For so many of us, Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without the Vince Guaraldi Trio classic queued up on the decks – and we are not here to disagree. But if you are looking to mix it or just want to expand your record collection this holiday season, here are five classic holiday jazz albums that we wouldn’t want to trim the tree without.
Bobby Timmons, Holiday Soul (Prestige, 1964)
If I could only choose one, Bobby Timmons’ Holiday Soul is at the top of the list. 40 minutes of hard-bop-meets-soul-jazz perfection, wrapped up in a big tinsel bow. It is every bit as tasty as 1960’s Soul Time, only with a splash of spiced rum to warm it all up.
Ramsey Lewis Trio, Sound of Christmas (Argo, 1961)
Classic Ramsey Lewis Trio, but make it merry and bright. The opening cut is a juicy, blues drenched, no holds barred take on “Merry Christmas Baby” that might just make you question the supremacy of the Otis Redding version. At a scant 29 minutes long, this one is best paired with its follow up, More Sounds of Christmas.
Kenny Burrell, Have Yourself a Soulful Little Christmas (Cadet, 1966)
If Burrell’s Midnight Blue is my go-to selection to introduce a skeptic to the world of jazz, then Have Yourself a Soulful Little Christmas is its spiritual holiday successor. For anyone in your life who exclaims “Bah Humbug” at the suggestion of festive tunes, skip the ghostly visitations and slip this record under the tree instead.
The Soulful Strings, The Magic of Christmas (Cadet, 1968)
The Richard Evans supergroup disguised as a studio band has been a sampling goldmine for decades to producers and DJ’s in the know. Their holiday album The Magic of Christmas is no exception, jam packed with gloriously funky grooves care of Dorothy Ashby, Charles Stepney, Phil Upchurch and more.
Duke Pearson, Merry Ole Soul (Blue Note, 1969)
The only holiday album by a single artist to ever be released by the genre’s flagship brand - and understandably so. After all, why mess with perfection? Duke Pearson was one of the major forces behind the label’s sound and success. Joined by Bob Cranshaw and Mickey Roker, Merry Ole Soul is everything you could want from a Blue Note record, only with more twinkly lights and the occasional sugarplum on a drum solo.
Honorable Mention:
Amerigo Gazaway, A Christmas Album (Soul Mates Records, 2018)
Simultaneously contemporary and timeless, A Christmas Album, from master beatmaker Amerigo Gazaway samples most of the albums mentioned above and many more. A very merry ride indeed for those who believe in the magic of jazz without boundaries.