Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse – A New Orleans Creold Christmas
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse – A New Orleans Creole Christmas: O Tannenbaum – O Christmas Tree, Silent Night, Winter Wonderland, The Christmas Song, Christmas Time Is Here, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, It Came Upon A Midnight Clear, Christmas Time Is Here (trio)
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse – A New Orleans Creole Christmas Personnel: All tracks feature Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Playhouse Revue: Irvin Mayfield – trumpet, Derek Douget – soprano and tenor saxophones, Jason Marshall – baritone saxophone, Vincent Gardner – trombone, John Chin – piano, Peter Harris – bass, Adonis Rose – drums, Michael Watson – vocals, Featured Guest: Ronald Markham – piano on Christmas Time Is Here
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse – A New Orleans Creole Christmas was produced by Irvin Mayfield and Executive Producer Mark Samuels on the Basin Street Records label.
As a bit of an introduction, Irvin Mayfield is a multi-Grammy® winner, Billboard Music Award winner, the New Orleans Cultural Ambassador, the youngest member (and the only musician) of the National Council on the Arts (named by two presidents), founder and artistic director of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, and the first artistic director of Jazz of the Minnesota Orchestra, which he holds among his many accolades he has incurred in his career.
The release opens with the traditional Christmas song, O Tannenbaum – O Christmas Tree, which takes on a new rhythm with its brass band sound. Next is the line-up is the Franz Xavier Gruber and Joseph Mohr song, Silent Night written in 1818, to which Irvin and the band do justice, with John Chin’s piano leading the way interspersed with beautiful horns.
Other highlights include the 1934 song, Winter Wonderland, written by Felix Bernard with lyrics by Richard B. Smith, which picks up the pace and features Ronald Markham on piano, followed by the Mel Tormé and Robert Wells dreamy The Christmas Song, with Irvin Mayfield’s beautiful trumpet complemented by John Chin on piano.
Christmas Time Is Here composed by Vince Guaraldi with lyrics by Lee Mendelson for the 1965 television special A Charlie Brown Christmas features the vocals of Michael Watson. Next in the line-up is Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, the Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin song written for the 1944 musical with Judy Garland, Meet Me in St. Louis.
It Came Upon A Midnight Clear featuring Ronald Markham on piano, and Christmas Time Is Here (trio), beautifully round out the release. Have a wonderful holiday season listening to Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse – A New Orleans Creole Christmas.
If you are going to be in New Orleans and want to hear the band, be sure to visit the club, Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse located in the Royal Sonesta New Orleans at 300 Bourbon Street in the French Quarter.
Websites where you can procure Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse – A New Orleans Creole Christmas: www.BasinStreetRecords.com, and Amazon.com.
For information on Irvin Mayfield & The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra on tour, please visit: www.IrvinMayfield.com
Listen to a few clips: www.BasinStreetRecords.com/shop/Irvin-Mayfield-a-New-Orleans-Creole-Christmas/
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