Rick Braun - It's Christmas (2024) [Hi-Res]

Marking an incredible 30 years since his first holiday album Christmas Present, Rick Braun’s new seasonal recording It’s Christmas is a high spirited, genre-transcendent collection that finds him exploring an expansive range of styles, starting with the opening, Steely Dan meets the Saturday Night Live horns jam band explosion of “Deck those Halls” and including what he calls the “Disney Fireworks” crescendo on “Do You Hear The Angels” (a colorful, clever mood swinging mashup of “Joy to the World,” “Do You Hear What I Hear,” “Angels We Have Heard On High” and “O Come All Ye Faithful”). Along the way, he includes straight ahead jazz trio takes on Mel Torme’s timeless “The Christmas Song” and “The Santa Clause,” a clever, swinging spin on “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” which begins with Braun whistling. Other highlights include the dynamic five-piece Pinot Noir Brass (Dickson, Braun, trumpeter Jeff Bunnell, trombonist Nick Lane and tuba player Doug Tornquist) on “God Rest Ye Merry Gents”; and two Braun originals, the lush, intimate, string caressed “Christmas Eve Waltz” (featuring Braun self-duetting on flugelhorn and piano) and the title track “It’s Christmas,” a charming, romantic vocal tune. Braun’s previous holiday recordings include appearing on and producing A Peter White Christmas (2007); the vocal/big band themed Swingin’ In The Snow (2012); and the traditional Pinot Noir Brass Christmas (2023), featuring Braun and four veteran horn player friends.