Merry Christmas 2012!

Dr. Drake here, wishing all of my readers a very Merry Christmas for 2012!

Yellowjackets - Peace Round: A Christmas Celebration (2004)

This progressive jazz supergroup had previously contributed tracks to three high-profile holiday jazz recordings (including a GRP collection and Take 6's He Is Christmas), but never took the full plunge into the stocking stuffer realm until now. There's definitely a sense of spunk and spontaneity as the quartet does its first and second takes, but most of the arrangements are pretty standard jazz hipster stuff, allowing for saxman Bob Mintzer, pianist Russ Ferrante, and bassist Jimmy Haslip to impress listeners with cool solos. But those solos do make a difference, so while Marcus Baylor's drum line and the sax melody on "The Little Drummer Boy" are middle of the road, Haslip's and Ferrante's solo improvisations add some originality and flash. "Silent Night" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" arrive in the standard ballad mode, lush and pretty. "Deck the Halls" has a tense, marching drumbeat that keeps listeners tapping, but the title track is just pleasant atmosphere stuff for watching the snow fall. The best swing comes in the arrangement of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," which utilizes each member to his maximum potential and embodies the joy of the holiday spirit. Sure, it's hard to find original ways to do these well-worn tunes, but an ensemble known for its innovation could have spruced things up much more.
—Jonathan Widran, Allmusic.com

Audio CD: Peace Round: A Christmas Celebration
MP3 Album: Peace Round

Track List

1. Little Drummer Boy
2. Silent Night
3. Deck The Halls
4. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
5. Peace Round
6. The First Noel
7. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
8. Oh Little Town of Bethlehem
9. Winter Wonderland
10. In a Silent Night

Christmas Singles (2012)

Track List

1. Where Are You Christmas - Faith Hill
2. Carol Of The Bells - Johnny Mathis
3. The Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Johnny Mathis
4. We Need A Little Christmas - Johnny Mathis
5. What Child Is This - Johnny Mathis
6. What Child Is This (n) - Johnny Mathis
7. My Grown Up Christmas List - Kelly Clarkson
8. A New York Christmas - Rob Thomas
9. Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses
10. What Child Is This - William Loose

Now Christmas (2011)

Track List

Disc 1

1. Happy X-Mas (War Is Over) - John Lennon & Yoko Ono
2. Do They Know It's Christmas - Band Aid II
3. Ludvig Og Julemanden - Søs Fenger
4. Christmas Lights - Coldplay
5. Jul På Vesterbro - Anden
6. Walk This Sleigh - Robbie Williams
7. Jul I Angora - Drengene Fra Angora
8. Driving Home For Christmas - Chris Rea
9. White Christmas - Dean Martin
10. The Power Of Love - Frankie Goes To Hollywood
11. Santa Baby - Kylie Minogue
12. Søren Banjomus - Otto Brandenburg
13. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday - Roy Wood & Wizzard
14. Jingle Bell Rock - Bill Haley & His Comets
15. Muligvisvej - Flemming 'Bamse' Jørgensen
16. The Christmas Song - Nat 'King' Kole
17. Vi Ønsker Jer Alle En Glædelig Jul - Tommy Seebach Og Annette Heick
18. Jul I Hele Kongeriget - Lis Sørensen
19. 2000 Miles - The Pretenders
20. Det Bli'r Jul Igen - Troels Trier Og Rebecca Brüel
21. Tuborg Julebryg Jingle (Bonus) - Tuborg Juleband

Disc 2

1. Så' Det Jul - Kim Larsen
2. Rockin' Around The Christmas T - Mel & Kim
3. Julefrokost - Jørn Rosenville
4. Another Christmas Day - Cliff Richard
5. Kære Julemayn - Monkeybuiness Feat. L.O.C. Og
6. It Doesn't Often Snow At Chris - Pet Shop Boys
7. Penge Til Jul - Julecamp'en Feat. Julie Ruggaa
8. Vi Lover Hinanden - Sanne Salomonsen Og Nikolaj St
9. Christmas Song - Gilbert O'Sullivan
10. Op Til Jul - Bossen Og Bumsen
11. Upon A Christmas Night - Michael Learns To Rock
12. Vil Du Være Min Nat - Caroline Henderson
13. Christmas Time - The Darkness
14. The Spirit Of Christmas - Eva Cassidy & Chuck Brown
15. Feliz Navidad (Fik Lis Nok I N - Sweethearts)
16. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Cartoons
17. Baby, It's Cold Outside - Dodo Gad & Jens Rud
18. Silent Night - Sinead O'Connor
19. Jesus Og Josefine - Martin Brygmann Og Julie Berth
20. She Won't Be Home - Erasure
21. Det Nye År (Bonus) - Michael Bundesen

Christmas Duets (2011)

Track List

1. You're All I Want For Christmas - Caro Emerald & Brook Benton
2. White Christmas - Marco Borsato & The Supremes
3. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Ben Saunders & Rosemary Clooney
4. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) - Do & Mel Torme
5. Sleigh Ride - Rene Froger & Ella Fitzgerald
6. I'll Be Home For Christmas - Krystl & Pat Boone
7. The Christmas Blues - Ruth Jacott & Dean Martin
8. Blue Christmas - Guus Meeuwis & Elvis Presley
9. I Am Blessed - Wouter Hamel & Nina Simone
10. Let It Snow - Glennis Grace & The Temptations
11. Come Home For Christmas - Frans Duijts & The Platters
12. Jingle Bell Rock - Dean Saunders & Bobby Helms
13. Silent Night - Gerard Joling & Demis Roussos