Joyful Jazz! Christmas with Verve, Vol. 1: The Vocalists & Joyful Jazz! Christmas with Verve, Vol. 2: The Instrumentals – Collection Includes Unreleased Oscar Peterson Song and a Rare Version of John Coltrane’s “Greensleeves“
Verve is proud to celebrate the holidays with two heartwarming Christmas releases – Joyful Jazz! Christmas with Verve, Vol. 1: The Vocalists, and Joyful Jazz! Christmas with Verve, Vol. 2: The Instrumentals, as part of their 60th Anniversary. Both releases, which feature tracks across five decades from some of the finest vocalists and instrumentalists from Universal Music‘s family of labels including Verve, Blue Note, Impulse!, Decca, GRP, Cadet, Argo, and more, will be available separately on CD and digitally.
Verve is proud to celebrate the holidays with two heartwarming Christmas releases – ‘Joyful Jazz! Christmas with Verve, Vol. 1: The Vocalists,’ and Joyful Jazz! Christmas with Verve, Vol. 2: The Instrumentals,’. The collections feature tracks across five decades from some of the finest vocalists and instrumentalists from Universal Music’s family of labels including Verve, Blue Note, Impulse!, Decca, GRP, Cadet, Argo, and more. (PRNewsFoto/Verve)
The Vocalists features some of the most illustrious singers performing their favorite holiday tracks. You’ll hear Willie Nelson and Norah Jones‘ take on “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” as well as Diana Krall‘s rendition of “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town,“Ella Fitzgerald performing “White Christmas,” and Dinah Washington on “Silent Night,” previously a rare single-only release. The album also boasts spirited tracks from Mel Tormé, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Patti Austin, Peggy Lee, Shirley Horn, Diane Schuur, Betty Carter and Judy Holliday.
Joyful Jazz! Christmas with Verve, Vol 1: The Vocalists Track Listing:
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) – Mel Tormé
Baby, It’s Cold Outside – Willie Nelson featuring Norah Jones
Christmas Time Is Here – Patti Austin
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town – Diana Krall with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra
It Must Be Christmas – Judy Holliday with the Gerry Mulligan Orchestra
Peace On Earth – Peggy Lee
(There Is No Place Like) Home For The Holidays – Betty Carter
I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm – Billie Holiday
I’ll Be Home For Christmas – Diane Schuur
Peace – Norah Jones
White Christmas – Ella Fitzgerald
‘Zat You, Santa Claus? – Louis Armstrong & The Commanders
Winter Wonderland – Shirley Horn
Silent Night – Dinah Washington
The instrumental tunes are just as entrenched in these traditions – it seems like every classic holiday film features a family gathering with a loved one at the piano playing Christmas standards. Here, The Instrumentals portray exciting takes on songs like “Silver Bells” from Kevin Eubanks, “Frosty The Snowman” as interpreted by Roy Hargrove and Christian McBride, “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” performed by the Bill Evans Trio, Stanley Jordan‘s version of “Silent Night” and Kenny Burrell‘s take on “The Little Drummer Boy.”
Other standout performances includes the Ramsey Lewis Trio, Mark Whitfield, Tom Scott, who contributes “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” a song originally created for the four-time Academy Award-nominated film Meet Me in St. Louis’ soundtrack, as well as Nelson Rangell, Jimmy Smith, the Lionel Hampton Sextet, and Eliane Elias. Two additional tracks stand out on The Instrumentals release. Oscar Peterson‘s “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm” is previously unreleased and available here for the first time; it was recorded with Buddy Bregman and his orchestra in 1957 during Peterson’s sessions for his Verve album, Soft Sands. The collection also includes a rare alternate version of John Coltrane Quartet‘s “Greensleeves,” which previously had only been available on the Deluxe Edition of Trane’s album, Ballads.
Joyful Jazz! Christmas With Verve, Vol 2: The Instrumentals Track Listing
Here Comes Santa Claus – Ramsey Lewis Trio
Those Soulful Jingle Bells – Mark Whitfield
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – Tom Scott
The Little Drummer Boy – Kenny Burrell
I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm* – Oscar Peterson Quartet w/ Buddy Bregman and his orchestra
Silver Bells – Kevin Eubanks
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! – Nelson Rangell
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Jimmy Smith
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town – The Bill Evans Trio
Frosty The Snowman – Roy Hargrove and Christian McBride
Swingle Jingle – Lionel Hampton Sextet
Silent Night – Stanley Jordan
I’ll Be Home For Christmas/Sleigh Ride – Eliane Elias
Greensleeves – The John Coltrane Quartet
For more music to get you in the mood for the holiday season, UMe has you covered with their “Christmas” playlist. The 70-song collection features some of the biggest songs and artists in the holiday canon and pairs timeless classics from Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Burl Ives, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald and Vince Guaraldi Trio with modern staples from Michael Bublé, Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga, Diana Krall, Dave Koz, Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Sam Smith, Mary J. Blige and many others for an eclectic and festive playlist sure to be the perfect soundtrack for your holidays. Stream via Spotify here: http://smarturl.it/UMeXmasPlaylist
For more information, please visit: www.VerveMusicGroup.com
* Previously unreleased
Filed under: Holiday Gift Guide, Music Tagged: Buddy Bregman, Dinah Washington, Eliane Elias, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Burl Ives, Bing Crosby,, John Coltrane Quartet, Judy Holliday, Kenny Burrell, Kevin Eubanks,, Mel Tormé, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Patti Austin, Peggy Lee, Shirley Horn, Diane Schuur, Betty Carter, Michael Bublé, Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga, Diana Krall, Dave Koz, Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Sam Smith, Mary J. Blige, Nelson Rangell, Jimmy Smith, the Lionel Hampton Sextet,, Norah Jones, Roy Hargrove and Christian McBride, the Bill Evans Trio, Stanley Jordan, the Ramsey Lewis Trio, Mark Whitfield, Tom Scott,, Vince Guaraldi Trio, WILLIE NELSON 
