"At no other time of the year is there a wider array of emotions than the month of December. As I considered material and arrangements for this recording I wanted to assure myself that in each instance the songs reach out to the joys and reflections of the season. I wish you all the best in all your Decembers." ~ Chris Botti ~

December. We're on the last month of the year. It's the time of the year again when people tend to become busier than ever. Time flies so quickly. Where did January thru November go? But anyway, December is truly without a doubt my favorite month of the year. To me, it brings so many cherished, fond and warm family memories to have and to hold year after year.

It was such a pleasure to be with my friends at Chris Botti's live concert last night at the Wilshire Theatre with his special guests. It was a terrific and enjoyable concert. A dream concert! To any fan, the ultimate and best thing is watching him perform live and see and hear before your very own eyes and ears how exquisitely he played his favorite instrument and interpreted some of the hauntingly beautiful classics of all-time.

This outstanding CD is one of my absolute favorite Christmas CDs from my collection. You'll enjoy listening to thirteen Christmas classics of all-time with arrangements by the artist himself and Billy Childs. You'll be delighted with the fabulous, breathtaking and sublime interpretations of "The Christmas Song," "O Little Town of Bethlemen," "Silent Night," "I'll Be Home For Christmas" and "Hark The Herald Angels Sing," a twosome with Hector Pereira on guitar (wow, trumpet and guitar - what a perfect combination!). And of course my very favorite from this collection of wonderful Christmas carols, "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" showcasing Mr. Botti's smooth and mellow vocals.

"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"
~ Words and Music by Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane ~

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
From now on our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the Yuletide gay
From now on our troubles will be miles away. . .

Here we are as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more
Thru the years we all will be together
If the fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bow
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

May this Christmas Season bring more joy, peace and blessings to one and all. Have the happiest Holidays ever! ;)

December is...the beginning of a beautiful season and a time to reflect on all the things that are good about life. It's a CD composed of thirteen songs of the season performed by Chris Botti, one of the preeminent trumpeters in contemporary jazz today. Whether you have a collection of Christmas music or none, this CD is not to be missed.

December is...a time when snow can fall in places where it's cold enough for it to actually land on the ground and accumulate so as to be fun and a hazard at the same time. It's not just music for fans of Chris Botti; rather it's a CD that anyone can put in the player and relax to as you listen and absorb familiar tunes such as Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let it Snow. Even if you live in the tropics and never see snow, you can close your eyes and picture Chris's brilliant tone ascending to the heavens and coaxing down the flakes. Let It Snow is a beautiful arrangement for a classic jazz quintet with Billy Childs on piano, CJ Vanston on synthesizer, David Carpenter on bass while Peter Erskine applies the brushes to snare drum and cymbals. The Little Drummer Boy is a playfully enjoyable rendering featuring Brandon Fields on tenor sax joining Chris with Vinnie Colaiuta taking over on drums; this is a great tune to light your fire on a cold night.

December...contains a chill out song that's oh so mellow called Hallelujah, the fourth tune on the CD. It's performed by a trio of Botti on muted trumpet accompanied by Shane Fontayne on guitars and on bass is Jon Ossman of Chris's band; this song has the power to move you.

There is so much to like about this collection. I'll Be Home For Christmas is just the sort of arrangement that will remove the stress of too much hustle and bustle and replace it with joy; put this song on repeat and let Chris's muted trumpet evoke in you an emotion that'll get you going for the rest of the year.

Have fun, enjoy life and December.

Suppose you went through a frenetic Thanksgiving? Suppose you have been taunted by retail stores playing Christmas music since Halloween but you needed a gentle moment to catch your breath before starting your mad dash to your epiphany? You should have a listen here. This will bring you back to where the Season should take you.

You have to give yourself a little time to savor this one though. Don't race through it, don't expect anyone to get fired up and dance around the Christmas tree when you play it either. This Christmas cd is perfect for those quieter moments of tradition building.

Most of what I remember of the Christmas season is baking cookies with my family to the sound of carols from an old turntable. "December" would be the consummate listen for those moments of serenity, connecting with those you love and sharing firelit moments of reflection.