Favorite Trumpet Christmas Recordings

tom turner · Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2001 8:20 am Post subject:

Hi everyone,

Christmas is just around the corner and I want to buy some more great Christmas recordings featuring trumpeters! What are your favorites?

To get the ball rolling, I recommend the following totally enjoyable records:

1. Phil Driscoll - "Heaven and Nature Swing"
Phil has a couple of albums for Christmas he's recorded. I love this one . . . lush, warm Ralph Carmichael arrangements . . . a wonderful swing band and orchestra behind Phil . . . and awesomely bold solos that are pulled off with bravura, humor and happiness. Vocals to make Ray Charles proud to boot! For all the Maynard wannabes, you need to check out Phil's screaming and highly musical solos . . . not for the faint of heart to try! Hey Phil, what a wonderfully creative set of solos man!

2. Chicago - Their Christmas album. Pure Chicago creativity as good as their best efforts. Strongly featuring their horns. Man, I could listen to this album all night long, just like the Driscoll album!

3. "Big Band Christmas" on Spring Hill Music's label and avaliable at Christian stores. It features the Chris McDonald Orchestra. These big band arrangements are fresh and new . . . and extremely well done. The arrangements are also avaliable for big band. Challenging and entertaining!

4. Al Hirt - Hirt's Christmas record was made about 40 years ago and is still one of my favorites, done with the technical brilliance and power that marked the Hirt years prior to the old "brick into the mouth" he suffered in the 1970 Marti Gras parade. Listen to the man they called "The King!"

5. "A Merry Jazzmas" - A collection of fresh Christmas recordings on the Novus label featuring some of the new "lions" in the jazz world (though not all trumpeters), such as: Marcus Roberts, Roy Hargrove, Hilton Ruiz, Antonio Hart, Carmen McRae, Christopher Hollyday, John Hicks,Steve Lacy and Steve Coleman. Occasionally funky, mostly different and highly enjoyable jazz!

OK everyone, how about some more "chestnuts" you love!

Sincerely, and Merry Christmas!

Tom Turner

[ This Message was edited by: tom turner on 2001-12-13 11:27 ]

tcutrpt · Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2001 10:05 am Post subject:

I just heard a recording yesterday of the San Francisco symphony brass section playing Christmas pieces. I believe this is when they had Morris still. It is pretty amazing, and I highly recommend it.

matt

Pat · Veteran Member Joined: 18 Nov 2001 Posts: 396

How about the Philadelphia Brass Ensemble's 30-year old recording of Christmas carols. It includes Andrew Kazdin's arranement of the 12 days of Christmas. You still hear selections from this recording played in malls all over the country. The trumpeters were Gilbert Johnson and Seymour Rosenfeld of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Redhothorn · Heavyweight Member Joined: 08 Dec 2001 Posts: 1173

My favorites are:

"Heaven & Nature Swing" Phil Driscoll

"Big Band Christmas" Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass

"Merry Christmas" Doc Severinson/Tonight Show Band

pedaltonekid · Heavyweight Member Joined: 15 Nov 2001 Posts: 1711

Tim Zimmerman and the King's Brass have some awesome Christmas music. Al Hirt's "Have a Merry little Al Hirt" is good, as well as Canadian Brass and Phil Driscoll.

Mikester · Veteran Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 374

I enjoy those listed above.

I would like to add "When My Heart Finds Christmas" by harry Connick, Jr. His Big Band has both Roger Ingram and Dan Miller on this recording. (I am a Roger fan...Fellow gold S-series Schilke trumpeter.)

4Him · Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2001 6:53 pm Post subject:

I don't have anything by Phil Driscoll that I don't enjoy, so I was glad to learn of his Christmas CD- Heaven and Nature Swing. I checked three stores in my area and no one has it. One store told me it is out of print. Have any of you bought it recently?

_________________
The man that has no music in himself,nor is not moved with the concord of sweet sounds, is fit for treasons, strategems and spoils; the motions of his spirit are dull as night, and his affections are dark as Erebus: let no such man be trusted. Shakespeare

[ This Message was edited by: 4Him on 2001-12-17 21:54 ]

pedaltonekid · Heavyweight Member Joined: 15 Nov 2001 Posts: 1711

For 4Him. Go to the Phil Driscoll website. I believe you can order the CD online. It is awesome.

vivace · Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2001 2:57 am Post subject:

I like the Dalas Brass and Canadian Brass Christmas album.
The sallas brass also has a great nutcracker cd, aslo very good.

I have some mormon tabernacle choir cds with some great trumpeting on it.
_________________
"All music is folk music. I ain't never heard no horse sing no song." - Louis Armstrong

MightyDon · Regular Member Joined: 14 Dec 2001 Posts: 87

I just ran across a CD that blew me away....
Simply labeled:
JUBILANT
A CD produced by Terrence Blanchard. Recorded on May 26 - 30th in 1977 and I just ran across it about a month ago.

It is a colab' by the wonderful Bass-Tenor Jubilant Sykes and Terrence who really came together for a really powerfully beautiful and orginal album THAT EVERY TRUMPET MUSICIAN THAT APPRECIATES GOSPEL MUSIC...SIMPLY MUST HAVE IN THEIR COLLECTION...

Let me give a few quotes...that Terence so beautifully illustrates and he says:

"Growing up in the south with a father who studied voice and sang in church has give a passion for thses spirituals that has brought me great joy. They speak to the core of who I am, where I have come from and where I am going. It was my greatest pleasure, meeting someone who shares the same passion for this music and its ideals.
Jubilant Sykes is a true artist of the highest caliber. His talent is thoughful and inspiring. Jubilant is the perfect artist for this project. His clear voice, distinctive and very soul-ful. It has been my greatest pleasure and honor to work with him I only hope that you enjoy this recording as much as I ".

Check out these titles...Caps...are my favorites..
FIX ME JESUS
IF I GOT MY TICKET
Mary, Did you Know...
DEEP-RIVER (I play this solo when I can)
HOW I GOT OVER...this is amazing...you will not hear any betta' impro or huge big dense fat but instense carity with HUGE, BRIGHT AND ALIVE SOUND...AND ITS A MONETTE!!(for any doubters that a Monette horn can not PEEL PAINT!" THIS ONE TAKES THE WALL DOWN.
Blessed Assurance..
They led my Lord away.
Go Down Moses
Let us break bread together
At the Cross
Give Me Jesus
Live a Humble
WERE YOU THERE? Really-really beautiful...

Jubilant says so many great things...The pamplet is as important almost as the music. for example and I quote Mr. Sykes..

"While todays musicans feel free to pursue almost any musical style without compromising their religious beliefs. it is still unusual to hear spirituals interpreted as
jazz- THE DEVILS MUSIC!
In my collection, however spirituals and jazz are stylistically merged. I collaborate with seasoned jazz arranger and trumpeter Terence Blanchard to produce in innovative moving treatment of these traditional melodies and Terrence arrangements are also highly personal and he plays trumpet on these with such a quality so rare these days"...

Do your soul a favor...LISTEN TO THIS CD!
Trust me...
The unMightydon...