Sound of Christmas - The Ramsey Lewis Trio

Sound of Christmas
The Ramsey Lewis Trio
Cadet LP 687X
1961 

I put this one on to trim the tree this year.  It is more jazzy than Christmasy but it put me in a good mood.  The album was originally issued on Argo, Cadet reissued it in the mid 1960s.  When I was a child someone gave me a 45 of the Ramsey Lewis Trio's performance of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" backed with "Winter Wonderland."  It was the first jazz record I can remember ever hearing.  I did not particularly like it although I did keep it and I still have it.  Many years later I started to like jazz and when I came across this album I remembered that old 45 and bought this.  It does not swing as much as I would like, but it is tasteful and has a pleasant vibe to it.  I particularly like side one which features Lewis along with bassist El Dee Young and drummer Red Holt.  On side two the trio is augmented by strings which I find frequently obtrusive.  The album opens with a moody interpretation of Charles Brown's "Merry Christmas Baby" which features some very propulsive piano work from Lewis that brings out the bluesy feeling within the song.  It is my favorite track although it is pretty gloomy for the opening cut on a Christmas record.  The record perks up with a swinging take on "Winter Wonderland" that gets me bopping.  "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" starts off slow and somber, before picking up a little steam but it remains a surprisingly downbeat interpretation of the song.  Lewis' own "Christmas Blues" follows.  It is straight ahead rhythm and blues given a Christmas feeling by the incessant jingling of bells through the song.  Side one concludes with a lively version of "Here Comes Santa Claus" that is another one of my favorite tracks.  Side two begins "The Sound of Christmas" by Lewis and Riley Hampton who arranged and conducted the strings for side two.  The song alternates between some dynamic work from the Trio and silky smooth orchestral passages.  Unfortunately the orchestra wins, but the song has its moments.  It is followed by a sappy version of Mel Torme's "The Christmas Song" that is largely dominated by the orchestra although Lewis does break free briefly with an engaging solo.  Mostly though it sounds like cocktail lounge jazz.  Lewis fares better with "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" where his energetic playing dominates the song and is supported by an impressively dramatic arrangement.  "Sleigh Ride" features more exuberant playing from Lewis that is enhanced with support from the orchestra.  It is one of the best interpretations of the song that I've ever heard.  The album concludes with Frank Loesser's "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" which Lewis attacks as if it were a bluesy torch song.  The orchestra keeps him from going too far off the rails and it gives the record a nice emotional finish.  This record has limitations as Christmas music.  Children will probably hate it and it is not festive enough to satisfy many people's notions of what Christmas music should be.  It works great for me though.  By mid-December I'm usually sick of Christmas music, Lewis' interpretative approach appeals to me more than the standard carols.  Also this is a very romantic sounding record, I recommend it for cuddling with your special someone on a cold wintry evening sipping an adult beverage and looking at the lights twinkling on the tree.