4 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. true 254 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 16384 98 200512 true 0 108 2005-12-01T00:00:00-05:00

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.

2009-03-02T00:25:10-05:00

4 When your career highlight is a stint with Jefferson Starship, artistic integrity wasn't ever part of the equation. Not that artistic integrity is a requisite for making good Christmas music, but Chaquico's new-age ambient backdrops are ponderous--just like his guitar work. "Angels We Have Heard on High" sounds like it was made by music-making software, and "Silent Night," which is the best track here, sounds a little like Bill Frisell rocking out--if he had with no interesting ideas. true 254 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 16385 98 200512 true 0 108 2005-12-01T00:00:00-05:00

When your career highlight is a stint with Jefferson Starship, artistic integrity wasn't ever part of the equation. Not that artistic integrity is a requisite for making good Christmas music, but Chaquico's new-age ambient backdrops are ponderous--just like his guitar work. "Angels We Have Heard on High" sounds like it was made by music-making software, and "Silent Night," which is the best track here, sounds a little like Bill Frisell rocking out--if he had with no interesting ideas.

2009-03-02T00:25:10-05:00

4 Why should the Gentiles have all the fun? After all there's been plenty great Christmas albums by Jews (Diamond and Streisand anyone?). Eschewing a cantor's gravity, Ellis sings light swingin' traditionals as well as the patriotic-sounding original "Hanukkah Candles," but for this Shlemiel the best Chutzpah comes on such Meshugga deconstructions as "Twas the Night Before Hanukkah" and "Hanu-calypso." true 254 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 16386 98 200512 true 0 108 2005-12-01T00:00:00-05:00

Why should the Gentiles have all the fun? After all there's been plenty great Christmas albums by Jews (Diamond and Streisand anyone?). Eschewing a cantor's gravity, Ellis sings light swingin' traditionals as well as the patriotic-sounding original "Hanukkah Candles," but for this Shlemiel the best Chutzpah comes on such Meshugga deconstructions as "Twas the Night Before Hanukkah" and "Hanu-calypso."

2009-03-02T00:25:10-05:00

4 The man everyone loves to hate--or love. This greatest hits collection (he's already done three Christmas albums, people) features 12 songs from Christmases past and four new tunes for this year. He's not going to give Coltrane a run for his money on "My Favorite Things," and Bing Crosby's seminal "I'll Be Home for Christmas" won't be displaced. As if the demographic needed to be any wider, Mr. Gorelick tosses in "The Chanukah Song" for good measure. If it's smooth-jazz Christmas hits you want, here you go. There are, however, other options. true 254 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 16387 98 200512 true 0 108 2005-12-01T00:00:00-05:00

The man everyone loves to hate--or love. This greatest hits collection (he's already done three Christmas albums, people) features 12 songs from Christmases past and four new tunes for this year. He's not going to give Coltrane a run for his money on "My Favorite Things," and Bing Crosby's seminal "I'll Be Home for Christmas" won't be displaced. As if the demographic needed to be any wider, Mr. Gorelick tosses in "The Chanukah Song" for good measure. If it's smooth-jazz Christmas hits you want, here you go. There are, however, other options.

2009-03-02T00:25:11-05:00

4 Krall gets a ton of help on her Christmas album from the well-drilled Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra as well as from the usual peeps in her own bands. The singer doesn't work too hard to sell it, preferring to stay in the pocket, and the solos are short all the way around, but it all sounds swingin', fun and jazzy. The set list won't offer any surprises ("Jingle Bells," "Let It Snow," "Christmas Song"), but this album has a nice, timeless quality to it. true 254 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 16388 98 200512 true 0 108 2005-12-01T00:00:00-05:00

Krall gets a ton of help on her Christmas album from the well-drilled Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra as well as from the usual peeps in her own bands. The singer doesn't work too hard to sell it, preferring to stay in the pocket, and the solos are short all the way around, but it all sounds swingin', fun and jazzy. The set list won't offer any surprises ("Jingle Bells," "Let It Snow," "Christmas Song"), but this album has a nice, timeless quality to it.

2009-03-02T00:25:11-05:00

4 A straightahead small-group jazz effort with singer Nancy Reed out front, this is a solid if inoffensive effort that covers everything from the sentimental "I'll Be Home for Christmas" to the whimsical "Let It Snow" to the traditional "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen." Pour a little eggnog and brandy for extra warmth. true 254 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 16389 98 200512 true 0 108 2005-12-01T00:00:00-05:00

A straightahead small-group jazz effort with singer Nancy Reed out front, this is a solid if inoffensive effort that covers everything from the sentimental "I'll Be Home for Christmas" to the whimsical "Let It Snow" to the traditional "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen." Pour a little eggnog and brandy for extra warmth.

2009-03-02T00:25:11-05:00

4 After performing together in the '60s, Chuck Mangione's piano-playing older brother stayed in Rochester, N.Y., while his flugelhornist sibling went on to fame. This 17-piece big-band effort is a well-drilled affair, with some reasonably lengthy turns for the soloist. All in all, a professional effort that includes a few lesser-known tunes like "Carol of the Bells," "Christmas Waltz" and "Tarantellas." true 254 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 16390 98 200512 true 0 108 2005-12-01T00:00:00-05:00

After performing together in the '60s, Chuck Mangione's piano-playing older brother stayed in Rochester, N.Y., while his flugelhornist sibling went on to fame. This 17-piece big-band effort is a well-drilled affair, with some reasonably lengthy turns for the soloist. All in all, a professional effort that includes a few lesser-known tunes like "Carol of the Bells," "Christmas Waltz" and "Tarantellas."

2009-03-02T00:25:11-05:00

4 Monheit brings a breathy innuendo to "This Christ-mas" when she purrs "This Christmas will be / A very special Christmas / For me, yeah." One wonders here what Monheit has in mind for the celebration of Christ's birth, but the Immaculate Conception isn't it. Much of the rest of the album is more straightforward and wholesome, including the G-rated-with-strings "Merry Christmas Darling," the hard-swinging "The Man With the Bag" and the sentimental ballad "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." true 254 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 16391 98 200512 true 0 108 2005-12-01T00:00:00-05:00

Monheit brings a breathy innuendo to "This Christ-mas" when she purrs "This Christmas will be / A very special Christmas / For me, yeah." One wonders here what Monheit has in mind for the celebration of Christ's birth, but the Immaculate Conception isn't it. Much of the rest of the album is more straightforward and wholesome, including the G-rated-with-strings "Merry Christmas Darling," the hard-swinging "The Man With the Bag" and the sentimental ballad "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."

2009-03-02T00:25:11-05:00

4 Guitarist-vocalist Setzer mixes recognizable rock and big-band licks with his own hep-cat lyrics on songs like "Hey Santa!" and "Santa Drives a Hot Rod," while also covering classics like "White Christmas" and "Jingle Bell Rock." His retro-swing thing is lightweight and catchy, and it's hard to forget the band's warped version of "Angels We Have Heard on High," which is mixed with Buddy Holly's "Peggy Sue." This CD will kick the holiday parties up a notch. true 254 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 16392 98 200512 true 0 108 2005-12-01T00:00:00-05:00

Guitarist-vocalist Setzer mixes recognizable rock and big-band licks with his own hep-cat lyrics on songs like "Hey Santa!" and "Santa Drives a Hot Rod," while also covering classics like "White Christmas" and "Jingle Bell Rock." His retro-swing thing is lightweight and catchy, and it's hard to forget the band's warped version of "Angels We Have Heard on High," which is mixed with Buddy Holly's "Peggy Sue." This CD will kick the holiday parties up a notch.

2009-03-02T00:25:11-05:00

4 Sommers looks like he could be a stand-in for Brendan Fraser (he's done some acting on the side), dresses like Chris Botti (who makes an appearance on "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas") and sounds like a more straightforward version of David Sanborn. Fortunately Sommers didn't let the engineer put a bunch of delay on his horn, thus maintaining a nice bluesy tone, but the contemporary-jazz versions of the usual songs ("Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "Greensleeves," "Silent Night") seem destined for background listening at your local men's clothing store. true 254 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 16393 98 200512 true 0 108 2005-12-01T00:00:00-05:00

Sommers looks like he could be a stand-in for Brendan Fraser (he's done some acting on the side), dresses like Chris Botti (who makes an appearance on "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas") and sounds like a more straightforward version of David Sanborn. Fortunately Sommers didn't let the engineer put a bunch of delay on his horn, thus maintaining a nice bluesy tone, but the contemporary-jazz versions of the usual songs ("Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "Greensleeves," "Silent Night") seem destined for background listening at your local men's clothing store.

2009-03-02T00:25:11-05:00

4 Headed up by the Peanuts' main musical voice these days, David Benoit, this CD is a tribute to the 1965 Vince Guaraldi classic with a few Christmas standards added. Featuring folks like Vanessa Williams, Dave Koz and Brian McKnight, it's no surprise that Guaraldi's West Coast cool sound has been replaced by more of a contemporary-jazz and R&B vibe, which will hopefully bring a whole new audience to his music. Highlights include Chaka Khan's earthy "The Christmas Song" and Norman Brown's smooth-grooving "Skating." It's a safe bet that this is going to be one of the biggest new Christmas albums of the season. true 254 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 16394 98 200512 true 0 108 2005-12-01T00:00:00-05:00

Headed up by the Peanuts' main musical voice these days, David Benoit, this CD is a tribute to the 1965 Vince Guaraldi classic with a few Christmas standards added. Featuring folks like Vanessa Williams, Dave Koz and Brian McKnight, it's no surprise that Guaraldi's West Coast cool sound has been replaced by more of a contemporary-jazz and R&B vibe, which will hopefully bring a whole new audience to his music. Highlights include Chaka Khan's earthy "The Christmas Song" and Norman Brown's smooth-grooving "Skating." It's a safe bet that this is going to be one of the biggest new Christmas albums of the season.

2009-03-02T00:25:11-05:00

4 Christmas Remixed 2 features contemporary takes on holiday-music performance by the likes of Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney and Joe Williams. The most interesting tunes come from Red Baron's mash-up of the Berlin Symphony Orchestra's "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" and 46Bliss' dreamy version of "Silent Night" featuring Mahalia Jackson. Charlie Parker's version of "White Christmas" is scrambled with an entirely new backing for his solo flight. Most jazz remixes tend to be very annoying or quite intriguing--the Bird tune is the former, but most of the songs on this album are the latter. true 254 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 16395 98 200512 true 0 108 2005-12-01T00:00:00-05:00

Christmas Remixed 2 features contemporary takes on holiday-music performance by the likes of Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney and Joe Williams. The most interesting tunes come from Red Baron's mash-up of the Berlin Symphony Orchestra's "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" and 46Bliss' dreamy version of "Silent Night" featuring Mahalia Jackson. Charlie Parker's version of "White Christmas" is scrambled with an entirely new backing for his solo flight. Most jazz remixes tend to be very annoying or quite intriguing--the Bird tune is the former, but most of the songs on this album are the latter.

2009-03-02T00:25:11-05:00

4 There is a long tradition of crappy Christmas music, and this one is as smelly as reindeer droppings. No one expects much more than schmaltz from Las Vegas, but the opening track here, featuring Lesley Gore, sounds like an ad put together by the gambling commission. Other notable appearances here include Lou Rawls, Tony Orlando, Florence LaRue of the Fifth Dimension and Nevada Lt. Governor Lorraine T. Hunt. So bad it's good? Not even. true 254 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 16396 98 200512 true 0 108 2005-12-01T00:00:00-05:00

There is a long tradition of crappy Christmas music, and this one is as smelly as reindeer droppings. No one expects much more than schmaltz from Las Vegas, but the opening track here, featuring Lesley Gore, sounds like an ad put together by the gambling commission. Other notable appearances here include Lou Rawls, Tony Orlando, Florence LaRue of the Fifth Dimension and Nevada Lt. Governor Lorraine T. Hunt. So bad it's good? Not even.

2009-03-02T00:25:11-05:00

4 The former jailbird and queen of domesticity cherry-picks classics by Tony Bennett ("Santa Claus Is Coming to Town") and Dexter Gordon ("Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas) and some contemporary versions by Chris Botti ("Let It Snow!") and Grover Washington Jr. ("Jesu, Joy of Man's Dressing"). Stewart also provides a recipe for hot crab dip--nothing says "holiday cheer" like mushed up seafood. true 254 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 16397 98 200512 true 0 108 2005-12-01T00:00:00-05:00

The former jailbird and queen of domesticity cherry-picks classics by Tony Bennett ("Santa Claus Is Coming to Town") and Dexter Gordon ("Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas) and some contemporary versions by Chris Botti ("Let It Snow!") and Grover Washington Jr. ("Jesu, Joy of Man's Dressing"). Stewart also provides a recipe for hot crab dip--nothing says "holiday cheer" like mushed up seafood.

2009-03-02T00:25:11-05:00

4 Long out of print, this 1968 LP is pretty much the Ameri-achi music we'd expect from Alpert and Co. A mere 32 minutes long, the reissue features no extra tunes, but the always commercially minded Alpert was spot-on in his choices, as chestnuts like "Winter Wonderland," "Jingle Bells" and "Jingle Bell Rock" get the south-of-the-border treatment. Of particular note are the '60s-style choral arrangements of Shorty Rogers, which add a loungy counterpoint to this festival of pop-jazz. Highlights include a great version of "My Favorite Things" and a wobbly version of "The Christmas Song," sung by Alpert. true 254 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 16382 98 200512 true 0 108 2005-12-01T00:00:00-05:00

Long out of print, this 1968 LP is pretty much the Ameri-achi music we'd expect from Alpert and Co. A mere 32 minutes long, the reissue features no extra tunes, but the always commercially minded Alpert was spot-on in his choices, as chestnuts like "Winter Wonderland," "Jingle Bells" and "Jingle Bell Rock" get the south-of-the-border treatment. Of particular note are the '60s-style choral arrangements of Shorty Rogers, which add a loungy counterpoint to this festival of pop-jazz. Highlights include a great version of "My Favorite Things" and a wobbly version of "The Christmas Song," sung by Alpert.

2009-03-02T00:25:10-05:00

4 Baker fronts an impressive small band featuring pianist Joe Sample and guitarist Larry Carlton as they put the Quiet Storm stamp on Christmas classics like "Christmas Time Is Here" and "O Come, All Ye Faithful," plus a few oddballs, like a ragtime version of "Frosty the Snowman" ("Frosty's Rag"). Baker scats her way through the second half of "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen," and it's not going to win her any new fans. But like all of Baker's work, the hot-buttered grooves work best for when Mr. and Mrs. Santa have some "alone" time. true 254 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 16383 98 200512 true 0 108 2005-12-01T00:00:00-05:00

Baker fronts an impressive small band featuring pianist Joe Sample and guitarist Larry Carlton as they put the Quiet Storm stamp on Christmas classics like "Christmas Time Is Here" and "O Come, All Ye Faithful," plus a few oddballs, like a ragtime version of "Frosty the Snowman" ("Frosty's Rag"). Baker scats her way through the second half of "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen," and it's not going to win her any new fans. But like all of Baker's work, the hot-buttered grooves work best for when Mr. and Mrs. Santa have some "alone" time.

2009-03-02T00:25:10-05:00