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Cellist Yo-Yo Ma has long been a giant in the classical world, though he has also made a number of recordings with musicians who play other styles. This holiday disc doesn't exclusively stick to traditional Christmas songs, but covers a wide scope of material in a very ambitious manner. Ma opens with a lovely take of the traditional favorite Dona nobis pacem (Give Us Peace), playing both the melody and counterpoint via overdubbing. Jazz pianist/vocalist Diana Krall is superb in a swinging rendition of Jerome Kern's unjustly obscure "You Couldn't Be Cuter," adding bassist John Clayton. An arrangement of Joy to the World features pianist Dave Brubeck, cellist Matt Brubeck (his son), and clarinetist Paquito d'Rivera in a playful setting that works in The Christmas Song and On the Trail. The senior Brubeck's Concordia is filled with spirit in a lively performance with the two cellists. Chris Botti has never sounded better in the warm arrangement of My Favorite Things, playing both open and muted trumpet, with pianist Billy Childs, bassist Robert Hurst, drummer Billy Kilson, and guitarist Romero Lubambo. Ma has previously collaborated with bassist Edgar Meyer (who is equally at home in jazz and classical music), though this is the cellist's first meeting with mandolinist Chris Thile. Together they make an impressive trio, especially in the enticing medley of The Wassail Song and All Through the Night. Soprano Renée Fleming's rich voice is beautifully complemented by Ma, Meyer, and Thile. Having worked with onetime bluegrass fiddler Mark O'Connor, Ma is very much at home with Celtic fiddler Natalie MacMaster in the lively medley of A Christmas Jig/Mouth of the Tobique Reel. Among the other friends featured on this disc are the Assad Family, Wu Tong & the Silk Road Ensemble, tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman, plus Alison Krauss with piper Christina Pato. One track doesn't fit in all that well with the rest of this CD. The Beatles' bland "Here Comes the Sun" has a warm vocal by James Taylor, but it is hampered by its weak lyrics.
© TiVo
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Richard King, Engineer - Steven Epstein, Producer - Traditional, Composer - Traditional, Lyricist - Yo-Yo Ma, Acoustic Cello
(P) 2008 Sony Music Entertainment
Diana Krall, Piano - Diana Krall, Vocal - Dorothy Fields, Composer - Dorothy Fields, Lyricist - Jerome Kern, Composer - Jerome Kern, Lyricist - John Clayton, Acoustic Bass - John Clayton, Arranger - Richard King, Engineer - Steven Epstein, Producer - Yo-Yo Ma, Acoustic Cello
(P) 2008 Sony Music Entertainment
Dave Brubeck, Arranger - Dave Brubeck, Piano - Matt Brubeck, Acoustic Cello - Paquito D'Rivera, Clarinet - Richard King, Engineer - Steven Epstein, Producer - Traditional, Composer - Traditional, Lyricist - Yo-Yo Ma, Acoustic Cello
(P) 2008 Sony Music Entertainment
Andrea Zonn, Vocal - Arnold McCuller, Vocal - Caroline Taylor, Vocal - Charles Floyd, Arranger - Dave O'Donnell, Producer - David Lasley, Vocal - George Harrison, Composer - George Harrison, Lyricist - James Taylor, Arranger - James Taylor, Guitar - James Taylor, Producer - James Taylor, Vocal - Kate Markowitz, Vocal - Yo-Yo Ma, Acoustic Cello
(P) 2008 Sony Music Entertainment
Chris Thile, Mandolin - Edgar Meyer, Acoustic Bass - Richard King, Engineer - Steven Epstein, Producer - Traditional, Composer - Traditional, Lyricist
(P) 2008 Sony Music Entertainment
Chris Thile, Arranger - Chris Thile, Mandolin - Edgar Meyer, Acoustic Bass - Edgar Meyer, Arranger - Richard King, Engineer - Steven Epstein, Producer - Traditional, Composer - Traditional, Lyricist - Yo-Yo Ma, Acoustic Cello
(P) 2008 Sony Music Entertainment
J.D. Blair, Drums - Mac Morin, Piano - Marta Cook, Harp - Natalie MacMaster, Arranger - Natalie MacMaster, Composer - Natalie MacMaster, Fiddle - Natalie MacMaster, Lyricist - Richard King, Engineer - Steven Epstein, Producer - Traditional, Composer - Traditional, Lyricist - Yo-Yo Ma, Acoustic Cello
(P) 2008 Sony Music Entertainment
Alison Krauss, Vocal - Charles Floyd, Arranger - Cristina Pato, Bagpipes - Gary Paczosa, Engineer - Natalie MacMaster, Fiddle - Shane Shanahan, Percussion - Steven Epstein, Producer - Traditional, Composer - Traditional, Lyricist - Yo-Yo Ma, Acoustic Cello - Yo-Yo Ma, Arranger
(P) 2008 Sony Music Entertainment
Carlo deRosa, Acoustic Bass - Cristina Pato, Arranger - Cristina Pato, Bagpipes - Cristina Pato, Composer - Cristina Pato, Lyricist - Cristina Pato, Vocal - John Hadfield, Percussion - Kyle Sanna, Arranger - Richard King, Engineer - Shane Shanahan, Percussion - Steven Epstein, Producer - Traditional, Composer - Traditional, Lyricist - Victor Prieto, Acordeon - Yo-Yo Ma, Acoustic Cello
(P) 2008 Sony Music Entertainment
Odair Assad, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - Richard King, Engineer - Steven Epstein, Producer - Sérgio Assad, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - Traditional, Composer - Traditional, Lyricist
(P) 2008 Sony Music Entertainment
Jamey Haddad, Percussion - Marcos Leite, Arranger - Matias Da Rocha, Composer - Matias Da Rocha, Lyricist - Nilson Matta, Bass - Odair Assad, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - Richard King, Engineer - Steven Epstein, Producer - Sérgio Assad, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - Sérgio Assad, Arranger - Yo-Yo Ma, Acoustic Cello
(P) 2008 Sony Music Entertainment
ALON YAVNAI, Piano - Paquito D'Rivera, Clarinet - Richard King, Engineer - Steven Epstein, Producer - Traditional, Composer - Traditional, Lyricist
(P) 2008 Sony Music Entertainment
ALON YAVNAI, Piano - Paquito D'Rivera, Clarinet - Paquito D'Rivera, Composer - Paquito D'Rivera, Lyricist - Richard King, Engineer - Steven Epstein, Producer - Yo-Yo Ma, Acoustic Cello
(P) 2008 Sony Music Entertainment
Guy B. Wood, Composer - Guy B. Wood, Lyricist - Joshua Redman, Tenor Saxophone - Robert Mellin, Composer - Robert Mellin, Lyricist - Stephen Prutsman, Arranger - Steven Epstein, Producer - Yo-Yo Ma, Acoustic Cello
(P) 2008 Sony Music Entertainment
Angelina Assad, Vocal - Badi Assad, Vocal - Carolina Assad, Vocal - Clarice Assad, Composer - Clarice Assad, Lyricist - Clarice Assad, Vocal - Odair Assad, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - Richard King, Engineer - Rodrigo Assad, Vocal - Steven Epstein, Producer - Sérgio Assad, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - Sérgio Assad, Composer - Sérgio Assad, Lyricist - Yo-Yo Ma, Acoustic Cello
(P) 2008 Sony Music Entertainment
Cyro Baptista, Percussion - Dave Brubeck, Composer - Dave Brubeck, Lyricist - Dave Brubeck, Piano - Matt Brubeck, Acoustic Cello - Matt Brubeck, Arranger - Richard King, Engineer - Steven Epstein, Producer - Yo-Yo Ma, Acoustic Cello
(P) 2008 Sony Music Entertainment
Billy Childs, Arranger - Billy Childs, Piano - Billy Kilson, Drums - Chris Botti, Trumpet - Oscar Hammerstein I, Composer - Oscar Hammerstein I, Lyricist - Richard King, Engineer - Richard Rodgers, Composer - Richard Rodgers, Lyricist - Robert Hurst, Bass - Romero Lubambo, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - Steven Epstein, Producer - Yo-Yo Ma, Acoustic Cello
(P) 2008 Sony Music Entertainment
Blossom Dearie, Composer - Chris Thile, Mandolin - Chris Thile, Vocal - Edgar Meyer, Acoustic Bass - Edgar Meyer, Arranger - Jonathan Gandelsman, Violin - Linda Albert, Lyricist - Nicholas Cords, Viola - Renee Fleming, Soprano - Richard King, Engineer - Steven Epstein, Producer - Yo-Yo Ma, Acoustic Cello
(P) 2008 Sony Music Entertainment
Andy Russ, Producer - DaXun Zhang, Performer - Jonathan Gandelsman, Violin - Joseph Gramley, Percussion - Kayhan Kalhor, Performer - Kojiro Umezaki, Performer - Mark Suter, Percussion - Nicholas Cords, Viola - Osvaldo Golijov, Composer - Sandeep Das, Tabla - Shane Shanahan, Percussion - Siamak Aghaei, Performer - Siamak Jahangiry, Performer - Steven Epstein, Producer - Wu Man, Performer - Wu Tong, Performer - Wu Tong, Vocal - Yo-Yo Ma, Acoustic Cello - You-Young Kim, Viola
(P) 2008 Sony Music Entertainment
African American Spiritual, Composer - African American Spiritual, Lyricist - Amelia Zirin-Brown, Vocal - Balla Kouyate, Background Vocal - Balla Kouyate, Percussion - Hyomin Kang, Engineer - Kyle Sanna, Arranger - Kyle Sanna, Background Vocal - Kyle Sanna, Guitar - Marcus Milius, Background Vocal - Marcus Milius, Harmonica - Marcus Rojas, Background Vocal - Marcus Rojas, Tube - Marika Hughes, Background Vocal - Ray Rizzo, Background Vocal - Ray Rizzo, Drums - Richard King, Engineer - Steven Epstein, Producer - Yo-Yo Ma, Acoustic Cello
(P) 2008 Sony Music Entertainment
Jake Shimabukuro, Arranger - Jake Shimabukuro, Ukulele - John Lennon, Composer - John Lennon, Lyricist - Richard King, Engineer - Robert Thurston, Arranger - Steven Epstein, Producer - Yo-Yo Ma, Acoustic Cello - Yoko Ono, Composer - Yoko Ono, Lyricist
(P) 2008 Sony Music Entertainment
Chris Botti, Trumpet - Richard King, Engineer - Steven Epstein, Producer - Traditional, Composer - Traditional, Lyricist - Yo-Yo Ma, Acoustic Cello
(P) 2008 Sony Music Entertainment
Album review
Cellist Yo-Yo Ma has long been a giant in the classical world, though he has also made a number of recordings with musicians who play other styles. This holiday disc doesn't exclusively stick to traditional Christmas songs, but covers a wide scope of material in a very ambitious manner. Ma opens with a lovely take of the traditional favorite Dona nobis pacem (Give Us Peace), playing both the melody and counterpoint via overdubbing. Jazz pianist/vocalist Diana Krall is superb in a swinging rendition of Jerome Kern's unjustly obscure "You Couldn't Be Cuter," adding bassist John Clayton. An arrangement of Joy to the World features pianist Dave Brubeck, cellist Matt Brubeck (his son), and clarinetist Paquito d'Rivera in a playful setting that works in The Christmas Song and On the Trail. The senior Brubeck's Concordia is filled with spirit in a lively performance with the two cellists. Chris Botti has never sounded better in the warm arrangement of My Favorite Things, playing both open and muted trumpet, with pianist Billy Childs, bassist Robert Hurst, drummer Billy Kilson, and guitarist Romero Lubambo. Ma has previously collaborated with bassist Edgar Meyer (who is equally at home in jazz and classical music), though this is the cellist's first meeting with mandolinist Chris Thile. Together they make an impressive trio, especially in the enticing medley of The Wassail Song and All Through the Night. Soprano Renée Fleming's rich voice is beautifully complemented by Ma, Meyer, and Thile. Having worked with onetime bluegrass fiddler Mark O'Connor, Ma is very much at home with Celtic fiddler Natalie MacMaster in the lively medley of A Christmas Jig/Mouth of the Tobique Reel. Among the other friends featured on this disc are the Assad Family, Wu Tong & the Silk Road Ensemble, tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman, plus Alison Krauss with piper Christina Pato. One track doesn't fit in all that well with the rest of this CD. The Beatles' bland "Here Comes the Sun" has a warm vocal by James Taylor, but it is hampered by its weak lyrics.
© TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 22 track(s)
- Total length: 01:19:17
- Main artists: Yo-Yo Ma
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Sony Classical
- Genre: Classical
(P) 2008 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
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