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Christmas Wish

Gregory Porter

Jazz - Released November 3, 2023 | Universal Music Division Decca Records France

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It seems almost impossible for artists who reach a certain level of success in the industry to escape the lure of the great American ‘Christmas Album’. Gregory Porter is no exception to this rule, taking on the challenge with considerable flair in Christmas Wish. Accompanied on most of the album’s 12 tracks by a jazz orchestra, including his loyal companions Chip Crawford on piano, Jahmal Nichols on double bass, Onfrej Pivec on the Hammond organ, and Emanuel Harrold on drums. Their work is enhanced by the lush string section of the Kingdom Orchestra, and gospel-inspired background vocals (see the title theme, composed by Porter himself). Porter nestles his golden voice in the mix with great technique, to produce an intimate selection of Christmas songs.The tracks strike a comfortable balance between tradition and modernity, mixing classics (“Silent Night”, “Little Drummer Boy”), with others drawn from the American catalogue with 1950s jazz pieces (Sinatra’s “Christmas Waltz”, Nat King Cole’s “Cradle in Bethlehem”). Porter even embraces the soul music of the 60s and 70s with Marvin Gaye’s “Purple Snowflakes”, alongside Stevie Wonder’s “Somebody at Christmas”. Notably, instrumental contributions on the tracks include performances from harmonicist Grégoire Maret, and saxophonist Tivon Pennicott – along with American jazz diva Samara Joy. Joy’s cover of Frank Loesser's theme, "What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?", is a standout performance from the album. The resulting collection is executed without pretension, and instead with the generosity, talent and know-how of a decidedly incomparable artist. © Stéphane Ollivier/Qobuz
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The Singles: Echoes from the Edge of Heaven

Wham!

Pop - Released July 7, 2023 | Sony Music CG

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To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the release of their first album, Sony Music CG has brought together all the WHAM! singles on one disc, with a host of bonus tracks. It could only begin with Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do); the George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley duo’s brassy, bouncy calling card. The original track is followed by 5 re-jigged versions sure to delight fans. Of particular note is the Special US Remix, with its handclaps raising the slider on an already effective original rhythm, which is followed by Young Guns (Go For It), on the back of which WHAM! became a veritable social phenomenon. Relaxed, elegant and gently anti-conformist, the two young men went on to score a string of hits: Bad Boys, with its unforgettable opening synth gimmick, the summery Club Tropicana, and the unmissable Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, a 1984 single that sounds like it came straight out of the Motown catalogue. The number of hits on this compilation is all the more impressive given that WHAM! had a relatively short lifespan, sacrificed in favour of George Michael's phenomenal solo success. Songs like Last Christmas reflect the evolution of George Michael: it is signed by both of WHAM!’s members, but it is Michael alone who carries it on his shoulders. The christmas jingle is presented here in its original version, accompanied by a “Pudding Mix” which features a synthesised bell. As the album is structured chronologically, it ends with the band's least emblematic singles: The Edge of Heaven, Battlestations, and Where Did Your Heart Go?— a cover of the American band Was (Not Was) sung by Michael, on which Ridgeley is simply absent. © Nicolas Magenham/Qobuz
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A Charlie Brown Christmas (Remastered & Expanded Edition)

Vince Guaraldi

Jazz - Released January 1, 1965 | Fantasy Records

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Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz called on pianist extraordinaire Vince Guaraldi and his trio to compose and perform music that would reflect the humor, charm, and innocence of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the entire Peanuts gang for their 1965 Christmas TV special. It was a perfect match: Guaraldi strings together elegant, enticing arrangements that reflect the spirit and mood of Schulz's work and introduce contemporary jazz to youngsters with grace, charm, and creativity. "What Child Is This" touches on cool jazz's richly textured percussive nuances, while "The Christmas Song" reflects Christmas' relaxing, mellow moments. The renowned "Linus and Lucy" gives the Peanuts characters a fresh, energetic feel with its tantalizing meter changes, brilliant percussion, and dashing, humorous piano lines. "Christmastime Is Here," perhaps the album's most endearing and eloquent moment, is six minutes of soft, lullaby-like melodic and percussive flavors. This collection of soul-soothing melodies would not be complete without the romantic gem "Skating," which blends musical references to falling snowflakes with the dashing feel of swing. Finally, the uplifting, emotionally stirring swing tune "Christmas Is Coming" really brings the listener into the joyous light of the Christmas spirit. Fred Marshall's alluring walking basslines and drummer Jerry Granelli's hauntingly beautiful brush work give most of the album a warm foundation, while Monty Budwig and Colin Bailey shine through with eminent dexterity on bass and drums on "Greensleeves." As for Guaraldi, his penetrating improvisational phrases paint pictures of the first winter snowfall, myriad glistening trees, and powdery white landscapes. With its blend of contemporary jazz and lyrical mannerisms, A Charlie Brown Christmas is a joyous and festive meditation for the holiday season.© Shawn Haney /TiVo
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EELS So Good: Essential EELS Vol. 2 (2007-2020)

Eels

Alternative & Indie - Released December 15, 2023 | E Works Records

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Christmas in the Spirit of Jazz - A Qobuz Exclusive

Nils Langren

Jazz - Released November 17, 2023 | ACT Music

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Christmas has come early! That’s the spirit German label ACT is evoking with this delightful exclusive compilation. The tracks on the album are extraordinarily varied, from classical jazz (Irving Berlin’s “Snow”, Felix Bernard’s “Winter Wonderland”; Mel Tormé’s “Christmas Song”, Thad Jones’ “A Child is Born”), to traditional songs arranged à la Dixieland (“O Tannenbaum”) or ‘Burt Bacharach style’ (“Es wird scho glei dumpa”). It also takes us on a trip to the more cozy climates of Scandinavian folk jazz (the stunning “Vinter” by singer Janne Mark accompanied by trumpetist Arve Henriksen), and features the Jazzrausch Big Band, singers Viktoria Tolstoy and Jeanette Köhn, pianist Ida Sand, as well as the group Echoes of Spring along with pianist David Helbok. Through this kaleidoscope of moods, masterfully incarnated by a panel of highly diverse voices, including that of Landgren who, along with the trombone, doesn’t hesitate to carry a tune himself, this record is enchanting. A true success. © Stéphane Ollivier/Qobuz      
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Christmas at Home

The Puppini Sisters

Vocal Jazz - Released November 24, 2023 | Bart&Baker Music

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What is more magical than a Christmas album by a trio of female singers who execute close harmony to perfection? Briefly, close harmony is a singing technique in which the voices are very close to one another and remain confined to a single octave. In this regard, The Puppini Sisters are heiresses in a long and prestigious line of vocal music groups, the most famous undoubtedly being The Andrews Sisters, a trio who entertained Americans in the dark years of the 1940s. The Puppini Sisters took the same comforting approach when they conceived this album, recorded in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, or more precisely, during the 2020 holiday season. For Marcella Puppini, the group’s founder, this record, exclusively available on Qobuz, wasn’t solely about the music: “It was about reaching out and touching the hearts of our fans when they needed it the most. The joy we received in return was the best Christmas gift we could ask for.” Recorded in front of a live audience (reduced to follow safety measures) at Premises Studios in London, this album consists of classic, essential Christmas songs, from “Jingle Bells” to “Let It Snow”, “O Holy Night”, and many in between. Such a selection, paired with this vocal technique, inevitably immerses us into waters that are decidedly retro. The British trio revisits the past with sparkling enthusiasm, and sometimes, a touch of irony. To this end, the mischievous Puppini Sisters have also chosen more unexpected tracks, like George Michael’s “Last Christmas”, to which they bring a delightfully jazzy sensuality. They have also made sure to give a nod to Marcella’s Italian roots, covering “Ba Ba Baciami”, a bouncy foxtrot created in 1940 by Roman Alberto Rabagliati. Accompanied by a piano, an accordion, a bass, and, obviously, bells, The Puppini Sisters recreate the spirit of Christmas in all of its warmth, color, and joy. © Nicolas Magenham/Qobuz
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Live At Leeds

The Who

Rock - Released January 1, 1970 | Geffen

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Christmas

Cher

Pop - Released October 20, 2023 | Warner Records

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Never underestimate Cher. Somehow this unstoppable chanteuse, who has been making solo albums since 1965, had never released a Christmas album until now. In typical Cher fashion, it's a glossy, super-produced session that covers all the styles she's mastered over the years, while also cannily touching some familiar bases of Christmas music. The splashy, catchy by-the-numbers dancefloor filler, "DJ Play a Christmas Song," a creation of six songwriters, rightly puts her booming vocals front and center. Darlene Love, Stevie Wonder, Michael Bublé Cyndi Lauper and Tyga are an impressive guest list with each appearing on a track. While the Tyga and downbeat Bublé tracks are forgettable, Stevie Wonder adds a trademark harmonica solo and a heartfelt laugh to "What Christmas Means to Me." Opening with the bells heard in the original version, Cher leans into a bravura take of Charles Brown's classic blues plea, "Please Come Home for Christmas." She slays another early classic, digging into "Run Rudolph Run," proving again that she has few equals as a pop singer as she deftly swings through Chuck Berry's brilliant lyrics: "Said Santa to a girl child, 'What would please you most to get?'/ 'A little baby doll that can cry, sleep, drink and wet'/ And then away went Rudolph, he was whizzin' like a Saber jet." A convincing replica of Phil Spector's Wall of Sound hovers around "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" which features Darlene Love, who sang lead on the gold standard 1963 version on Spector's nonpareil A Christmas Gift for You.  Cher gives a credible run at Eartha Kitt's slinky hit, "Santa Babyn" and a cover of The Zombies "This Will Be Our Year," is an effective, non-seasonal closer. Hitting many of the right notes with plenty of sparkle, Cher's first Christmas outing is an instant classic.  © Robert Baird/Qobuz
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The Razors Edge

AC/DC

Rock - Released September 21, 1990 | Columbia

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Christmas Songs

Diana Krall

Vocal Jazz - Released November 1, 2005 | Verve

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On her first full-length Christmas album, pianist/vocalist Diana Krall delivers a smoky, sophisticated, and slightly melancholy album perfectly suited to accompany egg nog cocktails and romantic afterglow holiday affairs. Although there isn't anything unexpected on Christmas Songs -- Irving Berlin's "Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep" is as close to obscure as it gets -- Krall coos life into such standards as "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve," and "I'll Be Home for Christmas." It also doesn't hurt that she gains top-notch support from the Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra, whose urbane arrangements help bring to mind similar works by such iconic vocalists as Nat King Cole, June Christy, and Frank Sinatra. But it's not all deep sighs and bedroom eyes; on the contrary, Krall keeps things swinging with such uptempo numbers as the joyous "Jingle Bells," "Winter Wonderland," and the Blossom Dearie-inflected "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town." If you like your holiday albums cool and classy, Christmas Songs is a stocking stuffer that's sure to please.© Matt Collar /TiVo
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Christmas with My Friends VIII

Nils Landgren

Christmas Music - Released October 27, 2023 | ACT Music

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Tommy

The Who

Rock - Released May 23, 1969 | Geffen

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Carpenters With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

The Carpenters

Pop - Released December 7, 2018 | A&M

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The greatest classics from The Carpenters have resurfaced in a sublime blend of vocal harmonies and symphonic arrangements. For this project in 2018, Richard Carpenter himself went along to Abbey Road Studios. Their last album in 1981, Made in America, was a half-posthumous album (Richard’s sister Karen having died in 1983 at only 32 years of age) and invoked a certain feeling of nostalgia, showing that this legendary pop group shifting more towards easy-listening could still be deep. However, it is still very rooted in the American culture of the seventies, particularly through the classics Close To You, Rainy Days and Mondays and We’ve Only Just Begun.With this album, the legacy of The Carpenters lives on in an unconventional way. The producers have kept the voices of the original recordings and some instrumental parts, surrounding them with the brand-new sounds of the violins from the London Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Thanks to their classy arrangements, these strings tastefully accentuate the romanticism of this timeless pop. © Clotilde Maréchal/Qobuz
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Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker

Antal Doráti

Classical - Released November 1, 1986 | Decca Music Group Ltd.

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A Joyful Holiday

Samara Joy

Jazz - Released October 27, 2023 | Verve

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"Twinkle Twinkle Little Me" is a relatively anecdotal song from Stevie Wonder's career, taken from his 1967 Christmas album, "Someday At Christmas". However, when sung by Samara Joy and accompanied by pianist Sullivan Fortner,  it transforms into a sublime work of exquisite delicacy. The 23-year-old jazz vocalist takes on the challenging task of a holiday record with the EP "A Joyful Holiday," which covers all the classics. Of course there’s the familiar "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas", which Joy tackles with finesse and a shining technique, but there’s also a version of "Warm In December", first sung by Julie London in 1956. Revolving around the piano, double bass, and drums, the track is a sweet treat that signals the arrival of winter while avoiding all the usual clichés. Joy’s rendition skillfully weaves between all the holiday conventions while still meeting expectations, and pleasing crowds. The highlight of the EP comes as Samara Joy gathers everyone together for a magnificent "O Holy Night," sung with her family members, all raised in gospel. It's definitely worth the listen. © Brice Miclet/Qobuz
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A Charlie Brown Christmas

Vince Guaraldi Trio

Christmas Music - Released January 1, 1965 | Craft Recordings

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Christmas With You

Norah Jones

Christmas Music - Released November 10, 2023 | Blue Note Records

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A Choral Christmas

Voces8

Classical - Released November 3, 2023 | Decca Music Group Ltd.

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Ahead of  the holiday season, the a cappella ensemble Voces8 presents a Christmas album that is decidedly British. The 15 tracks attest to this, all drawn from the traditional religious Christmas music of England, from Handel to contemporary composer Bob Chilcott. For the occasion, Voces8 has come together with the Voces8 Foundation Orchestra, an instrumental ensemble born of their philanthropic efforts in musical education and democratization. American conductor and composer Barnaby Smith also pitches in: many of the arrangements of the works presented on the album owe themselves to him. The result is highly sophisticated, vivid, and cinematographic…perhaps too much so? Or rather, let's say that the bold artistic team fearlessly dives headfirst into the spectacular, greatly supported by the brass and string sections. Fans of music that is, perhaps, more subtle, will undoubtedly be a bit taken aback, but it’s quite difficult to not be won over by the great sense of festive joy that emanates from this album. © Pierre Lamy/Qobuz
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Singles 1969-1981

The Carpenters

Pop - Released January 1, 2000 | A&M

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Cantate Domino

Oscars Motettkör

Classical - Released January 1, 1976 | Proprius

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