A Christmas Carol, New Orleans Style
Wednesday, December 20, 2006 at 01:41PM I do not generally like to shill for commercial enterprises in this space, but today I will make an exception. On Monday, December 4, and repeating on December 18, the NBC drama Studio 60 featured the most beautiful rendition of "O Holy Night" I have ever heard.
Studio 60 is a show about a group of comedy writers and performers who put on a television show by the same name. In this particular episode, one of the segments in the show-within-the-show was the performance of this song.
You can hear and download the song and see the video here.
The song was performed by a group of New Orleans musicians led by trumpet player Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews. (Yes, Andrews plays the trombone also.) All of the members of the band are associated with the Tipitina Foundation, an organization devoted to the revival of the New Orleans musical community after Hurricane Katrina. (If you are looking for a worthwhile charitable organization to donate money to, the Tipitina Foundation is very worthy.)
The four minute piece is an all brass instrumental. The instrumentation is typical for a New Orleans marching jazz band, minus the percussion: trumpet, baritone sax, tenor and alto sax, trombone, and tuba. (For some reason the NBC website credits a drummer, but I don't hear it or see him onstage.) It opens in classic New Orleans style with a solo trumpet. The saxophones then kick in, at first as if they are improvising on the melody also. Then as more instruments join in a clear harmony emerges.
Andrews is spectacular. His trumpet leads are jazzy but never overstated. His restrained riffs enhance the harmonies, rather than leading them. The result is an economical but full and bright sound that is exceptionally warm and beautiful.
Just goes to show that yes, true genius still lives in New Orleans. This priceless recording alone is reason enough to rebuild a city, in my opinion.
If you like the sound and want to hear more jazz in this style, I recommend one of my all-time favorite jazz albums, Miles Ahead by Miles Davis and Gil Evans. I think one of the reasons I liked this piece so much is that it draws much of its spirit from Miles Davis's cool jazz period in the 1950s.
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Reader Comments (4)
Thanks for the link. I'll be passing it along.
I'll bet you have a great CD collection...One of these days you should do the seven songs music meme that is floating around the web and show us some more of your collection.
Thanks for the link. My wife had pushed me there as well. Oh,my. It feels good every time to listen to that. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Festive 12th Night.