joshuakennedy Posted November 29, 2016 Report Share Posted November 29, 2016 (edited) I'm looking for some recommendations on good Christmas jazz. Some albums I've already heard that I enjoy: Beegie Adair Trio - Jazz Piano Christmas Butch Thompson - Yulestride Christmas Break - Relaxing Jazz for the Holidays (V/A) Dave Brubeck - A Dave Brubeck Christmas Eddie Higgins Trio - Christmas Songs Ellis Marsalis - A New Orleans Christmas Carol Harry Allen - Christmas in Swingtime Jack Jezzro - Bossa Nova Christmas Kenny Burrell - Have Yourself a Soulful Little Christmas Louis Armstrong - What a Wonderful Christmas Oliver Jones - Yuletide Swing Oscar Peterson - An Oscar Peterson Christmas Putamayo Presents: A Jazz & Blues Christmas (V/A) Putamayo Presents: A New Orleans Christmas (V/A) Skafish - Tidings of Comfort and Joy Vince Guaraldi Trio - A Charlie Brown Christmas Wynton Marsalis - Christmas Jazz Jam Yule Struttin' - A Blue Note Christmas (V/A) What am I missing? Edited November 29, 2016 by joshuakennedy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teasing the Korean Posted November 29, 2016 Report Share Posted November 29, 2016 Shorty Rogers and Duke Ellington both did their own arrangements of The Nutcracker. If you are open to vocals, I highly recommend This Time of Year by June Christy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted November 29, 2016 Report Share Posted November 29, 2016 Looks like you have enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshuakennedy Posted November 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2016 1 hour ago, Teasing the Korean said: Shorty Rogers and Duke Ellington both did their own arrangements of The Nutcracker. If you are open to vocals, I highly recommend This Time of Year by June Christy. Thanks for the recommendations. I am open to vocals, but I'm fairly picky. I'll check it out, though. 1 hour ago, jlhoots said: Looks like you have enough. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teasing the Korean Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 1 hour ago, joshuakennedy said: I am open to vocals, but I'm fairly picky. I'll check it out, though. It was a concept album made up of 10 original songs, not your typical Christmas fare. Arrangements are by Thee Great Pete Rugolo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 I recommend the Joe Pass album Six-String Santa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danasgoodstuff Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 Both Bobby Timmons' and Don Patterson's Holiday Soul albums have been reissued (that's right, Prestige gave two successive catalog numbers the same name!). Neither is genius, but the're both good, greasy fun. Solid 'B's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 Is that organissimo holiday album still around? 'Tis good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felser Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 That Carla Bley thing has been in the annual rotation since its release, and I'm a Bing Crosby guy fwiw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felser Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 My favorites cross-genre are The Rotary Connection - Peace, and Johnny Mathis - Merry Christmas, Johnny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duaneiac Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 based upon the albums you liked, I'd also recommend: Maybe or maybe not to your taste, but highly recommended: I'll probably have more ideas once I officially break out my boxes of Christmas CDs for the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Beat Steve Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 Along the lines of "Jingle Bel Jazz"; I'd also recommend - "Mr Santa's Boogie" (Savoy Jazz SJL 1157, vinyl) - "Hipsters' Holiday" Rhino R2 70910 And then for something a bit different: - Hot Club of San Francisco: "Hot Club Cool Yule" Azica AJD-72242 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 Jimmy Ponder - A Guitar Christmas. Anyone mention Duke Pearson's Merry Old Soul or Blue Note's Yule Struttin'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Beat Steve Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 Yule Struttin' is in the thread starter's list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teasing the Korean Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 An NPR Christmas is an inadvertently funny album title. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Bresnahan Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 13 hours ago, Teasing the Korean said: Shorty Rogers and Duke Ellington both did their own arrangements of The Nutcracker. In 2001, the Classical Jazz Quartet created an interesting version of The Nutcracker. The Classical Jazz Quartet is Kenny Barron on piano, Ron Carter on bass, Stefon Harris on vibraphone and marimba, and Lewis Nash on drums. Bob Belden was the arranger. Well worth picking up if you're a fan of these songs. 14 hours ago, joshuakennedy said: I'm looking for some recommendations on good Christmas jazz. Some albums I've already heard that I enjoy: Beegie Adair Trio - Jazz Piano Christmas Butch Thompson - Yulestride Christmas Break - Relaxing Jazz for the Holidays (V/A) Dave Brubeck - A Dave Brubeck Christmas Eddie Higgins Trio - Christmas Songs Ellis Marsalis - A New Orleans Christmas Carol Harry Allen - Christmas in Swingtime Jack Jezzro - Bossa Nova Christmas Kenny Burrell - Have Yourself a Soulful Little Christmas Louis Armstrong - What a Wonderful Christmas Oliver Jones - Yuletide Swing Oscar Peterson - An Oscar Peterson Christmas Putamayo Presents: A Jazz & Blues Christmas (V/A) Putamayo Presents: A New Orleans Christmas (V/A) Skafish - Tidings of Comfort and Joy Vince Guaraldi Trio - A Charlie Brown Christmas Wynton Marsalis - Christmas Jazz Jam Yule Struttin' - A Blue Note Christmas (V/A) What am I missing? You have to get yourself a copy of Scott Hamilton's "Christmas Love Songs". Great "late night" Christmas Jazz. It gets regular play at my house around the holidays. Also, both Milestone and Uptown did nice Christmas compilations that have some nice tunes. Milestone comp is called "Christmas Songs" and the Uptown Records comp is called "An Uptown Christmas". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teasing the Korean Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 2 hours ago, Kevin Bresnahan said: ...Bob Belden was the arranger... That's all I needed to know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 This one, glad tidings for all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted O'Reilly Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 I've always liked this one: "AllMusic Review by Ken Dryden Rob McConnell & the Boss Brass add plenty of spice to this Christmas jazz CD, not only with superb, fresh charts but a few surprising selections. The rich brass and reeds carry the deliberate rendition of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," which segues into a perky Latin-flavored chart of "I'll Be Home for Christmas." "Away in a Manger" is not the commonly heard melody but one first written in 1887, though the music will likely be familiar, even if one doesn't associate it with the well-known lyrics. The lush setting of "The Christmas Song," which likely set Mel Tormé and Bob Wells for life with royalty checks due to its many recordings, showcases the leader's valve trombone and pianist David Restivo. "My Favorite Things," originally written for The Sound of Music, has gradually been transformed into double duty as a Christmas carol; this swinging interpretation works very well. Johnny Mandel, the composer of many memorable melodies, deserves greater recognition for his gorgeous piece "A Christmas Love Song"; this arrangement deserved to help put it on the jazz map. Rob McConnell & the Boss Brass consistently delivered first-rate music throughout their existence, this holiday CD no exception." ...and here's another brassy one: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duaneiac Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 The Stan Kenton album is essential listening every Christmas for me. If you like big bands, this is another good one, if a bit obscure And some other recommendations: I don't know if this one ever made it to CD: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 12 hours ago, JohnS said: Jimmy Ponder - A Guitar Christmas. Anyone mention Duke Pearson's Merry Old Soul or Blue Note's Yule Struttin'. The Duke Pearson will be in heavy usage at my place - courtesy of the Pearson Mosaic Select. A really nice album ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Beat Steve Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 (edited) 2 hours ago, duaneiac said: The Stan Kenton album is essential listening every Christmas for me. I have plenty of Kentons but not this one. Maybe I accidentally passed it up at special sales here in the past. I just checked the track listing in a 1986 catalog of Creative World reissues - and, yes, I'd sure like to hear "O Tannenbaum" or "O Holy Night" as played by the Stan Kenton mellophonium orchestra of 1961. (No sideswipe intended - the one Kenton mellophonium orchestra LP I have sounds much less overbearing to me than many scribes made this band out to be) Edited November 30, 2016 by Big Beat Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 fwiw, the Kenton Christmas album makes no attempts at being jazz (or "jazz"). It's all pretty straightforward "brass chorale" type stuff. Not unlike his National Anthems Of The World thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Beat Steve Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 Thanks. Makes it easier for me to NOT regret not having that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_forumlogo.png.a607ef20a6e0c299ab2aa6443aa1f32e.png)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.