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Our Review

This is serious jazz. Eric Reed has heavy-duty jazz credentials, and they are evident everywhere on this sophisticated CD. Reed's piano is the star on "Merry Magic," although there are some magical vocals, too. It's a sweet ride.

"Merry Magic" offers 13 tracks, and almost all are familiar fare. Perhaps five tunes include vocals, including Reed's own rich, but subdued, intonations on a moody "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town." Several cuts, including "Santa Baby" and "The Christmas Song," roll with a samba syncopation. Reed's original instrumental "Angels in the Snow" swings softly with the feel of a fresh snowfall after dark. The swing treatment of "Little Drummer Boy" is so intense that the melody disappears under layers of jazz gymnastics. The CD ends on a melancholy note with "After the Holidays," a bluesy end-of-the-affair number.

My personal bias is reflected in my choice of most impressive cuts. "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming" has always been a special favorite, and Reed's sensitive piano solo hits just the right chord, creating a framework that is both simple and profound. Another great carol, "I Wonder As I Wander," glows here with an eerie quality, including a fragile vocal by Erin Bode.

Eric Reed shines with pure star quality, and that light makes "Merry Magic" a bright pick for jazz enthusiasts this holiday season.

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2004)

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From the liner notes:

"The Greatest Gift of Jazz--Swing."

Musicians:
Eric Reed: piano, organ, vocals
Rodney Green: drums
Barak Mori: Bass
Steve Nelson: vibes
Erin Bode: vocals
Paula West: vocals

"One of the first Jazz records I took notice of was Ramsey Lewis' "The Sounds of Christmas." I wore out the grooves of the LP, driving my mother crazy: "Eric, if y ou play that record one more time, I'm gonna break it over your head!"
"This is probably the least "Christmasy" sounding recording you are likely to hear. There are no sleigh bells, no musical introductions with me tinkling the upper registers of the piano, no church bells being imitated by cymbals. It's simply a Jazz recording that swings like mad. Consider playing it all year round."
--Eric

Eric Reed

Merry Magic

Artist link

Track List