This collection may be one of your favorite stocking stuffers, as Tony DeSare mixes rich and lush reads of traditional Natal melodies with some fun originals. Cheerful and luminous strings team up with the crooner for “It’s Beginning to Look…
Month: November 2016
Tommy Emmanuel: Christmas Memories
How could you not expect an excellent Christmas album from a guy who’s last name is “Emmanuel”, meaning “God with us”? The six picker from Down Under strums a delightful mix of Yuletide moods accompanied by fellow picker and harmonica…
VINTAGE YULETIDE FROM AVID…Bing, Frank, Dean and Nat: 4 Classic Christmas Albums, Elvis, Bobby V, Bobby D, The Four Seasons and The Everly Brothers: 5 Classic Christmas Albums, Ella, Peggy Lee, Charles Brown, Stan Kenton and Sidney Bechet: 4 Classic Christmas Albums Plus
Let’s put it this way; if you don’t find anything on these Christmas releases that makes your star shine in the sky, you’re probably a Druid. Read on… Der Bingster from 1955 delivers an absolute definitive collection of “Silent Night,”…
Jeff Collins: The Keys to Christmas
Jeff Collins lets the piano and keyboard celebrate the Christmas season on this collection of Natal melodies. He has a rich orchestra accompany him on a dramatic medley including “O Come, All Ye Faithful” while playing it straight no “Linus…
Putumayo Presents: Latin Christmas
Here’s an album that will put some Feliz in your Navidad. This mix of 11 Christmas songs from various parts of the Latin world even includes a Puerto Rican recipe for egg nog! While sipping away, you can get some…
Jessy J: California Christmas
Don’t begrudge saxist/vocalist Jessy for putting out a Christmas album that reflects sunny California weather. The time of our savior’s birth in Bethlehem was probably quite similar to a day in Southern California! She mixes traditional Christmas tunes that celebrate…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Tom Harrell: Something Gold, Something Blue
One attractive thing (among many) about Tom Harrell, he never sits still. Almost every album is a tweak of something he’s done and is already comfortable with. This time around, he replaces his long time pianist Danny Grisset and saxist…
Rik Wright’s Fundamental Forces: Subtle Energy
Guitarist Rik Wright creates some clever tones by bringing in clarinetist-bass clarinetist James Dejoie along with Geoff Harper/b and Greg Campbell/dr for this collection of originals. The sounds flow easily, with warm breezes from Dejoie mixing with Campbell’s tender traps…
HOW SUITE IT IS…Ted Nash Big Band: Presidential Suite, Louis Rosen: Dream Suite
Just like suits, suites come in different sizes and shapes. Here are a couple that are intriguing tributes in divergent ways. Ted Nash plays alto and soprano sax while arranging the music and conducting the big band while includes Lincoln…
Brenna Whitaker: Brenna Whitaker
Vocalist Brenna Whitaker veers between various generations of styles on this soulful album. On one hand, she seems to have an affinity for 50s R&B, as she wails along on the doo wopper of “Misty Blue”, goes noir and dramatic…