White Christmas

Performer: Rosemary Clooney
Artist: Michael Feinstein; Gary Foster
Engineer: Leslie Ann Jones
Producer: Peter Matz
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Personnel includes: Rosemary Clooney, Michael Feinstein, Nick Clooney (vocals); Peter Matz (arranger); Gary Foster (alto saxophone); John Oddo (piano); Tim May (guitar); Chuck Berghofer (bass); Albie Berk (drums); The Peter Matz Orchestra; The Earl Brown Singers. Recorded at Capitol Studios, Los Angeles, California on April 1-4, 1996. Includes liner notes by Nick Clooney, Glen Barros, Dolores Hope and Bob Hope. This is a hybrid Super Audio CD playable on both regular and Super Audio CD players. Personnel includes: Rosemary Clooney, Michael Feinstein, Nick Clooney (vocals); Peter Matz (arranger); Gary Foster (alto saxophone); John Oddo (piano); Tim May (guitar); Chuck Berghofer (bass); Albie Berk (drums); The Peter Matz Orchestra; The Earl Brown Singers. Recorded at Capitol Studios, Los Angeles, California on April 1-4, 1996. Includes liner notes by Nick Clooney, Glen Barros, Dolores Hope and Bob Hope. Although Rosemary Clooney had a major part in the famous film White Christmas back in 1954, this was her first full Christmas album and it was a big seller when it was released late in 1996. From the jazz standpoint, there is not much here, as Clooney is accompanied by a huge orchestra conducted and mostly arranged by Peter Matz. Although there are a few brief solos from altoist Gary Foster, tenor saxophonist Dan Higgins, trombonist Chauncey Welsch and trumpeter Warren Luening, the music is essentially nostalgic middle-of-the-road pop with Clooney joined on several numbers by the Earl Brown Singers (who also take brief a cappella versions of some veteran Christmas tunes); one tune apiece features appearances by Michael Feinstein and Rosemary's brother Nick Clooney. But jazz content aside, Rosemary Clooney is in good voice, and the heartfelt emotions that she expresses on these Yuletide favorites communicate quite well. ~ Scott Yanow

An iconic American vocalist, Rosemary Clooney often blurred the line between pop and jazz, occasionally even venturing into country and international styles. She started out as a singer with the Tony Pastor band in the 1940s, and her solo career started taking off at the end of the decade. Under the stewardship of Mitch Miller, she had numerous novelty-oriented '50s hits, but later on she dedicated herself to more serious, jazzier work, making some of her finest albums, like 1956's BLUE ROSE. Clooney was also active in films and TV (for a time she had her own television show), and continued performing and recording tirelessly until her death in 2002.

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