Search - Spyro Gyra, Patti Austin, Carl Anderson :: GRP Christmas Collection, Vol. 2

Open your ears to some new styling of old faves!

Elizabeth M. Cole | Pikeville, KY United States | 11/20/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I wrote a general review of the GRP Christmas Collections CD's on the vol. I page. My faves on this one are Blue Christmas , which is a new song to me, and Christmas Time is Here. There's also fresh, jazzy treatments of standards. I Wonder as I Wander really comes alive. Highly recommend this CD and the other two volumes."

Best of the best

SIMPLE | USA | 12/24/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"No compilation on the market any better than this! I'd buy THIS cd for Spyro Gyra's "I'll Be Home For Christmas" alone!
All 3 GRP CDs are great. And if you can get your hands on it, try a compilation CD titled "Jazzy Wonderland""

A jazzy soul Christmas

Enrique Torres | San Diegotitlan, Califas | 12/26/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have plenty of Christmas music, more than I can usually play during the season but this one I never can do without. If you like jazz in the smooth jazz vein, soulful renditions of classics, improvised interpretations, than you'll be in heaven with this disc. There are several tracks that wouldn't be Christmas without hearing every year.Don Grusin leads the way with memorable tracks with his choir infused version of "Angels We Have Heard On High." The melodic yet innovative "The First Noel" by George Howard is reminiscent of John Coltrane in his phrasing at times, "I'll Be Home For Christmas" by Spyro Gyra is a rocking jumping good time, Arturo Sandoval sheds his latin jazz image for a brief moment on Bb trumpet and piccolo trumpet for a classical music introduction that soon transcends into blistering jazz solos than back into classical melodies on "O Come All Ye Faithful," the soulful voices of Carl Anderson and Patti Austin respectively on "O Holy Night" and "Christmas Time is Here" give the disc part of it's R&B edge. The absolute most sublime songs you can ever hear during the season are on this disc. You must hear "I Wonder as I Wander" by the New York Voices which mesh so beautifully with jazz arrangements and horns that will knock your socks off. Another soulful track is "Let There Be Peace on Earth" by Voyceboxing which features some remarkable female singing. The disc closes out with an amazing performance on harp by Deborah Henson- Conant who gives a Middle Eastern meets Western sensibilities to the otherworldly "We Three Kings of Orient Are." Great music for the holidays that you will enjoy year after year as I have since the early 90's."