Product Description David Ian Vintage Christmas breathes new life into a set of familiar Christmas classics in relaxed, swinging arrangements that capture the spirit of the season and the spirit of jazz. In this beguiling blend of instrumental and vocal versions, the mood is intimate, the vibe is mellow, the sound warm and inviting.While dozens of Christmas albums are released each year, the most evocative ones are often those made by jazz musicians. This should come as no surprise, since the emotional primacy in the best jazz music echoes the spirituality inherent in the best Christmas songs. Jazz and Yuletide music have a long and complementary history, from Chet Baker's Have Yourself a Jazzy Little Christmas to Vince Guaraldi's A Charlie Brown Christmas to Wynton Marsalis' Crescent City Christmas Card.Taking proud place in this music lineage is David Ian Vintage Christmas, which breathes new life into a set of familiar Christmas classics in relaxed, swinging arrangements that capture the spirit of the season while respecting the sanctity of the material. Rather than burying the songs under a wall of sound, Ian has opted for a small jazz combo that places the accent firmly on their melodic and lyrical content. Review If a laid-back Christmas record is your cup of spiced rum, this one is for you. This is music that doesn't fight for attention, though, so you have to be prepared to sit down and tune in to really grasp the nuances of what Ian and Co. are up to. There's not an overwhelming track in the batch.That's not to say that the small jazz trio doesn't swing its stockings off, mind you. Tracks like 'Christmas Time with You' pack delicate bounce, remaining simple arrangements of the classics. Ian doesn't reinvent the wheel, opting to play for warmth rather than innovation.Sophistication reigns on a song like 'Santa Claus is Coming to Town.' Ian dresses the classic down to its most basic elements, providing simple piano to go with Fitch's barely-there brushes.From a rock guitarist prone to leap off amps in concert to one of the most understated, soft Christmas albums in recent memory, David Ian has been on a hell of a trip. This record packs the festive spirit, sure, but it's the slow, warm glow that really sinks in. --BlogCritics.org, Jordan Richardson, November"Pianist David Ian very carefully puts together a holiday recording that could have arisen from a single-malt scotch opened up with a splash of water and seasoned with the smoke from an unfiltered Chesterfield. So potent is Ian's grasp of the late '50s, early '60s shtick, the listen may look for the Rat Pack appear." --All About Jazz, Michael Bailey, December 2014
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