Christmas Time in Rio (Sunnyside – 1768) is a delightful 12-song collection of Christmas tunes by guitarist Romero Lubambo and vocalist Pamela Driggs. This husband-and-wife team is joined on various tracks by pianist Peter Martin, accordionist Victor Gonçalves, vibraphonist Joe Locke, bassist Itiguara Brandão, and drummer Rafael Barata, with vocalist Luisa Lubambo featured on “Silent Night” and adding background vocals and arrangements on other tracks. The program is mostly familiar Christmas songs such as “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “Christmas Love Song,” “Silent Night,” “The Christmas Song,” “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” “White Christmas,” “Jingle Bells”, and “Toyland.” Also included are “Holiday of Love” by Bill Driggs, “Presente de Natal” by Nelcy Noronha and “Winter Reverie” by the featured artists. Lubambo is among the most admired practitioners of Brazilian jazz, notably as a member of Trio da Paz. Driggs has a lovely mellow voice and a fine feeling of gentle swing. Christmas Time in Rio is wonderfully relaxing music for your seasonal enjoyment. (sunnysiderecords.com)
Trumpeter Rich Willey has released Boptism Christmas (Boptism Music – 2024), an album of jazz takes on a selection of Christmas songs. Willey’s North Carolina-based octet includes Willey on trumpet, Dylan Hannan on alto sax, Ashley Pritchard on tenor sax, Bill Reichenbach on trombone and bass trumpet, Alex Taub on piano and organ, Andy Page on guitar, Zack Page on bass, Justin Wright on drums, and Russ Wilson who provides a hip vocal on “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and adds his drums to their crackling version of “Little Drummer Boy”, renamed “Little Drummer Boyz.” The opening track, “Merry Gentlemen Kings”, is a clever blending of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” and “We Three Kings.” This track is illustrative of the creative approach that Willey applies to all the selections. In addition to those mentioned above, the tunes include “White Christmas,” “Silver Bells,”, and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, among others. A surprising choice that Willey makes work nicely is “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”. While this is an album of Christmas songs, it can be enjoyed for its jazz essence at any time of year. (boptism.com)
Are you looking for a perfect album to play as you sit by the fireside on Christmas Eve or morning? Then you might want to try A Star’s Light Does Fall (Slovak Music – 105) by guitarist Margaret Slovak and bassist Chris Maresh. They are wonderfully simpatico as they assay 11songs including “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” “I Wonder as I Wander,” and “What Child Is This.”. Slovak’s gentle approach and Maresh’s equally subtle support provide for a relaxing and welcoming listening experience. (margaretslovak.com)
Austrian vocalist Somone Kopmajer has a new Christmas release, Home for Christmas (Lucky Mojo Records). Kopmajer is based in Graz, and the album was recorded partially in New York City by pianist John di Martino — who also did the arrangements — and bassist Noriko Ueda. The other segment was recorded in Graz with Kopmajer and other Austrian musicians. The tracks were mixed and mastered in New York by Dave Darlington. The mixing is seamless as Kopmajer and her musical partners address 14 tracks that include Christmas favorites such as “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “Let It Snow” and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” Kopmajer is a fine singer who sings in English with no hint of an Austrian accent. Having di Martino on piano is always a plus. This is a fine mainstream Christmas outing that will be a welcome addition to your Christmas music library. (amazon.com)–JOE LANG