| | Bending Towards the Light - A Jazz Nativity |  | Artists: Ron Carter, Jerry Dodgion, Benny Powell, Tim Horner, Jon Gordon, John Kaye, Toots Thielemans, Adam Makowicz, Bill Goodwin, Various Artists
Label: Milan Records
Category: Music
List Price: $15.99
Buy Used: $0.98
You Save: $15.01 (94%)
New (5) Used (22) from $0.98
Avg. Customer Rating:  4 reviews
Sales Rank: 131483
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 4.9 x 0.4
UPC: 731383577024
EAN: 0731383577024
ASIN: B0000015LU
Release Date: October 10, 1997
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: EXCELLENT CONDITION--OPENED BUT NEVER PLAYED--SMALL CLOUDINESS ON SECTION OF DISC--FROM MANUFACTURER DOES NOT AFFECT PLAY--GUARANTEED--A VERY DIFFERENT CD--IMMEDIATE SHIPPINNG--FREE UPGRADE TO FIRST CLASS MAIL
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| Tracks:
| • | Bending Towards the Light Grady Tate | | • | Silent Night Bob Kindred | | • | One Star | | • | The First Noel Jon Gordon | | • | Angels We have Heard on High | | • | Bending Towards The Light | | • | What child is this? Jackie Cain and Roy Kral | | • | Softly Falls The Gentle Night Gail Wynters | | • | We Three kings Jon Faddis, Jimmy Slyde, Tito Puente | | • | God' Love made Visible Dave Brubeck | | • | Deck The Halls various artists | | • | Joy To The World |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Album Description
shows and soundtracks
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| Customer Reviews:
 I really wanted to like this CD. December 2, 2002
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I had such high hopes, but the main word that came to mind while listening to this CD is "shrill," with the word "grating" not far behind. Judging from the applause, the audience had a great time in 1992 when this was performed, but maybe the sound technicians were too into the music and not checking their levels enough. High notes are piercing, the mixes seem uneven, some of performances sound like they're taking place in an empty warehouse. But worse are that many of the songs just aren't pleasing to the ear--shrill horns, singers that are either too operatic or sound like they're struggling to hit the notes. Oy. The songs that I mostly enjoyed were "Softly Falls the Gentle Night" with Gail Wynters (and it's really an R&B song) and "We Three Kings," though both were still plagued with mixing issues. I recommend you take a listen to an NPR Piano Jazz Christmas with Marian McPartland (and others) instead of this album. (P.S. Shouldn't that be "Toward the Light"?)
 Not like being there but it will have to do. December 9, 2002
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
(I'm raising my rating from 3 to 5 stars after a couple more listens. You may wish to start with the finale, a 30-minute, choreographed, moveable jam session for the ages on "Deck the Halls." I've never heard anything quite like it. Each group arrives at the manger--first saxes, then trombones, then trumpets--and blows the roof off of the stable, outdoing the previous group in its musical offering. And in between the groups are individual pilgrims--Toots Thielmans, Adam Makiewicz, Russell George--with equally spirited offerings.)
Not the usual jazzing up of pop Christmas tunes but a jazz nativity based on the Christmas story of the Gospels (though this did not prevent a Manhattan Rabbi from offering his synagogue for one of the performances), the musical pageant features the likes of Brubeck, Hampton, Puente dressed up as Wise Men, Shepherds, Angels. And as the title suggests, the production was as theatrical and visual as it was musical (veteran tap dancer Jimmy Slyde is one of the "stars"). All of which makes for a great experience for the spectator fortunate enough to have been in attendance (it's not clear to me whether the production, originally suggested by Rev. John Gensel in the middle 1980's and a regular annual event at least through the mid-90's, is still alive). As a recording, the miking is irregular in keeping with the moveable nature of the musical feast, but once each group of pilgrims arrives at the stable, the tuneful offerings are in sharp focus.
Musical highlights include the Grady Tate vocal that introduces the proceedings, Dave Brubeck's swinging hymn (in 5/4, of course), and the marathon "Deck the Halls" (sort of a "Jazz at the Philharmonic" all-star jam session on chord changes remarkably close to Charlie Parker's "Confirmation") that brings the show to a rousing, spirited close, with the trumpets of John Faddis, Byron Stripling, and Lew Soloff soaring into the stratosphere above Bethlehem skies. It's bracing, exhilarating music but certainly not, as another reviewer has stated, "shrill"--unless you're averse to unmuted trumpet virtuosity in the style of Maynard Ferguson, Cat Anderson, Arturo Sandoval, or early Dizzy Gillespie. (This baby Jesus was no Chet Baker or Chris Botti fan.)
Swinging Stable--A Birthday Party for the Ages December 24, 2005
What a joy it is to learn that this tradition has been brought back to NYC for Christmas 2005 (wish it had been running a couple of years ago, when I was in town and had to settle for the Rockettes). And to imagine that a few of the original musicians are still with the production--namely violinist Russell George and the ageless wonder, tap dancer Jimmy Slyde--though it would be hard to top the personnel and performance captured on this 1995 release. You may wish to start with the finale, a 30-minute, choreographed, moveable jam session on "Deck the Halls." I've never heard anything quite like it. Each group arrives at the manger--first saxes, then trombones, then trumpets--and blows the roof off of the stable, outdoing the previous group in its musical offering. And in between the groups are individual pilgrims--Toots Thielmans, Adam Makiewicz, Russell George--with equally spirited offerings. What follows is my original review:
Not the usual jazzing up of pop Christmas tunes but a jazz nativity based on the Christmas story of the Gospels (though this did not prevent a Manhattan Rabbi from offering his synagogue for one of the performances), the musical pageant features the likes of Brubeck, Hampton, Puente dressed up as Wise Men, Shepherds, Angels. And as the title suggests, the production was as theatrical and visual as it was musical (veteran tap dancer Jimmy Slyde is one of the "stars"). All of which makes for a great experience for the spectator fortunate enough to have been in attendance (it's not clear to me whether the production, originally suggested by Rev. John Gensel in the middle 1980's and a regular annual event at least through the mid-90's, is still alive). As a recording, the miking is irregular in keeping with the moveable nature of the musical feast, but once each group of pilgrims arrives at the stable, the tuneful offerings are in sharp focus.
Musical highlights include the Grady Tate vocal that introduces the proceedings, Dave Brubeck's swinging hymn (in 5/4, of course), and the marathon "Deck the Halls" (sort of a "Jazz at the Philharmonic" all-star jam session on chord changes remarkably close to Charlie Parker's "Confirmation") that brings the show to a rousing, spirited close, with the trumpets of John Faddis, Byron Stripling, and Lew Soloff soaring into the stratosphere above Bethlehem skies. It's bracing, exhilarating music but certainly not, as another reviewer has stated, "shrill"--unless you're averse to unmuted trumpet virtuosity in the style of Maynard Ferguson, Cat Anderson, Arturo Sandoval, or early Dizzy Gillespie. (This baby Jesus clearly was no Chet Baker or Chris Botti fan.)
The Joy comes through even on an old recording... January 2, 2008
I overheard part of an interview with Anne Phillips Kindred on the radio, and thinking the CD was a new release, hopped over to Amazon to buy it. Imagine my dismay to learn it was recorded in the early 90's--a decade and a half ago, and centuries from today's technology.
HOWEVER, one listen sold me:
With the top jazz stars of any decade, and fantastic singers ranging from children to octogenarians in full voice, even old recordings get the message across. What a wonderful event it must be to attend in person. The play--or Celebration--puts love, peace, and joy back into what has become my least favorite time of year in the 15 years since it was recorded. And listening to the CD has warmed me in a new way.
Thank you, Ann Phillips and Bob Kindred.
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