Joey DeFrancesco Releases 2-CD Christmas album "Home for the Holidays"

The Hammond organ may just be the musical instrument best suited to Christmas and holiday themed music. It produces a gloriously warm, rich and full-bodied sound, the aural equivalent of a hug from Santa Claus. Place that instrument in the hands of a genuine virtuoso along with a carefully chosen selection of favorite holiday songs and Christmas carols and you have the recipe for an instant classic of a Christmas album.

Home for the Holidays is a double album, a treasure trove of some 23 tunes. Disc One (entitled The Party) features many of the most popular Christmas and holiday songs ever recorded, including such favorites as “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer," “Merry Christmas Baby," “Home for the Holidays," “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town," and “Blue Christmas." Fitting snugly alongside these tunes are two superb new original DeFrancesco compositions, the title track, “Home for the Holidays," and “Christmas at 3 a.m." Disc Two (The Tradition) is your more liturgical traditional Christmas music. Here you'll find such beloved hymns and carols as “O Come All Ye Faithful," “The First Noel," and “Silent Night," while infusing them with Joeys distinctive musical dynamism.

Complementing this rich range of material are the diverse musical settings Joey employs on the record. On various tracks he performs solo, with his Trio, Quartet, and Quintet, all in different configurations. His core Trio comprises guitarist Jeff Parker, drummer George Fludas and Joey on Hammond organ, with guest musicians in other configurations including John Webber on bass, Jerry Weldon and jazz legend George Coleman on tenor saxophones, and George Coleman Jr. on drums. “I'll Be Home For Christmas" and “The Twelve Days of Christmas," feature Roman Banda (drums). Jose Papo Rodriguez (percussion), Steve Wilkerson (flute), and Tony Banda (bass). Famed for his skills as a multi-instrumentalist, DeFrancesco also plays piano and trumpet, and he showcases his resonant voice by singing on two bluesy numbers, “Blue Christmas" and “Merry Christmas Baby."

Joey DeFrancesco once again offers more with this thrilling new Christmas classic, one similarly destined to stand the test of time. This is an album you definitely must take Home for the Holidays.