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Track Listings
| 1. O Tannenbaum |
| 2. Away In A Manger |
| 3. The Christmas Song |
| 4. Ring Christmas Bells |
| 5. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Part One, Part two |
| 6. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear |
| 7. Hell's Bells |
| 8. Jesus Maria |
| 9. Jingle Bells |
| 10. O Holy Night |
| 11. Joy To The World |
Editorial Reviews
Christmas music has been an enthusiasm of Carla Bley's for decades, and both traditional and non-traditional seasonal pieces are here subjected to her offbeat wit and idiosyncratic arranging skills. The material includes her inimitable arrangements of Christmas classics and a brace of Carla's own pieces - "Jesus Maria" (first recorded by Jimmy Giuffre back in 1961), and, giving the devil his due, "Hell's Bells". Carla's Christmas Carols was recorded in La Buissonne Studios in the South of France after a whirlwind tour of Europe at the end of 2008, and folds in two pieces from that tour (recorded live in Berlin). The pleasure that the musicians find in the material is unmistakable and, perhaps particularly after a glass of mulled wine, contagious.
Customer Reviews
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Carla Bley has a remarkable musical sensibility, and brings together a wonderful ensemble here that's as comfortable serving up warm chorale-like brass arrangements as it is bursting into solo on top of a swinging jazz bass line (often in the same song). The arrangements are creative masterpieces - at once lyrical and humorous - with rich, unexpected chord voicings that will reward serious listeners without alienating the mainstream. The jazz world has always had a special connection with Christmas music - from Dexter Gordon's emotional take on Mel Torme's "Christmas Song" to Vince Guaraldi's lonely "Christmas Time is Here". The best tunes of the genre contain warmth, playfulness, and always a hint of sadness at the passing of time. This record so full of personality will sit well next to the classics of the idiom. It's a fantastic album.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Leseratte
Format:Audio CD
Great recording. Emotional, but without getting sentimental. With love to the classic christmas melodies, but at the same time with delicate irony. Wonderful. Especially "Holy Night" on the electric bass is brilliant.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Confession time: My ire for Christmas music reached an all time high earlier this decade. My busy job at the time during the holiday season was a contribution factor. The local radio station that my boss played around the clock was no help either. Each November/December, it would be the same renditions/recordings of the same songs done by the same people. Not only was it stifling music (Leo Kottke, one of my favorite guitarists, insists that you can't do anything new with a Christmas carol anymore), but there was no variation in the playlists. And it was like that for seven days a week. Put that together with cranky customers on the phone, I thought my blood veins would rupture.
One day recently I find out that Carla Bley has released a Christmas album, and I am torn. On one hand, Carla Bley is an artist; a composer, a musician who doesn't just roll out of bed and release yuletide crap to earn money. On the other hand, it's Christmas music. I decide to try it. And I like it.
One thing that I especially get is Bley taking liberties with melodies. For instance on "Away In A Manger," the note that matches the word "his" in the line "no crib for his bed" is flatted. That's awesome. If I tried to pull that off at a Christmas party, I would get dirty looks. The way she screws with the harmony of "O Tannenbaum" is equally cool.
Her combination of piano and brass ensemble adds a welcome blur of styles. Sometimes it sounds jazzy, other times it sounds like classical chamber as you can hear on "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen."
And Carla includes her own "Jesus Maria." Christmas music is saved.
One day recently I find out that Carla Bley has released a Christmas album, and I am torn. On one hand, Carla Bley is an artist; a composer, a musician who doesn't just roll out of bed and release yuletide crap to earn money. On the other hand, it's Christmas music. I decide to try it. And I like it.
One thing that I especially get is Bley taking liberties with melodies. For instance on "Away In A Manger," the note that matches the word "his" in the line "no crib for his bed" is flatted. That's awesome. If I tried to pull that off at a Christmas party, I would get dirty looks. The way she screws with the harmony of "O Tannenbaum" is equally cool.
Her combination of piano and brass ensemble adds a welcome blur of styles. Sometimes it sounds jazzy, other times it sounds like classical chamber as you can hear on "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen."
And Carla includes her own "Jesus Maria." Christmas music is saved.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
My favorite instrumental Christmas album
Less "jazzy" than I was expecting initially, but this is just great. These feel like quintessential examples of each song, and the arrangements are both interesting and... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Andrew Conkling
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic Christmas Brass
This is a brilliant, amazing album. Buy it, listen to it and you will keep listening year after year.
Published on December 27, 2010 by Dugan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect Christmas music
Love this album. She is an incredible arranger and composer and the jazz is perfect for any event- background at a dinner for two or party for 30! Read more
Published on February 2, 2010 by Margaret Watkinson
4.0 out of 5 stars
A nice addition to the Christmas music catalogue
On the one hand, there are far too many Christmas albums that do nothing new with the musical heritage (and often fall into sappiness). Read more
Published on January 25, 2010 by skysaw
5.0 out of 5 stars
Jazzalicious!
A fantastic addition to our family's collection of holiday music! Our kids (ages 13, 11 and 9) all love it as much as we. Read more
Published on November 17, 2009 by H. Chapman
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