Here are a couple releases from Justin Time Records that deliver the goods for getting you into the mood for the Reason for the Season:
Have Yourself is a cornucopia of Christmas Season classics in a mixture of instrumentals and vocals. Of the former, it’s hard to go better than Hank Jones delivering The Christmas Song, but Oliver Jones’ “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” gets a close second. Diana Krall handles a hip “Jingle Bells,” but the one I want for the mistletoe is Hilary Kole and “Let it Snow” along with the title track. Nice well rounded sampler.
Vocalist Halie Loren gives a sitting beside the fireplace performance in a series of duets with pianist Matt Treder on this intimate collection of Christmas standards and self penned pieces. Treder’s own “From the Mouth of Babes” and “Sugar Cookies” give some extra flavor to the expected Nog of “Winter Wonderland,” while the take of “Nature Boy” which closes the disc makes the session a bit of an eyebrow raiser.
Justin Time Records
www.justin-time.com