,
was born and raised in Winnipeg, attended New York’s Juilliard School of Music
and was mentored by legendary bassist Ron Carter. Sellick then apprenticed with
pianist Johnny O’Neal, and performed regularly in Big Apple jazz clubs. He
currently lives in Harlem, and <a href="" name="_GoBack"></a>has a very busy schedule
at local venues. He also has toured the world, both as a sideman and leader of
“small jazz” combos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This
release includes some New York’s finer “first-call” artists. Jimmy Greene and
Jordan Pettay are featured (respectively) on tenor and alto sax; and Benny Benack
and Mat Jodrell play trumpet. The rhythm section features Andrew Renfroe
(guitar), Adam Birnbaum (piano) and Kush Abadey and Jimmy Macbride (drums). Bass
clarinetist Andrew Gutauskas guests on one of the nine tracks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In
addition to playing bass, Sellick composed and arranged all the tunes. The
musicians share the various tracks, the configuration generally resulting in
quintet performance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The menu includes mid- to
up-tempo swingers and ballads. All are smoothly performed: The melodic lines
are unique, and the solos are first-class. Sellick clearly has a bright future.</span></div>
Ric Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634123099801235907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-86925355099883690832017-06-24T10:17:00.001-07:002017-06-24T10:17:53.893-07:00David Friesen's Circle 3 Trio: Triple Exposure<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><a href="http://originarts.com/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">Origin Records</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By Ric Bang</b></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Buy CD: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Triple-Exposure-David-Friesen-Circle/dp/B01M14I0MB/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1498315742&sr=1-1&keywords=david+friesen+triple+exposure" style="color: #944c0b; text-decoration: none;">Triple Exposure</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I
sometimes wonder what it must have been like, to be present at a concert given
by one of the true masters. Well, I’ve never been lucky enough to catch bassist
David Friesen in person, but — thanks to the magic of albums — I can listen to
him any time I so desire. Anyone similarly lucky is blessed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5dlqkyNvbQhsRFL1kUY1GT_Vxmhsy4QKdgz2j-MC9a49YT6Yq7MLblH5ewLn9T5IIYkEHWRsp-jGr4NtLxixOgnq-L2oAWptnQngiijthIgD5N_GKjlnwV-BQB9iWUseZXiS31zRd2E/s1600/71SR1dKwQsL._SL1200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="400" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5dlqkyNvbQhsRFL1kUY1GT_Vxmhsy4QKdgz2j-MC9a49YT6Yq7MLblH5ewLn9T5IIYkEHWRsp-jGr4NtLxixOgnq-L2oAWptnQngiijthIgD5N_GKjlnwV-BQB9iWUseZXiS31zRd2E/s320/71SR1dKwQsL._SL1200_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Friesen,
now 74 years old, got his start with the ukulele at age 10; he graduated to the
guitar six years later. At that point he was 19, during military service in
Paris, sitting in with Johnny Griffin and Art Taylor; and then in Copenhagen,
playing with Dick Berk and Ted Curson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After
returning to the States in 1964, he committed himself to the bass, playing opposite
artists such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Bill Evans. Friesen also toured
with Charlie Parker and Lionel Hampton. In 1973 he made his home in Portland,
Oregon, and opened a coffee house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Flash-forward
to the present day. Friesen has worked with most of the jazz giants, and has
been featured as a leader or co-leader on more than 60 albums, and as a sideman
on more that 100 others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
Circle 3 Trio, Friesen’s newest group, features pianist Greg Goebel and drummer
Charlie Doggett. Friesen composed and arranged all the tracks on this disc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
term “concert jazz” frequently is used to describe the kind of music often
presented in concert halls; this release is a perfect example. All the charts
are performed at balladic tempos, and the result is some of the most gorgeous
work ever recorded. And, yes; it’s absolutely true jazz.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Friesen’s
Hemage bass is one of only three made by Herman Elacher, from Hol, in Tyrol, Austria,
not far from Innsbruck. It’s an electric, upright, headless instrument with an eccentric
body shape. Friesen uses the Hemage for concerts, and an acoustic bass for most
pure jazz performances.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Get
this album, and listen for yourself. The tone, technique and concepts of Friesen’s
music are unbelievably gorgeous.</span></div>
Ric Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634123099801235907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-41730771746734157202017-06-24T10:17:00.000-07:002017-06-24T10:17:33.026-07:00The Mark Masters Ensemble: Blue Skylight<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><a href="http://caprirecords.com/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">Capri Records</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By Ric Bang</b></span></b></span><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Buy CD: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Skylight-Mark-Masters-Ensemble/dp/B01N2PR44Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1498324397&sr=1-1&keywords=mark+masters+blue+skylight" style="color: #944c0b; text-decoration: none;">Blue Skylight</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trumpeter
Mark Masters is an accomplished musician in his own right, but is better known
as a producer/arranger of concerts and recordings that honor artists who are —
or have been — jazz icons. The subjects of this release are Charles Mingus and
Gerry Mulligan. Both were outstanding musicians — Mingus on bass, Mulligan on
baritone sax — but this release features their accomplishments as composers and
arrangers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWOl4UfUHbvaiRJKw8UBMdSXFnunducWem4rbblsJFdNsInJoljSmLAXWfxx2kxy02rda24ZMj7hRLZvHNhImDT1y3jAsYO1DxObM5UYvGJV3NTO_N9767gJ98P6j-jAL4IKMUe5n4Z5Q/s1600/Masters_Blue_Skylight_Cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="400" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWOl4UfUHbvaiRJKw8UBMdSXFnunducWem4rbblsJFdNsInJoljSmLAXWfxx2kxy02rda24ZMj7hRLZvHNhImDT1y3jAsYO1DxObM5UYvGJV3NTO_N9767gJ98P6j-jAL4IKMUe5n4Z5Q/s320/Masters_Blue_Skylight_Cover.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
album’s 11 tunes aren’t familiar jazz classics, but instead those that Masters
considers best illustrate their skills as composers. Five are from Mingus, six
from Mulligan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Masters’
ensemble colleagues are Gene Cipriano, Gary Foster, Jerry Pinter and Adam
Schroeder (reeds); Les Benedict and Ron Stout (brass); and a rhythm section of
Ed Czach (piano), Putter Smith (bass) and Kendall Kay (drums). All have played
with a veritable Who’s Who in jazz, and it’s interesting to note that Masters
and many of these guys can be considered senior citizens. And<a href="" name="_GoBack"></a>
oh my, they <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i> play and swing!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although
Mingus and Mulligan are best remembered for their up-tempo tunes, half of this
album’s charts are done as ballads: “So Long, Eric,” “Wallflower,” “Strayhorn 2”
and Ellington’s “Sound of Love” are beautiful examples. The artistry of these musicians
shines on such tracks; their experience and “feelings” produce truly beautiful
solo passages throughout.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Everybody
clearly is enjoying the gig, and having a lot of fun; listeners will feel the
same.</span></div>
Ric Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634123099801235907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170140872741704864.post-42834650811511543702017-06-24T07:00:00.000-07:002017-06-24T07:00:18.454-07:00Phil Parisot: Lingo<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><a href="http://originarts.com/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">OA2 Records</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By Ric Bang</b></span></b></span><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Buy CD: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lingo-Phil-Parisot/dp/B01LWW68IT/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1498312368&sr=1-1&keywords=phil+parisot+lingo" style="color: #944c0b; text-decoration: none;">Lingo</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Drummer/composer
Phil Parisot heads this swinging quartet from the Pacific Northwest jazz scene.
He’s supported by Steve Treseler (tenor sax), Dan Kramlich (piano) and Michael
Glynn (bass). They’ve known each other for almost 20 years, and the result is a
tight, cohesive combo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Parisot
is unusual in a way; not many percussionists are accomplished composers, and
very few play with such taste. His relatively light touch allows listeners to
fully appreciate his ability to use unique rhythmic lines, which are
particularly important <a href="" name="_GoBack"></a>as “fills” in a small group. He
can’t resist the opportunity to offer solo passages, but his shading is an
addition, not a distraction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Treseler
is a gem. His tone is to die for, and his solo passages are outstanding. It’s a
challenge to be the primary horn in a small group — it can become monotonous —
but that isn’t a problem for Treseler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
same can be said for Kramlich. His background work is spot-on, and his solos
are interesting and driving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
musical menu is a satisfying mix of genres and tempos. Parisot wrote seven of
the 10 charts; two are short drum “choruses.” The others are from Duke
Ellington (“Low Key Lightly”), Jerry Bergonzi (“Different Places Together”) and
Keith Judelman (“One for Hugh”). The presentation includes up-tempo burners,
ballads and even a jazz waltz. All of them satisfy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This
is a neat quartet. Based on the liner notes, another release is in the works
for the future. Can’t wait!</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Ric Banghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634123099801235907noreply@blogger.com0