So I have a modest collection of Christmas music on CD - here it is, in no particular order. With a few exceptions, you can get these if you know your way around Amazon.com
Vince Guaraldi Trio - A Charlie Brown Christmas (Fantasy)
the original soundtrack CD - no comment needed!
Cyrus Chestnut and Friends - A Charlie Brown Christmas (Atlantic)
Jazz pianist Cyrus Chestnut and his trio collaborate with some of their jazz friends for this take on the above-mentioned CD. I'm a jazz fan so I really, really love this CD.
Bruce Cockburn - Christmas (Columbia)
For the Canadian in all of us - i'm not familiar with Cockburn's other CDs but his acoustic versions of traditional and french-canadian carols are pretty darn good.
Travelin' Light - Christmas With Travelin' Light (Telarc)
Guitarist/banjoist Frank Vignola and Tuba-ist Sam Pilafian released this quirky, off-the-wall CD in the early '90s. Their version of "Jingle Bells" is worth the price of the CD, all by itself -Pilafian's tuba solo in the piece cracks me up every time I hear it. It's 1930s/1940s-Django Reinhardt swing jazz.
Various Artists - Noel (Via)
Veteran Christian alt-rockers Derri Daugherty and Steve Hindalong of The Choir got together with some of their like-minded artist friends for this low-budget but high-quality CD. It's long out-of-print but worth the effort if you can track it down. Featured artists include Michael Pritzl (The Violet Burning), Kevin Smith (DC Talk), Carolyn Arends, and Buddy and Julie Miller.
Cambridge Singers - Christmas Day in the Morning (Collegium)
Robert Shaw Chamber Singers - Angels On High (Telarc)
To satisfy your classical music/traditional carols urges, I recommend these two CDs. Choral music aficianados should be familiar with the John Rutter and Robert Shaw canons.
Take 6 - He is Christmas (Reprise)
This was the first Christmas album that Take 6 did. The acapella cuts are excellent, their version of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" with The Yellowjackets is especially scrumptious.
Phil Keaggy - Majesty and Wonder (Myrrh)
Virtuoso guitarist Phil Keaggy collaborates with the London Symphony Orchestra for this instrumental guitar album. Highly recommmended.
Broken Records - The Broken Christmas (Broken)
Another long out-of-print gem from this late-1980s Christian independent record label. If you were a fan of the west-coast Christian rock movement of the mid to late 1980s you'll appreciate this CD. I happened upon it in a used-CD shop a few years ago. Some of the music is sadly dated, but the cuts with Gene Eugene and Ojo Taylor are first-rate.
Eddie Higgins Trio - Christmas Songs (Sunnyside)
This is the CD that every jazz fan wanted but couldn't get last year. It was released only in Japan. Eddie Higgins is a veteran jazz pianist and this CD really swings. You don't have to be a jazz fan to get into this CD. Luckily, Sunnyside Records picked it up for this year and it's available everywhere. My copy is coming from Amazon.com in 3-5 days.
You iTunes people out there should seek out and buy the song "The Last Month of the Year" (as in 'when was Jesus born?') by The Fairfield Four - it's on their 1992 CD "Standing in the Safety Zone." It's old-fashioned acapella gospel sung by these old masters of their craft with help from The Nashville Bluegrass Band.
So there you have it
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