Creole Christmas (Culture Shock Music)
Etienne Charles
Released in 2015
DownBeat Four-Stars Review
YouTube:
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=FX265y1Qs3s&list=OLAK5uy_lBN3UDppkhjtsAb5t46ynmyEWoKs9a0bU
About:
Trinidadian trumpeter Etienne Charles brings the spirit of the islands to an album of holiday songs. With his graceful grasp of multiple styles, Charles blends jazz with calypso on cuts like “Father Christmas” and “Make a Friend for Christmas” (with help from guest vocalist Relator) to joyous, harmonically sophisticated results. Steel drums have never sounded as jazzy as on “Indian Parang Chick.” And Charles shows off his straight-ahead bop chops too, burning his way through a jubilant reinvention of “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.”
Track Listing:
1. Father Christmas 05:05
2. Chocolate (Spanish Dance) 04:46
3. Go Tell It on the Mountain 06:09
4. Make a Friend for Christmas 05:11
5. Juliana 04:19
6. This Christmas 05:45
7. Roses of Caracas Waltz 03:15
8. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town 05:56
9. Tell Santa Claus 04:28
10. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy 07:48
11. Indian Parang Chick 06:10
12. I’ll Be Home for Christmas 03:59
13. Christmas Is Yours, Christmas Is Mine 04:06
Personnel:
Brian Hogans: alto sax
Jacques Schwarz-Bart: tenor sax
Kris Bowers: piano/Fender rhodes/organ
Alex Wintz: guitar
Ben Williams: bass
Obed Calvaire: drums
Special guests
Relator, David Rudder, Mykal Kilgore, Jorge Glem, David ‘Happy’ Williams, Andy Narell, Munyungo Jackson, Elena Pinderhughes, Victor Provost, Ismail Lumanovski, Randy Napoleon, Russell Hall, Robert Munro, Stanley Roach, Clarita Rivas, D’Achee, Pascual Landeau, Tony Lustig, Robin Foster & John Davis
Review:
World-class trumpeter Etienne Charles shuns the routine and takes the measure of diverse musical celebrations on his Creole Christmas. Originally from Trinidad, he calls on prominent calypso singers Relator and David Rudder to spice up three tunes. The program includes two strong renditions of Lionel Belasco waltzes; “Roses Of Caracas Waltz” utilizes the wild talent of Macedonian clarinetist Ismail Lumanovski. Steel pans master Andy Narell is among the talented artists visiting Charles for the holidays. Mykal Kilgore, a singer with Broadway experience, goes to passionate extremes in the gospel number “Go Tell It On The Mountain.” Don’t think Charles gets lost in the crowd. He and equally bold jazz musicians like saxophonists Jacques Schwarz-Bart and Brian Hogans invest songs with their crackling inventiveness and harmonic ingenuity. With only guitarist Randy Napoleon accompanying him on “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” Charles conveys complete, stunning emotional involvement.
Frank-John Hadley (DownBeat)
