Does every musician – jazz, pop, classical, country – at some point make a Christmas album? I answer with the same droll answer to the question someone once asked, “Does every girl singer have to sing ‘Summertime’?” Answer – “Apparently.”
Apparently, even the least likely musicians will eventually end up with a Christmas album, or at the very least a couple of Christmas tunes.
Not to be left out of the holiday market, Columbia Records put together an album, God Rest Ye Merry Jazzmen back in 1980 featuring six of the Columbia recording artists including McCoy Tyner, Wynton Marsalis (with Bran on tenor), the Heath Brothers, Paquito D’Rivera and John Miller.
But the star of the album was Dexter Gordon with Kirk Lightsey on piano, David Eubanks on bass, and Eddie Gladden on drums ever cool on one of my favorite Christmas jazz recordings – “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” For you aficionados, this tune is from the 1944 movie Meet Me in St. Louis and was first sung by Judy Garland. It’s become a classic of the season.
I dedicate it tonight not only to the holiday, but to the winter Solstice. Great jazz is a nondenominational thing, JazzBabies, and a beautiful thing, too. These days, the universe needs every beautiful thing we can offer. Do your part and stick with beautiful things for the season.