A Very Swingin' Basie Christmas offers a pleasant mix of up-tempo swinging sleigh bell tunes and slow winter ballads.Īnother slightly obscure collection, this time from the early 1980's. The album features pianist Ellis Marsalis and tenor saxophonist Plas Johnson, as well as singers Johnny Mathis, Ledisi, and the excellent Carmen Bradford. While Basie passed away from pancreatic cancer in 1984, his big band orchestra is kept alive in his spirit by alumni directors, in this case Scotty Barnhart. This was his "A Letter To Dexter" rhythm section, and while Lewis restrains the tempo by using only brushes, Cables does branch out a bit, adding some welcome personality to what may be the most played song on this list while keeping its spirit well intact.Ī standout modern classic in an era where Christmas albums are all-pervasive. The album's highlight would be The George Cables Trio performing "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas." Cables plays with bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Victor Lewis.
However, the musicians all are afforded the opportunity to improvise, keeping the melody while adding their own character to the chestnut tunes everyone has heard hundreds of times. This collection of songs errs traditional, and none of the titles are unexpected. Whether you're dusting an eggnog with nutmeg and settling in for a quiet evening by the fire, or frantically wrapping last minute gifts, with these ten offerings you'll have something for every occasion during the season.įeaturing Stanley Clarke, Eddie Henderson, and George Cables among others, Mellow Jazz Christmas is compulsory Christmas Eve material.
Instead, I've put together jazz's greatest Christmas albums from the golden age to today. You won't find (many) singers on this list, since most people already know and have records by Frank, Dean, Ella, Karen, and more. For those looking to listen to the sounds of the season without resorting to December's relentless slew of glossy, generic cash-grabs, jazz can be a breath of fresh, wintry air. As temperatures drop and days grow short, Winter is once again upon us.
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