Our Review
Atypically unsurrounded by first-rate musicians, Beegie Adair steps out of her native environs in Quiet Christmas, her new solo piano release. And listening to this recording, it is easy to understand why she is the featured musician wherever she goes, even among accomplished peers. Her relaxed style conveys a rich completeness that can lead but that needs no other accompaniment.
I suppose I was expecting some sort of new ageish thang, particularly with such a title as Quiet Christmas, but I was surprised to find no new age elements at all. Instead, these are mostly easy listening arrangements. What's more, they convey a rich fullness without too much stylistic imbellishment. It is almost as though her light-handed style conveys its message more through implication and rumor than by explicit vocalization. Figure and ground.
For Vince Guaraldi fans, Ms. Adair performs a nice homage with "Christmas Time Is Here". She also plays "The Children's Prayer" from Englebert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, a song I don't remember hearing before. This is by far the most mellow, most sentimental music I've yet listened to this season. Beegie Adair, the accomplished jazz musician, has etched a larger border around her work with this wonderfully sweet CD of contemporary and easy listening favorites.
--Richard Banks
(Reviewed in 2004)
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From the liner notes:
"Many thanks, as usual, to my wonderful team. Executive producer, Greg Howard; producer, Jack Jezzro; engineer, Brent King; and the wonderful folks at the Steinway Piano Gallery of Nashville for providing such a great instrument for me to play. In addition, I'd like to thanks my manager, Gregory Byerline, for his support and encouragement.
"This album is dedicated to my wonderful rhythm section on my trio recordings: Roger Spencer, string bass, and Chris Brown, drums. Even though this is a solo project, I am quite aware that your musical help on all of my records is what makes my music what it is. Thanks, guys, and Merry Christmas!"
-Beegie Adair
Beegie Adair
Quiet Christmas
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Artist site
Label: Village Square
Genre: New Age
Release: 2004
Track List
| Song Title |
|---|
| Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas |
| Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella; The First Nöel |
| Home For The Holidays |
| It Came Upon A Midnight Clear |
| Masters In This Hall; Here We Come A Wassailing; Good Christian Men, Rejoice |
| Christmas Time is Here |
| The Children's Prayer (from Hansel and Gretel) |
| A Child Is Born |
| I'll Be Home For Christmas |
| Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming |
| The Christmas Song |
| Up OnThe Housetop |
| O Come, O Come Emmanuel; What Child Is This? |
| In The Bleak Mid-winter |
| White Christmas |
| Silent Night |