Your Dream Christmas Album, Vol. 2

[Numero Cinco]

From another thread:

But this Xmas CD is one that I really would have liked to have had some bonus tracks. Mr. A did a version of Winter Wonderland with Jeff Worber. (Another Phoenix guy) The album was so short it would have been nice if Mr. A. would have recorded another 6 or 8 holiday songs. Some suggestions would have been: "Blue Christmas", "Christmas Time is Hear", "Rockin' Around the Xmas Tree", "Linus and Lucy". and "Christmas is for Grownups Too".

So . . . if there were a second volume of TJB holiday coverage, what would you love to hear?

Here are my nominations:

"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"
"Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (including a fat 'bone solo by Mr. Edmondson)
"White Christmas" (with a slight, up-tempo bounce, maybe?)
"O Tannenbaum"
"Christmastime Is Here" (maybe as a jazz-waltz)
"I'll Be Home for Christmas" (with something soulful from Mr. Pisano)
"It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" (a shuffle, perhaps?)
"Silver Bells" (a la "Crea Mi Amor")
"Good King Wenceslas" (a la "The Wall Street Rag")
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (with strings, please)

Who knows? Maybe there are some Lost Christmas Treasures. :bigsanta:

 

[DAN BOLTON]

Jester Hairston's MARY'S BOY CHILD...



Dan

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I think Numero's list is great and those would all make potential TJB Christmas songs. I think an uptempo version of "Let it Snow" would be good too.

 

[Numero Cinco]

I forgot to add "Silent Night": Done very simply, with Julius.

 

[Dave]

I think "Greensleeves" and "T'Was The Night Before Christmas" would be appropriate tunes...


Dave

...picturing the cover of Christmas Album, Vol. 2 showing "Herb in a Sleigh"... :santa:

 

[bob knack]

"A Child is Born" written by Thad Jones.

 

[Dave]

"A Child is Born" written by Thad Jones.

Is that the same song as "WHEN A Child Is Born"? I forgot the writer of it, but Kenny Rogers recorded it on his Christmas Album and Johnny Mathis recorded it, too!

I think "What Child Is This" would also be a great song and what about a NEWER version of "My Favorite Things"?!


Dave

...wondering if "what we let our imaginations run wild" doing here, MIGHT see the "Laser-Light of Day"!

 

[bob knack]

I don't know if it's the same. I have versions by Woody Herman and The Gene Harris Superband. I imagine Thad did it at least once. It's not really a Christmas song, but it fits nicely.

 

[Numero Cinco]

Re: Dave's suggestion: I think "Greensleeves" (AKA "What Child Is This?") would also make a great jazz waltz. I've never heard it that way until know, in my head, but I'm sure somebody's done such an arrangement.

How about "O Holy Night"? Straight Herb, no frills, save piannisimo guitar or/or marimba.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I would bet, if Herb did a Volume 2 Christmas, he'd skew away from religious songs in favor of more winter/Santa tunes. I doubt we'd hear "Silent Night" or "O Holy Night" from him. Just a hunch, since that's the way the original album is.

 

[Numero Cinco]

I would bet, if Herb did a Volume 2 Christmas, he'd skew away from religious songs in favor of more winter/Santa tunes. I doubt we'd hear "Silent Night" or "O Holy Night" from him. Just a hunch, since that's the way the original album is.

In general, that's true. But his somewhat unconventional choice of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" shows that he followed his own muse wherever it led him.

Among the tracks I'd not stay up late to hear would be "Frosty the Snowman" with the "Talk to the Animals" children's chorale.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

Since Herb is of the Jewish persuasion maybe he would do "The Dradle Song". Of course, after hearing the South Park version, I don't think anyone could top that!


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Jay Maynes/Juan Oskar]

I posted this list last year. If I were asked to produce Mr. A.
later............Jay


1. Let it Snow: Done in a light medium swing style with an ad lib flute solo inserted.
2. My Little Drum: (Guaraldi) Done w/the “Passion Dance” latino bolero feeling.
3. Carol of the Bells: Done with a jazz sextet feel with jazz chorus
4. Trumpeter’s Lullaby: Done w/the “Passion Dance” latino feeling
5. Mary’s Boy Child: Done with an upbeat modern Cha Cha flavor.
6. Silver Bells: Done beautifully with the early Tijuana Brass sound.
7. I’ll Be Home For Christmas (or) Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas: One of these should be done as a vocal. I think Herb’s voice would lend itself to either one of these.
8. Medley: Still Still Still/The Holly and the Ivy/In the Bleak Midwinter: I believe these could be put together harmonically to work. I haven’t totally figured it out yet.
9. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Done with jazz sextet and strings, this would be one for both Lani and Herb to sing together. (This one might just be to happy)
10. Rockin’ Around the Xmas Tree: Done with his Jingle Bell Rock Dixie swing sound.
11. Terpak-Russian Dance: This could be his next Zorba the Greek. It should be played fast with lots of double tongue.
12. Blue Christmas: End with a trumpet ballad.

 

[bob knack]

How 'bout "Baby, It's Cold Outside", a vocal duet with Lani?

 

[jimac51]

A couple of notes about "A Child Is born". First,this is not "When A Child Is Born" but,indeed,a ballad written by Thad Jones and first appeared as a big band instrumental on the Jones/Mel Lewis recording,"Consummation",1970, and was the second-to-last song recorded during the band's initial recording era on Sonny Lester's Solid State label. As a concert piece,this became a spotlight solo introduction for pianist Sir Roland Hanna,who sometimes seemed to channel Rachmaninoff during his solo. There is a least one authorized live recording of the song by the band,a 1978 Berlin recording featuring Jim McNeely doing the intro-the recording stretches to almost ten minutes. Noted film composer Alec Wilder added lyrics to the song-there is not a literal mention Mary and Jesus in the lyric,but the innocent Everychild references easily lent themselves to a Christmas song. There is at least one A&M recording of "A Child Is Born":MEL LEWIS AND FRIENDS,with Thad's brother,Hank,getting the piano solo. Hank has recorded this song a couple of times on his own and is featured on "Child" on a recent all star tribute to Thad's writing:ONE MORE:MUSIC OF THAD JONES(IPO 7575480222). Lots of recordings exist and quietly over the last four decades it has achieved a classic level. Dick Hyman even used "A Child Is Born" as a template to explore the history of jazz piano-performing the song in the style of everyone from Scott Joplin to Cecil Taylor(Hyman even slams the keyboard shut in anger during the Taylor bit). Hyman recorded some of these versions for a 1977 album on Chiaroscuro Records in 1977,giving himself a generous 17+ minute version of his own ramblings on the theme. This would be quite an appropriate selection for Herb on a Christmas album since this is another little known jazz song that grew to a mass audience-something Mr. Alpert has done before. Mac

 

[walterphil]

gee what if sergio mendes and brasil 66 did a christmas album?

tee hee

 

[Harry]

gee what if sergio mendes and brasil 66 did a christmas album?

tee hee

Hmmmmm.......

Harry

 

[Mr Bill]

gee what if sergio mendes and brasil 66 did a christmas album?

tee hee

Hmmmmm.......

Harry

Wasn't it WalterPhil who posted that April Fool's (though it wasn't April and most of us weren't fooled) post about a SM&B66 Christmas LP a couple years back?

--Mr Bill
who, havning a dark sense of humor, found it highly amusing