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Bailey's Bundles
XMAS III: Al Jarreau, Tim Green and Trio Chambra, Lorenna McKennitt, Mariah Hortans and Mathias Sandberg
C. Michael Bailey
...wants to know if Gene Harris is playing "Summertime" in Heaven...What works on this disc? All of the Scandinavian pieces translate well to a light jazz treatment. This includes the hybrids like "Rekiretki (Sleigh Ride)" and "Ser du stjarnan i det bla (When You Wish Upon a Star)." Sandberg's guitar style is spare and inventive. He has a Joe Pass-like ability to provide his harmony and melody while playing a walking bass line. Of the English carols, "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" comes off the best, with Sandberg playing some nifty guitar.
What does not work on this disc? A samba "Ave Maria." While many will doubtless find the piece accessible and entertaining, it might have benefited from a more straight-ahead reading. However, this is not to detract from the obvious sincerity of the performance. Overall, the Hortans/Sandberg Duo deserve much more attention. Next time, perhaps, the duo might consider a standards collection sprinkled with original compositions.
Visit Mariah Hortans and Mathias Sandberg Duo on the Web.
Tracks and Personnel
Christmas
Tracks: Winter Wonderland; Hark The Herald Angels Sing; White Christmas; Interlude: By My Christmas Tree; Carol Of The Bells; O Come All Ye Faithful; Christmas Song, The (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) (featuring Take 6); I'll Be Home For Christmas (featuring Take 6); Gloria In Excelsis; Christmas Time Is Here; Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas; Some Children See Him; The Little Christmas Tree.
Personnel: Al Jarreau: vocals; Chris Walker: vocals, bass guitar, background vocals; Take 6: vocals; Ross Bolton: guitar; Michael O'Neill: guitars, electric guitar, nylon-string guitar; Michael Thompson: acoustic guitar, electric guitar; Ramon Stagnaro: nylon-string guitar; Dan Higgins: flute, wooden flute, pennywhistle, clarinet; Larry Williams: flute, clarinet, tenor saxophone, piano, Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards, synthesizer, bells, sleigh bell; Phil Ayling: oboe; Joe Turano: tenor saxophone, piano, sleigh bell, background vocals; Jerry Hey: flugelhorn; David Witham: Fender Rhodes piano; Larry Goldings; organ; Dave Carpenter: acoustic bass; Mark Simmons: drums; Lenny Castro: tambourine, percussion; Montina Cooper, Alyncia Mack background vocals.
Change of Seasons
Tracks: Do You Hear What I Hear; Everything's Alright; Little Alter Boy; Rise Up Shepherd and Follow; Meditation I: Winter; A Child is Born; Time for the Seasons; Linus and Lucy.
Personnel: Tim Green: bass, piano; Mark Maegdlin: piano, drums; Jake Vinsel: bass, drums.
A Midwinter Night's Dream
Tracks: The Holly & The Ivy; Un Flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle; The Seven Rejoices Of Mary; Noel Nouvelet!; Good King Wenceslas; Coventry Carol; God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen [Abdelli Version]; Snow; Breton Carol; Seeds Of Love; Gloucestershire Wassail; Emmanuel; In The Bleak Of Midwinter.
Personnel: Loreena McKennitt: vocals, harp, accordion, piano, keyboards; Abdelli: vocals, mandola; Eddie Upton, Philippa Toulson, Gill Berry, Ellen Robotham, Bob Berry: vocals; Brian Hughes: guitar, guitar synthesizer; Dan Ar Braz: guitar; Simon Edwards: acoustic guitar, marimbula, electric bass; Aidan Brennan: acoustic guitar; Ben Grossman: hurdy-gurdy; Stratis Psaradellis: lute; Hugh Marsh, Waiel Abo Baker Ali: violin; Donald Quan: viola, accordion, tabla; Caroline Lavelle: cello; Robert A. White: whistle, Uilleann pipe, shawm; George Koller: acoustic bass; Hossam Ramzy, Rick Lazar: percussion.
Christmas Jazz
Tracks: It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas; Giv Mig Ej Glans, Ej Guld, Ej Prakt; Kuului Laulu Enkelten; Christmas Time Is Here; God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen; Ave Maria; Bereden Vag Far Herran; Ser Du Stjernan I Det Bla; Rekiretki; Sweet Little Jesus Boy.
Personnel: Mariah Hortans: vocals; Mathias Sandberg Duo.
