Christmas In New York (Decca)
Renée Fleming
Released in 2014
YouTube:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_n0nVdx9VBASpc0XxTdgf_ucrGBgwASxN4
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/5kxfHvomY2PCiPIvW9esZd?si=WI3uy169Qlukf8ETQuH_Cg
About:
From the holiday windows lining 5th Avenue to the red and green-lit spire of the Empire State Building, the essence of the city at the most wonderful time of year is captured on Christmas in New York. Pop, Broadway and jazz greats Chris Botti, Kurt Elling, Wynton Marsalis, Brad Mehldau, Kelli O’Hara, Gregory Porter and Rufus Wainwright join Renée as she lends her sublime voice to hits like “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Silver Bells” and other gems, including “Central Park Serenade” a brand new duet by songwriting legend Diane Warren.
Track Listing:
1. Winter Wonderland (Felix Bernard) 03:50
2. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Ralph Blane / Hugh Martin) 03:35
3. Silver Bells (Ray Evans / Jay Livingston) 03:06
4. Merry Christmas Darling (Richard Carpenter) 05:35
5. The Christmas Waltz (Sammy Cahn / Jule Styne) 03:18
6. Who Knows Where the Time Goes (Alexandra Denny) 04:25
7. Sleigh Ride (Leroy Anderson) 05:17
8. Snowbound (Russell Faith / Clarence Kehner) 06:27
9. In the Bleak Midwinter (Harold Darke) 03:46
10. Central Park Serenade (Diane Warren) 04:12
11. The Man with the Bag (Dudley Brooks / Harold Stanley / Irving Taylor) 02:39
12. Love and Hard Times (Paul Simon) 04:45
13. Still, Still, Still (Christmas Traditional) 05:16
Personnel:
Renée Fleming: vocals
Wynton Marsalis: trumpet (1, 7)
Carlos Henriques: bass (1, 7)
Ulysses Owens: drums (1, 7)
Daniel Nimmer: piano (1, 7)
Walter Blanding: tenor saxophone (1, 7)
Gregory Porter: vocals (2, 10)
Mairi Dorman-Phaneuf: cello (2, 6, 8)
Stephanie Cummins: cello (2, 6)
Rob Moose: concertmaster (2, 6), guitar, violin (8)
David Lai: conductor (2, 6), synthesizer (13)
Clint De Ganon: drums (2)
Rob Mounsey: keyboards (2)
David Blinn: viola (2, 6, 8)
David Creswell: viola (2, 6)
Elizabeth Nielsen, Lisa Matricardi, Suzy Perelman, Svetlana Tsovena: violin (2, 6)
Joyce Hammann: violin (2, 6, 8)
Kelli O’Hara: vocals (3)
Anthony Sherr: acoustic bass (3)
Chris Botti: vocals (4)
David Finck: bass (4, 11)
Dave Ratajczak: drums (4, 11)
Lou Marini: flute (4, 11)
Lee Musiker: piano (4,11), sythsizer (4)
Peter Donovan: bass (5, 10)
Dave Ratajczak: drums (5, 10)
Saul Rubin: guitar (5, 10)
Grace Paradise: harp (5)
Shelly Berg: piano (5, 10)
Brad Mehldau: piano (6, 12)
Frederic Bryant: guitar (6)
Kurt Elling: vocals (8, 13)
Christian McBride: bass (8, 13)
Carl Allen: drums (8, 13)
Peter Bernstein: guitar (8, 13)
Renee Rosnes: piano (8, 13)
Rufus Wainwright: vocals (9)
Mike Truesdell: vibraphone (11)
Grant Stewart: saxophone (12)
Recorded Avatar Studios, New York City and MSR Studios, New York City
Executive-Producer: David Lai
Producer: David Frost
Review:
World-class opera and classical soprano Renée Fleming, presenting her first holiday album, Christmas In New York, loosens up and captures some of the down-to-earth spirit of the jazz singer she used to be in her college years. Her interpretative skills are more than proficient applied to well-known Christmas songs and seldom-encountered choices (19th-century carol “In The Bleak Midwinter,” Sandy Denny’s “Who Knows Where The Time Goes”), even though she sings with over-enunciated affectation here and there. Fleming’s duet with Broadway singer Kelli O’Hara, “Silver Bells,” romanticizes the holiday beyond tolerance. Happily, Fleming holds her own in the presence of imposing guests Brad Mehldau, Kurt Elling, Gregory Porter, Chris Botti and Wynton Marsalis. She and her friends make beautiful music, negating thoughts about it being background sounds for shopping at big-ticket NYC boutiques.
Frank-John Hadley (DownBeat)
