Our Review
Toronto-based jazz vocalist-composer Rita di Ghent makes a splash with her holiday EP release, A Groove Christmas. A late arriver this holiday season, I'll still do my best to spread the word about di Ghent's offering. A tasteful Christmas card with a large $$ bill inside, the holiday surprise is her funky You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch followed by the clever, breezy and highly original Holiday Groove. Not really a maven, I do know a good jazz record when I hear one, and this one is the real deal.
There isn't really a lot more that I can say besides what a great addition this will be to the collections of jazz Christmas lovers everywhere.
--Richard Banks
(Reviewed in 2000)
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From the liner notes:
Since 1990, Totonto-based Rita di Ghent has enjoyed a professional career as a jazz bandleader, vocalist, composer, and teacher. In 1995 she formed her indie label, Groove, and released Mindin' the Shop. She has named her own particular brand of jazz "sprawl". Self-described as "tales of the inner city", Ms. Di Ghent's sprawl features traditional jazz vocalizations with a hip hop sensibility, a style which places her somewhere between Diana Krall and Sarah Jones, though she sounds less smoky than Ms. Krall and does not share Ms. Jones militant vibe. The Birth of Sprawl (which she sent me in error after I had requested her Groove Christmas EP), is one of my absolute all-time favorite records.
Rita di Ghent
A Groove Christmas
Artist link
Label: Groove
Length: 7 minutes
Genre: Jazz
Release: 2000
Track List
| Song Title |
|---|
| You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch |
| Holiday Groove |