Search - Martha Stewart :: Living: Holiday Collection - Jazz for the Holidays

I Love Christmas Collections

Mark Borchers | The Woodlands, TX USA | 12/22/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Those of you who are baby boomers may remember that all the tire companies -- Goodyear, Firestone, etc. -- used to carry an album of Christmas songs by various artists in their stores around the holidays back around the late '60's. Those of you who AREN'T baby boomers are probably thinking "that sounds weird" right about now. Well, maybe it does, but I have to tell you, they were and still are among my favorite holiday recordings. I'm glad to see Martha Stewart bringing back the genre. There's something just FUN about having a collection of holiday tunes from a bunch of different artists as opposed to one artist trying to do 12 Christmas cuts in a way that doesn't sound like a remake. This collection is all jazz. I happen to like them but I wouldn't mind seeing Martha mix it up a little bit on her next edition of the collection. This is a great CD for background music at a Christmas party or dinner. With Martha's orientation towards entertaining, I'd have to say it's a great fit and I hope she keeps them coming."

A Perfect For Parties Christmas Compilation - IF You Like Ja

Mark Borchers | 09/24/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This 2005 Legacy/Martha Stewart volume contains 16 of the best jazz-oriented Christmas tracks you will find anywhere. The sound quality is excellent and in the fold-open cardboard container you get one page containing three paragraphs written by Martha which outlines her reasons for choosing the selections saying, in part "The mix of music that you'll find on this CD is an ideal soundtrack for a holiday cocktail party. Light jazz provides just the right amount of energy to keep a party lively without overpowering conversations ..." Another page contains her recipe for a Hot Crab Dip. A perfect combination.



Even the most casual of jazz fans will recognize the names of Tony Bennett, Wynton Marsalis, Duke Ellington, Tex Beneke & The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Herbie Hancock/Chick Corea, Dexter Gordon, Benny Goodman & His Orchestra with vocals by Peggy Lee and Art Lund (not credited in the contents), Louis Prima, Eartha Kitt and Louis Armstrong - all legends, some dating back to the heyday of the Big Bands in the 1940s. However, since those same casual fans may not recognize a few of the others included here (jazz-enthusiasts are well aware of their significant niche within the genre) I have provided some information below to help enlighten:



Miles Davis-influenced Christopher Stephen Botti, born October 12, 1962 in Portland, Oregon, plays a 1940 Martin Committee Handcraft trumpet with a silver plated 1926 Bach mouthpiece; Jazz guitarist Tuck Andress, born in Oklahoma and one half of the duo of Tuck & Patti (Cathcart - born in San Francisco), has also served as a session player with The Gap Band; another trumpeter, Terence Blanchard, who was born in New Orleans on March 13, 1962, and a childhood friend of Wynton Marsalis, is also highly acclaimed as a film-score composer, bandleader, and arranger, having played with the great Lionel Hampton in the early 1980s, followed by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers; Grover Washington, Jr., born in Buffalo on December 12, 1943, was a renowned soul-jazz saxophonist who sadly passed away at the tender age of 56 on December 17, 1999; vocalist as well as producer/composer Steve Tyrell, born and raised in Texas, was head of A&R and promotion at Scepter Records where he counted among his biggest accomplishments as a producer many of Dionne Warwick's hits, written by the team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David, along with Hooked On A Feeling and Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head by B.J. Thomas; Swing-jazz guitarist Russell Malone, born in Albany, Georgia on November 8, 1963, started out with jazz organist Jimmy Smith in 1988 before going on to work with Harry Connick, Jr. and Diana Krall.



Just a great little collection if you like your Christmas music on the jazzy side."

Lovely Christmas Jazz Music

S. Ryan | 12/21/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What a nice CD this is. Perfect for using as background music for Christmas dinner, parties, or just while trimming the tree. Would definately recommend."