Reviews

Artist:Jerry Douglas
Album:Jerry Christmas
Label:E1
Tracks:14
Website:http://www.jerrydouglas.com

Bringing his own inimitable style of good cheer to the season of Christmas, dobro and slide guitar maestro Jerry Douglas certainly adds more than a smile to the face of this jaded journalist. Utilising many standards including “The First Noel”, “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and “Do You Hear What I Hear?” the traditional melodies are seamlessly joined by more contemporary offerings such as Boo Hewerdine’s “New Year’s Eve” sung by Maura O’Connell and Jerry’s own instrumental “Maui Christmas”. Aided and abetted by many fabulous musicians including Luke Bulla (Violin), Todd Parks (Bass), Kirby Shelstadt (percussion) and Guthrie Trapp on guitars and mandolin this recording shows a truly empathic co-joining of everyone involved. Topped by a truly outrageous interpretation of “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” which has more in common with the Grinch than say an arrangement by Phil Spector and this is an album to certainly shake the traditionalist in us all. On a final note, I suppose we won’t get much in the way of snow here in the UK this winter but while there are classics such as the beautifully chilled out “In The Bleak Midwinter” we can all wish…can’t we?

Peter Fyfe

 

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