Essential Jazz Listening: ‘Tis the Season

“Produced, arranged, and created by Gene Purling, the former genius behind the innovative vocal group The Hi-Los, comes ‘The Singers Unlimited Christmas.’ Created in 1967, The Singers Unlimited comprised four members (Bonnie Herman, the top of the harmony, Len Dressler on the bottom, and Don Shelton and Gene Purling in the middle) and were considered, by many, to be the most remarkable vocal group in the history of the United States (or any other country, for that matter). Their Christmas album, like all 14 albums they would make for Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer’s MPS Label, fully demonstrates the group’s perfect combination of faultless intonation, vocal intensity, jazz style feeling, sophisticated arrangements, and almost unbelievable technical command.”—Dean Pratt

Vinyl Tap

By Dean Pratt

“As Sondheim did in the past, with lyric additions to Barbra’s remarkable versions of ‘Send In The Clowns,’ ‘Putting It Together,’ and ‘I’m Still Here,’ he now revisits an earlier composition, ‘I Remember.’ With a new opening verse, this plaintive soliloquy from his television musical “Evening Primrose” has been transformed into a subtly haunting remembrance of Christmases past: ‘I awake on a chilly Christmas morning,/watching choirs singing carols on TV./I gaze out through my window at a dozen other windows,/then I plug in my artificial tree./And like a dream I begin to remember every/Christmas I used to know./A thousand miles away, a million years ago.’”—Jay Landers

Author’s Note: My friend Audrey Mannes Mosello put this (vinyl) ball in motion when she asked me to post my favorite albums—my “essential jazz listening list”—on Facebook over a specified-by-her period of time. Or something like that. Audrey, you know what you asked of me, but I doubt you expected the deluge that would follow on as a result of your innocent request.

PENDLETON South Carolina—(Hubris)—December 2023—It seems that everyone, at one time or another, for better or worse, finds her- or himself in the studio recording a Christmas album. This December, it’s high time for a Vinyl Tap holiday post listing some of the best. I’ve collected Christmas albums for decades in order to have good Jazzy sounds to play once a year at holiday gatherings. Of my favorites, some are still available while some, unfortunately, are not.

One of the very first Christmas albums I bought, and a special favorite of my mother’s, was recorded during February and March of 1961 at Goldwin Sound Stage 5, in Hollywood: “From the Creative World of Stan Kenton Comes . . . A Merry Christmas!” (Capitol Records T-1621) was scored for four trumpets (Dalton Smith, Bud Brisbois, Bob Rolfe, and Sanford Skinner); four mellophones (Dwight Carver, Gene Roland, Keith LaMotte, and Gordon Davison); four trombones (Bob Fitzpatrick, Jim Amlotte, Dave Wheeler, and Paul Heydorff); a tuba (Clive Acker); a rhythm section (Pete Chivily, Bass; Jerry Lestock McKenzie, Drums; Emil Richards and Larry Bunker, Percussion) and Stan Kenton, on piano. It is an immensely creative adaptation of Christmas classics arranged by Stan and Ralph Carmichael. Michael Cuscuna’s 2003 Capitol CD reissue contains the ever-loving Maynard Ferguson 1960 Roulette recording of “Christmas For Moderns,” arranged by Willie Maiden. I still enjoy listening to this one even in the off season.

The next recording I bought was the 1965 Columbia recording, “Christmas Serenade: In The Glenn Miller Style,” featuring Tex Beneke, Ray Eberle, Paula Kelly, and The Modernaires. Arranged by Alan Copeland, the orchestrations lend a contemporary flavor to the familiar Glenn Miller style. It’s a kick to hear Tex and the original singers recorded in stereo sound. The album has a good mixture of swingers and ballads from “It Happened in Sun Valley” to “White Christmas.” 

Also in the Miller Style, I highly recommend two Laser Light CDs entitled “In the Christmas Mood I & 11.” Recorded in 1991, they feature members of former later Miller bands along with some of New York’s finest musicians (and, full disclosure, many personal friends). Arranged by John LaBarbera and Dave Wolpe, the personnel comprise: on Saxophones, Ralph Olsen and Lee Lachman (alto/clarinet), Frank Perowsky and Mark Vinci (tenors), and Richy Barz (Baritone/Bass Clarinet); Trumpets: Dale Thompson, John Hoffman, Ken Brader, and Tom Snelson; Trombones: Larry O’Brian, Randy Purcell, Eric Culver, and Dennis Good; Piano: Don Edmunds; Bass: Lanny Fields; Guitar: Jay Patten; and on drums, the veteran of the Buddy DeFranco Miller Band and Maynard Ferguson’s great 1974 Chameleon Band, Danny D’Imperio. Vocals are by the Moonlight Serenaders: Al Dana, Annette Sanders, Dave Ragaini, Jackie Prestie, and Lenny Roberts. 

Before we get to the classic vocal albums, here’s another big band instrumental side I like: “The Incredible Jimmy Smith, Christmas ‘64 (AKA Christmas Cookin),” recorded in April and September of that year at Rudy Van Gelder’s Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey Studio by the legendary engineer for Verve Records (LP V6-8604). 

With arrangements by Al Cohn and Billy Byers, Smith’s organ is backed up by the usual first-call New York studio musicians. Conducted by Billy Byers, the big band tracks include Bernie Glow, Danny Stiles, Joe Wilder, Joe Newman and Ernie Royal, trumpets; Chauncy Welsh, Jimmy Cleveland, Paul Faulise, and Tommy Mitchell, trombones; Harvey Phillips, tuba; Don Corrado, Jimmy Buffington, Earl Chapin, and Morris Secon, French horns; Kenny Burrell, and Quentin Warren (trio), guitar; Art Davis, Bass (Big Band only); Grady Tate, and Billy Hart (trio), drums; and Margaret Ross, on harp. If you like a little soul with your Christmas, this is the record for you. Strong arrangements and exciting solo work make this an album that not only makes it a great “seasonal” record, but a definitive collection of familiar material treated in an original manner, music that will stand up at any time of year.

More traditional at Christmas time are the many recordings by vocalists and I have some favorites there.

Recorded in 1960, (the 60s seemed to be a popular decade for the release of Christmas LPs) is “Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas,” by Ella Fitzgerald with Frank De Vol and his orchestra and chorus (Verve Records MG VS-64042). Swinging is the key here as Fitzgerald happily romps her way through twelve happy winter songs. It’s a perfect showcase for this great singer’s warmth, verve, and good cheer to get you in the Yuletide spirit. 

Again from 1960 we have Peggy Lee’s album “Christmas Carousel” (Capitol Records CDP 7 94450 2). Lee sings here arrangements by Billy May, Jack Marshall, Sid Feller, and Dave Barbour, with a children’s choir directed by Jimmy Joyce. Standards and Lee originals make up this delightful album depicting the many moods of Christmas interpreted as only Peggy Lee can. 

From the remarkable Barbra Streisand, recorded in 1967 on Columbia Records, comes “A Christmas Album” (LP CL 2757 and CD Reissue CBS Sony 32DP 260). Arranged by Marty Paich (“Jingle Bells,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “The Christmas Song,” “White Christmas,” “My Favorite Things”) and Ray Ellis (“The Best Gift,” “Sleep In Heavenly Peace” (“Silent Night”), Gounod’s “Ave Maria,” “O Little Town Of Bethlehem,” “I Wonder As I Wander,” and “The Lord’s Prayer”). What can one say about the stunning voice of Ms. Streisand wishing us all a Merry Christmas!

Produced, arranged, and created by Gene Purling, the former genius behind the innovative vocal group The Hi-Los, comes “The Singers Unlimited Christmas” (MPS Records MB 20904). Created in 1967, The Singers Unlimited comprised four members (Bonnie Herman, the top of the harmony, Len Dressler on the bottom, and Don Shelton and Gene Purling in the middle), and were considered, by many, to be the most remarkable vocal group in the history of the United States (or any other country, for that matter). Their Christmas album, like all 14 albums they would make for Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer’s MPS Label, fully demonstrates the group’s perfect combination of faultless intonation, vocal intensity, jazz style feeling, sophisticated arrangements, and almost unbelievable technical command. Pick up this or any of their recordings to experience four singers who are virtually an entire choir in and of themselves (and enjoy, as well, their modern interpretations of Christmas).

We came to the end of an era this past July when we lost Anthony Dominick Benedetto, better known as Tony Bennett. 

I would be remiss not to hip you to Mr. Bennett’s contribution to the holiday season. Recorded in 1968 in London and New York for Columbia Records (LP CS 9739 CD Reissue CK 66459) is Bennett’s “Snowfall.” Not surprisingly, it is the quintessential album we have come to expect from the master-interpreter of The Great American Songbook. 

Beautifully arranged by the great Robert Farnon, the New York orchestra is made up of the best musicians recording at that time (and the personnel on most of Bennett’s Columbia albums):   Reeds: Walt Levinsky, William Slapin, Robert Tricarico, Romeo Penque, Sol Schlinger, and Lou Soldo; trumpets: Bernie Glow, John Frosk, Al DeRisi, and Burt Collins; trombones: Chauncy Welsch, John Messner, Lou McGarity, and Paul Faulice; French horns: James Buffington, Joseph Singer, and Joseph DeAnglis; guitar: Barry Galbraith; harp: Gloria Agostini; celeste: Dick Hyman, and Nick Perito; bass: Milt Hinton, and Jack Lesberg; piano: John Bunch; drums: Sol Gubin; percussion: David Carey; and Concert Master for the strings: David Nadian. 

Many Christmas chestnuts are here along with one original by the Farnon brothers, Robert and Dennis, entitled “Christmasland,” a few interesting choices by Tony (such as the title tune of the album, “Snowfall,” composed by Claude Thornhill), as well as “My Favorite Things,” and “Where Is the Love.” The CD reissue contains one bonus track, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” from Bennett’s appearance on the John Stewart Show with his then current trio led by Ralph Sharon. Like all of Bennett’s recordings, this one if full of the class, sophistication, and attention to the lyric we expect from one of the greatest singers of popular melodies the world has known. (The cover art is by the vocalist, himself, so listeners “take home” one of Tony’s paintings as well.)

And, finally, what Christmas listening would be complete without the iconic version by Nat King Cole of the Mel Torme/Robert Wells classic “The Christmas Song.” Originally introduced by Cole in 1946, it has been ranked each year since as one of the most popular of Christmas songs. 

The version I recommend is from the 1962 (of course) album titled, not surprisingly “The Christmas Song,” recorded for Capitol Records LP W-1967, arranged and conducted by Ralph Carmichael with a 40-piece orchestra and three choral groups. The vocal adaptations of the album’s title, “The Christmas Song,” along with “Deck The Hall,” “Adeste Fideles,” “O Tannenbaum,” “O, Little Town Of Bethlehem,” “I Saw Three Ships,” “O Holy Night,” “Hark, The Herald Angels Sing,” “A Cradle In Bethlehem,” “Away In a Manger,” “Joy To The World,” “The First Noel,” “Caroling, Caroling,” and “Silent Night” are by Cole, himself. Never has the magic of Christmas been more beautifully expressed. 

We all have our favorite Christmas albums, but these are just a few of the many recordings from my collection I wanted to share with you this season. All are essential listening and guaranteed to put you in the Spirit. 

Keep Swinging, and Happiest Holidays, from Dean Pratt.