What Christmas Jazz (and beyond) CD (or LP) are you listening to right now?

mikeweil · December 23, 2017

A truly seasonal thread .....

Just finished this one, picked up after reading about it in the Xmas Jazz recomendations thread:

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That's where I got a pointer at this one, too:

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The late Jon Hendricks sings on a few tunes here.

Edited December 11, 2018 by mikeweil

JSngry · December 23, 2017

Big Beat Steve · December 23, 2017

jlhoots · December 23, 2017

Mars Williams: An Ayler Xmas

JohnS · December 24, 2017

Yesterday, three very decent Christmas cds

Yule Struttin'; A Blue Note Christmas

Justin Time For Christmas nos 1 and 3.

Mostly good to very good things on these compilations.

Soulstation1 · December 24, 2017

mikeweil · December 24, 2017

Next on is this one, while my wife and I unpack our Christmas gifts.This is the Essential Jazz Classics issue with bonus material.

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mr jazz · December 24, 2017

Joe Pass-6 String Santa. Truly Terrific!

duaneiac · December 26, 2017

This was my last holiday disc for the season:

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On 12/23/2017 at 3:58 AM, Big Beat Steve said:

I was kind of disappointed by that disc. I saw the HCSF perform songs from the CD during a holiday concert the year that disc came out and the songs seemed much better "live". Maybe they had had more time to live & work with the arrangements or maybe they could relate to the material better because the concert was in December and they could really feel the holiday spirit then (which can be hard to do in a recording studio months before Christmas).. The CD is "ok", but the concert was "really good".

Big Beat Steve · December 26, 2017

I would't totally disagree with you. I pull out the CD about once a year and find it quite OK and fitting for the calm and relaxed Christmas Eve setting so I enjoy it each time. But I can well imagine some of the tunes come across better when performed live in a suitable setting. In general, what I find a bit of a drag about some bands fo this type is that they often come across as too "clean". They seem to be too intent on showing all facets of their instrumental skills and forget to just "BLOW". The violinist on this one, for example ought to have listened a bit less to latter-day Joe Venuti and Eddie South but more to Stephane Grapelly or even to Stuff Smith.

I've only one other HCSF CD (bought after recommendations on this board along with the above one years ago) but when it comes to today's "Hot Club" small groups, I do prefer the Hot Club of Cowtown.