Have Yourself a Jazzy Little Christmas

Have Yourself A Jazzy Little C | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 26, 1989)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B00000479R
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #95,814 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

1989 Polygram compilation

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Holiday music by some of the legends of American jazz., December 5, 2004

By 

Mary Whipple (New England) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Have Yourself a Jazzy Little Christmas (Audio CD)

There's something for everyone on this wonderfully eclectic recording, which ranges from Oscar Peterson's almost lullaby-like piano on "A Child is Born" to Bill Evans's jazzy piano improvisations (overdubbed) on "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," and Sister Rosetta Tharpe's "O, Little Town of Bethlehem," a full-out, hand-clapping, rocking and stomping Gospel song. Containing both vocals and instrumentals, with arrangements which vary from softly sweet to full-out wailing, this CD is full of delightful surprises to keep the Christmas repertoire fresh.

Three of the songs here feature Ella Fitzgerald. "The Secret of Christmas" and "White Christmas," both of which she sings "pure," are soft, slow ballads filled with sweetness, while "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," with its quick beat, provides a jazzy close-out for the album. Dinah Washington's "Ole Santa" and "Silent Night" take the opposite tack from Ella, as she sings with strength and verve--and absolutely no sweetness! Billie Holiday's "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm," not exactly a Christmas song, features solos by the great Benny Carter on clarinet and Sweets Edison on muted trumpet.

Roland Kirk's "We Free Kings," the most highly improvised song on the album, features Kirk on flute and wailing sax, accompanied by an insistent drumbeat. And my favorite--Jimmy Smith's "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" is the greatest version of this song I've ever heard, opening with jazz tuba and drums (and sounding like giants walking), then introducing trumpets and a wonderful Smith organ solo, which soars into the stratosphere. A terrific album for the jazz lover at Christmas time, this CD showcases some of the pioneers of American jazz. Mary Whipple

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Legends of jazz celebrate the holidays., November 18, 2005

By 

Mary Whipple (New England) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Have Yourself a Jazzy Little Christmas (Audio CD)

There's something for everyone on this wonderfully eclectic recording, which ranges from Oscar Peterson's almost lullaby-like piano on "A Child is Born" to Bill Evans's jazzy piano improvisations (overdubbed) on "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," and Sister Rosetta Tharpe's "O, Little Town of Bethlehem," a full-out, hand-clapping, rocking and stomping Gospel song. Containing both vocals and instrumentals, with arrangements which vary from softly sweet to full-out wailing, this CD is full of delightful surprises to keep the Christmas repertoire fresh.

Three of the songs here feature Ella Fitzgerald. "The Secret of Christmas" and "White Christmas," both of which she sings "pure," are soft, slow ballads filled with sweetness, while "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," with its quick beat, provides a jazzy close-out for the album. Dinah Washington's "Ole Santa" and "Silent Night" take the opposite tack from Ella, as she sings with strength and verve--and absolutely no sweetness! Billie Holiday's "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm," not exactly a Christmas song, features solos by the great Benny Carter on clarinet and Sweets Edison on muted trumpet.

Roland Kirk's "We Free Kings," the most highly improvised song on the album, features Kirk on flute and wailing sax, accompanied by an insistent drumbeat. And my favorite--Jimmy Smith's "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" is the greatest version of this song I've ever heard, opening with jazz tuba and drums (and sounding like giants walking), then introducing trumpets and a wonderful Smith organ solo, which soars into the stratosphere. A terrific album for the jazz lover at Christmas time, this CD showcases some of the pioneers of American jazz. Mary Whipple

11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars To my knowledge, the best jazz Christmas disc around, December 10, 1999

By 

Sandy Bost (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Have Yourself a Jazzy Little Christmas (Audio CD)

A great eclectic mix of both vocal and instrumental jazz. Dinah Washington's voice makes for a strangely stirring "Silent Night," and Ella's "Secret of Christmas" might just be the most gorgeous Christmas recording ever.