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Our Review

Dobro master Jerry Douglas picks his way cleanly through the excellent Jerry Christmas, a country/folk/bluegrass album that presents dynamic instrumentals with a few choice vocal pieces. It's all good here.

Douglas blends reverent classical numbers with contemporary joy rides, and the mix works well on every level. For me, Maura O'Connell's tender vocals on New Year's Eve are alone worth the price of admission, although Douglas' frightening growl on the humorously grim Santa Claus Is Coming to Town cannot be discounted. Really, though, this release is mostly about the howlingly good strings, whether laptop or upright, and the pickin' is sweetly sophisticated. In the Bleak Midwinter is softly radiant, and Douglas' bluesy, Latin-infused treatment of Mary Did You Know had me swaying in my chair.

Jerry Christmas exudes both marvelous musicality and sly mirth. This offering would be a welcome breath-of-bluegrass gift for the folk music lover on your holiday list. Sweet!

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2009)

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From the liner notes:

Jerry Douglas: Dobros, Lapsteel Guitar, Electric Guitars, & Scary Vocal ("Santa Claus Is Coming to Town")
Luke Bulla: Violin, Strings, Background Vocal
Todd Parks: Bass, Playmor Piano
Kirby Shelstadt: Percussion
Guthrie Trapp: Guitar, Mandolin
Maura O'Connell: Vocal ("New Year's Eve")
Zoe Brito: Vocals ("Santa Claus Is Coming to Town")
Nola Douglas: Vocals ("Santa Claus Is Coming to Town")


From the artist's Website:

The world's most renowned Dobro player, Jerry Douglas, has released his first ever holiday album, Jerry Christmas, on E1.

The eloquent lyricism and dynamic virtuosity of Jerry Douglas, hailed by the New York Times as "the dobro's matchless contemporary master," is ideally suited to the creation of an Americana Christmas classic. And that's exactly what Jerry has produced: a spirited group of carols, traditional folk tunes, and modern seasonal songs. With a guest vocal by Grammy-nominated vocalist Maura O'Connell, Jerry Christmas gets that warm, down-home holiday feeling just right from the first note to the last.
"The thought of recording a Christmas project has been with me for some time, though I held the idea as a disquieting prospect. After all, these melodies have become established perennials due to the fact they are GREAT songs; to do them disservice would be, to me, unforgivable.," Douglas says. "I have tried being faithful to the original versions of these classics precisely because the melodies are so special. My instrument lends itself well, in an emotional sense, to performance of these treasures, allowing me to offer my interpretations of works I have heard sung by such definitive artists as Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, and Burl Ives."

Fellow musicians Todd Parks, Guthrie Trapp, Luke Bulla, and Doug Belote have conveyed their own expressive spirits via their individual instruments, and friend Maura O'Connell has lent her alluring voice to a melancholy new song, rounding out this unique serving of these time honored holiday treats.

Jerry Douglas

Jerry Christmas

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Track List