Guitarist Gerry Beaudoin has joined with the Boston Jazz Ensemble to present an album of traditional and popular Christmas music that successfully melds a jazz expression of the music of the season without being unduly somber or disrespectful of the event this music is designed to celebrate. In addition to his work with several North Star label groups, guitarist Beaudoin brings to the table work with jazz notables such as David Grisman, as well as the New Guitar Summit, where he is joined by J. Geils and Duke Robillard. On ...
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Guitarist Gerry Beaudoin has joined with the Boston Jazz Ensemble to present an album of traditional and popular Christmas music that successfully melds a jazz expression of the music of the season without being unduly somber or disrespectful of the event this music is designed to celebrate. In addition to his work with several North Star label groups, guitarist Beaudoin brings to the table work with jazz notables such as David Grisman, as well as the New Guitar Summit, where he is joined by J. Geils and Duke Robillard. On this album, he also has the benefit of the excellent jazz musicians of the Boston Jazz Ensemble, including Paul Schmeling, Jeff Stout, Dick Johnson, Fred Lipsius, and the venerable Alan Dawson anchoring the rhythm section. The bandmembers show that they can add a little funk to a revered Christmas tune such as "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" without damaging the solemnity of the occasion that the song represents. Most of the blues funk belongs to Lipsius' alto. Similarly, Stout, Schmeling, and Beaudoin do a lilting "Silver and Gold," rewarding that tune with a bit of a beat. But one of the album's compelling tracks is a reverent rendition of "O Little Town of Bethlehem" by another veteran player, clarinetist Dick Johnson, switching off and on with Beaudoin and making this track more than five minutes of exquisite holiday music. Schmeling offers a couple of innovative choruses here, playing over Bob Nieske's bass. Stout's vibrato-less rendition of "O Holy Night" is appropriately serene and reverential, but with a slight bite to it, and Beaudoin's clean-stringed "White Christmas" is the other showstopper on this fine album. Recommended. ~ Dave Nathan, Rovi
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