The Christmas Song

[Aqua do Brasil]

Dear Forum Members,

Anyone aware who arranged The 1968 release The Christmas song by Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66.
Was it Dave Grusin, Richard Hazzard or Johnny Mandel?

All the best in the new year...

Aqua do Brasil (AKA Sjef Nix)
[www.sjefnixdesign.com/Wenskaart 2011•E•.pdf]

 

[Aqua do Brasil]

Dear Forum Members,

Anyone aware who arranged The 1968 release The Christmas song by Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66.
Was it Dave Grusin, Richard Hazzard or Johnny Mandel?

All the best in the new year...

Aqua do Brasil (AKA Sjef Nix)

See underneath a greetz card in pdf format


http://www.sjefnixdesign.com/Wenskaart 2011•E•.pdf [url]

 

[JMK]

I think we've discussed this before. My personal hunch is Hazard, only because of those supersonic strings, which are so reminiscent of "Like a Lover." That said, it seems to me someone in one of the other threads about this had some cogent info about Mandel, at least that's what I'm remembering right now.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I think it sounds more like a Grusin arrangement. Compare the orchestral arrangements on CRYSTAL ILLUSIONS -- "The Christmas Song" would have fit right in on that album.

 

[JMK]

I love Grusin (and have defended him many times here), but this orchestration sounds too "light" and airy for him, to me, anyway.

 

[A&Mguyfromwayback]

I agree about the similarity to the "Crystal Illusions" orchestrations - don't think it's Mandel, but heck, what do I know.

 

[richard_sloat]

Is it the same Dave Grusin who whote the soundtrack to the movie On golden pond???? That is like one of the best original movie soundtracks E-VER!!

 

[JMK]

Yes, same Grusin. Dave has some early Columbia sides that are great, and I always loved his tv themes growing up.

Re: Crystal Illusions. I'm really surprised to see this, since "Christmas Song" has always reminded me much more of the Hazard sides for "Look Around." Grusin's work on CI is fantastic--love the glock/flute/muted trumpet sounds that kind of became a Mendes trademark (utilized pretty heavily in the Bell albums), but "Christmas Song" has none of that, and really no brass to speak of, which Grusin always tended to feature. Whether it's Grusin or Hazard really doesn't matter to me, because I love, love, love that version of the tune.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

To me it's not the instrumentation so much, but the overall sound of the production and Lani's singing style. It has the laid-back mood of CRYSTAL ILLUSIONS, where LOOK AROUND has more of a "bright" sound. (That's the best way I can come up with to describe it -- these things are so subjective.)

 

[JMK]

I tried finding the old thread about this, but I can never get the search function to work properly for me. I have a strong memory that someone had some "proof" that it was Mandel, but I may be completely misremembering.

 

[Harry]

Not exactly proof - the only thing I found was a post by our friend Aqua do Brasil in a thread about the newer "Christmas Song":

Dear Forum members,

Although I did’nt hear the new version of the Christmas Song, I suppose it never ever can be topped.
I analyzed the Brasil ’66 version and I’am quite certain that not Richard Hazard or Dave Grusin did the orchestration. Maybe I’am wrong but it’s definitely Johnny Mandel IMHO. Correct if I’am wrong.
Notice those voicings in the strings and woodwinds!

All the best,

Aqua do Brasil

To me, the Brasil '66 track sounds like its from the LOOK AROUND era.

Harry