Customer Reviews

Christmas Fantasy

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Smooth jazz fans must be going crazy - this is the Christmas CD of their dreams. George Duke, Larry Carlton, Joe Sample, The Yellowjackets - AND Anita Baker on vocals. What more could they ask for?

Although impeccably and tastefully performed, 'Christmas Fantasy' is in danger of being rather sleepy though - background music for holiday cocktail parties. "Frosty" is given a novel 'New Orleans' treatment. And the title track is a passable original.

But it isn't until the last half of this CD that you can feel some of Anita's passion. "Moonlight Sleighride" is a jazzy original with a little more energy. "O Come All Ye Faithful" is beautifully performed and "Family of Man" is an original delivered with the same warmth Anita sang the touching "Men In My Life" on her "My Everything" CD. The ensemble really comes alive on an energetic version of "My Favorite Things" to close out the relatively short set.

All in all, its an easy and unobjectionable CD to stick in the player - and you won't be hitting the skip button if you are wrapping presents while you listen. My christmas fantasy would have been fulfilled had the passion and warmth of the best tracks been infused throughout.

I have been a fan of Anita Baker from the beginning, and thinks she does what she has done very well, but I have felt that her sound has been a very predictable, non-chance-taking, mellow R&B type of music for awhile. It was very refreshing to see that she took this mostly jazzy turn on her Christmas offering, because I always thought she would be well suited to this type of music, both vocally and with her history of collaborating with some good "jazz" players on all her past albums. I have read some say that there is not a lot of Christmas feeling on this CD. Well, it doesn't have jingles jingling or choirs choiring (is that a word?) in the background, but it felt like a Christmas album to me!

I believe the thing is that it is a VERY jazzy Christmas album; it starts with the jazzy arrangements of the songs, then goes down to the fine musicians taking great solo turns with the arrangements, which finally allowed 'Nita B. the opportunity to serve up a more jazzy flavored vocal that some of her fans may not be so used to. I loved it!! I even thought the first track, "Frosty's Rag", was an interesting New Orleans flavored turn on the old Frosty the Snowman song, if for no other reason than it was SO different from anything she's done before. I always felt that she was similar to a Dianne Reeves, who throws down with anything between a deep jazz tune to a gospel type song to straight R&B.

Bottom line: if you are not a jazz fan and are looking for the same ol' same ol' from 'Nita, chances are you may possibly think this album is not so great and very un-Christmassy (I don't think that's a word either)! Well, that's a shame, because in my humble opinion, 'Nita and the musicians throw down with some jazzy stylings that hopefully she dips into a little bit in the future. And you know what, even if she DOES stick to the same ol' same ol' for the rest of her career, I'll still probably get all of her stuff anyway, because she's 'Nita B. I'll be a lil disappointed, but I'll always support. So do YOUR part, 'Nita B. Nation, if you all call yourselves FANS, and get this good music!!

I enjoyed listening to 'Christmas Fantasy' by Anita Baker, but it fails to be certified a classic due to it's lack of enough 'holiday' music. All in all, I appreciate Anita combining her promised jazz album with a long overdue Holiday collection, but the price is simply too high for only 9 songs. Anita is in fine voice, and she displays wonderful jazz sensiblities, so long time fans should be satisfied.

I deducted a star from this project because it only has 9 tracks, and the cover art really fails to convey that important Holiday Spirit or Season to the consumer. The old picture (circa mid 1980's!) on the cover looks like someone scared Anita during the photo shoot, or that she wasn't really in a good mood. To fortify this short CD, I recommend that fans remaster the CD by adding Anita's LIVE renditions of 'The Christmas Song' (fr.'Jazz To The World' CD 1995) & 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas' (fr.'Holiday Seasons' 1993). Used copies of these CDs are still available on Amazon for only a few dollars.

If you want a Christmas cd that is soulfull, sexy, fun and respectful all rolled into one, buy this cd.
Anita sounds great, the arrangements are wonderful and fresh, and, in my opinion, so much better than Diana Krall's first attempt at a Christmas album.
Buy and enjoy!

What's my favorite holiday song this season? It's gotta be "Frosty's Rag" Anita Baker's swingin' (and I mean sa-wingin') version of "Frosty the Snowman." It's the sassy lead track to her first-ever seasonal CD and her second release on Blue Note Records. Blue Note and Anita Baker appear to be the perfect musical partnership between artist and recording label as evidenced by two exceptional releases. As soon as you get to the last sentence of this review, I insist that you click on the BUY link to purchase this new holiday classic by one of contemporary music's leading ladies - There's not a chance you'll be disappointed. Anita shines on CHRISTMAS FANTASY with favorite gems and standards that get the signature Anita treatment with jazzy swirls and twirls that she has become so loved for. In addition to the sizzlin' Frosty, you'll find eight more equally deliriously exciting holiday offerings including "I'll Be Home For Christmas," "Christmas Time Is Here," and "My Favorite Things," as well as the original seasonal tunes, "Moonlight Sleighride," and "Christmas Fantasy." But wait, there's more to stuff in the stocking... This collection is jam-packed (operative word "jam") with stellar musicians whose names will no doubt light up your tree... George Duke plays piano on most songs, and when he's not Joe Sample or Russ Ferrante (Yellow Jackets) is, Larry Carlton is on guitar, Nathan East is on bass, and A-List drummer Ricky Lawson lays down the groove. Okay, you know what to do: BUY! ~SANDY SHORE

I bought this CD for my hubby who is a huge Anita Baker fan. I did NOT think I would like this CD but it's a wonderful revelation. It's laid back, elegant and it lulled me into a calm, soothing mood. The more I listened, the more I grew to like it. There seems to be unstated theme here that gently suggests dropping all the frentic buying and crazy mall runs and instead, sit down, kick back, and enjoy the company people you love. You might want to pop in this CD while you do...

Superb cd for the holidays!!!! Ms. Baker, in a smooth jazz kinda way, has put a twist on Christmas music that sounds extremely wonderful!!! She also has new music (yes, new Christmas songs) she has written for the holidays too. "Moonlight Sleigh Ride" is sooooo smooth. Chile, she sure nuff can sing!!!

Throughout this cd, Anita scats and swings through many familiar tunes with her own special touch...as in "I'll Be Home For Christmas". She proudly sings the verse, "....please have beans and collared greens..." lol

BE WARNED THAT THIS CD IS FOR THE MUSICALLY MATURE AND IS VERRRRRY JAZZY AND MAY CAUSE FOOT TAPPING!!! lol I love it!!!

If you like jazz vocals, and you like Christmas - the real one, not the happy-holiday remake - then you must rush out and get Anita Baker's Christmas Fantasy. This is the CD that many of us knew was inside of Ms. Baker all the while she was trying to go more Pop.

There are so many gems among the classic Christmas faire, sprinkled with fresh Christmas love songs. All are very nice, and Anita really soars on God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, taking this chestnut to new heights. It's the selection that you will repeat again and again. The band, oh my God - unplugged and loving it.

Remember John Coltrane's My Favorite Things? Anita remembered it, and she makes it rocket science, taking it to outer, outer space. She has fun with this one, and steps away from the mic, letting the band pay tribute to Trane in their own style. Beautiful, simply beautiful.

Don't buy this CD expecting something like Johnny Mathas saccarin - not that there's anything wrong with that. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir sat this one out. This is straight up jazz with a nuance of Christmas. This is hard core! This is Ella and Sassy - pushing and pulling, scatting through metaphors. Hold on tight, because Anita is back. Yes, she does throw in a pop-sounding family-of-man-we-are-the-world tune or two, just to make the label happy but, make no mistake, this is a jazz vocal album.

It's a shame that Anita waited until this CD to let go, because it will probably be missed after the holidays. Well, I plan to keep it in my year round rotation of great music. I've added it to my ipod Holiday folder, and my jazz folder, as well as my favorite things (which is the best of all genres) folder.

Treat yourself to a special present this Christmas. This CD will be one of your Favorite Things.

5 Stars! Get it!

This is a great christmas album.Anita makes chritmas a little more christmassy.Anita has done it again.Everyone should pick this up.TWO THUMBS UP. And for the people who have negative comments,you can't be listening to the same album I am.Listen again.This is classic Anita at her best again.

This has been one of Anita Baker's finest cds ever!! Her voice is smooth and sexy. She has taken old Christmas songs and given them one of the best makeovers that I have seen in my 18 years! Young or old,wether your a fan or not,you will enjoy Anita at her best!!