One never knows what an open mic night will bring. You get seasoned veterans and rookies, folks working out new originals and others playing their favorite covers, and styles of all kinds. For Sherry-Lynn Lee and George Paolini, an open mic night in a Silicon Valley venue back in 2014 led to an enduring partnership, and ultimately their band 23rd Hour. Taking their name from a 23-hour jam session that cemented their musical relationship, 23rd Hour uniquely blends pop and jazz into a very fresh, contemporary sound.
We love it when great musicians come together and let their creative forces combine; we love it even more when those forces channel into Christmas music. 23rd Hour has two Christmas music releases: the 9-song album "Let a Day Together Be Christmas" (2018) and a 7-song EP "Get Me Home for the Holidays" (2019).
The two records feature Christmas standards such as "I'll Be Home for Christmas", "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", and the strikingly beautiful solo guitar instrumental "Silent Night/Away in a Manger". The original compositions "Let a Day Together Be Christmas", "Get Me Home for the Holidays", "Have You Noticed the Season?", and "Christmas Feels Lost Without You" are strong highlights, showcasing the songwriting talents of Sherry-Lynn and George.
The arrangements are wonderful. There is not a bit of over-orchestration, yet the jazz combo sound is full and satisfying. Sherry-Lynn's vocals not only do justice to the standards, she embraces them with the reverence they deserve. I can sum up my impression of these albums concisely: They make me very happy 😀
23rd Hour can be found at the usual digital media outlets, and at their website. You can check them out on Spotify, and I've added a few of their songs to the Merry & Bright Spotify playlist (link is in the left-side column).
The Christmas albums from 23rd Hour will perfectly fill a niche in your Christmas music listening this season, and in seasons to come. Check them out!
23rd Hour website
23rd Hour music page
Thank you for the wonderful write up! So glad we could contribute to making your season merry & bright ;-)
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