I’d rather not think of myself as being so far behind on reviewing that this is for a Christmas record which should have been written about in 2023, but rather that I am eight months early for 2024. Here we find John Paul McGee (or should I say Dr. McGee given he is assistant chair of piano at Berklee College of Music in Boston) providing piano and vocals alongside Larry Wilson (drums), Joel Powell (bass), Patrick Arthur (guitar), plus two guest singers in Wendi Henderson Wyatt and Lori Williams, although there are plenty of instrumentals within the 11 songs. McGee is well known within the scene, having worked with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Cory Henry, Najee, Patti Labelle, Kim Burrell, and The Clark Sisters, and here he again mixes together his great loves, gospel music and jazz.

He does this by mixing up the arrangements so while at times we have all four musicians playing, we also get trio, duo and solo. Some of the carols/songs have had little in the way of change in classic arrangements, such as “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”, but it is when he gives the band their head and allows them to really play around the original such as on “Little Drummer Boy” that they come alive and start to swing. I have never heard “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” swing quite like this with a chopped rhythm, yet it is instantly recognisable and full of fun. Everyone will know the vast majority of songs on the album, but it is the arrangements and playing which imbibe them with new life and will certainly make a change from playing the old carols time and again.

Rating: 7/10

Links:
https://johnpaulmcgee.com/
https://www.jazzurbane.com/