Christmas Cookin’ (Verve)
Jimmy Smith
Released in 1964 (originally released as Christmas ’64)
JazzTimes 10 Classic Jazz Christmas Albums
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About:
On Christmas ’64, which was known for decades as Christmas Cookin’ after being reissued in 1966 with the alternate cover and title, Smith offers up a mix of secular Christmas songs and traditional carols backed by a big band and several trios. He makes a heel-turn from dignified orchestral overtures, like on “We Three Kings (of Orient Are),” injecting the proceedings with funky, down-home energy to get bodies moving this December. “It’s hard to believe that ‘Silent Night’ could ever swing as much as it does here,” All About Jazz noted. But all you have to do is drop the needle on these bluesy interpretations to believe Christmas could be so danceable. For the first time in more than five decades, the LP will be released with its original cover and title.
Track Listing:
1. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Traditional) 04:19
2. Jingle Bells (James Pierpont) 03:15
3. We Three Kings (Of Orient Are) (John Henry Hopkins, Jr.) 03:45
4. The Christmas Song (Mel Tormé / Robert Wells) 04:32
5. White Christmas (Irving Berlin) 02:51
6. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (J. Fred Coots / Haven Gillespie) 05:26
7. Silent Night (Franz Gruber / Joseph Mohr) 04:04
8. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Traditional) 06:11
9. Baby, It’s Cold Outside (Frank Loesser) 06:00
10. Greensleeves (Traditional) 08:53
Personnel:
Jimmy Smith: organ
Ernie Royal, Bernie Glow, Danny Stiles, Joe Wilder: trumpets
Jimmy Cleveland, Chauncey Welsh: trombones
Paul Faulise, Tommy Mitchell: bass trombones
Earl Chapin, Don Corrado, Morris Secon, Jimmy Buffington: french horns
Joe Newman: flugelhorn (1, 3-5, 7)
Harvey Phillips: tuba (1, 3-5, 7)
Kenny Burrell: guitar (1, 3-5, 7)
Quentin Warren: guitar (2, 6, 8)
Wes Montgomery: guitar
Art Davis: double bass (1, 3-5, 7)
Grady Tate: drums (1, 3-5, 7)
Billy Hart: drums (2, 6, 8)
George Devans: percussion (1, 3-5, 7)
Margaret Ross: harp (1, 3-5, 7)
Billy Byers: conductor (1, 4-5, 7)
Recorded April 20, 1964 (tracks 2, 6, 8) and September 29, 1964, at Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.
Producer: Creed Taylor
Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder
Director of Engineering: Val Valentin
Mastering: Bob Irwin
Cover Design: Acy R Lehman
Photography: Howell Conent
Review:
On the cover of
Jimmy Smith’s 1964 Christmas album, the organist is decked out in a Santa suit
behind the wheel of a red sports car with a tree and presents in tow. The
irreverent and fun photograph is a good primer to the contents inside, for this
is no hackneyed rundown of a group of well-worn holiday favourites. Instead,
Smith puts a soulful and exciting stamp on each track, along with the help of
arrangers Billy Byers and Al Cohn.
As was usual practice for many of Smith’s Verve albums, he is joined on five
numbers by a large brass orchestra. For the album’s remaining three songs, he
uses his working band of guitarist Quentin Warren and drummer Billy Hart.
Christmas Cookin’ is divided evenly between secular Christmas songs and
traditional carols. On “Jingle Bells” and “Santa Claus is Comin’
To Town” with his trio, Smith establishes lightly swinging grooves and
resists the temptation to indulge his virtuosity. Arranger Billy Byers creates
a Count Basie-feel for “The Christmas Song,” and casts Irving
Berlin’s “White Christmas” as a bossa nova. Both feature brief solos
by Smith, but the tracks mainly mine the melodies of two of the most enduring
standards of the holiday season
Surprisingly, it
is when Smith tackles the religious songs of Christmas that he really lets
loose. The album’s opener, “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” is as far removed
from serious church music as can be imagined. Billy Byers has the brass band
first play the tune in a classical style which leads into an explosive entrance
for Smith. The band repeats the melody, but this time as if it was intended to
be used as background for a television crime drama. Then, Smith plays a greasy
three-chorus solo with increasingly intense and forceful punctuations by the
orchestra, who then carries the tune to a sparse conclusion, ending with only
one trumpet. It is, without a doubt, the highlight of the album. Smith’s trio
tackles the number as well and their interpretation pales in comparison.
“We Three Kings (of Orient Are)” and “Silent Night” are
also both unexpected twists on the usual holiday carol. Both feature very
solemn introductions by the orchestra before Smith takes over and injects a
jazz swagger to each. It is hard to believe that “Silent Night” could
ever swing as much as it does here.
In addition, the 1992 CD reissue adds two other holiday-themed tracks from
Smith’s years at Verve: “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” with Wes
Montgomery and “Greensleeves” from the album Organ Grinder
Swing.
Robert Gilbert (All About Jazz)
