This Christmas jazz CD contains 14 performances, a dozen of them not available on other sets. The two exceptions are
Tony Bennett's 1987 "White Christmas" (which contains one of tenor-saxophonist
Dexter Gordon's last recordings, a brief and weak statement) and
Wynton Marsalis's "Winter Wonderland." Other musicians who are featured include
Harry Connick, Jr.,
Branford Marsalis,
Joey DeFrancesco,
Nancy Wilson,
Grover Washington, Jr.,
Kirk Whalum,
Ellis Marsalis,
Richard Tee,
Marlon Jordan and
Terence Blanchard. Nothing that unusual occurs but this CD serves as good background music for the holiday season.
–
Scott Yanow, Rovi