Holiday Jazz - CD Reviews (45)
Only someone as artistically gifted as Chris Standring and Kathrin Shorr can take my Christmas music formula (Do you know the tunes?) and proceed to destroy it with ten delightful originals on a wonderful Christmas release. Virtually two years in the making Standring and vocalist Kathrin Shorr deliver the goods with…
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Here it is the Jazzmas season and Susie Arioli's smoky message comes through with some classy Christmas tunes. "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" features a lovely guitar solo by Jordan Officer that complements this touching chestnut to the max. Arioli treats this song like an old friend and that…
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Here it is the Jazzmas season and Susie Arioli's smoky message comes through with some classy Christmas tunes. "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" features a lovely…
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The Most Wonderful Time of the Year is one of the most lovely collections of seasonal jazz music to come along down the pike in several whiles! It is a remarkab…
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Aled Thomas sounds like he could use a hug. Lucky for us that means he has written some good songs. His trio opens the CD with the title track, a clever number about che…
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Composer/pianist Monika Herzig is heralding in the holiday season with her latest release Peace On Earth, featuring her long-time guitarist Pete Kienie. Originall…
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In a world crowded with holiday music, pianist and composer Pamela Hines gives us something new. Make that nine new original songs for the Christmas season. It’s a nice …
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Songs of Joy & Peace is a producer’s album, though the concept is cellist Yo-Yo Ma’s. Songs of Joy & Peace is a holiday album, though its messages are univers…
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Despite his long involvement in jazz with some of the art form’s most recognizable names as well as continuing critical acclaim, Mark Kramer remains undersung. Part of his …
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Portland, Oregon based vocalist, keyboardist, composer and arranger Matt Molnar’s second self-produced CD is a Christmas disc. This short, less than 28 minutes in length…
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The interpretation of classic Christmas tunes by jazz artists is a time-honored tradition that has resulted in many wonderful records and compilations over the years, fr…
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Tradition is an important and vital part of any holiday. Traditions of course are what bind humans together in the form of rituals and allow us to recognize the cyclical…
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When I spun Trio West Plays Holiday Songs for the first time, what really appealed to me was the intimacy that was created on this album by Tobias T. Gebb (drumme…
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Natasha Miller’s first holiday release The Season avoids the major pitfall of utter sameness that usually plagues Christmas music by offering a unique blend of di…
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This is not your grandmother’s White Christmas. No indeed. Peter White, along with mega artists Rick Braun and Mindi Abair join forces for a jazzy, steamy and zesty time wi…
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Here’s a sweet holiday gem with all the charisma and soul of three of the most highly respected artists in smooth jazz. Each "take" on a holiday classic is approached wi…
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Good CD? Well, let's see. First, we get a majestic and rather pompous intro to the classic "Joy to the World," then.... wham! Enter the funkmeister, Brian Culbertson, wi…
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This compilation for the 2006 holiday season from Telarc is remarkably crisp, entertaining, enjoyable, and a delight to replay often. There are many fine songs in the co…
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This compilation for the 2006 holiday season from Telarc is remarkably crisp, entertaining, enjoyable, and a delight to replay often. There are many fine songs in the co…
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It’s wonderful to see Hazel Walker’s return to the recording studio. It’s been too long! We loved her debut album and reviewed it in these pages almost five years ago. As o…
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