Search - Canadian Brass :: The Canadian Brass Noel with Guest Stars

A Fine Job by the Canadian Brass

Paul Martin | Albuquerque, NM | 12/18/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"There is something about Christams music played by brass instruments. The Canadian Brass is a magnificent ensemble, and I have enjoyed almost everything they have produced. There is some magnificent material on this album. I am particularly drawn to Happy Christmas, sung here with the King's Singers and Children's Choir. I would not want to be without this album in my collection.Still, there is something unsatisfying about this recording. Quite a few of these arrangements are jazz influenced, and the mixture doesn't come off very well. I have nothing against jazz, but I would prefer an original song intended for this treatment to the mixture of jazz with traditional carols. Even so, this recording is a fine one, and I highly recommend it."

The Canadian Brass don't need this much help!!!

Chad Oberholtzer | Boalsburg, PA, USA | 12/12/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"You must know that I am a huge Canadian Brass fan, and I absolutely love Christmas music. With that combination, what could be better than a Canadian Brass Christmas album? Well, this one left me wanting more.



My primary objection to this recording is its frequent use of guest artists. Six out of the eighteen tracks include rather random musical additions like a flute, a guitar, a clarinet, and various singers. Though each of these musicians are highly capable at their craft, I found their presence to be always unnecessary and often cumbersome and intrusive.



Ultimately, the Canadian Brass (and brass music, in general) provides such a distinctive and glorious sound that I find it to be considerably shortchanged when accompanied by other musicians. I would have much preferred a purely Canadian Brass album.



Of course, it is still the Canadian Brass, so it is musically outstanding, especially on the tracks which feature them alone. The album remains quite solid, and I listen to it each December. I just wish that they had done their own thing, discarding the need to include others into the mix. I would recommend many other Canadian Brass albums ahead of this one."

Intonation difficulties and sterile mix...

JWeissenborn | Michigan, USA | 01/04/2006

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Is it just me, or are there just too many intonation "disagreements" on too many tracks? The All Stars include a number of pro brass luminaries, but the arrangements are too "corps" style for my taste. That said, in an age when BLAST is on Broadway, maybe I'm just not willing to compromise that much. They all play extremely well, of course, but the mix is "in your face"--a studio mix that doesn't do brass instruments justice. Maybe this project suffered from the ears of the producer, or it was cranked out in a hurry. In any case, I'm disappointed."