Christmas Party: Holiday Piano Spiked with Swing

Artist: Dave McKenna
Label: Concord Records
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 013431492320
EAN: 0013431492320
ASIN: B00004WJZX

Release Date: 2000-08-08

Related Categories:

General

| Jazz | Styles | Music

General

| Pop | Styles | Music

General

| Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Holiday Music

| Compilations | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General Christmas

| Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Pop Vocal

| Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

CDs $7 - $10

CDs $7 - $10

All Bargain Titles

All Bargain Titles

General Christmas

| Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

$7 - $10

| Today's Deals | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Pop Vocal

| Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

4-for-3 Jazz

| 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 Pop

| 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music

| 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

Listmania:

S2 Book Club Selections 2005-06
a piano Christmas 1
Christmas for Cool Cats
What HOLIDAY SEASON CDs you should own.
Some Great Christmas Music
Wish List Wanna Be`s~~Lounge-o-licious~~ rd. 1~~
A Jazz Piano Christmas

Tracks:

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Jingle Bells (The One Horse Open Sleigh)
Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht (Silent Night, Holy Night)
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
Don't Want No Blues This Christmas
It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
Christmas Waltz
O Little Town Of Bethlehem/Mary's Little Boy Child
Cantique De Noel (O Holy Night)
Silver Bells
I'll Be Home For Christmas
Snowbound
An Eggnog, Some Mistletoe And You
Sleigh Ride
Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful)
O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum! (O Christmas Tree)

Similar Items:

Oscar Peterson Christmas
Dancing in the Dark
A Dave Brubeck Christmas
Christmas with George Shearing Quintet
Live at Maybeck Recital Hall, Vol. 2

Customer Reviews:

Christmas Ivory, Indeed.......2004-10-23

I won't dispute conventional wisdom: The all-time greatest Christmas album is Vince Guaraldi's "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Having said that, a pair of solo piano albums are tied for the red ribbon: Cyrus Chestnut's "Blessed Quietness," and this gem from Dave McKenna.

Dave McKenna is the pianist's pianist. He's a legend among jazz pianists, a musician who never saw fame equal to his talent. Every musician knows his name. "Christmas Party" was recorded in February 1997, when McKenna was 66. Sadly, it was among his last recordings. In 2002, Nat Hentoff wrote a moving article about McKenna where he revealed that McKenna could no longer play piano. He suffers from carpal tunnel syndrome, due to severe diabetes.

McKenna lives a private life nowadays; but thanks to Concord, we have a few of his albums to enjoy. This is among the best. It's replete with classic carols, and even includes three original tunes by McKenna. It's an intimate hour with one of jazz's finest pianists, and the perfect setting for a snowy December night.

When I think of Dave McKenna, I'm reminded of Jaki Byard. Both are relatively unknown to most audiences. But if you ask musicians, they'll tell you these men were blessed with talent and inspiration. Each man's influence on his peers, and the way fellow musicians approach their instruments, is incalculable.

If you're looking for a wonderful Christmas disc, buy this one. If you want to discover a remarkable jazz musician, try Dave McKenna. I'd recommend "An Intimate Evening with Dave McKenna" (1999) and his Maybeck duo with guitarist Gray Sargent from 1992. But start here. This is a beautiful album, an absolute gem -- and I guarantee you'll find yourself playing it every Christmas.

NOTE: This album was originally issued in 1997 under the title, "Christmas Ivory." Concord's first printing contained an error that caused the disc to skip a few seconds into Track 1. If you own "Christmas Ivory," you'll note the music is the same. And if you plan to buy a used copy, I recommend you avoid the original title. I own a corrected copy, but it's possible you'll encounter a first-edition.

Unsung Hero.......2003-12-06

Forget the title. This is no mere seasonal novelty or "jazzed up" treatment of familiar tunes. Dave McKenna is the essence and personification of "swing," and no pianist, past or present, has mastered the left hand-right hand synchronization of jazz piano playing more effectively than McKenna. Tatum had the stride style down, Garner could keep the 4/4 going with massive left-hand chords. But McKenna lays down a walking-bass line second to none while managing to layer independent, lean and thoughtful melodic lines on top of that sure foundation. The music he creates offers as much to a follower of the modern piano scene as to a fan of the old stride-piano school.

This album is as ambitious and impressive as Dave's other recordings, which is to say that, as a Christmas program by a jazz instrumentalist, it is simply second to none. "Jingle Bells" might as well be "I Got Rhythm" or "Lady Be Good" under Dave's hands; "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and "Midnight Clear" communicate with the exhuberance and harmonic/melodic clarity of "All the Things You Are"; and the McKenna original, "Snowbound," manages to be fresh yet as communicative as a familiar standard.

Not long ago the NY Times carried an article about McKenna, indicating he was no longer playing due to bad health and that his medical expenses had left him virtually penniless. Yet he expressed surprise that some listeners would still remember him let alone find him newsworthy. That portrait squares with my memory of catching him at the Copley Hotel in Boston in the mid-80's. There were 10-15 other people in the room, none paying much attention to the music. At the break, I asked Dave how it felt to play night after night when no one was listening. "What do you mean?" he replied. "Apparently you were listening."

A perfect cd to drink eggnog and be merry..........2003-12-01

Everyone who knows me, knows I don't touch eggnog(unluss it's really spiked with something strong), I go straight for the martinis at any Christmas party and this is the perfect cd fir sipping martinis under the mistletoe, and smokin cigars by a warm fire place(with some warm brandy too), this is a great kicker to any holiday coktail party, it's good jazz,b y jazz piano legend McKenna, you'll love this cd so much, you won't want to get drunk, because you really want to lesten to this one, it's more than lounge, it's actually pretty deep, yet light & fun too. So listen, drunk, smoke strip and be merry.

Over the years we have come to expect a lot from Dave.......2003-11-30

I have been a Dave McKenna fan for several years. During this time, Dave has spoiled me with his work. I have come to expect a lot from Dave and he always delivers. On this particular cd, Dave has overwhelmed me with exellence. I find that his unique arrangements are mindbogglingly good. I wonder what happened? He must be getting better with every year. Maybe this is his best cd of all time, I listen to this year round!

For this cd, Dave used a good repertoire. I know he picked tunes that everyone who has class will enjoy. Like I said this is the best cd of his career, and is a highlight of his long lustrous career. Surely Dave, you've really outdone yourself with these timeless jazz and swing arrangements.

Recommednation: If you are looking for beautiful swinging, jazzy, arrangemtns for christmas time or anytime this cd is for you, if you have any class at all you'll buy this, just listen to the samples and you'll hear why. [...]

The best Christmas swing cd of all time!.......2003-11-29

Oh wow I'm in love with Dave McKenna's romantic and lovely style. He is a true jazz piano legend. I love this, this is my favorite Christmas cd, it's so good I listen to it year round. Everyone I've played thsi for loves it and I gave six of them out as Christmas gifts last yaer! This is timeless jazz and swing, all great Christmas tunes. THE BEST!!!

Music CD:

Music CD

Music CD

Music CD

They Don't Know Jack ~ Professor X

Exit...Stage Left ~ Rush

Rock 'n' Roll Gypsies ~ Vinegar Joe

Everything Is Temporary ~ Epic Soundtracks

Astral Episode ~ Space Odyssey

Paradoxaholic ~ Will Rigby

Quarantine ~ Tyfoid Mary

Palabra De Honor

Weekend Thang ~ Alfonzo Hunter

Go Gett It, Vol. 1 ~ Rock-T