Jazz Instrumental Christmas CD Reviews

Christmas CDs Christmas Music Home | Christmas The Hymns CD | Is It Christmas Yet? CD | Greg Vail

Is It Christmas Yet?

Tracks include:
• Christmas Time Is Here
• Angels We Have Heard On High
• Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
• White Christmas
• The Little Drummer Boy
• Away In A Manger
• Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
• Silent Night Prelude
• Silent Night
• Winter Wonderland
• We Three Kings
• CLICK THE CD COVER to Listen to Samples while you read.



Is It Christmas Yet? Home Page | Christmas Yet? CD Booklet | Christmas Yet? Thanks | The Making of Is It... | The Making Part II | Christmas Yet? CD Review | Teen Jazz CD Review | Customer Testimonials






A Jazz Christmas CD

September - 2005 Christmas CD Review by Carol Swanson for ChristmasReviews.com.





When Greg Vail's little girl Vanessa giggles "Daddy, Is it Christmas yet?", all you parents will smile, recognizing that childish anticipation of the holidays that still lives in all of us.

This is how sax man Vail opens his second holiday album, Is It Christmas Yet? (his first holiday album, Christmas, The Hymns, is also reviewed here). Both are instrumentals, but in my view, this 2004 release differs from the earlier album in at least four important respects.

First, the song emphasis here is more on contemporary holiday tunes (like "Winter Wonderland"), rather than on ancient carols. Second, Vail's sax seems more at center stage in this recording, and he really makes it smoke. Third, Christmas, The Hymns featured keyboardist extraordinaire Rob Mullins, and that colored the CD's presentation to a fairly large extent. Finally, Is It Christmas Yet? is the genuine jazz article; it is traditional jazz played in the "old school" way. This definitely is NOT adult contemporary pop or funk or anything other than straight-up jazz.

Backed by an excellent combo, Vail pulls out all the stops, and his sax really wails. I particularly loved his relatively slow, highly textured, and very emotive, "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town." In contrast, "The Little Drummer Boy" is a runaway freight train, all speed and splash. The string bass is really special as Vail takes the lead on "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (one of my favorite renditions ever.) To be honest, it's all good here. Even little Vanessa Vail's way-too-cute vocals on "Silent Night" (under a minute!) work. "Winter Wonderland" is an excellent closer and personifies "cool."

Is jazz your thing? Greg Vail's exciting Is It Christmas Yet? is an outstanding holiday option for your audio system. Give it a spin!

--Carol Swanson

Carol is a regular writer and reviewer for ChristmasReviews.com. Click the link for hundreds of Christmas CD Reviews and enjoy this Holiday Season!!

Read Carol's Review on Christmas The Hymns here.

Read the Teen Jazz Review of Is It Christmas Yet? here.



Is It Christmas Yet? CD

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• "Is It Christmas Yet?" Booklet Information
  
• "Is It Christmas Yet?" Booklet Thanks
  
• "Is It Christmas Yet?" The Making Of The CD
  
• "Is It Christmas Yet?" The Making Part II
  
• "Is It Christmas Yet?" Christmas Reviews dotcom CD Review
  
• "Is It Christmas Yet?" Teen Jazz CD Review
  
• "Is It Christmas Yet?" Reviews and Testimonials
  

Jazz Christmas CD, instrumental music, Christmas songs, traditional jazz, Christmas presents, real jazz, Christmas music, instrumental background music, Jazz Sax, Saxophone holiday CD, tenor saxophone, Holiday traditions, Christmas music CDs, Christmas music online.

LAST CHECK AND UPDATE OCTOBER 30th, 2009

Jazz Christmas Music

Other Christmas Links here at Greg Vail DotCom and from the Greg Vail Network of Sites >>
• Christmas Message - A few Christmas Thoughts. (www.ChristmasJazz.com points to this page for sharing with friends)
  
• Christmas Thoughts - Our American consumer culture does not
  help our Joy or Peace at Christmas.
  A few thoughts from Greg on being grateful...
• Christmas Sax Music - Christmas Sax DotCom
• Christmas CDs - Christmas CDs DotNet
• Christmas Hymns - Christmas Hymns DotCom - redesigned for 2009!
• Smooth Jazz Christmas - Smooth Jazz Christmas DotCom

Christmas on the Socials

• Mr. Christmas Saxophone - My Space DotCom / Mr Christmas Saxophone
• Christmas Music - FaceBook DotCom / Christmas Music

Is It Christmas Yet? Home Page | Christmas Yet? CD Booklet | Christmas Yet? Thanks | The Making of Is It... | The Making Part II | Christmas Yet? CD Review | Teen Jazz CD Review | Customer Testimonials