By Jack Bowers |
 Discuss
    |
There’s not much Jazz in this motley Bowl of Merry, but there is an
abundance of delightful holiday music from a number of well–endowed
groups of various shapes, sizes and forms. As Jazz is my bailiwick I’d not
heard of any of them, but must say they are quite good at what they do,
which is basically lending an ethnic / folk facade to traditional seasonal
music and transposing it into their own distinctive idiom. About the closest
one comes to Jazz as we know it are sleek renditions of “Good King
Wenceslas” and “The First Noel” by tenor saxophonist Otis Read and
Friends (from the North Star album Deck the Halls ). Everything on
offer was previously recorded by North Star, with Irish revelers Steve
Schuch and the Night Heron Consort ( A Celtic Celebration, Vols. 1 and
2 ) performing on five selections, Read, David Tolk’s ensemble and
the Latin guitarist Calido on two apiece (“Il Est ne le Divin Enfant,” “Angels
We Have Heard on High” by Tolk, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “Auld Lang
Syne” by Calido). Not something I’d ordinarily review but I do make
seasonal exceptions, especially when the Music for Holiday Joy and
Celebration, even though devoid of any Jazz content, is melodious and
charming.
Contact: North Star Records, 22 London St., East Greenwich, RI.
Web site:
www.northstarmusic.com
02818.
Track listing: Il Est ne le Divin Enfant; I Saw Three Ships / Deck the Halls; Angels We
Have Heard on High; Silent Night; Good King Wenceslas; I’ll Be Home for
Christmas; Bring a Torch Jeannette Isabella; Jingle Bells; The First Noel;
Here We Come A–Wassailing; Jolly Old St. Nick; In Dolce Jubilo / The
Holly and the Ivy; Auld Lang Syne; White Christmas (51:13).
Personnel: Calido; Chris Caldwell and Friends; CommonGround; LunaMoon with Robin Spielberg; Otis Read and Friends; Steve Schuch and the Night Heron Consort; David Tolk.
Style: Fringes of Jazz |
Published: November 01, 2002
| More Holiday Reviews
More Articles by Jack Bowers
 |
Bruce Abbott and the North Star Jazz Ensemble Mistletoe Sax |
 |
The Dan McMillion Jazz Orchestra Up Your Brass |
 |
The University of Northern Iowa Jazz Band One West Coasting |
 |
The Texas Christian University Jazz Ensemble Classic Mix |
 |
The Tom Kubis Big Band A Jazz Musician's Christmas |
 |
Ib Glindemann 50 Years on Stage |
|
Most Read: CD Reviews Last 30 Days | All Time |
Most Read: Articles Last 30 Days | All Time |
