Blue Note Records celebrates Christmas with old and new stocking stuffers
Norah Jones releases her first Christmas album, keeping it safe and secular, with a team of Tony Scherr-Nick Movshon/b, Russ Pahl/psg, Dave Guy/tp, Raymond Mason/tb, producer Leon Michels/sax/fl and Brian Blade/dr. She composes a few of the tunes herself, such as the cozy “A Holiday With You” and “Christmas Glow”, co-composing “Christmastime”with Michels. She is casual and relaxed on a non-Elvisy “Blue Christmas” and fairly Nashvilled on “White Christmas” while sounding comfy by the fire on “Winter Wonderland”. Mistletoe musings.
Jamie Cullum repackages his 2020 album with 13 extra tunes that are his renditions of traditional Christmas tunes. The album, produced by Vernon Spring, includes vocalist Lady Blackbird as well as Kansas Smitty, the latter on “Winter Wonderland” and “Sleigh Ride”, with Blackbird joining into the festivies on “This Winter”. Cullum and The Vernon Spring deliver a glorious “Amazing Grace” and reverential “Silent Night” while his own tunes such as “So Many Santas’ and “The Jolly Fat Man” are filled with Christmas Cheer.