October-6th-2003, 05:19 AM
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 6,162
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Christmas Jazz
To my astonishment, I could find no thread on this topic. I guess it was on the old board that we had gone through all the jazz Christmas CDs.
Personally, I like the cheerful, sentimental, mindless and unchallenging nature of Christmas music. It makes me into a happy Christmas robot. Since the rhythms and tunes are simple, they're easy for jazz musicians to embellish pleasantly.
I got thinking about it because I saw on the Jazzmatazz site that two new ones are coming out in October: one by Eric Reed with vocalists, and one by Rhoda Scott, with Houston Person and drums, that's called "The Hammond Organ of Christmas." Gotta love that title.
Other Christmas favorites of mine include albums by Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Pass, Dave McKenna, Wynton's "Crescent City Christmas," and a Novus Jazz sampler from the 90s sometime that has, among other things, Carmen McRae singing "A Christmas Song" backed by the Shirley Horn trio, and Steve Lacy with Irene Aebi singing what is purportedly a never-before-recorded-or-even-heard-about Thelonious Monk Christmas song.
Other recommendations?
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October-6th-2003, 08:02 AM
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Detroit
Posts: 1,460
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"The Creator Has a Master Plan" from Pharoah Sanders and Leon Thomas, the version on "Karma".
That's become my Jazz Christmas Carol. Well, perhaps Bill Evans' "Peace Piece" from "Everybody Digs Bill Evans" as well. The traditional carols, given jazzy treatment" make me slightly squeamish.
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October-6th-2003, 08:56 AM
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 6,162
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Quote:
Originally posted by Frisco
The traditional carols, given jazzy treatment" make me slightly squeamish.
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Huh. Intellectual bastard. Get off this thread!
(sings: "Jingle Bells, jingle bells, jingle all the waaaay....")
Last edited by Tom Storer; October-6th-2003 at 08:56 AM.
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October-6th-2003, 09:07 AM
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#4
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poor folk's child
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Chicago
Posts: 12,179
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Good move, Tom. Can't start this thread early enough.
Havn't bought any Christmas albums myself for quite a few years. It's family tradition to always listen to the same albums. The classic Nat King Cole, Silent Night by Mahalia Jackson, X-mas Rap, a compilation of rappers christmas songs, a jazz compilation with Dextor Gordon, Arthur Blythe etc, The Marsalis, A calypso christmas record, a Leontine Price and what I consider an inordinate number of Johnny Mattis christmas records.
Let the festive season start!
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October-6th-2003, 09:29 AM
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#5
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.
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,633
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It's not "Jingle Bells": Gull, røkelse og myrra is a lyrical and warm recording done in small church by saxophone player Tore Brunborg and Kjetil Bjerkestrand on organ. Some surprices. Fine arrangements of the songs.
I have a "Christmas Concert" by Tommy Smith that I haven't listened to yet. I'll try it this christmas.
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October-6th-2003, 09:38 AM
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#6
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skirting the issue
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Brussels, Belgium
Posts: 4,328
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Christmas songs, jazz or not, irritate me.
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October-6th-2003, 10:00 AM
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 6,162
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Quote:
Originally posted by mke and paraphrased by me
Bah! Humbug!
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You can expect a visit from the spirits of Christmas past, present and future.
Last edited by Tom Storer; October-6th-2003 at 10:01 AM.
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October-6th-2003, 10:09 AM
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#8
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www.steveminkin.com
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Healdsburg, Sonoma County, California
Posts: 11,961
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Quote:
Originally posted by David Gitin
Dexter Gordon HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY CHRISTMAS (included on a Columbia Christmas album that also had The Heath Brothers and Wynton Marsalis)
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That's JINGLE BELL JAZZ, a really fine compilation!
And ELLA WISHES YOU A SWINGING CHRISTMAS is a another outstanding album.
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October-6th-2003, 10:28 AM
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#9
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skirting the issue
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Brussels, Belgium
Posts: 4,328
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Quote:
Originally posted by Tom Storer
You can expect a visit from the spirits of Christmas past, present and future.
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I like the season, I could do without the music.
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October-6th-2003, 11:25 AM
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#10
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10 Day Disabled List
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Ocean City, NJ
Posts: 2,675
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Quote:
Originally posted by mke
I like the season, I could do without the music.
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I like the season, I like the music, I hate the snow.
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October-6th-2003, 11:29 AM
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#11
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Reevaluating @ 500k
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Here
Posts: 31,326
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I hate it all.
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October-6th-2003, 12:52 PM
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#12
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skirting the issue
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Brussels, Belgium
Posts: 4,328
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For me, snow is what makes winter worthwhile.
"Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow"
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October-6th-2003, 12:53 PM
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 89
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Thanks for this thread!
My favorite Christmas jazz albums are:
1) Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas
2) Joe Pass - Six-String Santa
3) Stan Kenton - whatever it's called!
I also recommend the Kingston Trio's Christmas album for those who haven't heard it.
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October-6th-2003, 03:22 PM
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#14
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with a twist
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: 41.66 -76.2
Posts: 7,086
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I hate it all too. It is the greatest piece of mental masturbation known to humankind. I completely ignore it, I haven't sent a card in decades. I do not answer the telephone around and on that day, and I haven't uttered the dreadful words "merry christmas" since I can remember.
Bah, humbug!
Ok, sorry for intruding on your festive thread.
I do like Thanksgiving. Simple day just show up and eat, loosten your belt, fall asleep to some boring football game, and then eat some more.
As for anything musical regarding the day, the very thought of it makes me gag.
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October-6th-2003, 03:29 PM
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#15
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Six decades
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Capital City
Posts: 12,801
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Art Hodes had a lovely solo piano album on a little label out of, I think Michigan. Parkside, maybe?
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October-6th-2003, 03:38 PM
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#16
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What heart?!
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Türkiye
Posts: 4,638
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Ah, c'mon guys...I never thought I'd hear the "C" word this early...
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October-6th-2003, 03:41 PM
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#17
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10 Day Disabled List
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Ocean City, NJ
Posts: 2,675
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Quote:
Originally posted by mke
For me, snow is what makes winter worthwhile.
"Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow"
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Smiling as I disagree, mke. For me, snow in December through March would be a compelling reason to move to Australia during those months (at the very least).
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October-6th-2003, 03:42 PM
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#18
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.
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,633
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Track # 5- Winter Solstice
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October-6th-2003, 04:09 PM
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#19
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Registered Loser
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: The Altered State Of Drugafornia
Posts: 7,663
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Not counting Trane's "Greensleeves", I can't think of any. For non-jazz, nothing beats The Waitresses' "Christmas Wrapping" and 'X-mas Rap" by the Treacherous Three (from the film Beat Street, though apparently not in the soundtrack)
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October-6th-2003, 04:14 PM
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#20
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www.steveminkin.com
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Healdsburg, Sonoma County, California
Posts: 11,961
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For non-jazz, I'd go for Dylan Thomas reading "A Child's Christmas In Wales" --
>>One Christmas was so much like another, in those years around the sea-town corner now and out of all sound except the distant speaking of the voices I sometimes hear a moment before sleep, that I can never remember whether it snowed for six days and six nights when I was twelve or whether it snowed for twelve days and twelve nights when I was six.<<
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October-6th-2003, 04:24 PM
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#21
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Reevaluating @ 500k
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Here
Posts: 31,326
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Quote:
Originally posted by Cem
Ah, c'mon guys...I never thought I'd hear the "C" word this early...
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I use it every time I post.
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October-6th-2003, 04:30 PM
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#22
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colors outside the lines
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 12,288
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Like the season, the music is alright with me, like the snow, Love the Presents and more Presents
hate the shopping, hate the crowds
Rite Aid's had their Christmas display up for over a month now...what took you so long? 
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October-6th-2003, 04:42 PM
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#23
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poor folk's child
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Chicago
Posts: 12,179
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It's amazing how fast time goes. Time to think about Eggnog again, baby!
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October-6th-2003, 05:08 PM
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#24
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Saxophone Colossus
Join Date: May 2003
Location: NC
Posts: 276
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I own "Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas" (not exactly jazz, I know, but I like in nonetheless), and "Ella Wishes You a Swingin' Christmas" is currently on its way. 
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October-7th-2003, 07:45 AM
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#25
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Detroit
Posts: 1,460
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Quote:
Originally posted by Tom Storer
[B]Huh. Intellectual bastard. Get off this thread!
(/B]
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Ahhh, all in the true spirit of Christmas. Sing a carol about
love, then call your neighbor a bastard.
Actually, I'm remembering more favorite pieces like
Roland Hanna's "Gift of the Magi". and
Chico Freeman's version of "A Child is Born".
I always play Coltrane/Ellington's "Big Nick", though I
don't suppose it was meant for St. Nicholas.
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October-7th-2003, 08:01 AM
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#26
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Reevaluating @ 500k
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Here
Posts: 31,326
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Quote:
Originally posted by Frisco
I always play Coltrane/Ellington's "Big Nick", though I
don't suppose it was meant for St. Nicholas.
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No, but I think I'll spin "Bird at St. Nick's" on 12/25.
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October-7th-2003, 08:38 PM
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#28
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Manchester England
Posts: 279
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Cool Yule - Kurt Elling and Ed Peterson - I dont have theLouis Armstrong version..ohh I love it
My there are some miserable beggars here..lol..
there goes Kurt Elling with that neo-hipster stuff again!! I like neo hipster..neo is new to me! (and in latin..or is it greek?)
Theres a nice Verve album available for those who like a christmas jingle
here
Souns a bit corny..but the personnel list is impressive..imho 
and a whole website dedicated to Christmas jazz
here
Last edited by Dibble; October-7th-2003 at 08:40 PM.
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October-7th-2003, 08:43 PM
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#29
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www.steveminkin.com
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Healdsburg, Sonoma County, California
Posts: 11,961
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for singles
Mahalia Jackson -- Silent Night (many versions)
Clyde McPhatter and The Drifters -- White Christmas
Charles Brown -- Merry Christmas Baby
Last edited by Squaredancecalling Steve; October-7th-2003 at 08:48 PM.
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December-3rd-2003, 12:47 AM
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#30
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: central Louisiana
Posts: 109
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I LOVE Christmas jazz. The Vince Guaraldi stuff in those Charlie Brown cartoons was my first exposure to jazz. I have some "no-name" stuff that is pretty good, the best of which is called Christmas in Manhattan, even though it was recorded in Nashville. I also have the GRP collections 1 and 2. I recently bought Warner Bros. Jazz Christmas Party , which has some very good tunes on it. I am always on the lookout for more. Peace.
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Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.
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