BluMunk Posted November 29, 2018 Share Posted November 29, 2018 I'm playing a private party later next month, with the request that I play "a combination of holiday standards mixed with some regular standards." I've got a female vocalist and me on the keys (possible adding vocal harmony support), but am struggling to come up with a solid set list. The party host has already requested to sing White Christmas, Oh Holy Night, The Christmas Song, and Winter Wonderland. Any good tips? What do you all play for Christmas events? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamuelBLupowitz Posted November 29, 2018 Share Posted November 29, 2018 I see "holiday standards mixed with some regular standards" and feel like I should rule out anything from after, say, 1960, but there might be some more contemporary holiday tunes that you can slip in without it being too jarring -- John Lennon's "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" or "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," that sort of thing. "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" would fit in, even if it's a little out of the box. "Winter Wonderland" works well in a jazzy arrangement without sounding too cheesy. What about the Vince Guaraldi "Christmas Time is Here?" Samuel B. Lupowitz Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjazz Posted November 29, 2018 Share Posted November 29, 2018 These are some of the holiday tunes I choose from for a gig like that, then sprinkle in some all-time-favorite Great American Songbook stuff (e.g., As Time Goes By, The Very Thought of You, etc.). Holiday Season Modern Bless This House Christmas Song (The) (Chestnuts) Christmas Time is Here Do You Hear What I Hear Edelweiss Frosty the Snow Man Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day I'll Be Home for Christmas In the Bleak Midwinter It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Little Drummer Boy My Favorite Things O Tannenbaum Rudoph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Santa Claus is Coming to Town Silver Bells Some Children See Him White Christmas Winter Wonderland Traditional Religious Angels We Have Heard on High Away in the Manger Coventry Carol First Noel God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen Good King Wenceslas Hark! The Herald Angels Sing It Came Upon the Midnight Clear Joy to the World O Come All Ye Faithful O Come O Come Emmanuel O Holy Night O Little Town of Bethlehem Silent Night We Three Kings What Child Is This Traditional Secular Deck the Hall Jingle Bells Up on the Housetop We Wish You a Merry Christmas New Years Auld Lang Syne What Are You Doing New Year's Eve Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timwat Posted November 29, 2018 Share Posted November 29, 2018 With the female singers I've worked with, in addition to the usual suspects (most noted above) I've also played: All I Want for Christmas is You (Mariah Carey) This Christmas (Donny Hathaway) Baby, It's Cold Outside Santa Baby (Eartha Kitt, et.al.) Feliz Navidad (as a bossa) Last Christmas (George Michael) Pretty Paper Someday at Christmas (Stevie) Hal Leonard publishes a "The Real Christmas Book" which has been really helpful for these kinds of gigs. .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokely Posted November 29, 2018 Share Posted November 29, 2018 Jingle Bell Rock is a lot of fun, but be prepared as the chords are a little more involved than you might think (not difficult, just making sure the band has all the changes down). 1-4-5 it ain't! I DO NOT recommend Father Christmas by the Kinks. For whatever reason our singer picked that one and it's a nightmare to learn "like the record"...fills were coming out in the middle of beats (though it wasn't a mistake, the whole band was doing it) and every little chorus and verse had a *slightly* different way of playing it. Not to mention nobody knows it LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted November 29, 2018 Share Posted November 29, 2018 Whenever I've done these types of events - whether as a piano player or as a DJ - I've always over-prepped. Chances are very good that they will quickly tire of a steady diet of Christmas songs - especially (rather counter-intuitively) the closer you get to Christmas itself (the saturation parallax). If every other song is a Christmas song, it will probably be too much. Every third or fourth - maybe, but don't be surprised if the group will want even less than that once the event gets rolling. Edit: I just noticed this event is only an hour (maybe 15-18 songs if you're just brushing through them). Work up the four they gave you, work up four or five more that you have in common, and call it good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
area51recording Posted November 29, 2018 Share Posted November 29, 2018 I do, in addition to most of the above, the two Charlie Brown tunes I know, Linus and Lucy and Christmas Time is Here.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Link Posted November 29, 2018 Share Posted November 29, 2018 Some Mannheim Steamroller-style reharmonizations of standard Christmas tunes work nicely and change up the sound a bit. "Silent Night" is a good example. I also stole the idea of a New Orleans piano version of "Silent Night" from a guy in town. aka âmisterdregsâ Nord Electro 5D 73 Yamaha P105 Kurzweil PC3LE7 Motion Sound KP200S Schimmel 6-10LE QSC CP-12 Westone AM Pro 30 IEMs Rolls PM55P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Music Bird Posted November 29, 2018 Share Posted November 29, 2018 Wonderful Christmastime or Last Christmas? Dont get the hate they all get. Yamaha MX49, Casio SK1/WK-7600, Korg Minilogue, Alesis SR-16, Casio CT-X3000, FL Studio, many VSTs, percussion, woodwinds, strings, and sound effects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polkahero Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 I pretty much play what has already been mentioned for my one hour Christmas solo performances. In the middle of the set I play five songs from Charlie Brown Christmas in this order with no breaks: Linus and Lucy What Child Is This? Skating Christmas Time Is Here O Tannenbaum Recently learned this medley which makes a great set closer and/or encore number: [video:youtube] '57 Hammond B-3, '60 Hammond A100, Leslie 251, Leslie 330, Leslie 770, Leslie 145, Hammond PR-40 Trek II UC-1A Alesis QSR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vortmaxx Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 I'm playing a holiday party next week and a female vocalist I play with occasionally is going to be there. She wants to do "Baby It's Cold Outside" ala Dean Martin. I told her that I would do it, but only if we switched parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S_Gould Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 If you want to have a little fun with it, throw in the lyrics from one of the Twisted Christmas albums. "Chipmunks Roasting on an Open Fire" is sure to get some giggles (& applause) from anyone who is paying attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthaholic Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 Wonderful Christmastime or Last Christmas? Dont get the hate they all get. Probably a good place to ask: what synth is used for those prominent parts on Wonderful Christmas Time? The fact there's a Highway To Hell and only a Stairway To Heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic numbers People only say "It's a free country" when they're doing something shitty-Demetri Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timwat Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 Probably a good place to ask: what synth is used for those prominent parts on Wonderful Christmas Time? Yamaha CS80. [video:youtube] http://btw2worlds.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/mccartneyinstudio-600x390.jpeg .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hurricane hugo Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 [font:Comic Sans MS]How about Joni Mitchell's "River"?[/font] http://blip.fm/invite/WorkRelease Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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