Winter is here

I really think this blog is a musical good luck charm, because both of the concerts that I have gone to since we started have been amazing. Sunday night at The Slackers show was another great experience. The opening band, Todd Hembrook & The Hemispheres, was a pleasant surprise. As they took the stage looking like the nerdy members of some indy band I thought for sure I knew what we were in for. But the goofy-looking lead singer stood up and said, "Tonight we're gonna play a little soul music for you all", and with that they proceeded to rock the place with some classic soul tunes. The strength of the band was definitely Todd Hembrook, who has a very strong voice that works well with soul music. Musically the rest of the band wasn't anything special, but they were solid enough to put on a good show. These guys are a fun, and while I wouldn't say you need to make any special trips to see them, if you ever have the opportunity, I recommend taking it for a good time.

The Slackers played a great set as well, and their live showed their experience of 10 years on the road, as they really knew how to entertain the crowd with both their music and antics. They had probably the tightest vocal harmonies of any group I've seen, and some great horn solos to go with.

So now that we've got some snow on the ground and it really feels like winter, it's time for a little Christmas music. My recs for Christmas music are two cds that have been staples of my family for as long as I can remember.


The first one is A Charlie Brown Christmas by The Vince Guaraldi Trio. A famous jazz pianist in his own right, Guaraldi lent a hand in the composition of the music for the legendary animated special featuring the one and only Charlie Brown. I highly recommend the Christmas special itself, but also suggest taking a listen to the soundtrack composed by Guaraldi. The album features both famous Charlie Brown tracks that everyone will recognize, but also some great jazz trio renditions of some Christmas classics. Guaraldi is an extremely talented pianist, and his simple arrangements give a nice jazzy touch to the songs.

Vince Guaraldi Trio - O Tannenbaum



My second rec is a little classier and traditional. The Christmas Song, by Nat "King" Cole is a collection of Christmas songs sung with his silky-smooth voice. This album is a classic, and there's nothing too complicated about it, just a chance for Nat to impress you with the shear quality of his singing.

Nat King Cole - The Christmas Song

Of course there is plenty of other good Christmas music out there (and plenty of terrible music as well). Check out some Christmas releases from classic singers like Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Elvis, and Ella Fitzgerald as well. It's all jolly and all good.