Track Listing

1. "Homecoming" Jingle Bells
2. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
3. Joy to the World
4. Away in a Manger
5. Winter Wonderland
6. O Little Town of Bethlehem
7. What Child Is This? (Greensleeves)
8. To Us Is Given
9. O Tannenbaum
10. Silent Night
11. Cantos Para Pedir las Posadas
12. Run, Run, Run to Bethlehem
13. "Farewell" Jingle Bells
14. Christmas Song

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3785 in Music
• Released on: 1996-10-15
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

Amazon.com
Dave Brubeck's moving liner notes to this 14-number assortment of solo jazz piano works are almost as good as his impressions of the standards and lesser-know Christmas music. Mixing jazz playing with classical flourishes and splashes of blues, Brubeck deftly expands the sound of Christmas. You'll never hear a "Silent Night" like Brubeck's as the glistening introduction leads to a powerful meditation on the melody. And for sheer fun, there are his swinging opening numbers, "'Homecoming' Jingle Bells" and "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town." There's magic and majesty in the ivories as he renders "Cantos para Pedir las Posadas," "To Us Is Given," and "Run, Run, Run to Bethlehem." --Martin Keller

Customer Reviews

Another great Christmas piano classic!
There are a handful of classic Christmas instrumental piano recordings that explore familiar Christmas melodies in innovative, yet melodic, ways. Among them are, of course, "A Charlie Brown Christmas," by the Vince Guaraldi Trio, "December," by George Winston and "Christmas Eve," by David Lanz.

Needless to say, Dave Brubeck was an established master of the keyboards long before the above recordings were made, however it wasn't until 1996 that he entered the genre with this tasteful jazz-flavored solo recording.

This is a warm, homey collection. I can picture Brubeck in a Christmas sweater, at a grand piano, fire blazing in the fireplace, with family and friends gathered around to listen. He obviously plays these tunes with affection, retaining the melody line so that it's easy to hum along, if one is so inclined.

What makes this recording interesting are Brubeck's rich chordal structures and surprising, yet not jarring, chord progressions that support these well-worn, and well-loved, songs.

If you're looking for a Christmas piano classic, this is another great one!

A Classic Holiday Album
I recently purchased some new (to me) Christmas albums. One was David Lanz's THE CHRISTMAS ALBUM, which is an excellent album. Then I listened to A DAVE BRUBECK CHRISTMAS. Wow! This has immediately become one of my favorite holiday albums ever. Where Lanz's solo piano is uniformly elegant, introspective and subdued, Brubeck can also at times be playful and festive("Santa Claus Is Coming To Town," "Winter Wonderland," for instance). His jazz stylings are reminiscent of Vince Guaraldi's scores for the "Peanuts" television cartoons.

The album opens with a sprightly reading of "Jingle Bells," which Brubeck refers to in his liner notes as a fitting version to welcome arriving guests. The second to the last track is a more somber rendition to evoke the feeling of the ending of the day's festivities. Along the way, Brubeck offers some well known seasonal favorites along with a pair of originals: the stately "To Us Is Given" based on a 2,000-year-old Hebrew chant and "Run, Run Run to Bethlehem" from his Christmas Cantata "La Fiesta de la Posada." The album closes with Mel Torme's "The Christmas Song." This is a truly gorgeous holiday album and will bring you joy for years to come. Running time: 56 min., 6 sec. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Fan of Christmas Jazz Music
This is one of my favorite Christmas CD's. If you are looking for something along the lines of the Dave Brubeck Quartet, this is not it. However, if you want a great Christmas (solo) piano CD that will create a peacful mood, I highly recommed it. Musicians need not always "show-off" in order to make great music. This is a good example of Mr. Brubeck creating simple, but very enjoyable artistry.