Artist Interview: Thisbe Vos

Jazz singer/songwriter Thisbe Vos is one of the darlings of the Christmas Music blogosphere.  I've written about her 2015 album "A Jazzy Christmas" (here).  Good friend Stubby also reviewed her album over at Stubby's House of Christmas.  This year, Thisbe's song "When Moonlight Hits the Town" made the list at Day 68 over at "200 Days of Christmas" on Facebook.  Her status as "Christmas Music Darling, First Class" is not only well deserved, it appears to have been confirmed by unanimous acclamation!  (at least by Stubby, Matt, and me)

We all love everything about "A Jazzy Christmas".  The amazing thing is, all three of us agree that not only can Thisbe really sing a Christmas tune, her songwriting and arranging are the stuff of jazz standards. "A Jazzy Christmas" is quite simply one of the best Christmas albums, and one of the best jazz albums, in my collection.

Thisbe is also an artist that is connected to her fans.  "A Jazzy Christmas" was crowdfunded in 2014, and through that effort I have been able to stay in touch with Thisbe since her album was released to her backers. Since I think so much of this record, and believe that every Christmas music lover should have their own copy in their collection, I decided to get back in touch with Thisbe this year, and have her share some of her thoughts about "A Jazzy Christmas".  So, without further ado, here is my interview with Thisbe Vos about "A Jazzy Christmas" and also her other extraordinary albums, "Sophistication" and "Under Your Spell".

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Merry and Bright: Hello Thisbe! Thank you for the opportunity for this interview. “A Jazzy Christmas” is one of my absolute favorite Christmas albums. I’m excited to share some information about you and the album with my readers.  "A Jazzy Christmas” was broadly released in 2015, but was available to crowdfunding supporters in late 2014. Tell us about the crowdfunding experience and what the campaign meant for you as an artist.

Thisbe Vos: The crowdfunding campaign was a great experience and the support from the fans was really moving. I had crowdfunded another album two years earlier, and I was hesitant to do it again, thinking that people might not want to participate another time. But the support was even better than on the previous album, and we pulled it off in a flash—the whole thing happened in about two weeks. It was very inspiring to see that so many people were so behind the project.

MB: After its official release, “A Jazzy Christmas” soon became an award winning album, bringing home the IMEA 2015 “Holiday Album of the Year” award against some stiff competition. Please share your thoughts about this fine recognition for your album.

TV: The IMEA is a wonderful organization that I can’t say enough about. Those guys are really rooting for independent artists and I feel that they back us up however they can. Being recognized with that award meant a lot to me, and I feel that it also validated the fans and everyone who contributed to making the album possible.

MB: You and your band have achieved a wonderful, flawless, classic jazz sound. Who are your major influences as a jazz musician?

TV: I am personally a great fan of the classic jazz singers—Peggy Lee, Doris Day, Dinah Washington, Nina Simone also, and especially Ella Fitzgerald. Ella is my all-time favorite, and I have secretly stolen many phrasings from her. I also really like that warm, personal, intimate sound that she brings across, as if you up close and personal with her, and it’s almost like she is singing to you as the only person in the room.

MB: And how about for Christmas music? Favorite performers? Favorite songs? Was Christmas music a big part of your life growing up?

TV: I grew up in The Netherlands and I did hear them in commercials and in stores, but not so much on the radio. I always liked them from the moment I first heard them though, and a lot of those songs really convey the warm, happy atmosphere that I really love about Christmas. It is that same warm atmosphere that we tried to encapsulate in this album (although with a bit of a swinging twist to it in quite a few of the songs). Bing Crosby of course comes to mind. I also love the song “Santa Baby.” A couple of years ago I actually got to meet one of the writers who wrote that song, which was a very interesting experience.

MB: Many reviews of “A Jazzy Christmas” have a common theme: your songwriting. Four of the songs on “A Jazzy Christmas” were written by you, including one co-written with pianist Gary Matsumoto, and the reviewers enthusiastically wrote that they all sound like Christmas standards. They all fit alongside the greats of the genre and conjure up Christmas imagery of Winter, snow, and the joys of the season. You’ve achieved a timeless quality with these songs (“It Must Be Christmas Time”, “It’s Beginning To Snow”, “When Moonlight Has Hit the Town”, and “Christmas is Everywhere”). What’s your secret Thisbe? Share a little with us about your approach to songwriting, especially these Christmas songs, that make them fit in so well with the classics.

TV: I guess I’ve just listened to a lot of those classic Christmas songs over the years, and I feel a very deep connection with that warm, intimate feeling that Christmas songs are supposed to convey. It was a bit different than writing the jazz songs that I have written before, and I did have to use some imagination as I wrote most of those songs in Southern California in the spring and summer. But I have listened to so many oldies, and so many Christmas songs in my life, that I felt I was able to get into the spirit of things and do something that was original but is still very much about the essence of what those songs are about.

MB: Do any of your four compositions have specific inspirations? Memories or experiences that turned into the music we hear on the album?

TV: Some of them do. For “It Must Be Christmas Time,” I did go back to my childhood days of Christmas in The Netherlands where all the streets are decorated and there are Christmas markets etc. Christmas in Europe can be quite fun. For “It’s Beginning To Snow,” I totally went back to that moment as a kid when it’s evening and it starts softly snowing for the first time that winter, and you’re so excited because you know it’s going to be so much fun in the morning. (There wasn’t a ton of snow when I grew up, so when it did snow, that was quite special.) “When Moonlight Has Hit The Town” was inspired by the feeling I used to get at night when I was walking through the streets of Amsterdam, or my home town of Huizen, and it was cold and quite but there was this huge moon and you could see all the lights on inside the houses and people having dinner, etc. Or it’s freezing outside and nobody is in the streets, but you walk into a restaurant and it’s warm and full of life; people talking and enjoying themselves. There were some very cool, “wintery” types of moments like that that I thought of when writing that song.

MB: Your previously released albums, “Sophistication” and “Under Your Spell” have six and seven Thisbe Vos compositions respectively. And just as on “A Jazzy Christmas”, your own songs blend beautifully with the standards. Having a band with some major chops certainly helps produce this classic sound. Tell us a little about your band.

TV: Thanks for bringing that up—I am ridiculously fortunate that I get to record with some of the best jazz musicians in the world. After moving to Los Angeles I was lucky enough to run into Henry Franklin, a world-class bass player who has literally played with almost everyone you can imagine during his 50-year career. He sort of took me under his wing, and I got to know a lot of great musicians here in the local jazz scene either because he directly introduced me to them, or because I met them through someone that he knew. We record at the studio of Nolan Shaheed, who is himself an incredible trumpet player who has played on all my albums and whom I also perform with live sometimes. I’ve been trying to use the same guys on all of my albums as much as possible and they are all great—it would take up a lot of them to do them all justice individually but I love them all.

MB: As impressive as your original tunes are the arrangements of the traditional songs. Putting a new spin on an old classic Christmas song can be risky, a hit or miss. “Deck the Halls” is an especially wonderfully arranged song with an almost playful variance on the cadence and rhythm. Are the arrangements the result of collaboration with you and your band?

TV: Sometimes they are—for example, Gary Matsumoto (the pianist) came up with the bluesy rendition of Silver Bells. I asked him “What can we do with this?,” and he just started playing that bluesy version almost without even thinking about it. But that version of Deck the Halls in three was my own idea; it was a bit risky like you said. Some people love it, some people hate it. I thought it would be interesting to do something a little different. I like it a lot myself, and I’ve performed it live also that way. It’s cool to surprise people and do something with a familiar song that they don’t quite expect.

MB: What’s next for Thisbe Vos? Do you have any more albums in the works? Any touring plans? I don’t make it to SoCal often, so sure would like to see a Thisbe tour coming my way.

TV: I’m performing locally [Los Angeles area] quite a bit right now—a tour could always happen but I have no definite plans yet as of this moment. That could of course change though. I do plan to make another album—I’ve considering an orchestral album or an intimate vocal, bass and guitar album. It might end up being a combination of the two.

MB: Thisbe, thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions and enlighten us about “A Jazzy Christmas”. Seriously, when I got my copy of the CD in 2014, I couldn’t stop playing it (the other 350 or so Christmas CDs in the house lost some playing time), and it provided the background music for Christmas morning in our home. I hope that there’s “Another Jazzy Christmas” coming someday. So – thank you again for sharing some of your time with us at Merry and Bright.

TV: Thanks very much! I really appreciate that. Thanks for all you do in promoting the wonderful genre of Christmas music, and you know, maybe I will make another Christmas album some day....

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thisbe Vos website

Thisbe Vos on Facebook

Astrocolor - "Lit Up - Music for Christmas"

Astrocolor's "Lit Up - Music for Christmas" has gotten a lot of coverage on the sites of the usual suspects in the Christmas Music Web (kind of like the Dark Web, but brighter and more twinkly), so I was going to give it a quick review and then keep moving on to the next record, but listening through it again to prep for writing this post, I decided I have to write a more complete review.

"Lit Up" is the debut album from Astrocolor, hailing from "the western edge of Canada" according to their website.  "Lit Up" has 10 songs, foundations of the Christmas Music Canon, but as you've never heard them before.  The treatment that "We Three Kings", "Sleigh Ride", "O Christmas Tree", and the other seven songs get is a unique and completely new listening experience.  Self-described as "ambient, dubby, and jazzy", I would add layered, synth, funky, smooth, cosmic, and dreamy to the list of descriptors.  These styles are expertly blended with perfectly executed instrumental and vocal performances.

The music is enigmatic.  It is so familiar to us all, yet more than just re-arrangements to make a totally fresh and interesting listening experience.  It's soothing and has a background-music vibe, yet always exists in the forefront.  For some reason, one impression while listening was that it's like a cat - the music demands your attention, then turns away once you come to it.  It's Schrodinger's Christmas Music - it is both background and foreground, it is both classic and original, it is and it isn't traditional.

Sometimes these experimental records fall flat, or veer off so far from the mainstream that they lose direction.  Not with "Lit Up".  It has that sound of a perfectly executed musical vision.  Even the album's sub-title reflects the surreal nature of this record, "Music for  Christmas".  Not  Christmas music, it's music for Christmas.  Der Bingle likes it a lot.  Check it out on Spotify, buy it on iTunes or Amazon, or order up a special green vinyl edition, to be released December 11th.

Astrocolor web-site

Checking in with Elizabeth Chan

Our favorite New York City gal, the Queen of Christmas, Elizabeth Chan, is back again this Christmas season.  Back?  She never leaves!  Elizabeth lives Christmas every day, from her 365 days of wearing red to her outlook on life.  I got the chance to catch up with Elizabeth for the readers of Merry & Bright!

---------------------------------

Merry & Bright:  Hello Elizabeth!  Thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions for Merry & Bright!

Elizabeth Chan: Of course! ☺ Always love hearing from you!

MB:  You have a new single this year, “Red & Green”, and a new album by the same name.  Tell us about “Red & Green”.  How did this single and album come about?

EC: I have a very different way of approaching writing Christmas music. Partially because of my distinct perspective. My entire life is dedicated to writing and producing Christmas music – so that changes the lens in which you see things and also the way people see you.

Red and Green is an autobiographical account of my Christmas last year. My fans and friends call me the Queen of Christmas, and even though I’ve got this big title – I’m still a regular person! I still want Christmas to be awesome. No matter how much you look forward to an event, whether it’s a holiday, a birthday or even celebration – sometimes things don’t end up the way you planned. That song speaks to that perspective!

MB:  You also have a new video release – a version of “Jingle Bells” inspired by Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off”.  The video looks like it was a blast to make, although a lot of hard work, too.  Any stories to share about the making of the Swift-y song and video?

EC: I have a running FAQ list – two of the most common questions are: 1. Why don’t you do a Christmas cover and 2. Why don’t you write and perform non-Christmas music. Clearly these two requests are counter to my whole goal in writing an original new Christmas standard. As a joke for my colleagues and friends during my Christmas in July celebration – I performed Jingle Bells to “Shake it Off.” It was a huge hit, and I decided it would be fun to take the joke one step further for them. It’s really my artistic standpoint and answer to those questions. It’s all very much my art though – it definitely has an Elizabeth Chan style and sensibility to it.

MB: Each year seems to get better for Elizabeth Chan and her music.  Any hints about what else we can expect, either this season or next?

EC: I’m not a household name yet – I still feel the humility and am humbled when famous people put out holiday records up against mine. I can say that I do have the most heart in all my songs. I belabor over their detail and craftsmanship. In that sense I have definitely heard how I’ve improved as a songwriter and producer, year over year. I’m already working on my next album – I think next year is going to be a really exciting record for me. I’m going to try some new things with my songs. Hopefully my fans will appreciate where I’m going with the music.

MB:  Are there any plans to bring other artists into the Merry Bright Music label?

EC: That’s a great question! The answer is yes ☺ Without giving away too much more – stay tuned to this …

MB:  Beyond your music, your messages throughout the year on social media are always inspiring and at the heart of the Spirit of Christmas, and Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, and all ways that the season is celebrated - messages of peace, inclusion, and joy.  You really do live Christmas every day, don’t you?

EC: You know, my career and life epitomizes this sense and spirit of believing in faith and miracles. Not that any job or career is a miracle – but this belief in my passion, and love for my dream and that it can come true is so core to what the holidays are about. It takes a village to bring my music out to the world – I am definitely the recipient of the gifts of my team that I’ve worked with throughout the years. How can I not show this sense of gratitude and thanks all year round?

MB:  Thanks Elizabeth!   Merry Christmas to you and your family!

EC: Merry Merry Everybody! :D I hope everyone checks out my new record and please let me know what you think!

----------------------------------

Elizabeth Chan - "Jingle Bells" ("Shake It Off" Parody) on YouTube: link

Elizabeth Chan website

"Red & Green" on Amazon

Also available on iTunes and other fine music retailers.

Jillaine Returns with Jazzy Duets for Christmas

Our favorite Christmas jazz singer, Jillaine, has released a new album of Christmas songs for 2015.  This time around, Jillaine is joined by vocalist and pianist Jacob for "Jazzy Duets for Christmas", a collection of seven seasonal tunes sure to kick-start your holiday spirit!

Jillaine has a strong, beautiful voice. which she has used to full potential in her three previous Christmas albums, especially in the up-tempo original arrangements of well-known Christmas songs.  On "Jazzy Duets", her vocals are as awesome as ever, with strengths in dynamics and phrasing and her love of Christmas music shining through.  Duet partner Jacob, in addition to his excellent piano work, joins Jillaine with complementary vocals that blend and smooth.  He's the cream in the coffee, the ala mode with the cherry pie, making already great songs even better.

The album kicks off with a nice, upbeat "Marshmallow World", followed by "Winter Wonderland", which for me is the highlight of the record.  "Winter Wonderland" highlights a creative arrangement, features some of Jacob's best vocal accompaniment, and wows when Jillaine kicks up the final refrain.  Standards "Silver Bells" and "Winter Weather", following the trio of "Give Me Your Heart for Christmas", "Warm December" and "Christmas Dreaming", round out the album.

I need to give a shout-out to Jillaine's brother Erik, who has been a major contributor on all of Jillaine's Christmas albums, including "Jazzy Duets", either as a musician or engineer/general studio dude. Erik's talents have helped produce Jillaine's four exceptional Christmas records.

I'm a big fan of Jillaine, not only her Christmas music but her entire body of work, most notably her collection of patriotic songs "As American as Jazz".  She is a hard-working, talented musician who is also in law school studying for her law degree.  In her spare time she guest DJs at her hometown radio station in Dubuque, IA , KLYV Y105, and she writes a food blog!  (Jazzy Morsels - yum). Foremost, though, she is an amazing musician who has chosen to gift us with now four albums of wonderful Christmas music. I hope there is still more to come.

"Jazzy Duets for Christmas" is available for digital download at Jillaine's website, www.jillaine.com, or at the usual outlets (see below).

• iTunes
• Apple Music
• Spotify
• Rhapsody
• Amazon
• Groove
• SoundCloud
• ReverbNation

Thisbe Vos: A Jazzy Christmas

In late 2014 jazz singer Thisbe Vos recorded her first Christmas album, "A Jazzy Christmas", through crowd-funding, and made the CD available to those who contributed to the album.  Being a big supporter of worthy crowd-funded projects, I signed up as a backer and received her CD fairly late in the holiday season, too late to give it much attention here, although it did make my Top 5 list, posted after Christmas.  As "A Jazzy Christmas" is such a magnificent record, I decided to kick off this year's Christmas posts with a full review.

Thisbe Vos is a Netherlands-born jazz singer now residing in the Los Angeles area, appearing frequently with her band in and around LA.  Prior to recording her Christmas record last year, she had released two jazz albums, "Sophistication" and "Under Your Spell", both excellent collections of standards and self-penned songs.

"A Jazzy Christmas" continues in this vein, featuring seven classic Christmas tunes, reinterpreted by Thisbe and her outstanding band, and three new songs written by Thisbe plus one, "Christmas is Everywhere", co-written by Thisbe and collaborator Gary Matsumoto.

The album kicks off with a rollicking rendition of "Let Snow", a superb, upbeat beginning to a great album.  Thisbe's vocals immediately grab your attention and don't let go.  (For any fans of NBC's "The Voice", it's just like those moments when a coach hits their button after about 3 seconds into the performance).

Traditionals "The Christmas Song", "Baby It's Cold Outside", and the inestimable "Jingle Bells" become gold standards of jazz Christmas vocal performances.  Even "Santa Baby", usually not one of my personal faves, is a great listen.  The album closer, a slowed-down, sultry, waltzy version of the usually lively "Deck the Halls" is a simply wonderful interpretation of the Christmas classic, with Thisbe's vocals offset and complemented by an outstanding tenor sax.

The true highlights of "A Jazzy Christmas" are Thisbe's original compositions.  "It Must Be Christmas Time", "It's Beginning to Snow", "When Moonlight Has Hit the Town", and "Christmas is Everywhere" hit the mark by not only being exceptional vocal and instrumental jazz performances, but they sound like Christmas standards.  You know, sometimes an artist's original compositions just don't hit the "Christmas" mark and don't blend so well with the traditionals, well, that's not the case here.  Thisbe's four originals flow and fit alongside the standards and help flesh out a truly notable and refreshing Christmas jazz record.  They sound like you've been hearing them for years.

Thisbe's vocal performance on this record is just wonderful.  Her phrasing will make you melt, her pitch is amazingly natural and effortless.  It's just aural honey flowing over and through you as you listen.  There's a bit of Jane Monheit here in terms of jazz style, but mostly it's completely original.  When I got this CD last year, I just kept playing and playing it.  High praise, since it was competing with a Santa's sack-full of competition for playtime :-)

"A Jazzy Christmas" is due for release this year on November 6th on Amazon, CD Baby, and iTunes.  If  you can wait until November 20th you can get a signed copy directly from Thisbe's website.

This was one of the best new records I heard last year.  Especially if you're a jazz lover, "A Jazzy Christmas" gets my highest recommendation.

By the way, "Sophistication" and "Under Your Spell" are excellent as well for, you know, those few times when you're not listening to Christmas Music :-)

Thisbe Vos website
Thisbe Vos Facebook page

Jillaine Returns!

Our friends Stubby and Ken Kessler first let all of us Christmas Music lovers know tht Jillaine's third Christmas album, "Jazzy Christmas To You III" had become available.  Many thanks to them for this exciting announcement.  I just want to do my part to promote Jillaine, our favorite jazz singer and performer-extraordinaire of Christmas music.

Jillaine's third Christmas album in three years arrived in the mail here at the Bingle house a couple days ago - huzzah!  With Christmas looming, I don't know if I'll get  full review written before the big day, but it's safe to say that this record will be as amazing as the first two.  What a singer, what an interpreter of Christmas songs.

Jillaine artist site

Amazon link  (Jillaine says pay no attention to the 'out of stock' message - order it and it will be delivered)

iTunes

Lorne Greene: Have a Happy Holiday

Just last week I was hit like a lightning bolt with the thought "Why haven't I shared Lorne Greene before?"  Lorne Greene's "Have a Happy Holiday" was one of the four Christmas records we had when I was growing up, along with a Bing Crosby, Firestone Vol. 5, and a country music collection.  I played Lorne Greene and Bing Crosby over and over.

I think there are two reasons why I haven't shared this yet.  First, it has been shared before on other blogs, and I try not to duplicate efforts too often.  So I just never moved it into the ripping queue.

Second, and maybe I knew this before and subsequently forgot, "A Christmas Cantata" on side 2 of the album has a significant scratch.  A scratch that, despite my efforts, prevented me from ripping the whole album.  Still, I wanted to share out my copy of this great record from 1965.  So, I ripped all that I could (everything except "A Christmas Cantata"), cleaned the rips, removed the noise and prepped them to share.  For the Cantata, I went to my archives and found the files I had downloaded a few years back, and included the Cantata from that share.  So, thanks to the festive friend who shared this out previously.  Although I don't recall the source, I want to give credit where credit is due.

So, it is with great pleasure that I bring you Lorne Greene's "Have a Happy Holiday".  This is a terrific record.  Lorne's strong baritone voice is perfect for the song selections and readings.  His recital of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" is especially good, and one of the reasons I loved this record in childhood.  Lorne recites the poem with jingly cheer, much animation in his voice, and is accompanied by a Joe Reisman score. 

I'm also very partial to "Christmas is A-Comin'", one of the four songs on the album (except for the ones that are part of the Cantata).  It's a very nice rendition of a classic song, and once again Lorne shows his talent as an interpreter of the whimsical aspects of the piece.

This is one of my favorite a;bums.  Please enjoy "Have a Happy Holiday", courtesy of Der Bingle and the unnamed contributor of "A Christmas Cantata", the final track on the record.

<link removed>

Sorry folks!  This is available now on CD, so have to remove the link.

Joyous and Merry

Tonight I have something a little different to share out.  As you may have noticed here on Merry and Bright, as well as on other Christmas Music sites, there seems to be increased scrutiny of the files we are posting to share.  Mediafire has tagged a few of my files as containing copyrighted material and blocked them from being downloaded.  While it's a little disappointing, I really don't have a problem with that method of copyright protection by the host.  My files are still there, they just aren't publicly downloadable.  As Doris Day sang, Que Sera Sera.  We move on.

So, what I have for you tonight is a share combined up from two compilation albums, and I've removed the songs that are readily available in digital format.  So, Perry Como, Chet Atkins, Robert Goulet, Mitch Miller & the Gang, Johnny Mathis, Steve and Eydie, and the great (and already quoted) Doris Day do not grace this share.

However, what is left is a great collection of music from the Norman Luboff Choir, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and (a personal favorite), the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra and Chorus, plus many more.

Two albums contributed to this share.  First, "Joyous Christmas",  a "Limited Edition Collectors Item" from Columbia Special Products produced for the Beneficial Finance System.  The second is "Merry Christmas", an excellent 1964 collection from RCA.

These albums are both excellent collections in the tradition of the best 1960s records - a terrific set of performances with great music that hearkens back to those simpler times before the internet, cell phones, and technology saturation.  Just a good ol' stereo record player and a couple of great Christmas records.

Please enjoy a special compilation "Joyous and Merry"

Quick update:  Reader Zepp pointed out a skip and repeat on one of the songs.  I hope to get that fixed tonight (12/6).  I'll re-post the entire share for those who have not downloaded it yet, and also a separate link to the single fixed song, for those who just need the one.

Update II:  Well, the replacement ZIP file was tagged as non-downloadable, but the old one isn't, and neither is the single "Rudolph".  So, please download both files in the following links, and replace the "Rudolph" in the ZIP file with the single MP3 in the second link.  Go figure...

New ZIP files:
Joyous ZIP (updated)
Merry ZIP

A Royal Kickoff to the Season

Hello everyone!  I hope all my readers had a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday.  And now that we're "officially" into the Christmas season, I have my first Christmas music share of the season for you.

Kicking things off this year is a terrific recording by Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians.  My record is a 1973 release of "Jingle Bells" by MCA, although it appears to be a re-release.  At any rate, it's a terrific collection of 12 songs by Mr. Lombardo and his orchestra.  Featured vocalists include Kenny Gardner and the Lombardo Trio, Richard Geary, Tony Craig, and, on "Winter Wonderland", the Andrews Sisters!

The arrangements are superb, making this a very enjoyable and nostalgic record.  A highlight is "Christmas Chopsticks", track 6, which closes out Side 1 of the record.

Please enjoy "Jingle Bells" by Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians.

Update:  Sorry folks - This file has been tagged as non-downloadable by the host, so I have to remove the link.  Guy, we hardly knew ye.

<download link removed>

Awesome!

Good morning all.  This is just a quick post to point you to an exciting announcement from Jillaine. Please visit her site to see the great news!

Jillaine's Exciting News

Jillaine: Jazzy Christmas To You!

Merry and Bright readers who stay in touch through the off-season know that I'm a big fan of Jillaine, the immensely talented, beautiful, and young jazz songstress hailing from Utah by way of Iowa. Earlier this year, I contacted Jillaine and asked about purchasing her Christmas CD and having her sign it (Der Bingle loves signed books and CDs). Jillaine responded by sending me her entire CD catalog, signed as promised! I listened to her first two albums and fell in love with her voice and style, and reviewed the records in the blog (here and here).

I saved Jillaine's Christmas CD until the season, so it would be like a little treat for myself. You know – not unwrapping until the season and all. Well, the season arrived, I unwrapped “Jazzy Christmas To You!”, and it is, indeed, a Christmas treat from Jillaine.

 

 

Folks, I'm telling you, Jillaine has as distinctive a voice and style as I've heard in a long time. I had been totally blown away the first time I have heard an artist only three times – Oscar Peterson, Madeleine Peyroux, and Sophie Madeleine. Jillaine is number four.

“Jazzy Christmas To You!” is an amazing addition to Jillaine's recordings. Her voice is perfectly suited to Christmas music, and her interpretations of Christmas standards are fresh, unique, and, above all, fun!

“Deck the Halls” opens the album. In my opinion, “Deck the Halls” can be a tough song to make memorable. I've heard many competent but ultimately unexciting versions by artists major and minor. Jillaine breathes life into “Deck the Halls” in a completely original fashion, full of energy, full of holiday spirit. It's a perfect way to kick off the record (and, this song will open Der Bingle's 2012 Christmas Comp for family and friends).

There is only one rule for artists who record “Jingle Bells” - have fun with it. Bing had fun. Barenaked Ladies had a whole lotta fun with their version. Jillaine gives us a version of “Jingle Bells” loaded with fun and energy. It's short, sweet, and spirited.

The best song on the album may be “What Child Is This?”. Jillaine performs this with a soulful, spiritual power that is beyond comparison. Her love for the music, the message, and the meaning of Christmas exudes from this performance. I literally shed a tear the first time I listened to it.

There are 15 songs on the album, all of them strong, all of them beautiful.  Jillaine's musicians, Craig Adler on piano and guitar, James Archibald on bass, and Ryan Flores on drums blend and complement Jillaine's vocals.  Craig's piano work is especially superb, not simply accompanying Jillaine but instead combining and partnering, as great musical performances should.

What could be better?

I'll tell you what – a follow-up album this year! Jillaine has released “Jazzy Christmas To You II”, which I'm expecting to arrive in the mail any day now. No waiting around to open it – nosiree :-)

Hey Jillaine – how about a “Jazzy Christmas To You III” next year? Please?

Jillaine Music website

Jazzy Christmas To You on Amazon

And, once again, thanks to my friend Stubby for introducing me to Jillaine's music.

The Season is Approaching...

It's getting close to that time of the year....  In only 7 more days I switch over to all Christmas Music.  I've been listening to some over the past few weeks, here and there, every now and then.  The WT Grant series has been getting some play in my office.  With Halloween nearing, I'm mainly spinning some classic spooky tunes for the next few days.  But then, come Nov 1, it's Christmas Music season!

I acquire Christmas Music CDs throughout the year when I find something of interest in a thrift or used book store, and then start buying the new releases as soon as they come out.  Today was a particularly good day.  I made a couple stops, and brought home the new releases from Chris Mann (from The Voice), Colbie Caillat, Christina Perri, and the latest Now! Christmas comp (pretty good stuff on it, with a few exceptions, ahem ahem Bieber ahem).  Previously I had picked up Blake Shelton's new release.  I'm not a big country music guy, but Blake is pretty good.  I wait until Nov. 1 to listen to the new stuff each year - it's like a little treat for ol' Der Bingle.

There are more new releases (or re-releases) that I will be getting.  I think Cee Lo Green's album will be interesting.  Jumped all over the chance to order a signed Doris Day release from Real Gone today.  Then there's the upcoming new release from one of my favorite new jazz singers, Jillaine. 

And, yes, I've been working on getting some shares ready for all of you awesome Merry and Bright readers.  I have some pretty good stuff I've been preparing.  I probably won't share anything out until after Thanksgiving this year, but you never know.  Maybe one or two special treats will sneak in early.  I've been focusing on recording, and tonight was a massive ClickRepair session.  Later comes the artwork scanning and processing.  Then zipping, uploading, and posting.  It's all progressing...

Well, have a great Halloween everyone!  I'll be back in the posting swing very soon.

Christmas in NYC

As promised in an earlier post, here are a few pictures from my trip to New York City earlier in December.  I hope you enjoy them.

Near Radio City Music Hall/Rockefeller Center

Inside Tiffany & Co.

Lady Gaga's Workshop, in Barney's Department Store

Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center

Rockefeller Center.  Note the other camera phones :-)

Flatiron Building.  I'm sure I'm one of the first tourists to take this picture...  ;-)

Da Nico, in Little Italy.  Had a fantastic dinner here.

A few scenes from Santaland

Windows at Tiffany & Co.

Radio City at night

Christmas Tree in Bryant Park, NY Public Library in the background.

The Origami Tree at the Museum of Natural History

Windows at Lord & Taylor - spectacular!

And, lastly, me and my wife with a Rockette.  The Rockette is the one in the middle :-)

An Orchestral Finale

Here we are on Christmas Eve, approaching the finale of the sharing season.  Der Bingle is in Day 3 of fighting a sinus infection and/or cold and/or flu, but is on the upswing today.  Good thing, too - have to be ready for the big day tomorrow.

For the final share of this season, I've chosen "Tis the Season", a selection of Christmas songs performed by the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, conducted by John Giordano.  The album contains 10 tracks, including a very well-performed Nutcracker Suite and "Christmas Eve", an accompanied narration of "The Night Before Christmas", narrated by Mel Dacus.

These are traditional arrangements, performed expertly by the orchestra.  I think you'll enjoy them.

Please enjoy 'Tis the Season  download link

And so, that concludes this season's shares.  I hope you have enjoyed them, despite a few hiccups with artwork and stereo.  Have a very Merry Christmas!

Winding Down - the Penultimate Shares

Here are two more shares for my faithful readers here on the 23rd.  Christmas is pretty much a 2-day event in the house of Der Bingle.  On Christmas Eve things get going in mid-afternoon with Mass attendance, then dinner at Mom's place, then back home to settle in for the Christmas Eve evening, accompanied by "A Christmas Story", hot spiced cider, and other festivities.  Christmas morning kicks off at 7:00AM and continues through the day.

So, the pace will pick up soon.  However, I have two shares today, and will do the last one tomorrow morning.

First up today is "Christmas Is", by Pamela Wilson and the Symphony Royale of London.  This is a 1985 vinyl release on the Snowflake records label.  There are 10 songs performed by Ms. Wilson, the Coloratura Soprano with the orchestra.  Even at 10 tracks, the album is fairly short, clocking in at under 28 minutes.  The performances are good and enjoyable.

download link

Second is "The Magnificent Music of Christmas".  This is another of those Christmas albums with no artist credits.  It is on the "Westerfield" label, and offers up 12 tracks of orchestral/chorale music. 



Not too much more I can tell you about this record.  Please enjoy some Magnificent Music!

download link

A & P and Organ and Chimes

Two more for you today on the 22nd.

First up is "Christmas Greetings" from A&P (volume 3).  A&P was (is?) a grocery chain that, like so many grocery and department stores back in the day, released Christmas record collections featuring various artists.  Volume 3 is a 1972 release featuring some really great songs.  Per Tim Neely's book, there were 4 A&P records from 1970-1973.  A&P was not around in my part of the country, so in these parts this record is a rather unusual find.  I'm sure that in other parts of the country it's pretty common.

What caught my attention with this record is the closing song "Here's To You" by Cary Grant.  "Here's To You" was the B-side of "Christmas Lullaby", Cary Grant's 1967 single, and only Chrismas music performance.  "Here's To You", again per Tim Neely, has appeared only on the single and in this A&P collection.

Also catching my attention was "The Christmas Song" performed by Carol Burnett.  It has also appeared on two other collections, but is not something you see or hear every day.

Other great performances round out the record, including tracks by Tony Bennett, Johnny Cash, and Lynn Anderson.  Also included is a track by Barbra Streisand.  Barbra doesn't do a thing for me, Christmas music-wise or otherwise, but she has her fans out there.  Der Bingle just isn't one of them. 

A note on the cover art - the repeating Santa motif threw my image stitch application for a loop, so I had to do some manual cutting and pasting to get a workable cover image.  Apologies for poor color blends and other sub-par details in the artwork.

So, please enjoy the terrific collection A&P Christmas Greetings Vol 3.  download link

Next up is "Merry Christmas Carols with Organ and Chimes", performed on the Original Grand Wurlitzer Pipe Organ of Radio City Music Hall.  Now, Der Bingle loves Radio City Music Hall and all Christmassy things related.  So, I like this record a lot.  Generally, I hit a limit on organ/chime carols pretty quick before needing a break.  But this is a pretty good set of 17 songs.  No info on the performer.  Maybe the organ and chimes played themselves at night, ala "Night at the Museum".

Your Radio City fix for the day:  download link

St. Nicholas Boys Choir

Here is a nice little, and old, record featuring four songs by the St. Nicholas Boys Choir.  This is a 78 rpm record from the Royale label.  Not much information about this record on the web.  There are a couple Youtube videos of the record label with the songs playing, and the info there claims that this is a 1950s release. 

Songs:

1  Silent Night, Holy Night
2  Adeste Fideles
3  God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
4  Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Enjoy!

download link

Mike Sammes III

Had to do some more cleanup on this well-loved record.  New link, the last two songs have been replaced with better rips.  Third time is the charm, right?

Mike Sammes Singers download link

Three for Tuesday

Ha!  Those Two-fer-Tuesday people...  Der Bingle is going for a Three-fer today.

First up, yes indeed, more music from long, long ago.  Here is "Christemas in Anglia", subtitled "Early English Music for Christmastide".   You see, I hit the ancient music jackpot one day at the thrift store, so now all of my readers reape the benefits thy hast sown, or something like that, good sir.

"Christemas in Anglia" is performed by The Ensemble for Early Music, directed by Frederick Renz.  There are 13 tracks on the record, and loads of song information on the back cover.  Plus the album cover notes by the previous owner (as there have been on the others). 

"Christemas in Anglia" download link

Second, let's cross the channel and head to old Germany, for "Frohliche Weihnachten!", yes, punctuated with a !  "Frohliche Weihnachten!" gives us 14 German Christmas carols, performed by the Mannerchor der Volkswagenstadt Wolfsburg.   I wonder if the Mannerchor sang "Silver and Gold", they would say Silver one!  Gold one!   (Terrible joke....)

Ok, without further ado, "Froliche Weihnachten!"  download link

And lastly, here's your bonus share on three-fer night.  You know the little gadgets the As Seen On TV sales throw in at the end, like a juicer that you get with a Sham-Wow?  This is sorta the free juicer of tonight's entry.  Not because its bad music, but because it's one I recorded last year, didn't get around to sharing, and didn't get to re-rip this year, so it's a little more crackly than others.  Just pretend it's the crackle of a log on the fire...

Here is "Christmas Bells with the Holiday Hand Bell Choir", an 11-track album featuring, you got it, a hand bell choir.  It's interesting, it's pretty ok, and just listen to the crackle of the fireplace!   :-)

Holiday Hand Bell Choir <link removed>

That's all for now - more to come!