Tim Warfield's Jazzy Christmas

Description

Saxophonist Tim Warfield's All Star Jazzy Christmas, vividly showcases a collection of traditional holiday songs in a variety of moods, realized from an improvisational perspective. This high quality recording featuring a stellar musical cast, including trumpeter Terell Stafford, vibraphonist Stefon Harris, pianist Cyrus Chestnut, bassist Rodney Whitaker, drummer Clarence Penn, percussionist Daniel Sadownick, vocalists Joanna Pascale and Jamie Davis and pianist Neil Podgurski. The CD, is an array of not only fun, but notably imaginative renditions of your favorite holiday songs like, 'Let it Snow,' 'Joy to the World,' 'The Little Drummer Boy,' and 'Silent Night.' It also features a few obscure gems, like Claude Thornhill's 'Snowfall,' and even a traditional Hanukkah song, as a Bonus Track, all in the spirit of the holidays. A truly tasteful offering incorporating warm vocals, and inventive instrumental improvisations. Known in the 1990's for performing regularly, with stellar musicians like bassist Christian McBride, trumpeter and New Orleans native Nicholas Payton, and the legendary Shirley Scott, saxophonist's Tim Warfield's first recording, A Cool Blue, was selected as one of the top ten recordings of the year in a 1995 New York Times critic's poll, as was his 1998 recording Gentle Warrior (featuring Cyrus Chestnut, Tarus Mateen, Clarence Penn, Terell Stafford, and Nicholas Payton), proclaiming him possibly the most powerful tenor saxophonist of his generation. In 2006, Warfield joined trumpeter and Maxjazz recording artist Terell Stafford's Quintet.   Warfield has appeared on several GRAMMY-nominated recordings such as Stefon Harris' 'The Grand Unification Theory,' as well as 'Dear Louis' and 'Sonic Trance,' both under the leadership of trumpeter and New Orleans native, Nicholas Payton.   In July of 2008, featured in the 'Playlist' section, Warfield's recording 'One For Shirley' dedicated to the legendary organist Shirley Scott, was one of three recordings to receive notable mention in the New York Times. In 2010, his latest CD 'A Sentimental Journey' on the Criss Cross jazz label was selected as a'Critic's Choice' in the New York Times, by Ben Ratliff.   Tim serves as 'artist-in-residence' at Messiah College in Grantham, Pa, and has recently joined the adjunct faculty at Temple University Music Department, in Philadelphia, Pa.   '...an earthy, smoky tone and postbop learning in excellent proportions.....his own saxophone sound is so commanding - even at low volume, in ballad subtleties - that he deserves hearing on his own.' -- Ben Ratliff, New York Times '....he has a unique grasp of the music, steeped in tradition yet embodying his own ideas and style..' Victor L. Schermer - all. About. Jazz 'Saxophonist Tim Warfield is aggressive, he's pensive, he's tirelessly inventive and given to smoothly, cleverly changing paths in the midst of a solo.... and he puts on one heck of a Christmas Show.'-- Giovanni Russonello/Capitol Bop.