December 2005

Royce Campbell
A Jazz Guitar Christmas
Moon Cycle

By Tad Hendrickson

This CD features a straight-up jazz-guitar trio taking on Christmas classics, featuring improvisation that goes beyond a bar or two--even a few bass and drum solos. Campbell does a good job of mixing up the arrangements, adding a bossa nova groove to "White Christmas," playing "O Christmas Tree" with a 4/4 swing and taking "We Three Kings" completely out and into full-on improvisation. Probably the most satisfying holiday release for serious jazzheads.