Customer Reviews

Christmas Party: Holiday Piano Spiked With Swing

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I won't dispute conventional wisdom: The all-time greatest Christmas album is Vince Guaraldi's "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Having said that, a pair of solo piano albums are tied for the red ribbon: Cyrus Chestnut's "Blessed Quietness," and this gem from Dave McKenna.

Dave McKenna is the pianist's pianist. He's a legend among jazz pianists, a musician who never saw fame equal to his talent. Every musician knows his name. "Christmas Party" was recorded in February 1997, when McKenna was 66. Sadly, it was among his last recordings. In 2002, Nat Hentoff wrote a moving article about McKenna where he revealed that McKenna could no longer play piano. He suffers from carpal tunnel syndrome, due to severe diabetes.

McKenna lives a private life nowadays; but thanks to Concord, we have a few of his albums to enjoy. This is among the best. It's replete with classic carols, and even includes three original tunes by McKenna. It's an intimate hour with one of jazz's finest pianists, and the perfect setting for a snowy December night.

When I think of Dave McKenna, I'm reminded of Jaki Byard. Both are relatively unknown to most audiences. But if you ask musicians, they'll tell you these men were blessed with talent and inspiration. Each man's influence on his peers, and the way fellow musicians approach their instruments, is incalculable.

If you're looking for a wonderful Christmas disc, buy this one. If you want to discover a remarkable jazz musician, try Dave McKenna. I'd recommend "An Intimate Evening with Dave McKenna" (1999) and his Maybeck duo with guitarist Gray Sargent from 1992. But start here. This is a beautiful album, an absolute gem -- and I guarantee you'll find yourself playing it every Christmas.

NOTE: This album was originally issued in 1997 under the title, "Christmas Ivory." Concord's first printing contained an error that caused the disc to skip a few seconds into Track 1. If you own "Christmas Ivory," you'll note the music is the same. And if you plan to buy a used copy, I recommend you avoid the original title. I own a corrected copy, but it's possible you'll encounter a first-edition.

First of all, any recording by Dave McKenna is more than worth the listen and keeping. With the thousands of holiday collections flooding the market I find this one to be a particular gem. Aside from some lesser known titles it's a treat to hear Dave lend his magic touch to Christmas favorites. He has such a special way of immediately getting inside the song --from the first couple of bars you know it's his individual voice and take on the tune. I keep reordering this one for gifts.

Forget the title. This is no mere seasonal novelty or "jazzed up" treatment of familiar tunes. Dave McKenna is the essence and personification of "swing," and no pianist, past or present, has mastered the left hand-right hand synchronization of jazz piano playing more effectively than McKenna. Tatum had the stride style down, Garner could keep the 4/4 going with massive left-hand chords. But McKenna lays down a walking-bass line second to none while managing to layer independent, lean and thoughtful melodic lines on top of that sure foundation. The music he creates offers as much to a follower of the modern piano scene as to a fan of the old stride-piano school.

This album is as ambitious and impressive as Dave's other recordings, which is to say that, as a Christmas program by a jazz instrumentalist, it is simply second to none. "Jingle Bells" might as well be "I Got Rhythm" or "Lady Be Good" under Dave's hands; "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and "Midnight Clear" communicate with the exhuberance and harmonic/melodic clarity of "All the Things You Are"; and the McKenna original, "Snowbound," manages to be fresh yet as communicative as a familiar standard.

Not long ago the NY Times carried an article about McKenna, indicating he was no longer playing due to bad health and that his medical expenses had left him virtually penniless. Yet he expressed surprise that some listeners would still remember him let alone find him newsworthy. That portrait squares with my memory of catching him at the Copley Hotel in Boston in the mid-80's. There were 10-15 other people in the room, none paying much attention to the music. At the break, I asked Dave how it felt to play night after night when no one was listening. "What do you mean?" he replied. "Apparently you were listening."

Great musicians, singers and performers the world over have trusted the musical genius of Dave for the better part of the last fifty years. No small wonder he's just that dependable.That said, I'm here to give my highest recommendation to his Concord CD Christmas Party: Holiday Piano. As with all of Dave's performances repeated listenings will reward the listener with deeper and deeper layers of the subtle sophistication Dave has made his hallmark all these many years. Like all great things of quality McKenna's Christmas CD combines a panorama of all the things that make a great solo piano recording; a warm personal sound, marvelously executed bass lines, layers upon layers of harmonic invention and above all melodies played in an engaging and familiar style but with Dave McKenna's personal stamp. My favorite (if it's possible to have just one favorite on this record) is Dave's blues composition "Don't Want No Blues This Christmas". Marshall Wood

Dave McKenna is unquestionably a master of jazz piano. This CD is one of his best efforts - combining his ability to swing hard on some Christmas songs and swing gently on others.It's hard to imagine Christmas tunes being played any better by a jazz pianist-your foot nevers stops tapping. Add to this, three originals that McKenna himself wrote - this is one of the greatest jazz Christmas CDs ever produced.

This is a well-balanced collection of Christmas jazz standards and carols, with a couple of lesser-known tunes thrown in. McKenna ranges over the keyboard in flawless cocktail-piano mode, varying the tempos and including tunes played in a variety of styles: gospel (Silent Night), up-tempo (Santa Claus is Coming to Town), relaxed and contemplative (Silver Bells), and New Orleans-inflected (Let It Snow). He expands on several tunes in a very personal way. An enjoyable recording for this listener. I purchased it shortly after hearing of McKenna's passing; it's a nice way to remember him.

Oh wow I'm in love with Dave McKenna's romantic and lovely style. He is a true jazz piano legend. I love this, this is my favorite Christmas cd, it's so good I listen to it year round. Everyone I've played thsi for loves it and I gave six of them out as Christmas gifts last yaer! This is timeless jazz and swing, all great Christmas tunes. THE BEST!!!

Dave McKenna
Christmas Party / Holiday Piano Spiked with Swing

Are you, or do you know someone who is, a great fan of the `Lounge' genre? This is the Christmas album for you (or your friend). This is a COOL Christmas album. Dave does not play here to impress you with his abilities, but as a guy playing to entertain the crowd as it mingles. In other words, this is more a Lounge CD than a Piano performance. AS a lounge CD, this one gets Five Stars.

Sounds like Dave McKenna playing XMas carols, which is a good thing from my favorite pianist.
You get the usual great touch and chord voicings, and McKenna devices such as walking base,
stride, bebop lines in the right hand. Any McKenna album I have bought has some songs I
hadn't heard of and as usual some are much more appealing to me than others. Even if you
don't like a few of the cuts he is so masterful on the good ones that it is well worthwhile.

The touch is soft enough to have in the background at an XMas party. I particularly liked
his renditions of some of the familiar carols, like Santa Claus is coming to town. I would
not normally be listening to XMas carols at all, let alone year round but I do like to listen
to this disk from time to time. The songs aren't as rich as some of the material on his
other disks so whether you like XMas carols at all could affect your decision. There are
many other great McKenna disks out there as well.

Concord Jazz presents for the Holiday Season...sixteen selections to make your next holiday party a festive one, with the sound of a swingin' solo piano---all of your favorite "Yuletide" tunes are here...spiked with the unmistakable swinging style of legendary pianist Dave McKenna.

The album includes essential ingredients of ~ "DON'T WANT NO BLUES THIS CHRISTMAS"---"SNOWBOUND"---"AN EGGNOG, SOME MISTLETOE & YOU", even if the eggnog isn't the receipe for a happening holiday---the music and mistletoe are!

Total Time: 59:06 on 16 Tracks ~ Concord Jazz CCD-4923 ~ (2000)