{"id":5301,"date":"2013-12-15T22:10:30","date_gmt":"2013-12-16T06:10:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/?p=5301"},"modified":"2013-12-16T22:12:28","modified_gmt":"2013-12-17T06:12:28","slug":"recent-listening-holiday-albums","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/2013\/12\/recent-listening-holiday-albums\/","title":{"rendered":"Recent Listening: Holiday Albums"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"70046<\/a>Every year, albums of Christmas music by jazz artists pop up in late October or early November, provide pleasure through the season, then are mostly forgotten. Once in a while, we get lucky with new releases that not only entertain us for the holidays but also leave music of permanent value. Think of Duke Ellington\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s and Billy Strayhorn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s adaptation of Tchaikovsky\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Nutcracker Suite<\/em><\/a> (1960), Vince Guaraldi\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s A Charlie Brown Christmas<\/a> (1964) or Alan Broadbent\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s lush arrangements of Christmas songs for Scott Hamilton and strings<\/a> (1997).<\/p>\n

Here are brief impressions of 2013 Christmas CDs with the goods to make lasting contributions.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ted Rosenthal Trio<\/strong>, Wonderland<\/a><\/em> (Playscape)<\/p>\n

Rosenthal\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Christmas album transcends the category. The pianist\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s treatments of 10 songs from the\"wonderland_cvr\"<\/a> holiday repertoire and a composition of his own produce music that will be as rewarding in August as it is when snow is falling. He keeps the listener engaged by way of the melodic invention of his improvisations, the substance and depth of his harmonic resourcefulness, and his teamwork with bassist Noriko Ueda and drummer Tim Horner.<\/p>\n

A few highlights: intriguing time-play in Tchaikovsky\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Dance of the Reed Flutes;\u00e2\u20ac\u009d hints at \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Blue Monk\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in the melody of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Santa Claus\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is Coming to Town;\u00e2\u20ac\u009d the stately progress and enhanced harmonies of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas;\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Silent Night\u00e2\u20ac\u009d as a slow waltz; loping time a la Erroll Garner\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Let it Snow.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Rosenthal\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s one original composition, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Snowscape,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d has an indelible melody that could have made it a standard in the days when songs got enough exposure to become standards. This is a delightful album.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Karrin Allyson<\/strong>, Yuletide Hideaway<\/a><\/em> (Kasrecords)<\/p>\n

It could be risky to program a Christmas album predominantly with unfamiliar songs. Karrin Allyson shuns risk aversion, and it pays off. Her collection has the expected\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u0153The Christmas Song,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Winter \"Allyson<\/a>Wonderland,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Christmas Time is Here,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d et al—but little-known songs like Bill Evans\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Love, It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Christmas,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Dave Frishberg\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Snowbound,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Patty McGovern\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I Like Snow\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and new ones by Chris Caswell and Rod Fleeman help give the album its freshness. The primary ingredient in that regard, though, is the singer\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s musicality; her phrasing, her ability to bend a note just enough to color a word\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s meaning, judicious scatting firmly based in a song\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s harmonies, the blend of knowingness and innocence in her voice, her own piano accompaniments on some pieces. Caswell solos effectively on organ, and there is fine work by guitarist Fleeman, bassist Gerald Spaits and drummer Todd Strait, Allyson associates from her Kansas City days. The boost from Allyson could give Fleeman\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s minor-key \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Christmas Bells Are Ringing\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and Caswell\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re All I Need For Christmas\u00e2\u20ac\u009d a push toward becoming holiday perennials.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Manhattan Brass<\/strong>, Holiday<\/em><\/a> (MB)<\/p>\n

In this stunning album, five of the world\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s leading brass virtuosos play Christmas music arranged by two of the world\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s leading writing virtuosos. The pieces range from the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I Got Rhythm\u00e2\u20ac\u009d felicities of Thelonious Monk\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Stuffy Turkey\u00e2\u20ac\u009d to the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Siciliana\u00e2\u20ac\u009d from Ottorino Respighi\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Ancient Airs And Dances<\/em>,\"Manhattan<\/a> both transformed by Jack Walrath for the apparently limitless capabilities of the quintet. Carla Bley arranged \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The Christmas Song,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153O Tannebaum\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Jingle Bells,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d among others. Her writing is occasionally wry, more often just plain gorgeous, The trumpeters are Lew Soloff and Wayne du Maine, the trombonists Michael Seltzer and David Taylor. RJ Kelley and Ann Ellsworth alternate on French horn. The brass artists negotiate the challenges set by Walrath and Bley not just with aplomb but with irresistible \u00c3\u00a9lan and wit. Meticulously arranged, the music nonetheless opens up for individual interpretation. It is a shortcoming of the liner notes that there is no track-by-track identification of the soloists, but seasoned Soloff listeners should have no problem pegging his sound and style.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tim Warfield\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s<\/strong> JazzyChristmas<\/em><\/a> (Undaunted Music)<\/p>\n

The youngish tenor and soprano saxophone veteran brings together like-minded players of his generation \"Warfield<\/a>to find the improvisational possibilities in Christmas songs. They find them, aided by Warfield\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s functional arrangements. The leader\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s playing on both horns is impressive, as is the work of vibraharpist Stefon Harris and trumpeter Terell Stafford. Stafford, a scene stealer, makes \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Little Drummer Boy\u00e2\u20ac\u009d a show piece. Summoning the spirit of Dexter Gordon, Warfield shines on tenor in \u00e2\u20ac\u0153God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d On soprano, he is daring as he stretches the form of Claude Thornhill\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Snowfall.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d As usual, Harris is fluid in his lines and full of harmonic ingenuity. Cyrus Chestnut and Neil Podgurski alternate on piano, Podgurski holding more than even with the better-known Chestnut. Bassist Rodney Whitaker and drummer Clarence Penn play throughout, sturdy in support and with occasional solo touches. Joanna Pascale sings on three tracks, Jamie Davis on one. The vocals are not the album\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s high points.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Every year, albums of Christmas music by jazz artists pop up in late October or early November, provide pleasure through the season, then are mostly forgotten. Once in a while, we get lucky with new releases that not only entertain us for the holidays but also leave music of permanent value. Think of Duke Ellington\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-5301","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-main","7":"entry","8":"has-post-thumbnail"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5301","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5301"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5301\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5301"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5301"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5301"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}