Ron Carter Esperanza Spalding - Downbeat

Holiday Gift Guide 2012 [ Cds
By Frank-John Hadley
This year, Santa’s bag holds many new and
reissued holiday-music releases that are
soaked in sentimental slush. There are, of
course, a few albums of palatable good
cheer. Some of these recordings are full
of such ringing sincerity that even the sourest of
Scrooges are impressed.
On the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra’s Christmas
Time Is Here (band-released; 65:49 HHHH),
the 25-piece juggernaut injects holiday favorites
and surprising selections such as the spiritual
“Children, Go Where I Send You” with swinging
spirit. With ace trumpeter Vance Thompson conducting,
KJO steers clear of mechanical yuletide
routinism. Tenorman Will Boyd, with guests Dan
Trudell on B3 and Tim Green and Greg Tardy on
saxophones, displays inventive fluency at any
tempo. Singing by Jill Andrews and two church
choirs further gladdens the listener’s heart.
Ordering info: knoxjazz.org
Since 1965, millions of folks have made the
Vince Guaraldi Trio’s A Charlie Brown Christmas
(Fantasy 34027; 49:52 HHH1/2) part of their
annual holiday. With Guaraldi’s disposition for
drawing out the light lyricism in familiar carols or
his own compositions, the pianist merges jazz,
pop and classical for delightful results. The newest
edition of this classic includes two unneeded
Thanksgiving ditties and a welcomed, informative
essay by Guaraldi biographer Derrick Bang.
Ordering info: concordmusicgroup.com
The David Diggs-produced Shades Of
Christmas (The Gold Label 82052; 49:48 HHH)
includes Yellowjacket Russell Ferrante’s trio,
trumpeter Bobby Rodriquez and trombonist Bob
McChesney, who gather around the tree for engaging
treatments of predictable fare. Vocalist
Halie Loren and pianist Matt Treder have recorded
the perfect type of tender-hearted, jazz-tinged
Christmas music to accompany tree trimming.
Many Times, Many Ways (Justin Time 8553;
38:15 HHH1/2) pleases for the duo’s refined but
not affected expositions of Christmas melodies.
Ordering info: goldlabelartists.com; justin-time.com
For nine years, drummer Denzal Sinclaire, saxophonist
Cory Weeds and B3 player Chris Gestrin
have joined together under the name B-3 Kings for
sold-out shows of Christmas-themed soul-jazz at
Vancouver nightclub The Cellar. On You Better
Watch Out! (Cellar Live 082511; 59:00 HHH),
they and guitarist Bill Coon respond with creative
alacrity to wintry favorites and relative obscurities
like “Bring A Torch, Jeanette Isabella.”
Ordering info: cellarjazz.com
On the offbeat compilation titled Santa’s
Got Mojo 2 (Electro-Fi 3432; 43:55 HHH), provocative
singer Shakura S’Aida wants her ashes
hauled (“Be My Santa Claus”), and Harrison Kennedy
waxes emotional about a child awaiting
Santa (“Hot Cider Cinnamon”). One-man-band
Paul Oscher makes no bones about the painful
loneliness some people feel at Christmastime
(“Christmas Blues”).
Ordering info: electrofi.com
Legacy’s new Elvis Presley collection, The
Classic Christmas Album (RCA/Legacy 88725;
46:12 HHH1/2) takes a few tracks from previous
Presley holiday albums and adds two tracks from
the phony 2008 Elvis Presley Christmas Duets
album.The performance for the ages is Presley’s
version of Charles Brown blues “Merry Christmas
Baby,” with James Burton out to kill on guitar.
Ordering info: store.legacyrecordings.com
Perhaps the most stirring Christmas gospel
music release of the year is Christmas With
Earnest Pugh & Friends (EPM Music 45; 45:57
HHH1/2). Pugh’s great voice, pliable over several
octaves, is unshakable in its declarations of faith
and its joy over the birth of Jesus. Lisa Knowles
and six more lead singers are showcased, but the
supporting r&b-gospel band sometimes undercuts
the heaven-bound vocals.
Ordering info: epmmusicgroup.com
Outside Santa’s domain, singer Mama Doni
honors Hanukkah with Get Cooking! (Behrman
House; 53:22 HHH1/2). Doni pairs a 128-page
spiral-bound family cookbook with a 29-track CD
of original songs, with lyrics set to pop, rock, folk,
country, or Bo Diddley r&b. Pass the latkes. DB
Ordering info: behrmanhouse.com
64 DOWNBEAT DECEMBER 2012