Christmas Jazz CD Reviews 2007-2008

By Bob PROTZMAN

Big-name jazz artists and/or their labels apparently have decided to chill this Christmas and forego making holiday CDs.

No problem. Jazz and Christmas music—be it sacred or secular—have been a wonderful combination for many years, and some lesser-known, surprisingly talented artists carry on the tradition this year.

BRUNO HUBERT TRIO & B3 KINGS: “A CELLAR LIVE CHRISTMAS’’ (CELLAR LIVE) ***

The trio and B3 Kings, a quartet of B3 organ, guitar, drums/vocals and alto sax, split equally the 10 songs, both offering inventive interpretations. An especially slow trio treatment of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel—reverent, but tinged with the blues—is a highlight, while the B3 Kings shine brightest on an exotic, drums-driven version of “Dance Of the Sugar Plums,’’ complete with a quote from Charlie Parker!

Trumpeter-flugelhornist Mark Buselli and trombonist Brent Wallarab co-lead the Indianapolis-based BUSELLI-WALLARAB JAZZ ORCHESTRA: “CAROLS OF THE BELLS’’ (OWL STUDIOS) ***1/2 Again, thoughtful, creative arrangements (all by Wallarab, except Duke Ellington’s chart on “Jingle Bells’’) elevate the music. An excellent 17-piece band, they deliver several 4-star performances. There is a medium-groove, Count Basie-ish (in its dynamics) “O Tannebaum’’; a dramatic, roaring “Carol of the Bells,’’ with a clarinet soaring on top, and sensitive solos all around on the sweet “Christmastime Is Here,’’ Vince Guaraldi’s holiday classic from TV’s “A Charlie Brown Christmas.’’ (Doug: An important addition) Everett Greene’s rich, Arthur Prysock-like baritone vocals are a big plus.

Coming to us from the west side of New York City are producer, arranger, drummer Tobias T. Gebb, pianist Eldad Zyulun, and bassist Neil Miner with TRIO WEST: “TRIO WEST PLAYS HOLIDAY SONGS’’ (YUMMY HOUSE RECORDS) ***

An old school trio of degree-holding players, these guys put an original, personal stamp on the holiday repertoire. You’ve got to love how hard they swing (with great brushes!) “O Tannebaum,’’ their mambo take on “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,’’ the desert caravan feel on “Little Drummer Boy,’’ and the brief, way uptempo “I’ll Be Home For Christmas.’’

Reissues include GREG ABATE: “IT’S CHRISTMASTIME’’ (BROWNSTONE) ***

The high-spirited alto, tenor, soprano saxophonist, flutist and popular purveyor of be-bop leads a sextet through a holiday-brightening, 12-tune program, featuring clever arrangements and often terrific solos. An impressive soprano-drums duet begins things on a high note, and many marvelous moments follow--a bopping “Winter Wonderland,’’ horns in harmony on “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, and an exciting “Greensleeves.’’

A second reissue is not a jazz recording, but arguably the most moving album of Christmas (not “holiday’’) music ever made. THE STAPLE SINGERS: “THE 25TH DAY OF DECEMBER’’ (RIVERSIDE) **** features the famed family of singers/musicians (singers, Roebuck (“Pops’’), Mavis, Yvonne, and Pervis; musicians, Pops, guitar (with lots of reverb), Maceo Woods, organ, and Al Duncan, drums. The subject is Jesus, and the Staples are powerful in their musical simplicity, sincerity of message, and understatement (though gospel is the genre, there’s no shouting here). The Staples could make “God Is Not Great’’ author Christopher Hitchins a believer.

Bob Protzman has written about jazz for five decades and hosts "Everything Jazz," 9 to midnight Sundays on WQLN-FM 91.3. You can reach Bob at protz@verizon.net or jazzhosts@wqln.org.

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