Our Review
Christmas Jazz is one half of a pair of scrum-diddly-umptious new Christmas releases by Beegie Adair & Company. Ms. Adair's piano is always a treat. Everyone who reads this site knows I am somewhat jazz-challenged and that I particularly appreciate jazz music accessible enough for a non-maven to understand and enjoy. Beegie Adair's style of play is cool, relaxed, and open to improvisational riffs by other players.
On this release, Ms. Adair has chosen to include several other players, in roles that lend the recording depth and, well, Christmas spirit. In particular, Sam Levine shines on soprano saxophone with several nice solos and counterpunctual duets. (I particularly liked his work on "I'll Be Home For Christmas".)
Generally speaking, the recording is light, uptempo, "smooth" jazz throughout. It is an easy call to commend this to the ears of those raised on jazz music; better yet, its creamy-smoothness will be enjoyed by non-initiates as well.
--Richard Banks
(Reviewed in 2004)
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From the liner notes:
Musicians:
Beegie Adair, piano
Sam Levine, soprano saxophone
Jack Jezzro, guitar
Dennis Solee, tenor saxophone
George Tidwell, flugel horn
Roger Spencer, bass
Chris Brown, drums
Produced by Jack Jezzro and Brendan Harkin
Executive Producer: Greg Howard.
Beegie Adair
Christmas Jazz
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Artist site
Label: Village Square
Length: 46 minutes
Genre: Jazz
Release: 2004
Track List
| Song Title |
|---|
| Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! |
| Jingle Bells |
| Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas |
| Home For The Holidays |
| The Christmas Song |
| Deck The Halls |
| Silver Bells |
| Winter Wonderland |
| Up On The Housetop |
| White Christmas |
| Oh Christmas Tree |
| O Little Town Of Bethlehem |
| I'll Be Home For Christmas |
| Santa Claus Is Coming To Town |
| What Child Is This? |