What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella

So, this is a special edition of “What’s New on WDCB” because we’re going to take a look at four, new holiday releases that have come out for 2021…

Jeff Hamilton Trio: Merry & Bright (Capri)

The Jeff Hamilton Trio have released their latest album, a collection of Christmas favorites that they’ve named Merry & Bright. With Tamir Hendelman on piano and Jon Hamar on bass, this swings exactly as hard as you’d expect it to. Some of these arrangements are pretty inventive, like on “Santa Baby” and “Here Comes Santa Claus.”

Norah Jones: I Dream of Christmas (Blue Note)

Vocalist and pianist Norah Jones has put together an album just in time for Christmas called I Dream of Christmas. And it’s very much a Norah Jones album. So, her voice is appealing on everything, and the whole album sounds “jazzy,” even though it’s quite clearly a pop production, albeit a sparse one. And since this is Norah Jones, we get a slightly different batch of holiday songs than we might otherwise expect. For one, there are the originals, like “Christmas Calling (Jolly Jones)” that I find utterly charming, and chestnuts that we don’t hear Jazz folks do too often, like “Run, Rudolph, Run” in a slowed down arrangement that I really like.

And let’s look at a couple from some home grown Chicago talent, too!

Los Asesinos: Regalito (Afar Music)

Pianist Richard D. Johnson’s latest project, Los Asesinos, and their album, Regalito, is most certainly a pleasant surprise. Put some top notch players (the aforementioned Johnson, vibraphonist Mitch Shiner, bassist Freddy Quintero and the percussion team of Jean-Christophe Leroy & Eric Hines) together, and have them cut loose on Christmas songs both well known (“Jingle Bells,” “Silent Night”) and not so well known (“Walking in the Air”), and the results are, as expected, fantastic.

The Pete Ellman Big Band: The Twelve Grooves of Christmas (One Too Tree Music)

The Pete Ellman Big Band is back with their second CD of 2021, this time, a Christmas themed album with some special guests (vocalists Kurt Elling and Katie Ernst) and a bunch of great arrangements. Mister Sandman becomes “Mister Santa,” “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” turns into a grooving mid-tempo swinger, and in a bit of well-needed Christmas silliness, Mack the Knife gets retrofitted with the lyrics to Deck the Halls to become “Mack the Halls.” Perfect for a few chuckles amidst all of the holiday stress. Count me as a fan.