Christmas Cedar & Spruce

Joel Brown (guitar), Chuck D' Aloia (guitar), Peter Ruth (harmonica), Chris Brubeck (piano), Andrew Brown (cello), Kristin Bacchiocchi-Stewart (flute), Frank Brown (clarinet), Jason Brown (double bass), Chris Brubeck (fretless bass)

Catalog #: TROY0789
Release Date: September 1, 2005
Format: Digital
Chamber

You'll remember Joel Brown from all those wonderful discs with the late Bill Crofut from Albany's "early years." Now he's back with a delightful Christmas disc with his celebrated friends and family. This album was inspired by a concert and TV show featuring Brown's arrangements of Christmas tunes for a student guitar ensemble. It was such a success that he was encouraged to create this recording. All right, it took more than a decade but it was worth the wait! As with those great Crofut albums, the arrangements are jazzy, folksy and often times plain-old traditional. Of course you've heard these tunes a lot of times in the past, but they've never sounded so fresh as they do here. As Joel writes, "Christmas music has always been my favorite part of the holiday season. I still feel a flood of excitement and joy when I think of standing in our little hometown church singing in unison with family and friends. I hope the music on this recording will bring some of that same feeling to you. Merry Christmas!"

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Track Listing

Title Composer Performer
Angels We Have Heard on High Traditional, arr. J. Brown Joel Brown, guitar, Chuck D'Aloia, guitar
We Wish You a Merry Christmas Traditional, arr. J. Brown Joel Brown, guitar, Chuck D'Aloia, guitar
What Child is This Traditional, arr. J. Brown/C. Brubeck Joel Brown, guitar, Peter Madcat Ruth, harmonica, Chris Brubeck, piano
Silent Night Franz Gruber, arr. J. Brown Joel Brown, guitar
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring J.S. Bach, arr. J. Brown Joel Brown, guitar, Andrew Brown, cello
Joy to the World Lowell Mason, arr. J. Brown Joel Brown, guitar, Andrew Brown, cello, Kristin Bacchiocchi-Stewart, flute
In the Bleak Mid-Winter Traditional, arr. J. Brown Joel Brown, guitar
Santa Claus is Coming to Town J.F. Coots/H. Gillespie, arr J. Brown Joel Brown, guitar, Frank Brown, clarinet, Jason Brown, bass
We Three Kings John Hopkins, arr J. Brown Joel Brown, guitar
Jolly Old Saint Nicholas B. Hardy, arr. J. Brown Joel Brown, guitar
Good King Wenceslas J.M. Neale, arr. J. Brown Joel Brown, guitar, Peter Madcat Ruth, harmonica, Chris Brubeck, fretless bass

Reviews

  • "...I am truly happy with this recording. It makes me smile."

    – American Record Guide

*Album cover provided for Editorial use only. ©Albany Records. The Albany Imprint is a registered trademark of PARMA Recordings LLC. The views and opinions expressed in this media are those of the artist and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views and opinions held by PARMA Recordings LLC and its label imprints, subsidiaries, and affiliates.