It's Christmas on Mack Avenue

Recording information: Avatar Studios, New York, NY; Flux Studios, New York, NY; Lava Room Recording Studios; Sear Sound, New York, NY; Water Music Recorders, Hoboken, NJ.
It's Christmas on Mack Avenue is the third holiday collection from Detroit-based jazz label Mack Avenue Records. Full of classy, understated performances by pianist Aaron Diehl, vibraphonist Warren Wolf, bassist Christian McBride, and many other great acts from the label's roster, it's the kind of holiday release that stands out simply because it doesn't try so hard to dazzle. Warm, elegant arrangements like saxophonist Tia Fuller's rendition of "Little Drummer Boy" and singer Cécile McLorin Salvant's heartfelt take on "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" offer a lovely low-key alternative to the overly exuberant holiday pop and tired carols blaring out of every shop window from Halloween to New Year's Eve. Best enjoyed with a snifter of brandy and a crackling fire in the hearth. ~ Timothy Monger