What A Night! A Christmas Album (Columbia)
Harry Connick Jr.
Released in 2008
Last.fm Top Christmas Jazz Albums
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About:
What a Night! A Christmas Album, by American singer, pianist and bandleader Harry Connick Jr., was his third Christmas album, since 1993’s When My Heart Finds Christmas and 2003’s Harry for the Holidays. The album consists of new recordings of Christmas classics, and new songs written by Connick. The album was first called Christmas Day, but the title was changed in September 2008, to What a Night! A Christmas Album.
The track “Song for the Hopeful”, is a duet with Kim Burrell. The song was written by Connick for the 2008 television film Living Proof. Burell is also featured on “Let There Be Peace On Earth”.
Connick has three daughters with his wife Jill Goodacre, and their middle daughter Sarah Kate, sings a duet with him on the track “Winter Wonderland”.
When the track list was first announced, the songs “Christmas Time is Here” and “Trinity”, was part of the album. In early October, those two tracks were replaced with two new tracks: “Christmas Day”, and an instrumental version of Tchaikovsky’s “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy”.
Track Listing:
1. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year (Edward Pola / George Wyle) 03:28
2. What a Night! (Harry Connick, Jr.) 03:24
3. Christmas Day (Harry Connick, Jr.) 03:24
4. Have a Holly Jolly Christmas (Johnny Marks) 04:05
5. Please Come Home for Christmas (Charles Brown / Gene Reed) 04:26
6. O Come All Ye Faithful (Frederick Oakeley / John Francis Wade) 04:15
7. Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies (Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky) 02:46
8. Let There Be Peace on Earth (Seymour Miller) 03:30
9. Winter Wonderland (Felix Bernard) 03:50
10. It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (Meredith Willson) 03:30
11. Santarrific (Harry Connick, Jr.) 03:58
12. Jingle Bells (James Lord Pierpont) 05:28
13. Zat You Santa Claus (Jack Fox) 03:40
14. We Three Kings (John Henry Hopkins, Jr.) 04:45
15. Song for the Hopeful (Harry Connick, Jr.) 04:35
Arranged, Orchestrated and Conducted by Harry Connick, Jr.
Personnel:
Harry Connick, Jr.: vocals, piano
Neal Caine: bass
Arthur Latin: drums, percussion
Saxophones: Charles “Ned” Goold (alto), Dave Schumacher (baritone), Jerry Weldon (tenor)
Trombones: Dion Tucker, Jeff Bush, Lucien Barbarin, Joe Barati (baritone)
Trumpets: Joe Magnarelli, Roger Ingram, Tony Kadleck
John Miller: Orchestra Conductor
Recorded August 21-25 and 27-30, 2008, at Avatar Recording Studios, New York, and August 26, 2008, at Legacy Recording Studios, New York
Executive-Producer: Ann Marie Wilkins
Produced by Tracey Freeman
Recorded and Mixed by Vince Caro
Assistant Engineers: Derik Lee, Jesse Singer, Justin Gerrish, Rick Kwan
Mastered by Vlado Meller
Photography by Palma Kolansky
Design: Anita Marisa Boriboon
Art Direction: Dave Bett
Production Coordination by Hayden Quitiquit and Maria Betro
Review:
His third holiday-themed album, 2008’s What a Night! A Christmas Album continues vocalist/pianist Harry Connick, Jr.’s tradition of delivering swinging jazz and pop versions of various tinsel tunes new and old. Recorded with a big band and orchestra, this is a terrific collection of songs making the most of Connick’s knack for modern-day crooning and rambunctious small-group jazz. There is warmth, sophistication, and urbane romanticism to Connick’s work here that should draw well-earned comparisons to similar classic albums by the likes of Tony Bennett, Mel Tormé, Nat King Cole, and others. However, rather than sounding like a retro affair, What a Night! delivers on Connick’s promise of updating the traditional pop sound of his idols for a contemporary audience. It doesn’t hurt, either, that Connick is joined here by a bevy of first-rate musicians, including vocalist Kim Burrell and trombonist/vocalist Lucien Barbarin on two duets, not to mention the stellar backing musicians. Even Kate Connick, Harry’s daughter, makes an appearance for a charming duet with her dad on “Winter Wonderland.” It’s also refreshing to hear a few rambling small-group jazz numbers like “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies,” which help remind listeners how nimble and inventive a jazz pianist Connick truly is. More than just a great Christmas album, What a Night! is the type of record you just might find yourself turning to well into the new year.
Matt Collar (AllMusic)
