1. A Christmas Love Song
2. The Bell That Couldn't Jingle
3. The First Snowfall
4. It's Christmas
5. Where Can I Find Christmas
6. Count Your Blessings
7. It's Christmas Time / Sleep Well Little Children
8. Every Christmas Eve / Giving
9. November in the Snow
10. It's Christmas Time Again
11. It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
12. Christmas Day
ARTIST SITE
PURCHASE FROM ORIGIN RECORDS
PURCHASE FROM AMAZON
A collection of rare holiday gems from some of the greatest composers of our generation, including Henry Mancini, Burt Bacharach and Johnny Mandel. Nostalgic yet fully contemporary arrangements are masterfully performed by Greta Matassa, one of Seattle's most beloved singers. This recording also features the marvelous singing voice of bassist Clipper Anderson on several duets and featured solo tunes.
Every once in a while, someone will attempt to go back over the old holiday records and record an album of songs that should probably have become standards of the season but, for whatever reason, didn't. I don't think anyone has ever pulled it off quite as well as do Greta Matassa & Clipper Anderson. The reasons for this success are many and varied, but it doesn't hurt to use the catalogs of the great composers as your starting point. It also doesn't hurt to use the records that have become your own annual holiday sounds. Greta and Clipper do both on "And To All A Good Night".
This album was recorded in January 2009 and I'm not entirely sure why Origin Records waited until now to release it, but it was certainly worth the wait. This album is a sugarplum, a real holiday treat. Greta Matassa is widely regarded as one of the world's best Jazz vocalists and Clipper Anderson is one of the most highly sought bass players in the genre. The real revelation, here, is Clipper Anderson the singer. That cat's got some great chops. Clearly from the old school of vocalists--like Mel Torme or Frank Sinatra--I'd rather listen to this man sing than Michael Buble or Harry Connick Jr; not saying they're bad, just that Clipper is that good.
The album opens with one of the most beautiful of under appreciated Christmas songs, the Bergman/Mandel composition "A Christmas Love Song". Greta gently caresses this song with a Peggy Lee whisper and just a touch of an Eartha Kitt purr. I'm already jello. Next up is Burt Bacharach's wonderful "The Bell That Couldn't Jingle", enhanced by the dead-on perfect choral arrangements of Jennifer Lind Ivester. Warm and cozy. I'm butter. "The First Snowfall" came to the project via the Carpenters' Christmas collection. And it's here that we first wonder "where has Clipper Anderson been hiding that singing voice all these years". The song swings lightly, thanks largely to Clipper's bass. And you truly do wonder, after this performance, why "The First Snowfall" hasn't been recorded more frequently. I'm a puddle.
"It's Christmas", apparently, originated with Blossom Dearie. Not my favorite tune on the album, but the slightly Latin rhythm and Greta's spicy vocals make it shine. "Where Can I Find Christmas", from "The Bear That Slept Through Christmas", came to the pair via a Johnny Mathis album. If you're going to borrow, borrow from the best. This is an annual fave in the Matassa household where her daughters used to provide the backing vocals. Here, we are treated to the more than capable single talents of young Allie and Gracie Ivester.
By now, I'm so in a holiday trance that the songs flow smoothly from one to the next. Greta does Rosemary Clooney proud on "Count Your Blessings". "Sleep Well Little Children" sound perfectly gorgeous. A pair of beautiful Henry Mancini tunes, "Every Christmas Eve" and "Giving"--an absolute revelation. And then, once again, that wonderful voice of Clipper Anderson on the Billy Mays composition "November In The Snow". Where has he been hiding that voice?
The album starts to draw to a close with "It's Christmas Time Again", another song from Johnny Mathis (from the obviously under appreciated "Christmas Eve" album). Some nice Jazz interplay on this one between Clipper and Darin Clendenin and Greta's vocals are as magical as the material. "The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" is likely the best known track on the album and it sparkles all the more for that (once again, some great piano work from Darin Clendenin). And the album finally closes with "Christmas Day", a lilting waltz written by Bacharach and David.
This album succeeds on virtually every level. The songs are at once familiar and fresh. They sound like brightly shinning tinsel yet as delicate as multi-colored tissue wrapping paper. This album will make you feel like you're in some wonderful fairytale world. This album sounds like Christmas.
2. The Bell That Couldn't Jingle
3. The First Snowfall
4. It's Christmas
5. Where Can I Find Christmas
6. Count Your Blessings
7. It's Christmas Time / Sleep Well Little Children
8. Every Christmas Eve / Giving
9. November in the Snow
10. It's Christmas Time Again
11. It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
12. Christmas Day
ARTIST SITE
PURCHASE FROM ORIGIN RECORDS
PURCHASE FROM AMAZON
A collection of rare holiday gems from some of the greatest composers of our generation, including Henry Mancini, Burt Bacharach and Johnny Mandel. Nostalgic yet fully contemporary arrangements are masterfully performed by Greta Matassa, one of Seattle's most beloved singers. This recording also features the marvelous singing voice of bassist Clipper Anderson on several duets and featured solo tunes.
Every once in a while, someone will attempt to go back over the old holiday records and record an album of songs that should probably have become standards of the season but, for whatever reason, didn't. I don't think anyone has ever pulled it off quite as well as do Greta Matassa & Clipper Anderson. The reasons for this success are many and varied, but it doesn't hurt to use the catalogs of the great composers as your starting point. It also doesn't hurt to use the records that have become your own annual holiday sounds. Greta and Clipper do both on "And To All A Good Night".
This album was recorded in January 2009 and I'm not entirely sure why Origin Records waited until now to release it, but it was certainly worth the wait. This album is a sugarplum, a real holiday treat. Greta Matassa is widely regarded as one of the world's best Jazz vocalists and Clipper Anderson is one of the most highly sought bass players in the genre. The real revelation, here, is Clipper Anderson the singer. That cat's got some great chops. Clearly from the old school of vocalists--like Mel Torme or Frank Sinatra--I'd rather listen to this man sing than Michael Buble or Harry Connick Jr; not saying they're bad, just that Clipper is that good.
The album opens with one of the most beautiful of under appreciated Christmas songs, the Bergman/Mandel composition "A Christmas Love Song". Greta gently caresses this song with a Peggy Lee whisper and just a touch of an Eartha Kitt purr. I'm already jello. Next up is Burt Bacharach's wonderful "The Bell That Couldn't Jingle", enhanced by the dead-on perfect choral arrangements of Jennifer Lind Ivester. Warm and cozy. I'm butter. "The First Snowfall" came to the project via the Carpenters' Christmas collection. And it's here that we first wonder "where has Clipper Anderson been hiding that singing voice all these years". The song swings lightly, thanks largely to Clipper's bass. And you truly do wonder, after this performance, why "The First Snowfall" hasn't been recorded more frequently. I'm a puddle.
"It's Christmas", apparently, originated with Blossom Dearie. Not my favorite tune on the album, but the slightly Latin rhythm and Greta's spicy vocals make it shine. "Where Can I Find Christmas", from "The Bear That Slept Through Christmas", came to the pair via a Johnny Mathis album. If you're going to borrow, borrow from the best. This is an annual fave in the Matassa household where her daughters used to provide the backing vocals. Here, we are treated to the more than capable single talents of young Allie and Gracie Ivester.
By now, I'm so in a holiday trance that the songs flow smoothly from one to the next. Greta does Rosemary Clooney proud on "Count Your Blessings". "Sleep Well Little Children" sound perfectly gorgeous. A pair of beautiful Henry Mancini tunes, "Every Christmas Eve" and "Giving"--an absolute revelation. And then, once again, that wonderful voice of Clipper Anderson on the Billy Mays composition "November In The Snow". Where has he been hiding that voice?
The album starts to draw to a close with "It's Christmas Time Again", another song from Johnny Mathis (from the obviously under appreciated "Christmas Eve" album). Some nice Jazz interplay on this one between Clipper and Darin Clendenin and Greta's vocals are as magical as the material. "The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" is likely the best known track on the album and it sparkles all the more for that (once again, some great piano work from Darin Clendenin). And the album finally closes with "Christmas Day", a lilting waltz written by Bacharach and David.
This album succeeds on virtually every level. The songs are at once familiar and fresh. They sound like brightly shinning tinsel yet as delicate as multi-colored tissue wrapping paper. This album will make you feel like you're in some wonderful fairytale world. This album sounds like Christmas.
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