Jazz Classic of the Month
There have been a countless number of jazz Christmas albums recorded and released during the past 60 years. One of the most fun and swinging is A Chiaroscuro Christmas which was released as a CD back in the 1990s. This compilation of recordings from 1973-94 contains music not originally on any of the Chiaroscuro albums.
Featured are Earl Hines (“White Christmas”), Dick Wellstood leading a Fats Waller-inspired combo (“Jingle Bells”), trumpeter Bob Barnard, pianists Mike Jones, Dave McKenna, Roger Kellaway, Johnny Costa, Junior Mance, and Steve Allen, tenor-saxophonist Flip Phillips, bassist Milt Hinton, flutist George Young, the Manhattan Jazz Quintet, Louie Bellson, Summit Reunion (Kenny Davern and Bob Wilber), and a number that has pianists Ralph Sutton and Jay McShann playing together.
Whether it is “Frosty The Snowman,” “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” or “Winter Wonderland,” A Chiaroscuro Christmas shows that Christmas songs and swinging jazz are a perfect fit.
A Chiaroscuro Christmas
Chiaroscuro CR 332
