Our Review
Marian McPartland is a jazz piano legend, and this 3-CD National Public Radio release, An NPR Jazz Christmas Collection with Marian McPartland and friends, is an outstanding tribute to the holiday season--and to an amazing woman. McPartland has had a weekly jazz show on NPR for over 25 years, and this much-honored artist has generated a lifetime of jazz achievements. Now 88 years old, Marian McPartland has released three NPR holiday CDs since 1997, and these are combined in the sophisticated (but never stuffy) 3-disc collection reviewed here.
Although McPartland is a bona fide star in her own right, this NPR Jazz Christmas Collection is also about McPartland's many talented friends. She plays piano on about half of the 59 tracks (almost 200 minutes of music over the three discs!); her guests do the rest, and the music is all top-quality, traditional jazz that is vibrant, sometimes mellow, sometimes smokin', and all rewarding. The pieces are largely piano instrumentals, but there are tasteful surprises liberally sprinkled thoughout. On the first CD, for example, Silent Night includes sweet vibes as a gentle counterpoint to McPartland's more aggressive jazz voice. Other instruments surface on occasion, including the bass, flute, and trumpet. Spicy vocals like Roseanna Vitro's contribution on Cool Yule also turn up the heat. To be honest, the collection's highlights are just too numerous to list. The musical moods are always jazz-infused, but vary in sentiment from fragile to brightly energized.
Fans of NPR and jazz music are already well familiar with the legendary Marian McPartland and her contributions to the music world. For them, buying this collection is a no-brainer. For those who appreciate jazz, but know little about McPartland, this collection would be a very cool addition to your holiday CDs. This excellent set provides incomparable variety and quality throughout; it would make the perfect gift for that jazz lover in your life. Better yet, treat yourself to a top-notch collection of holiday fare with jazzy flair. You deserve it!
--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2006)
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From the liner notes:
Volume I:
Executive Producer: Elaine Freeman
Senior Producer: Shari Hutchinson
Producer: Benjamin K. Rice
Volume II:
Producer: Roger Wight
Project Manager: Barbara A. Vierow
Volume III:
Producer: Kerry Thompson
Producer, Original Sessions: Shari Hutchinson
Production Coordinator, Original Sessions: David Lyon
Session Engineering: Duke Markos and Doug Wood
Post Production Engineer: David Mitchell
Mastering: Charlie Pilzer at Airshow Mastering
Marian McPartland and Various Artists
An NPR Jazz Christmas Collection
(3 Disc Set)
Artist link
Label: NPR
Length: 199 minutes
Genre: Jazz
Release: 2006
Track List
| Song Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen | Marian McPartland |
| Jingle Bells | Jon Faddis (trumpet), Peter Washington (bass) |
| Let It Snow | Keith Ingham (piano) |
| The Christmas Song | Nnenna Freelon (vocals) |
| O Tannenbaum | Brad Mehidau (piano) |
| Away in a Manger | George Shearing (piano) |
| Silent Night | Joe Locke (vibes) |
| Gesu Bambino | Jon Weber (piano) |
| Ninna, Nanna | Jon Weber (piano) |
| Good King Wenceslas | Marian McPartland |
| Cool Yule | Roseanna Vitro (vocals) |
| Santa Claus Is Coming to Town | Bob James (piano) |
| Silver Bells | Frank Kimbrough (piano) |
| Christmas Is Just Another Day | Marcia Ball (vocals & piano) |
| What Child Is This? | Marian McPartland |
| The Christmas Waltz | John Eaton (piano) |
| The Christmas Song | J.J. Johnson (trombone) |
| Winter Wonderland | Michael Weiss (piano) |
| It Came Upon a Midnight Clear/Away in a Manger | Renee Rosnes (piano) |
| Silent Night | Darrell Grant (piano) |
| I Want a Smile for Christmas | Freddy Cole (vocals & piano) |
| White Christmas | Phil Markowitz (piano) |
Track List, Volume 2
| Song Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Jingle Bells | Christian McBride (bass) |
| Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas | Eden Atwood (vocal) |
| A Child Is Born | Marian McPartland |
| Hark the Herald Angels Sing | Nnenna Freelon (vocal) |
| The First Noel | Russell Malone (guitar) |
| Christmas Is Love | Valerie Capers (vocal & piano) |
| God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen | Bill Cunliffe (piano) |
| Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer | Makoto Ozone |
| Seven Questions of Christmas | Jeanie Bryson (vocal) |
| Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas | David Hazeltine (piano) |
| Little Drummer Boy | Onaje Allan Gumbs (piano) |
| Silver Bells | Roy Hargrove (trumpet) |
| What Child Is This? | Marian McPartland |
| Hark the Herald Angels Sing | Jackie King (guitar) |
| Jolly Old St. Nicholas | Noreen Grey Lienhard (piano) |
| December | Karrin Allyson (vocal) |
| The First Noel | Bill Charlap (piano) |
| The Icicle Song | Randy Weston (piano) |
| Santa Claus Is Coming to Town | Holly Hofmann (flute), Darek Oles (bass) |
| Silent Night | D.D. Jackson (piano) |
Track List, Volume 3
| Song Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Let It Snow | Sandy Steward (vocals), Bill Charlap (piano) |
| Christmas Time Is Here | Julian Lage (guitar), Gary Mazzaroppi (string bass) |
| The Holly and the Ivy | Marian McPartland |
| A Child Is Born | Susannah McCorkle (vocals) |
| Magic in the Night | Robin Meloy Goldsby (piano) |
| I'll Be Home for Christmas | Daniela Schaechter (piano) |
| What Child Is This? | Renee Fleming (vocals) |
| Child of Light | John Harmon (piano) |
| God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen | Francesca Tanksley (piano) |
| Liz and Ralph and Calvin | Blossom Dearie (piano & vocals) |
| Jesu Parvule | Billy Childs (piano) |
| The Moon on Christmas Eve | Melissa Walker (vocals), Werner "Vana" Gierig (piano), Sean Conly (bass), Clarence Penn (drums) |
| Silent Night | Michel Camil (piano) |
| Sleigh Ride | Ayako Shirasaki (piano) |
| Joy to the World | Mimi Fox (electric guitar), Gary Mazzaroppi (string bass) |
| O Little Town of Bethlehem | Marian McPartland |
| The Christmas Song | Dena DeRose (piano & vocals) |