
Classical Jazz Quartet
Released in 2006
JazzTimes Top Ten Christmas Jazz Albums Of All Time
AllAboutJazz Top Ten Christmas Jazz Albums Of All Time
YouTube: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mf-ukluHy9vXYi4RpxMMp3N4_x-Gg8zKI
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About:
Not all Christmas albums are alike. Consisting of Pianist Kenny Barron, Bassist Ron Carter, drummer Lewis Nash, and Stefon Harris on vibraphones and marimba, The Classical Jazz Quartet was an early 2000’s experiment, breaking classical music songs down and giving them a jazz treatment. Christmas is composed of eight songs by Bach and Tchaikovsky, including six from “The Nutcracker.”
While the album’s unique perspective won’t appeal to all listeners, the change from shorter, typical holiday fare to fully fleshed out jazz is welcome. It would have been nice to see the quartet lean a bit less heavily on Harris’ vibes, especially with a talented pianist like Barron to carry the songs. Regardless, Christmas gives ample solo opportunity to each musician, making the recording interesting regardless of its context.
Track Listing:
1. The Messiah: Hallelujah (Georg Friedrich Haendel) 05:24
2. Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (Johann Sebastian Bach) 08:39
3. The Nutcracker Suite: The Swingin’ Nut (Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovski) 06:27
4. The Nutcracker Suite: Marche Touche (Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovski) 04:49
5. The Nutcracker Suite: Groove of the Sugar Plum Fairy (Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovski) 06:54
6. The Nutcracker Suite: Blues à la Russe (Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovski) 05:59
7. The Nutcracker Suite: Mirlitonova (Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovski) 06:53
8. The Nutcracker Suite: Vaunce of the Flowers (Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovski) 07:23
Personnel:
Kenny Barron: piano
Ron Carter: bass
Stefon Harris: vibes & marimba
Lewis Nash: drums
Recorded August 21, 2001 – December 11, 2002, at Avatar Studios, New York, NY
Arranged by Bob Belden
Produced by Bob Belden and Suzanne Severini
Remastered in 2006
Executive Producer: Roy Tarrant
Review:
The Classical Jazz Quartet recorded a series of sessions utilizing Bob Belden’s arrangements of classical music, though this session draws primarily from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite. The cast of musicians, including pianist Kenny Barron, vibraphonist and marimba player Stefon Harris, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Lewis Nash, is never less than impressive, though the album production and, occasionally, Belden’s charts don’t always serve their considerable talent. Handel’s famous Hallelujah from The Messiah is a promising start, though it is strangely and suddenly truncated by a rapid fadeout just over the five-minute mark. Better is the extended workout of J.S. Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, which gives the musicians a chance to stretch out. The remainder of the album is devoted to music from The Nutcracker Suite, which duplicates the music heard on The Classical Jazz Quartet Play Tchaikovsky, meaning that those already owning that CD aren’t likely to purchase this release for just two new tracks. “The Swingin’ Nut” (Overture Miniature) is a bluesy chart that gets stuck in a boring vamp instead of developing upon its famous theme as a source for improvisation. But the remainder of Belden’s arrangements inspire top-notch performances, especially the playful “Blues à la Russe” (Russian Dance Trepack) and the delicious bossa nova treatment of “Mirlitonova” (Dance of the Reeds). Highly recommended for listening, at any time of year.
Ken Dryden (AllMusic)