Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Nelson Rangell: All I Hope For Christmas

413

Nelson Rangell: All I Hope For Christmas

By

Sign in to view read count
Nelson Rangell: All I Hope For Christmas
This is a holiday album that achieves nirvana—a state of perfect musical nothingness.



Saxophonist Nelson Rangell's All I Hope For Christmas isn't good enough to excite, bad enough to disappoint, or novel enough to inspire any other emotions. It's a shade above mall music fodder, but even more accomplished moments will sound immediately recognizable to his fans—the only ones likely to purchase this in any quantity.



Rangell is a supremely talented and versatile wind player who, after some stellar early work, has spent his career mired anonymously in the smooth jazz mainstream. This 2004 release mostly sticks to the middle of the road like it's super-glued there, with light arrangements that seldom depart from the predictable and nearly invisible supporting cast.



His best recorded work is generally his peppy flute and piccolo phrasing, and to his credit, he devotes most of this album to such playing. But while he seldom hides in clichés, even his more elaborate passages seem so familiar compared to his past several albums that they've become redundant in their own right. All you really need to do is audition the opening "Let It Snow"—if you like the solo work in the middle, you'll find most of the rest of the album to your liking.



The only real drop-off is what feels like the obligatory vocal tune in the form of "The Christmas Song," an instantly forgettable version by Chris Bank. Perhaps the best moment is on "My Favorite Things" (always a daunting prospect, thanks to Coltrane), where Rangell plays some legitimate tenor sax swing that surfaces abruptly in the middle of the song—unfortunately, it doesn't last more than a few bars. He also plays soprano sax on one original he co-wrote at the end, "All I've Hoped For," one of his trademark ballads that comes across sweet and much less sticky than the likes of Kenny G, albeit with no particular holiday feel to it.



All I Hope For Christmas is serviceable—nothing more, nothing less—but Rangell is fortunate enough to have a loyal fan base who will no doubt consider this above and beyond most smooth jazz holiday fare. If they want to expose someone else to Rangell's work, however, a far superior choice is 1993's Truest Heart, an outstanding and diverse fusion album that earned him acclaim as an "improviser nonpareil."

Track Listing

Let It Snow; Do You Hear What I Hear?; The Christmas Song; Silent Night; Sleigh Ride; Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas; My Favorite Things; Ave Maria; Oh Christmas Tree; All I've Hoped For

Personnel

Nelson Rangell
saxophone

Nelson Rangell, saxophones, piccolo, flute; Chip Stephens, piano; Ken Walker, bass; Mike Marlier, drums; Alex Nekrasov, keyboards; Chuck Loeb, guitar; Chris Bank, vocals ("The Christmas Song");

Album information

Title: All I Hope For Christmas | Year Released: 2004 | Record Label: KOCH Records

Comments

Tags

Concerts


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.