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

Kevin Brown Quintet – Adventus (Jeru Jazz)

Kevin Brown is a guitarist and educator in the Chicago area, and he just put out a Christmas album called Adventus. He assembled a fantastic quintet to join him for the session, with Andy Schlinder on saxophones, Matt Peterson on keyboards, James Ross on bass and Lucas Gillan on drums. Adventus is a fascinating collection of religious pieces dating from as far back as the 3rd century, and even the most recent songs here are from the 1800’s. So, it’s not the usual lighthearted fare that we’ve come to expect from Holiday albums. Instead, Adventus is an album that must be taken on its own terms. On those terms, it’s a gem of an album. “O Come O Come Emmanuel” gets fantastic solos from Schlinder, Brown,  Peterson and Ross.  “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” might start off on a mellow note, but once it gets going, it’s like a freight train. “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” is interesting, featuring intertwining lines between Brown and Schlinder, and “Gaudette” is a burning swinger that I liked a lot. Adventus is far from traditional holiday fare, but its singularity will surely make it stand out in any Christmas music collection.

Wycliffe Gordon – Holiday Fun (Arbors Jazz)

Trombonist Wycliffe Gordon set out to relax with a bunch of his friends and record a holiday Jazz album, and that’s exactly what he accomplished with Holiday Fun. While the full list of friends is far too long to list here, a few of the notable friends include pianist Ehud Asherie, saxophonist and vocalist Adrian Cunningham and vocalist Ashely Elim. The results are pretty much exactly what you might expect: a mix of fun wintery songs like “Winter Wonderland” and “Frosty the Snowman” alongside more traditional fare like “Silent Night” and “What Child is This?” For fun, Thelonious Monk’s “Green Chimneys” is in the mix, as is an on-the-spot original, “The Mistletoe Blues.” If you’re looking for a lighthearted 2025 addition to your Christmas music collection, Holiday Fun might be right up your alley.

Jeremy Pelt – Christmas Interlude (High Note)

Trumpeter Jeremy Pelt has put out a digital only collection of Holiday gems called Christmas Interlude. Joining him are Victor Gould on the piano and Fender Rhodes, Leighton Harrell on the bass and Jared Spears on the drums. While “The Christmas Song” and “Winter Wonderland” get straightforward (and very well played) readings, the sparks really fly when Pelt starts tweaking things. “Christmas Time is Here” with the Poinciana groove is unexpected and totally cool, and the hard charging version of “The Little Drummer Boy” is like no other version of it that I’ve ever heard. This one’s going to be a real treat to play.