Dec 13, 2016
Guy Barker’s Big Band Christmas: Timeless classics rescued from blandness
There was a point about 20 minutes into bandleader and arranger Guy Barker's Christmas big band show – probably after the tom-tom-thundering overture that merged Good King Wenceslas, Jingle Bells and a swath of other seasonal...
Dec 13, 2016
The Beautiful Day: Stunning emotional depth and musicality
The great jazz singer Kurt Elling doesn't take the easy way out on his new Christmas album The Beautiful Day mixes its holiday cheer with the moody and meditative, as he ponders the rites of the holiday and the sometimes roller coaster of...
Dec 13, 2016
The Beautiful Day: Exquisite and anything but predictable
Predictably, Kurt Elling's first Christmas album is anything but predictable The exquisite quintet session unites Elling with guitarist John McLean, pianist Stu Mindeman, bassist Clark Sommers and drummer Kendrick Scott Intermingling the...
Dec 12, 2016
Review: Guy Barker’s Big Band Christmas at the Royal Albert Hall
Whisper it quietly, but this could just possibly be the start of a new tradition Guy Barker's Big Band Christmas virtually managed to virtually fill the Royal Albert Hall on its first outing The formula is a balance between familiar and...
Dec 12, 2016
Guy Barker Big Band, Royal Albert Hall, London: Opulent
With a scene-setting sweep of strings, mellow street-corner brass and a sizzle of cymbals, Guy Barker's celebration of big band music "with a Christmas twist" settled into an opulent fantasia that, for the most part, avoided cheesiness...
Dec 12, 2016
Guy Barker’s Big Band Christmas: A Christmas cracker of a concert
The Albert Hall is rapidly becoming synonymous with London's Christmas festivities, even being voted the 'Most Prestigious Christmas Venue' at the Prestigious Star Awards 2016 It continued its seasonal programme last night with a...
Dec 11, 2016
The Beautiful Day: Flawless alternative Christmas album
His album's unlikely subtitle, Kurt Elling Sings Christmas, doesn't signify wall-to-wall jingle bells Read the three pages of notes if you want to know exactly where he stands, Christmas-wise But if you want to hear a subtle,...
Dec 09, 2016
The Beautiful Day: Flows elegantly from the sacred to the secular
The announcement in August that Kurt Elling had signed to Sony and was planning a Christmas album may have caused some to suspect the American jazz singer had sold out Yet The Beautiful Day shows him to be as much of a hepcat as ever —...
Dec 06, 2016
2017 GRAMMY Nomination for Upward Spiral!
On December 6 when the 59th annual Grammy nominations were announced, Upward Spiral (OKeh Records/Sony Music Masterworks), by the Branford Marsalis Quartet with special guest Kurt Elling, was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Jazz Vocal...
Dec 06, 2016
The Beautiful Day: A breath of fresh wintry air
Forget the standard old tidings of good cheer, the same old set of swinging Christmas standards, and the sugary holiday treats that lack vitality and real sustenance Kurt Elling certainly paid little mind to them when he was putting together...
Dec 04, 2016
The Beautiful Day: Capturing the hope and celebration found in Christmas
Jazz vocalist Kurt Elling says of the holidays, "In the Western world, whether you're Christian or not, Christmas has some kind of seasonal relevance to youYou really cannot escape the holiday—even if it is just coming at you on...
Dec 03, 2016
The Beautiful Day: CD of the week
Our CD of the week is a tasty, jazzy holiday offering from vocalist Kurt Elling, with fine jazz support from his compatriots The Beautiful Day: Kurt Elling Sings Christmas is a thoughtful, wonderfully arranged collection of new and old...