Hammond Express - We Wish You A Bossa Christmas '2020

Tracks list

Chestnuts ready to roast? Christmas tree decorated? Advent calendar started?
Then leave behind the hardships of the past year and endulge in the festive
season. Take a step back in time and celebrate with the vintage sound of a 1958
Hammond organ and a jazz/bossa trio rendering some Xmas classic tunes in a
lounge-exotica and Stax soulstyle. Hammond Express is back with a Christmas
album where the old classics take on a new feel. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
becomes an irresistibile fast bossa reminiscent of Cal Tdjader whilst Jingle
Bells increases tempo with a latin/jazz rhythm and a Jackie Davies influenced
organ sound. Other Christmas hits are rearranged in a surprisingly Memphis soul
style: White Christmas and Santa Claus Is Coming To Town sound both groovy and
close to 1960’s soul act Booker T. & The MG’s. No swing, no party:
so here are more swinging ballroom classics. Winter Wonderland and Let It Snow
get the Hammond Express treatment based on lounge organ, glockenspiel and sleigh
bells, while Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer is another 1960’s bossanova
standard. The other tracks in the album – although not strictly Christmas
tunes – are arranged with a classic Xmas Hammond style: Glenn
Miller’s Moonlight Serenade sounds like a funky brasilian partido
alto’s party tune, Henry Mancini’s Moon River (Breakfast At
Tiffany’s) is a 1960’s jazz waltz for organ trio and vibraphone,
Duke Ellington’s Satin Doll swings along with a cool tribute to the great
jazz organists of all time – Jimmy McGriff, Jack McDuff, Jimmy Smith,
Johnny “Hammond” Smith – featuring a flute solo by guest
musician Dario Cecchini (Funk Off, Italian Secret Service). Following Vertigo
Bossa (2018), Another Stepping Soul (2011) and Rendez-Vous (2003), We Wish You A
Bossa Christmas (IRMA Records) is the fourth album by Hammond Express, aka
keyboard player Francesco Gazzara plus fellow musicians Sir Blofeld (bass) and
Mirtao (drums, percussion).

Tracklist:
01. Hammond Express - White Christmas (3:43)
02. Hammond Express - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (3:22)
03. Hammond Express - We Wish You A Merry Christmas (3:13)
04. Hammond Express - Winter Wonderland (3:02)
05. Hammond Express - Let It Snow (2:57)
06. Hammond Express - Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (2:29)
07. Hammond Express - Moonlight Serenade (6:03)
08. Hammond Express - Moon River (2:47)
09. Hammond Express - Satin Doll (3:34)
10. Hammond Express - Jingle Bells (2:19)

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