Combine 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
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Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
James Taylor Christmas CD is great:
Great music to "get in the spirit" of Christmas. The pleasant, relaxing voice of James Taylor singing everyone's favorite holiday songs, in his own great style. *****CD
Uninspired:
A long time James Taylor fan - but there is a certain cheese factor about these arrangements that makes them truly difficult to listen to.
Do look elsewhere.
Not a bad track on the entire CD . . . .:
I'm a huge Christmas music fan. 32 CDs in my collection . . . and still buy a new one each year. The day after Thanksgiving I just put them on multi-disc player suffle and let play until December 26th. [The time-frame is family member enforced :( ] Like a child, I like to open and play the new Christmas CD sans any pre-research or opinion reading. I don't want to be prejudiced. Sometimes they are a total bust/disappointment (i.e., Mary Chapin-Carpenter's Come Darkness, Come Light) and sometimes they... more info
Not the best...:
I had just bought October Road which I totally love, so I thought why not try his Christmas CD. Not so hot! I'd say four or five of the songs are pretty good, but the others are average or less than average. If I had to buy another Christmas CD I think I'd go with Bing or Nate.
Tracks:
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
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