Christmas Music

I love Christmas. No, I mean it, I love Christmas. With this love of Christmas comes a love of Christmas music. I love Christmas and the music associated it with it so much that I start listening to Christmas music the day after halloween. Yep, if you see me on November 1st sometime during that day I have probably started listening to Christmas music.

I would like to share with you some of my favorite Christmas Cd's. These are cd's that I can listen to each track on the cd from start to finish. There are many great Christmas songs. There are many enjoyable Christmas cd's. But some of the cd's have songs that I'll skip over. The cd's on my list are cd's that I can listen to all the way through without skipping a track. I would also like to add that I am just listing cd's that I enjoy. I'm not making the list based on some artistic level. Just pure enjoyment. I have provided YouTube links where available.

So here we go in no particular order:

1. Tommy Walker: This Is What Christmas Means To Me.
Tommy has some really good arrangements of some Christmas classics. Songs like Silent Night and Go Tell It On The Mountain. On many of the songs he has added little parts to each song. He also has some originals on this collection. If you were looking for some songs to sing at church nearly every song on this collection would work.

2. James Taylor: At Christmas.
This cd came out a couple of years ago and I have constantly listened to it. Some Monk harmonies thrown in on Santa Claus Is Comin To Town, Joni Mitchell's River and Winter Wonderland are all enjoyable. But my favorite tracks are Some Children See Him, Who Comes This Night and In The Bleak Midwinter. They have great chord progressions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWQkhMGejLc In The Bleak Midwinter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cg929aqfmy4 Santa Claus Is Comin To Town

3. Israel Houghton: A Timeless Christmas.
His version of The Nutcracker is worth the price of the cd. This cd is mixed well and funky from start to finish. Marcus Miller plays the bass clarinet on a track, Cc Winans makes a guest appearance as does her brother Marvin. Great musicianship all the way through this cd.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4YqVwcdLoU We Wish You A Timeless Christmas

4. Jazz For Joy: Various Artists
This is a wonderful cd of jazz interpretations of some of your favorite Christmas songs. Some of the artists on this cd include: Roy Hargrove, Shirley Horn, Betty Carter, Mark Whitfield and Nicholas Payton. This cd is more straight ahead jazz. If you are looking for some contemporary jazz I would recommend any of the Grp Christmas cd's.

5. Nicole C. Mullen: Christmas In Black And White
This is a cd that has some traditional Christmas songs (The Christmas Song which she does a duet with her father). It has some Christmas songs that you are familiar with that she has rearranged. (Away In The Manger becomes Sacred Night with a nice chord progression and a new chorus with a latin feel). There are also a few original songs. This cd also has my favorite version of O Come O Come Emmanuel. Nicole can get funky when she wants to and she can play it straight. This is very enjoyable listening.

6. Michael McDonald: In The Spirit
This cd has a few classic Christmas songs such as, White Christmas. It also has a duet with James Ingram on One Gift. It is typical Michael McDonald. If you have enjoyed his music over the years then you will enjoy the cd.

7. The Brooklyn Tabernacle: Christmas At The Brooklyn Tabernacle
The BTC has released four Christmas cd's. All of them are very enjoyable if you enjoy choir music. Their first Christmas cd was their weakest. They just released their fourth Christmas cd this year. The cd that I have named was their 2nd Christmas cd. There is a medley of familiar Christmas songs. There is also a bunch of original music. Many of these songs have become a part of my Christmas tradition.

8. Chris Isaak: Christmas
This is a cd for those of you who enjoy early rock and roll. He does Rudolph, Pretty Paper and others with that 1950's early 60's rock and roll sound. Of course he also does Blue Christmas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41wtUbOo8ZI Chris Isaak Christmas

9. Bryan Duncan: Christmas Is Jesus
Bryan has an incredible voice. This is a cd that includes Please Come Home For Christmas, Grown Up Christmas List as well standards like I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day and Angels We Have Heard On High.

10. Kenny Loggins: December
Typical Kenny Loggins. He does favorites like, White Christmas and Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. Newer Christmas songs, like Angels In The Snow and On Christmas Morning as well as the old classic, Coventry Carol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFMM1cNDvPs


Here is a list of other Christmas Cd's that I enjoy:
Jazz:
Fourplay: Snowbound http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo7EG_iTkk0
Oscar Peterson: An Oscar Peterson Christmas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X__UUGK58-g&feature=related
Dave Koz: Dave Koz And Friends A Smooth Jazz Christmas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4yHeptg5Gs
Cyrus Chestnut: A Charlie Brown Christmas
The Yellow Jackets: Peace Round http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97ChKilZy6k
Take 6: They have 3 Christmas Cd's all enjoyable http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9N1IMoV0VE

Blues
B.B. King: A Christmas Celebration Of Hope http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t467LmaVF58

Country:
Dwight Yoakam: Come On Christmas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8jjwu0z81s&feature=related
B. J. Thomas: Christmas Is Coming Home

Others:
Casting Crowns: Peace On Earth http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7670CXvPX0
Natalie Grant: Believe http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UB3rZI73Zg
Fernando Ortega: Christmas Songs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciA2pMkvInQ
Chris Tomlin: Glory In The Highest http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPwNO9RtLJA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L_X10hy1x0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gy29mQfiavg
Al Green: Feels Like Christmas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFeY_ZLARZM
Jars Of Clay: Christmas Songs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5Fm-uZxMD4
Yolanda Adams: Christmas With Yolanda http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdEjLvQWfQk
This is just a short list. I didn't even mention some of my favorite Christmas songs that may be on a cd that I didn't mention. I would be interested in hearing from you as to what your favorite Christmas CD's are.
I hope you get a chance to listen to your Christmas favorites this year.

Troy