Chicago, IL: RCM-millennia Records this week released a two-disc CD set titled, A Season Called Christmas. This project was several years in the making and offers more than just a stereo-typical jazz interpretation of classic holiday songs. Disc One is a 35-minute storybook narrative of an original poem of the same title that was authored by Lee James and laid over an all-original jazz underscore, leading into a rendition of the classic poem “'Twas the Night Before Christmas." Disc Two showcases the full-length versions of fifteen fresh musical selections that punctuate this one-of-a-kind poem, including the debut of the new Christmas classic, “(Give Me) A Brand Old Christmas," the Swing Band era homage, “No Cookies & Milk (For Santa Claus)," and the delightful Caribbean-influenced “He Go to Monaco."
The album is the creative brain-child of Chicago-based pianist, Lee James, as producer, composer, and arranger. Lee James is an independent record producer and a former Passport Jazz recording artist that has toured or performed with artists as diverse as Anita Baker, Carol Channing, Bette Midler and Roger Daltry. A graduate of DePaul University's School of Music with a degree in Jazz Studies, he is one of the most technically well-rounded jazz artists in Chicago, having studied with such accomplished artists as Alan Swain; Dmitri Paperno, eminent Russian concert pianist and CBS recording artist; Mary Sauer, principle pianist for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Cliff Colnot, head of the DePaul Symphony Orchestra and also affiliated with the CSO; renown Chicago jazz pianists, John Campbell and Larry Novak; and an all-time jazz great, Willie Pickens.
The album is superbly executed courtesy in part to the mastering talent of Grammy award-winning engineer and technician, Harry Brotman, and features performances by such Chicago-based musical talent as James Perkins on sax, Larry Gray on bass, Steve Myers on drums, and a jazz newcomer, Brent Griffin on alto sax, among other mainstream artists.
“This album is more than just about introducing three new all-original Christmas songs amid a dozen other flavors of holiday favorites," comments Lee James. “More importantly, it is about bringing “jazz" to youngsters by wrapping it in the form of a Christmas story. This approach makes it a very listener-friendly process for acclimating young children's ears to the style. Ideally, we are helping to bring this genre into a familiar frame for a new generation."
This innovative approach to a jazz album brings with it a fresh new spin that combines the warmth of Christmas memories, a touch of jazz, and the novelty of a few light-hearted lyrics to deliver a dose of cool holiday cheer for every member of the family. An illustrated storybook to accompany this package is targeted for release before Christmas 2012, and a children's animated feature is being planned for the following year.
This album is only available for purchase on-line for the 2011 Holiday Season.
The album is the creative brain-child of Chicago-based pianist, Lee James, as producer, composer, and arranger. Lee James is an independent record producer and a former Passport Jazz recording artist that has toured or performed with artists as diverse as Anita Baker, Carol Channing, Bette Midler and Roger Daltry. A graduate of DePaul University's School of Music with a degree in Jazz Studies, he is one of the most technically well-rounded jazz artists in Chicago, having studied with such accomplished artists as Alan Swain; Dmitri Paperno, eminent Russian concert pianist and CBS recording artist; Mary Sauer, principle pianist for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Cliff Colnot, head of the DePaul Symphony Orchestra and also affiliated with the CSO; renown Chicago jazz pianists, John Campbell and Larry Novak; and an all-time jazz great, Willie Pickens.
The album is superbly executed courtesy in part to the mastering talent of Grammy award-winning engineer and technician, Harry Brotman, and features performances by such Chicago-based musical talent as James Perkins on sax, Larry Gray on bass, Steve Myers on drums, and a jazz newcomer, Brent Griffin on alto sax, among other mainstream artists.
“This album is more than just about introducing three new all-original Christmas songs amid a dozen other flavors of holiday favorites," comments Lee James. “More importantly, it is about bringing “jazz" to youngsters by wrapping it in the form of a Christmas story. This approach makes it a very listener-friendly process for acclimating young children's ears to the style. Ideally, we are helping to bring this genre into a familiar frame for a new generation."
This innovative approach to a jazz album brings with it a fresh new spin that combines the warmth of Christmas memories, a touch of jazz, and the novelty of a few light-hearted lyrics to deliver a dose of cool holiday cheer for every member of the family. An illustrated storybook to accompany this package is targeted for release before Christmas 2012, and a children's animated feature is being planned for the following year.
This album is only available for purchase on-line for the 2011 Holiday Season.
