Jazz Yule Love II (Mack Avenue)
Various Artists
Released in 2006
WDUQ 10 Best Holiday Jazz
YouTube:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_k2kZHpSd6SXjzJZI_vMzryyfiUIxoEpHg
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About:
This is about Jazz Yule Love II, a CD about Christmas. But to me it’s more than that. This is primarily a CD about artists because that is what Mack Avenue Records is about…its artists. It’s about Sean Jones blowing his heart out with “Have yourself A Merry Little Christmas” and again in “O Holy Night.” And if you thought that if you never heard “Jingle Bells” again, you’d be just fine, I have news. You haven’t heard Gerald Wilson’s Orchestra’s rendition. It’s a great arrangement and beautifully executed. And then there’s Hot Club of Detroit doing “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and believe me, there’s no rest for them on that one, and after that there’s “The Chipmunk Song” with Dave Bennett’s clarinet tearing it up. Oscar Castro-Neves, a consummate and prodigious talent, arranged both “Air On A Six String” and “Dance Natal.” There’s Ilona Knopfler’s wistful “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” hitting every note squarely on the nose and always in full control, and Bud Shank playing “Let It Snow” on the alto saxophone as only he can play. and finally Oscar Brown, Jr. singing “Another Year,” where every once in a while I hear slight shades of Al Jolson. It’s wonderful. They’re all wonderful.
So there you have it, from the artists to you. I hope you appreciate them. I know we do here at Mack Avenue. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Gretchen Valade, Executive Producer
Track Listing:
1. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Instrumental) by Sean Jones 4:31
2. Jingle Bells by The Gerald Wilson Orchestra 4:47
3. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by Hot Club Of Detroit 6:11
4. Air On A Six String by Oscar Castro-Neves 3:17
5. I’ll Be Home For Christmas by Ilona Knopfler 4:28
6. Dance Natal (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy) by Oscar Castro-Neves 4:12
7. Let It Snow by Bud Shank Quartet 4:02
8. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Vocal) by Ilona Knopfler 3:56
9. Chipmunk Song by Hot Club Of Detroit 3:16
10. O Holy Night by Sean Jones 5:30
11. Another Year by Oscar Brown, Jr. 3:50
Personnel:
Sean Jones: trumpet
Orrin Evans: piano
E.J. Strickland: drums
Kenny Davis: bass
Oscar Castro-Neves: guitar, vocals, keyboards
Mulgrew Miller: piano
Oscar Brown Jr.: vocals
Calvin Brunson: keyboard
Cecile Savage: bass
Steve Cobb: drums
Ilona Knopfler: vocals
Greg Hutchinson: drums
James Genus: bass
Alain Mallet: piano
Andy Snitzer: soprano sax
Jay Ashby: percussion
Gerard Wilson Orchestra
Hot Club of Detroit
Julien Labro: accordion, accordina; Evan Perri: guitar; Dave Bennett: clarinet; Paul Brady: rhythm guitar; Colton Weatherston: rhythm guitar; Shannon Wade: acoustic bass
Bud Shank Quartet
Bud Shank: alto sax; Mike Wofford: piano; Joe LaBarbera: drums; Bob Magnusson: bass
Produced by Al Pryor (tracks 1-4, 9-10), Al Pryor and Jay Ashby (tracks 5, 8), Oscar Castro-Neves (tracks 4, 6) and Stix Hooper & Will Wakefield (tracks 7, 11)
Executive-Producer: Gretchen Valade
Mastered by Alan Silverman
Review:
The second volume of Mack Avenue Records Jazz Yule Love includes traditional jazz versions of “O Holy Night” (Sean Jones), “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” (Ilona Knopfler), and “Dance Natal (Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies)” (Oscar Castro-Neves), mixed with lighter seasonal fare like “Let It Snow” (Bud Shank Quartet), “Jingle Bells” (Gerald Wilson Orchestra), and even an instrumental take on “The Chipmunk Song,” courtesy of the Hot Club of Detroit.
Al Campbell (AllMusic)
