The Jazz Spirit of Christmas (2004)

About this title: Presumably taking advantage of some time off while touring, Les DeMerle joins up with a small group for a jazz Christmas album. It's nightclub fare in general, with steady instrumental work from the crew and some solid vocals from Bonnie Eisele, DeMerle's wife. Ken Peplowski takes some very nice, classic post-bop solos from time to time, playing off of DeMerle's drums perfectly, and bassist Bill McCrossen, though staying in the back for the majority of the album, keeps up a lilting bassline with forays into adventure on occasion. The treat here is the array of new arrangements of classics ... read more

Tracks:

1. Winter Wonderland [Bernard/Smith]
2. Let It Snow [Cahn/Stein]
3. The Christmas Song [Torme/Wells]
4. I'll Be Home for Christmas [Kent/Gannon]
5. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town [Gillespie/Coots]
6. The Christmas Waltz [Cahn/Stein]
7. Santa Baby [Javits/Springer/Spr]
8. Sleigh Ride [Parish/Anderson]
9. Baby, It's Cold Outside [Loesser]
10. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas [Blane/Martin]
11. Santa Claus Is Near [Pizzarelli]
12. White Christmas [Berlin]
13. Snowfall [Thornhill/Thornhill]
14. Little Bebop Drummer Boy [Simeone/Davis/Onora]
15. Merry Christmas, Baby [Moore/Baxter/Baxter]
16. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve [Loesser]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.