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Rodney Whitaker with the Christ Church Cranbrook Choir: Cranbrook Christmas Jazz
ByOn Cranbrook Christmas Jazz, the results of this partnership are well-documented, with over seventy minutes of music that is by turns reverential and light-hearted, but always with a strong jazz pulse at its core. Whitaker's characteristically terrific sextet is joined by vocalist Vanessa Rubin and the Christ Church Cranbrook Choir for fourteen pieces that range from secular Christmas staples like "Winter Wonderland" and "Christmas Time is Here" to sacred carols such as "We Three Kings" and "O Holy Night." The idiomatic juxtapositions might ordinarily seem unwieldy, but the first-rate arrangements give both the sacred and the secular pieces a cohesive feel and ensure that they are rooted in the jazz tradition. Take for instance the first cut, "Personent Hodie," the most obscure piece on the album: under Whitaker's spry modal arrangement, the twelfth-century medieval carol jumps with life, as drummer Michael Reed's infectious polyrhythms spur the band to some high-energy playing right out of the gate, with trumpeter Timothy Blackmon leading the soloists. While more subdued and contemplative, "In the Bleak Midwinter" still possesses an understated jazz sensibility, with a subtle swing feel and considerable harmonic complexity reflected in pianist Rick Roe's deft flourishes.
Aside from "Personent Hodie," the album is vocalist-centered, with Rubin getting a chance to stretch out on tracks like "My Favorite Things" and "Have Yourself a Merry Christmas," where her warmth and vitality, and more than a little playfulness, animate the music convincingly. Elsewhere Christopher McDole and Rockelle Whitaker make appearances: McDole's "I Love the Winter Weather" is an insouciant gem highlighting the singer's ingratiating baritone along with some fluid soloing by bass trombonist Chris Glassman, while Whitaker's sprightly take on the Caribbean-flavored "Little Drummer Boy" is a delight, especially in conversation with Len'i McKinney, whose skillful alto sax phrasing is the perfect partner to Whitaker's nimble scatting. But not to be outdone is the Christ Church Choir, whose members provide stirring renditions of "O Holy Night" and "Silent Night" and are seamlessly integrated into these jazz-inflected arrangements. Vocalists Tom Shilakes, Marc Meyers and Kate Lucander each have solo opportunities that are both impassioned and compelling.
Although each December typically sees a steady stream of Christmas releases, many of which are destined to fall by the wayside, forgotten once the tree is finally discarded and the eggnog has run out, Cranbrook Christmas Jazz offers an abundance of musical riches worthy of savoring for years to come.
Track Listing
Personent Hodie; The Christmas Song; In the Bleak Midwinter; We Three Kings; I Love the Winter Weather; Christmas Time is Here; Winter Wonderland; O Holy Night; A Child is Born; My Favorite Things; It’s Easy to Blame the Weather; Little Drummer Boy; Silent Night; Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.
Personnel
Rodney Whitaker
bassRick Roe
pianoMichael Reed
drumsVanessa Rubin
vocalsTimothy Blackmon
trumpetLen'i McKinney
saxophoneChris Glassman
tromboneChristopher Wells
composer / conductorAdditional Instrumentation
Rockelle Whitaker: Vocal (4, 12); Christopher McDole: Vocal (5, 11); Tom Shilakes: Vocal (3); Marc Meyers: Vocal (8); Kate Lucander: Vocal (13).
Album information
Title: Cranbrook Christmas Jazz | Year Released: 2021 | Record Label: Origin Records