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Tis the Season.

RABid

By RABid
in The Keyboard Corner

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RABid

RABid

Posted
Posted

I'm decorating my office and decided to put on some Christmas music. All I have at work is

 

A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi

 

Big Band Christmas - $5 at at any of the major 'marts but but is one of my better finds.

 

One is my favorite and the other is the best buy I have found. Anyone got any favorites that other keyboard players my enjoy this season. For those that celebrate other holidays rather than Christmas, don't hold out. Give me your favorite seasonal suggestions.

This post edited for speling.

My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page

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Roto

Roto

Posted
Posted

I know it sounds tacky (and some of it IS) Ultralounge Christmas Cocktail volumes 1 and 2. Most of the songs are great IMHO, and the ones that aren't great are so horrible that you just HAVE to make all your friends listen to them.

 

Samples:

Vol. 1

 

Vol. 2

 

[ 12-04-2001: Message edited by: Roto ]

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Laurie Z.

Laurie Z.

Posted
Posted
Originally posted by Rabid:

I'm decorating my office and decided to put on some Christmas music. All I have at work is

 

A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi

 

Big Band Christmas - $5 at at any of the major 'marts but but is one of my better finds.

 

One is my favorite and the other is the best buy I have found. Anyone got any favorites that other keyboard players my enjoy this season. For those that celebrate other holidays rather than Christmas, don't hold out. Give me your favorite seasonal suggestions.

 

Well, hey Rabid! Got some good news for you (shameless self-promotion coming)...

 

We just released my first Holiday album (and 4th release), called "Heart of the Holidays" and I think you'll love it. Of course it's got a lot of keyboards on it (it has to if it's my album!) ;) and it's new arrangements of songs that I consider to be seasonally appropriate, not just Christmas. And it's not just the same old thing.

 

The new album includes 2 John Lennon songs that have always felt just right this time of year, 2 really different Chanukah song treatments, 2 holiday originals, and a guest appearance by Jack Palance (really!!) on vocals.

 

I'll tell you more about the technical stuff if you'd like to know...

 

I haven't announced it here yet because I've been so busy getting the album ready for release and I'm in the middle of my tour, performing the album live throughout So Cal and Arizona.

 

There's a few other people on here who can tell you what they think of it - Dave Bryce, our friend Geoff (Soapbox) and others...Dave, Jim Bordner and others also helped out when we had technical concerns.

 

My website is www.lauriez.com and there's mp3s and real audio for your musical perusal.

 

I've also heard good things about the Trans-Siberian Orchestra releases but haven't checked 'em out yet. Will meet them on the 14th when Jack and I perform for the Mark and Brian Christmas Show at the Wiltern - Styx is gonna be playing too, so I'm looking forward to that! :cool:

 

Thanks for the opportunity to share the news.

 

Happy holidays, everyone!

 

Laurie Z.

www.lauriez.com

www.mp3.com/lauriez

www.lauriez.com
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Laurie Z.

Laurie Z.

Posted
Posted

BTW, Starbucks released a surprisingly good compliation for the holidays several years back called "A Merry Affair" (Diana Krall, Frank Sinatra, Ella, etc....) - if you can find it, you'd probably enjoy the "classic"-ness of the CD. (Although groundbreaking it isn't - or should I say, 'grounds-breaking??'

 

 

Ho Ho Ho!~

 

Laurie Z. :)

www.lauriez.com
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Bucktunes

Bucktunes

Posted
Posted

Call me a sentimental fool, but I love good Christmas music! :) Here's a few of my faves;

 

Take 6 - "We Wish You A Merry Christmas", and "He Is Christmas". Amazing stuff. Not all religious, either. They do incredible versions of secular Christmas tunes as well.

Russ Freeman - "Holiday"

David Foster - "The Christmas Album" An all-star cast of singers. Vanessa Williams, Tom Jones (really!), The Winans, Micahael Crawford, etc. Great orchestration.

Amy Grant - "Home For Christmas" No kidding. Some amazing arrangements on this one.

Vince Gill - What a voice! He makes any song sound good.

 

Also, there are 2 GRP Christmas compilations from about 10 years ago that are really good. They may be a little harder to find, though. Enjoy, and Merry Christmas! :)

 

Peace all,

Steve

><>

Steve

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coren

coren

Posted
Posted

i get by with the christmas radio, the artists im unsure of but the radios played the same songs over for the past 10 years now, i think thats why i like it

like: belise navi dah (or however you spell THAT)

and the usuals, drummer boy etc ect

 

i also enjoy anybody playing "carol of the bells" (i think thats what its called anyways..)

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Dave Bryce

Dave Bryce

Posted
Posted

I really like the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas albums. I've been into them since I first heard the Fresh Aire albums in the early '80s. The Christmas ones are especially good, IMO.

 

A Charlie Brown Christmas is still one of my absolute faves. I had it with me at AES last week...used it for demoing the ADAMs.

 

dB

:snax:

 

:keys:==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <==:rawk:

 

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soapbox

soapbox

Posted
Posted
Originally posted by lauriez@lauriez.com:

There's a few other people on here who can tell you what they think of it - Dave Bryce, our friend Geoff (Soapbox) and others...Dave, Jim Bordner and others also helped out when we had technical concerns.

 

My wife and I went to see Laurie Z perform songs from her new album the weekend before last. We both really enjoyed listening to her music and watching the joy with which she performs. I liked her choice of material, her arrangements, and her playing.

 

Laurie, best of luck!

 

- Geoff

 

P.S. Oh, and it was fun watching Laurie's husband sing (nice voice!) and getting to meet him and Laurie's sister as well.

 

[ 12-05-2001: Message edited by: soapbox ]

Enthusiasm powers the world.

 

Craig Anderton's Archiving Article

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Pat Azzarello

Pat Azzarello

Posted
Posted

I second the Take 6, Mannheim Steamroller and Charlie Brown Christmas albums, plus:


  •  
  • An Animals Christmas: Jimmy Webb, Art Garfunkel, Amy Grant. Hard to find, but it's also hard to find a songwriter like Jimmy Webb
  • Trans Siberian Railroad
  • Muppets Christmas Carol
  • Amy Grant
  • Kurt Bestor
     

Too much music, too little season ;)

Pat

http://www.patazzarello.com

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Bucktunes

Bucktunes

Posted
Posted
Originally posted by Dave Bryce:

I really like the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas albums.

 

Geez, how did I miss mentioning Mannheim?! Somebody slap me!!

They were the ones who first got me interested in modern synth-oriented Christmas music back in the `80's. :o

 

Hey Patazz, which Amy Grant CD are you referring to? She's had 3. "Home For Christmas" is my fave of hers.

 

Peace all,

Steve

><>

Steve

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dansouth

dansouth

Posted
Posted
Originally posted by soapbox:

 

P.S. Oh, and it was fun watching Laurie's husband sing (nice voice!) and getting to meet him and Laurie's sister as well.

 

Laurie has a SISTER? Whoo-HOO!! :D

 

( I'll politely avoid the whole stocking stuffing reference... )

 

;)

 

[ 12-05-2001: Message edited by: dansouth@yahoo.com ]

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tenthplanet

tenthplanet

Posted
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Part of the holiday ritual around my place is to pull out the ole' Christmas Rap album.(no I'm not kidding!). There was a time when rap was intresting and still was kind of new and it is reflected on the album. It even has Run Dmc on it. It's an interesting variation on a pop Christmas album.

Some of the smooth jazz Christmas albums are nice too.

Michael

Q:What do you call a truck with nothing in the bed,nothing on the hitch, and room for more than three people in the cab? A:"A car"....
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Postman

Postman

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I have three CDs that I play the bits off of this time of year:

 

* A Charlie Brown Chistmas - Vince Guaraldi

 

* December - George Winston

 

* Harmony: The Christmas Songs - The Nylons

 

The last one is probably the least known. It's not keyboard based, rather its four part singing, but it's top notch arranging and performance. I highly recommend it.

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Magpel

Magpel

Posted
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I don't know many Christmas albums, but of the seasonal songs that show up on rock radio this time of year, my favorite by a long shot is The Pogues' Fairytale of New York. Not exactly the standard Chistmas sentiment ("you scumbag you maggot, you cheap lousy faggot, happy Christmas your arse I pray God it's our last," and what *is* that line about "lying there almost dead on a stain on the bed"?) But it actually tunrs out o be quite a moving and beautiful song, and I just love The Pogues.

So look for a compilation with this song on it.

Check out the Sweet Clementines CD at bandcamp
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RABid

RABid

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Well, I dug through the closet and brought the rest of my Christmas CDs to work. Now I remember last years nightmare and why I took them home.

 

Some people only want to listen to Mariah Careys Merry Christmas over and over until the rest of us are sick. (That is about once through for me.)

 

No one even wants to try Take 6, Glenn Miller, or some of my other favorites.

 

Some people prefer to steal Christmas CDs rather than buy them, but no one ever steals Harry Connic Jr.s Christmas CD.

 

Oh, and then there was the argument. Which is better? Mannheim Steamroller or A Christmas Tribute to Mannheim Steamroller as performed by The Westwind Ensemble?

 

So here I sit, ripping my Christmas CDs to computer and wondering, what is the most recorded Christmas song? I thought it would be Jingle Bells or Silent Night. So far in my collection it is Winter Wonderland and Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, followed by Ill Be Home For Christmas, What Child Is This and The Christmas Song.

This post edited for speling.

My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page

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Laurie Z.

Laurie Z.

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Hey, you guys - thanks for the nice comments! (umm, Dan - my sister's taken, dude! ;) )

 

It was so cool to meet Geoff, Ongelique, and the other folks at the dinner up in Hollywood - looking forward to seeing Mr. and Mrs. audiomaverick at the Mission Viejo show...

 

Another CD suggestion, although it's not keyboards, is to check out some of the "guitar gods" CDs - Satriani, Vai et al have done some cool holiday guitar tunes (I think one is called "Merry Axemas" or something...)

 

Happy holidays!

 

Laurie Z.

www.lauriez.com

www.lauriez.com
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KTempo

KTempo

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Posted
I love playing The Soulful Christmas CD (various artists) that's been advertised on TV! Also, The Motown Christmas CD (I believe that's the title) just love The Temptations' Silent Night. My mom has yet to returned my CDs to me!! :mad:
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