Podcast 946: Christmas Jazz: New for 2022

Looking for some new Christmas jazz tunes to brighten your hoilday spirit? Our annual consumer guide gives you a chance to hear a track or two from recent releases of holiday music. This year features "new" releases from Norah Jones and Vince Guaraldi (deluxe versions of previous albums) and a comprehensive collection from Louis Armstrong. There are also single/EP only tunes from Laila Biali, Samara Joy, and Matt Wilson. I'm featuring two tracks from Andy James' Bells Are Ringing (Le Coq Records). The first is an instrumetal original, "It's Christmas Time" composed by Andy, Piero Pata and Jon Cowherd and featuring an all-star group: Piano - Cowherd, Tenor Sax - Marcus Strickland (solo), Organ Melody - Ronnie Foster, Percussion - Alex Acuña, Drums - Clarence Penn, Bass - Christopher Thomas, Trumpet - Terell Stafford, Trombonist - Michael Dease, Alto Sax - Bob Sheppard). The vocal song from the album is the venerable "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire),"recorded at Capitol Studios with Nat King Cole's very own Steinway piano. Arranged by Bill Cunliffe who accompanies on piano, along with  Drums - Joe LaBarbera, Bass - Chris Colangelo, Guitar - Jake Langley, Vibraphone - Lolly Allen, and Violin - Calabría McChesney. Podcast 946 features: Richard Williams - "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year (with Alex Stiles)" from Hollywood Christmas Laila Biali - "My Favorite Things" Chris Ruggiero - "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" from Christmas with Chris Ruggiero Louis Armstrong - "Winter Wonderland" from Louis Wishes You a Cool Yule Joe McCarthy's New York Afro-Alliance Big Band - "Waltz of the Flowers" from The Pan American Nutcracker Suite Norah Jones - "Christmas Calling (Jolly Jones)" from I Dream of Christmas (Deluxe Edition) John Beasley - "Away in the Manger" from Holidaze Vince Guaraldi - "Skating (#7, Take 2 - September 22, 1965)" from A Charlie Brown Christmas [Super Deluxe Edition] Andy James - "It's Christmas Time" from Bells Are Ringing Andy James - "The Christmas Song" from Bells Are Ringing Chris Ruggiero - "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" from Christmas with Chris Ruggiero Richard Williams - "Here Comes Santa Claus/Jingle Bells/Frosty the Snowman (with Hayley Kirkland, Connor Ross, Company B)" from Hollywood Christmas Matt Wilson's Christmas Tree-O - "MariahParushka" Samara Joy - "O Holy Night"