Artist: Eddie Higgins Trio Title Of Album: Christmas Songs Year Of Release: 2005 Label: Venus Records Genre: Jazz, Christmas Jazz Quality: M...

Eddie Higgins Trio - Christmas Songs

Πέμπτη, Νοεμβρίου 17, 2011 Giorgos Varvakis 1 Comments

Artist: Eddie Higgins Trio
Title Of Album: Christmas Songs
Year Of Release: 2005
Label: Venus Records
Genre: Jazz, Christmas Jazz
Quality: MP3
Bitrate: 320kbpsType: CD
Total Time: 52:36 min
Total Size: 115 mb

Tracklist:
1. Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow 3:41
2. Christmas Song 5:15
3. I'll Be Home For Christmas 4:29
4. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 4:35
5. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town 3:34
6. O Little Town Of Bethlehem 4:49
7. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 4:19
8. The Christmas Waltz 3:25
9. White Christmas 4:43
10. Winter Wonderland 6:16
11. Deck The Hall With Boughs Of Holly 3:42
12. Sleight Ride 3:48

Eddie Higgins (piano)
Jay Leonhart (bass)
Joe Ascione (drums)

Every year at this time I choose a favorite jazz Christmas  album to
share with you. My annual selection has nothing to do with new releases or hot new artists. My criterion simply is beauty, which isn't so easy, since a great Christmas album is hard to find. For me, most tend to be too solemn or sticky sweet. Just right is a fine line in this genre. To make the cut, a holiday jazz album needs to be uplifting and sentimental, but not dreary or noisy. I know, I know—picky, picky. My evergreen selection this year is Eddie Higgins' Christmas Songs.
Recorded in 2004, the album features pianist Higgins [pictured]  with
bassist Jay Leonhart and drummer Joe Ascione. What I love about Christmas Songs is the drifting-feather quality of Higgins' piano playing, not to mention the perfect song list. All the chestnuts are here, and Higgins roasts each one with jolly grace.
Higgins, who died in 2009, was one of those rare jazz pianists who knew exactly
where the best chord  voicings
were hidden on the keyboard. He also knew how to cover the entire ivory landscape without pounding or over-indulging. As you listen to him play (on all of his albums, in fact), you can almost hear song lyrics dancing around in his head.
On Christmas Songs, Higgins delivers a top-hat-and-tails holiday card with just a peck of jazz mischief and a pinch of frosty nostalgia.
jazzwax.com