Harry For the Holidays

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Performer: Harry Connick, Jr.
Engineer: J.R. Rodriguez; Gregg Rubin
Producer: Tracey Freeman
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: This is a Hyper CD, which contains regular audio tracks and also provides a link to the artist's website with the help of a web browser. Personnel: Harry Connick, Jr. (vocals, piano, bass, drums); George Jones (vocals); Charles "Ned" Goold, James Greene (alto saxophone); Jerry Weldon, Mike Karn (tenor saxophone); Dave Schumacher (baritone saxophone); Roger Ingram, Derrick Gardner, Leroy Jones, Joe Magnarelli (trumpet); Mark Mullins, Craig Klein, Lucien Barbarin, John Allred (trombone); Joe Barati (bass trombone); Biff Watson, Leo Nocentelli, George Doering (guitar); Paul Franklin (pedal steel). Recorded at Capitol Studios, Los Angeles, California between May 13 & 22, 2003. This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files. Personnel: Harry Connick, Jr. (vocals, piano, drums); George Jones (vocals); Biff Watson, George Doering, Leo Nocentelli (guitar); James Greene, Ned Goold (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Mike Kam, Jerry Weldon (tenor saxophone); David Schumacher (baritone saxophone); Derrick Gardner, Joe Magnarelli, Leroy Jones, Roger Ingram (trumpet); John Alfred, Craig Klein, Lucien Barbarin, Mark Mullins (trombone); Joe Barati (bass trombone); Phil Frazier (tuba); Arthur Latin (drums). Audio Mixer: Gregg Rubin. Recording information: Capitol studios, Los Angeles, CA (05/13/2003-05/22/2003); Starstruck, Nashville, TN (05/13/2003-05/22/2003). Photographers: Scott Landis; Sam Jones. Arranger: Harry Connick, Jr. Ten years after his first holiday-themed album, When My Heart Finds Christmas, pianist/vocalist Harry Connick, Jr. found the spirit again with Harry for the Holidays. Still centered on Connick's vocals, this foray into "tinsel tunes" is more jazz oriented than his 1993 release and allows for his growth as a performer, arranger, and conductor. Like a Brooks Brothers' suit worn at Mardi Gras, Connick's writing for his big band and full orchestra mixes New Orleans rhythms with crisp, swinging arrangements that call to mind '60s Michel Legrand and Quincy Jones. Nothing Connick has done before can quite prepare you for the screaming trumpets and rollicking second-line-style swing of his leadoff take on "Frosty the Snowman." In fact, most of the classic standards here, including "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and "Silver Bells," get highly unexpected treatments as on "Santa Clause Is Coming to Town," which is worked up into a funky, brass-band "go-go" dance number. Similarly tasty is "I'll Be Home for Christmas," which not only features some of the best crooning the Will and Grace star has ever done, but also a beautifully modest Count Basie-inspired piano solo. There is also an appealing balance to Harry for the Holidays between songs of Christmas nostalgia and heartfelt ruminations on what the season means in a deeper sense. Throw in four original compositions that touch on Scott Walker-esque orchestrated pop, Tin Pan Alley songcraft, and country -- yes, that is the George Jones dueting with Connick on "Nothin' New for the New Year" -- and not only do you have one of the best holiday albums in years, but easily the best album of Connick's career. [Harry for the Holidays was reissued in 2005 as a dual disc CD/DVD with additional audio tracks, video clips and an interview on the DVD side.] ~ Matt Collar Instead of a straightforward take on an assortment of seasonal classics, Harry Connick, Jr. decided to make HARRY FOR THE HOLIDAYS, his second Christmas album in a decade, more of a swinging affair, thanks to his use of unorthodox arrangements. Sure, there's enough lush orchestrations on songs like "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and more secular fare like "Nature Boy" to make Nelson Riddle blush, but Connick does spice things up. "Frosty the Snowman" turns into a brassy rhumba and the "Christmas Waltz" benefits from the kind of West Coast, cool time changes that you'd expect to hear on a Dave Brubeck outing. This New Orleans native also gives a nod to fellow southerner Elvis Presley by way of a crooned reading of "Blue Christmas" and country legend George Jones even gets recruited for the countrypolitan Connick-penned "Nothin' New for New Year." Other originals like the New Orleans funkified "Happy Elf" and the orchestral gem "I Come with Love" fare well alongside a snappy version of "Silver Bells" and an cover of Donny Hathaway's "This Christmas" featuring Meters' guitarist Leo Nocentelli and a gospel choir. Connick's fresh approach to seasonal music will make you glad to join HARRY FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

Mojo (Publisher) (p.112) - 4 stars out of 5 - "Harry's second seasonal effort is actually rather superb."

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