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Swing into the holiday spirit with BIG BAND HOLIDAYS II, the sequel to the critically acclaimed 2015 release from the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. Featuring original arrangements of holiday classics selected from Big Band Holiday concerts spanning from 2015 to 2018, nine-time GRAMMY Award winner and Pulitzer Prize winner Wynton Marsalis and the JLCO are joined by an all-star assortment of guest vocalists, including Veronica Swift, Denzal Sinclaire, Catherine Russell, Audrey Shakir, and the Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin.
Franklin’s stirring solo piano rendition of “O Tannenbaum,” a surprise performance during the 2015 edition of Big Band Holidays, has never before been released. Other standout tracks include Veronica Swift’s vibrant recording of the classic “(Everybody’s Waitin’ For) The Man with the Bag” and Denzal Sinclaire’s jazzed-up version of “We Three Kings.” An instant classic that captures the magic of an annual NYC holiday tradition, BIG BAND HOLIDAYS II serves up timeless nostalgia just in time for the most wonderful time of the year.

Track listing:

1. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

• Written by Edward Pola & George Wyle
• Arranged by Wynton Marsalis
• Soloists: Wynton Marsalis (trumpet), Victor Goines (clarinet), Chris Crenshaw (trombone), Dan Nimmer (piano), Ted Nash (flute)

2. Cool Yule (ft. Catherine Russell)

• Written by Steve Allen
• Arranged by Sherman Irby
• Soloists: Walter Blanding (tenor saxophone), Sherman Irby (alto saxophone)

3. We Three Kings (ft. Denzal Sinclaire)

• Written by John Henry Hopkins, Jr.
• Arranged by Carlos Henriquez
• Soloists: Dan Nimmer (piano), Paul Nedzela (baritone saxophone)

4. O Tannenbaum (ft.Aretha Franklin)

• Written by Ernst Anschütz

5. Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow

• Arranged by Ted Nash
• Soloist: Marcus Printup (trumpet)

6. (Everybody’s Waitin’ for) The Man with the Bag (ft. Veronica Swift)

• Written by Harold Stanley, Irving Taylor & Dudley Brooks
• Arranged by Walter Blanding
• Soloists: Veronica Swift (vocals), Vincent Gardner (trombone)

7. What Will Santa Claus Say? (When He Finds Everybody Swingin’) (ft. Catherine Russell)

• Written by Louis Prima
• Arranged by Chris Crenshaw
• Soloists: Paul Nedzela (baritone saxophone), Ali Jackson (drums)

8. Brazilian Sleigh Bells

• Written by Percy Faith
• Arranged by Carlos Henriquez
• Soloists: Wynton Marsalis (trumpet), Bruce Harris (trumpet), Sherman Irby (alto saxophone)

9. Silver Bells (ft. Catherine Russell)

• Written by Ray Evans & Jay Livingston
• Arranged by Ali Jackson
• Soloists: Vincent Gardner (trombone), Ted Nash (flute), Dan Nimmer (piano)

10. Snowfall

• Written by Claude Thornhill
• Arranged by Sherman Irby
• Soloist: Wynton Marsalis (trumpet)

11. Silent Night (ft. Denzal Sinclaire)

• Written by Franz Gruber & Joseph Mohr
• Arranged by Victor Goines
• Soloists: James Chirillo (guitar), Kenny Rampton (trumpet)

Personnel:

THE JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA WITH WYNTON MARSALIS

Reeds:

• Sherman Irby – alto and soprano saxophones, clarinet, flute; music director (2015-2016)
• Ted Nash – alto and soprano saxophones, clarinet, flute
• Victor Goines – music director (2018); tenor and soprano saxophones, clarinet
• Walter Blanding (2015–2017) – tenor saxophone, clarinet, shaker
• Paul Nedzela – baritone and soprano saxophones, bass clarinet
• *Camille Thurman (2018) – tenor and soprano saxophones

Trumpets:

• Marcus Printup
• Kenny Rampton
• Wynton Marsalis (music director, 2017/18)
• *Ryan Kisor (2015, 2017-2018)
• *Greg Gisbert (2016)
• *Bruce Harris (2016)
• *Tatum Greenblatt (2017)

Trombones:

• Vincent Gardner
• Chris Crenshaw
• Elliot Mason (2015-2016, 2018)
• *Sam Chess (2017)
• *Eric Miller (2018)

Rhythm section:

• Dan Nimmer – piano
  Carlos Henriquez – bass
  Ali Jackson (2015-2016) – drums
• *Marion Felder (2017) – drums
• *Charles Goold (2018) – drums

Featured Guests:

• Aretha Franklin – vocals and piano
• Audrey Shakir – vocals
• Denzal Sinclaire – vocals
• Catherine Russell – vocals
• Veronica Swift – vocals
• James Chirillo – guitar

* indicates substitute orchestra member

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Original Release Date: November 15, 2019
Label: Blue Engine Records