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James Taylor - James Taylor at Christmas
CD DetailsArtist: James Taylor Edition: Music CD CD Release Date: 2006-10-10 Music Label: Columbia Soundtracks: - Winter Wonderland featuring Chris Botti
- Go Tell It On The Mountain
- Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
- Jingle Bells
- Baby, It's Cold Outside featuring Natalie Cole
- River
- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) Featuring Toots Theilemans
- Some Children See Him
- Who Comes This Night
- In The Bleak Midwinter
- Auld Lang Syne
Music reviews of James Taylor at ChristmasMusic Review: All technicalities aside, this is a golden nugget shining brightly !!! Rating: 5 Stars
James Taylor's voice is in excellent form on his Christmas CD entitled James Taylor At Christmas. The CD boasts an excellent collage of traditional and somewhat formal holiday hymns interspersed with more playful, upbeat pop numbers. The ultimate effect is sheer delight to almost anyone's ears; and just one listen to this CD will prove it.
The CD starts off beautifully with a playful and heartfelt rendition of "Winter Wonderland." Chris Botti plays the trumpet on this song, too. This secular music is quickly followed by the more religious "Go Tell It On The Mountain."
Some other songs celebrating the joy of the holiday season include a pleasing and laid-back duet for James Taylor and Natalie Cole on "Baby, It's Cold Outside;" "Jingle Bells" onto which James Taylor puts his own stamp using a unique arrangement; "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" and "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)" written by Mel Tormé and Robert Wells. Toots Theilemans does a great job on harmonica for "The Christmas Song," too.
"In The Bleak Midwinter" is a much more religious song with a lush musical arrangement; James Taylor addresses the importance of loving Jesus as Jesus loves everyone. "Who Comes This Night" is based on the nativity scene in the manger and it is equally charming.
The CD ends with the thoughtful "Auld Lang Syne." The musical arrangement is flawless and this is the perfect song to end this CD.
The liner notes are beautiful. There are two great photos of James Taylor and the song credits are there, too.
In addition, there is the issue of the differences between the three "versions" of this CD. This CD is, for the most part, a re-issue of James Taylor's 2004 Christmas CD put out by Hallmark. There is the 2004 Hallmark version which is now difficult but not impossible to obtain. The 2004 CD has the song "Deck The Halls." On the other hand, this 2006 Christmas CD has the songs "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" and "River," a song about escaping from the holiday crunch-rush. There is, believe it or not, a third version of this album that does have "Deck The Halls" as a bonus track. I agree with the reviewer who writes that this third edition WOULD be the definitive James Taylor Christmas CD. If you can't find the version that includes "Deck The Halls," I suggest this CD as a solid alternative.
There may be three versions of this CD; but James Taylor surely put his heart and soul into every song on all three CDs. All technicalities aside, you can't go wrong with this CD. It still boasts excellent sound quality, great cover art all its own, a wide range of Christmastime songs and excellent contributions by Natalie Cole, Chris Botti and Toots Theilemans. John Pizzarelli and Dave Grusin play guitar and piano respectively on this album as well.
May you get this CD and enjoy as much as I did! SMILE
More James Taylor at Christmas free music reviews: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Description of James Taylor at ChristmasCombine the most beloved, classic songs of the holiday season with the warm baritone of one of the most recognized voices in popular music, and fans will have reason to celebrate with James Taylor at Christmas. This 12-track collection features traditional and contemporary seasonal songs. Looking for a smart, never-out-of-style singer who turns in a perfectly solid collection of Christmas songs, including a few surprises? J.T. is your man on James Taylor at Christmas, which is nicely balanced between pop and jazz selections, with more stately hymn-like fare and balladry. Always fine in his charmingly understated voice, Taylor and company try out the old gospel standard "Go Tell It on the Mountain" and the memorable "Some Children See Him." He smoothly cuts through "Winter Wonderland" and "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" with a bit of jazz flavor, and reprises Joni Mitchell's increasingly popular Christmas song (even though it's about getting away from the holiday), "River." One of the album's most satisfying delights is Taylor's funky version of "Jingle Bells," sung in a kind of barroom stomp with the most intriguing phrasing since Barbra Streisand sang it in the '60s. Soulful and bright and moody as well (when Taylor sings "In the Bleak Midwinter," you believe it's indeed rough), there's barely a clinker here. -- Martin Keller James's Christmas Album More from James Taylor  The Best of James Taylor |  Sweet Baby James |  James Taylor |  New Moon Shine |  JT |  James Taylor (Live) |
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