Music for all the Christmases

When people ask me what my favorite kind of music is, I genuinely enjoy answering with, "Christmas music". I get so excited for this time of year every year and the music is a huge part of the reason why. It's a wonder that some of the best music in the world only gets played for a single month: in a society so enamored with overindulgence, we somehow manage to do a good job holding off on some of the most magical, romantic, spiritual, and purely enjoyable music of our culture's history until the time is just right.

Well, the time to indulge has come around again, so I'd love to share with you all some of my favorite Christmas albums in the hopes that you might just discover some new favorites of your own. Unfortunately, Christmas music is like any other kind in that there is just as much garbage out there as there is real treasure worth spending your time and money (and ears) on. And, for some reason, far too many retail outlets, radio stations, and other commercial interests given to playing Christmas music tend to favor playing the cheesy, the annoying, and the obnoxious.

So, in light of all this, I offer you my own list, hoping you might find the time to celebrate the season through listening: Christmas music, with it's unique power to remind us of the wonder of the season - through it's timeless & beautiful melodies, it's relaxed swing, and it's lyrical content - should be something we all cherish. I hope you find something in this list that enriches your Christmas this year and stays with you for all of the Christmases that follow.

Happy listening!

~

Harry Connick, Jr. - When My Heart Finds Christmas
Whenever anyone asks me about Christmas records to buy or what my personal favorites are, this always seems to be the first to pop into my head. Connick's album embodies the very idea of the sounds of the season: his voice, his piano, his arrangements, his performance. The originals are just as good as the classics; this is one of the all-time greats. Also, be sure to check out Connick's other two Christmas records, What A Night!, and Harry For The Holidays. (Highlights: every single song.)

George Winston - December
This is it for Christmas piano. There are some great solo piano records out there for Christmastime, but if you can only have one, this is the one to have. In fact, if you can only have one George Winston record, this is the one to have. It's beautiful and peaceful, and the progression of the album from start to finish, song by song, is a masterstroke. (Highlights: Jesus, Jesus, Rest Your Head; Variation on the Kanon by Pachelbel; The Holly and The Ivy)