Jim Galloway
(on soprano, tenor and baritone), veteran pianist
Jay McShann
(who takes the vocal on
"Hootie's Christmas Baby"
), bassist
Neil Swainson
and drummer
Archie Alleyne
team up to play some spirited Christmas jazz on this CD. Some of the treatments are a bit surprising, including a very somber opening "Silent Night"; a few of the tunes are obscure, particularly "Christmas Night In Harlem" and "Christmas In New Orleans," and the band easily swings through such tunes as "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Silver Bells." A fine, swing-oriented mainstream set. ~ Scott Yanow