Charles Brown - Cool Christmas Blues (1994)

COOL CHRISTMAS BLUES was nominated for a 1996 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album.
Personnel: Charles Brown (vocals, cello, piano); Danny Caron (guitar); Clifford Solomon, Bobby Forte (tenor saxophone); Johnny Otis (vibraphone); Gaylord Birch (drums).
Recording information: Russian Hill Recording, San Francisco, CA.
Photographer: Mike Terranova.
Arrangers: Ron Levy; Charles Brown.
Long recognized as the perennial top contender when it comes to Yuletide R&B, Brown salutes the holiday season in his own inimitable manner. Naturally, there's the umpteenth remake of his seminal "Merry Christmas Baby," along with several more that he's been crooning every December since before most of us were born. But nobody does 'em better. ~ Bill Dahl
This 1994 set was recorded and released in the midst of a resurgence in popularity for Charles Brown during the early '90s. It's also the singer's second Christmas collection, joining the much heralded PLEASE COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS. Throughout, Brown is in fine voice, as he is accompanied by a quartet of tenor saxophone, guitar, bass, and drums. As is usually the case, Brown's piano playing is both strongly supportive and marked by engaging solos. The warm set includes both original and traditional Christmas songs, tracks that Brown handles in a voice that's as smooth as eggnog. He seems to effortlessly wrap himself into and around each song with well-honed pipes that have seen more than 50 years of work.

Tracklist
1.Merry Christmas, Baby (04:49)
2.Santa's Blues (03:26)
3.Blue Holiday (04:36)
4.Silent Night (04:56)
5.Christmas Comes But Once a Year (04:20)
6.Please Come Home for Christmas (03:19)
7.A Song for Christmas (06:20)
8.Stay With Me (04:47)
9.To Someone That I Love (04:51)
10.Christmas in Heaven (04:00)
11.Bringing in a Brand New Year (05:31)