Your Top 10 (or more) Christmas Albums?

[Gutch]

I love making deals with my wife.  After being together for 27+ years, we both have a pretty clear understanding of the other person's likes, dislikes, and personal limitations.  Today is a great example of this in action.

After a quick start to decorate the house and a little dive into Black Friday, we are really just getting going this weekend on the Christmas shopping thing.  Now, I'm the first to admit that I would just as soon cut my leg off than fight the holiday shopping madness this time of year.  For her, its a challenge she gladly accepts and relishes.  Conversely, my darling bride is deathly afraid of the laundry room and the task associated with it.  I, on the other hand, have no problems handling the process.  So, while she is out and about battling the great unwashed in order to procure the Christmas morning goodies, I'm equally content in sorting, washing, drying and folding the family skivvies...

The best part of the job is firing up the home sound system and listening the favorite Christmas CD's and songs while I work.  As I was building the iTunes playlist, I noticed there were a few albums I kept coming back to for material.  I guess then, that these would be my unofficial "Top 10 Christmas Albums"...(In no particular order...):

1.  Diana Krall -- "Christmas Songs"
2.  Al Petteway & Amy White -- "Winter Tidings"
3.  Laurence Juber -- "Winter Guitar"
4.  James Taylor -- "James Taylor at Christmas"
5.  Doug Smith -- "Christmas Guitar"
6.  Various Artists -- "Elixir - Great Strings, Great Music, Vol. 2"
7.  Tommy Emmanuel -- "All I Want For Christmas"
8.  Vince Guaraldi Trio -- "Charlie Brown Christmas"
9.  Amy Grant -- All of them, particularly the instrumental tracks featured on each album
10.  The Carpenters -- "Christmas Portrait"

Special mentions need to also go to Gloria Estefan's album, as well as the Time-Life collections that seem to have every other Christmas song you ever remember hearing as you grew up.

So, what you are your favorites? 

[Saxacat]

We only have two Christmas Albums;

'The Best Christmas Album in the World Ever' for the pop side of things and a cheapy old CD with traditional Christmas Carols, sung by various choirs.

They both hit the spot for Christmas.

[bo1142]

I have a few, but my favorite is Andrea Bocelli.  His voice moves me!  As with any album, there are a few songs that I don't personally care for, but all in all, it's pretty good.

[jjrpilot-admin]

I love Christmas music by Nat King Cole.   

[Saxacat]

+1 to Nat King Cole, great voice.

Although not a Christmas song , his version of Stardust is a particular favourite; its a great song and with the arrangement and Nat's voice, it comes close to perfection.

[Terry]

"A Charlie Brown Christmas"  by the Vince Guaraldi Trio - Hard to believe this is from 1965. I find myself playing this the whole year long.
"The New Possibility: John Fahey's Guitar Soli Christmas Album"  One of the best things from Fahey
Nat King Cole and Tony Bennet Christmas albums are always great
Mannheim Steamroller - any of their Christmas albums - but in short doses.
Terry

[Justiceandmercy]

The new Hillsong christmas EP "Born is the King" is quite good, some new stuff, some old stuff, some new takes on old stuff, all good!

[jjrpilot-admin]

The new Hillsong christmas EP "Born is the King" is quite good, some new stuff, some old stuff, some new takes on old stuff, all good!

I went to a Hillsong concert about a month ago in Springfield, MO...and it was awesome.  They did an acoustic set and their acoustic guitars sounded so warm.

[spieler]

The new Hillsong christmas EP "Born is the King" is quite good, some new stuff, some old stuff, some new takes on old stuff, all good!

I went to a Hillsong concert about a month ago in Springfield, MO...and it was awesome.  They did an acoustic set and their acoustic guitars sounded so warm.

Hmmm, not Taylors, then?

~ S.







[I keed, I keed.]

[jjrpilot-admin]

The new Hillsong christmas EP "Born is the King" is quite good, some new stuff, some old stuff, some new takes on old stuff, all good!

I went to a Hillsong concert about a month ago in Springfield, MO...and it was awesome.  They did an acoustic set and their acoustic guitars sounded so warm.

Hmmm, not Taylors, then?

Eeeshhhh maybe?   

~ S.







[I keed, I keed.]

[Scriptor]

I guess then, that these would be my unofficial "Top 10 Christmas Albums"...(In no particular order...):

1.  Diana Krall -- "Christmas Songs"
2.  Al Petteway & Amy White -- "Winter Tidings"
3.  Laurence Juber -- "Winter Guitar"
4.  James Taylor -- "James Taylor at Christmas"
5.  Doug Smith -- "Christmas Guitar"
6.  Various Artists -- "Elixir - Great Strings, Great Music, Vol. 2"
7.  Tommy Emmanuel -- "All I Want For Christmas"
8.  Vince Guaraldi Trio -- "Charlie Brown Christmas"
9.  Amy Grant -- All of them, particularly the instrumental tracks featured on each album
10.  The Carpenters -- "Christmas Portrait"

So, what you are your favorites?

I usually have a hard time with "best of" lists but I enjoy the discussions so here is my attempt (TODAY, with no particular order):

First, where we overlap:

1.  James Taylor -- "James Taylor at Christmas"
2.  Doug Smith -- "Christmas Guitar" (and I'll add his other title "A Guitar for Christmas")
3.  Vince Guaraldi Trio -- "Charlie Brown Christmas"
4.  Amy Grant -- "A Christmas Album"
5.  The Carpenters -- "Christmas Portrait"

Now the other 5:

  6.  Carlos Nakai & William Eaton -- "Winter Dreams"
  7.  Nat King Cole -- "The Christmas Song"
  8.  Bing Crosby -- "White Christmas"
  9.  Dan Fogelberg -- "The First Christmas Morning" (very reverent with some nice original compositions)
10. I'm going to lump Windham Hill's Winter Solstice & Carols of Christmas series here as I like nice, thoughtfull and reflective instrumentals as part of my Christmas listening

And I'd like to throw in an "honorable mentions" category and highlight a song or three:

-- Doyle Dykes -- "O Holy Night" from the album Zelf -- a wonderful rendention IMO
-- John Denver -- "Aspenglow" and "Christmas for Cowboys" from his Rocky Mountain Christmas album -- must hear songs for me every Christmas
-- Steven Curtis Chapman -- "The Night Before Christmas" from the album "All I Really Want" -- this song just moves me every time
-- Glad -- "In the First Light" (a nice summary of the true message of Christmas and beyond)

And finally, I'll put in a plug for some local jazz musicians -- if you like Vince Guaraldi you might like Little Town Trio -- "Carols for Christmas"

[Justiceandmercy]

The new Hillsong christmas EP "Born is the King" is quite good, some new stuff, some old stuff, some new takes on old stuff, all good!

I went to a Hillsong concert about a month ago in Springfield, MO...and it was awesome.  They did an acoustic set and their acoustic guitars sounded so warm.

One of the guitarists has a 914ce... you can see him play it on the Hillsong Chapel dvd for a few of the songs, dont know if he takes it when they tour though...

[Gutch]

1.   Live at the Regal
2.   Live in the Cook County Jail.
3.   Live at the Apollo.
4.   Blues on the Bayou.
5.   Lucille.
6.   Riding with the King.
7.   Take It Home.
8.   Blues Summit.
9.   Lucille and Friends.
10.   Dueces Wild.

With B.B. in the house, every day is Christmas.

 

[darylcrisp]

for us, these 2 play the most during the Christmas season:

Ed Gerhards "Christmas"
http://www.virtuerecords.com/Merchant/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=TGS&Product_Code=VRD1920&Category_Code=CDS

Casting Crowns  "Peace on Earth"
https://castingcrowns.com/music/peace-on-earth

taking up the next couple spots:

Ed Gerhards "on a cold winters night"
L Juber  "winter guitar"

d

[John429]

Alot of my favorites are from the albums we played during my childhood. I see some of you also had these albums (I'll just list the artists);

1. Andy Williams
2. Nat King Cole
3. Ed Ames
4. Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians
5. The Carpenters
6. Tennesse Ernie Ford
7. John Denver
8. Steve and Edie Gourmet

Newer Favorites
1. Mannheim Steamroller
2. Trans Siberian Orchestra