Joey DeFrancesco: Home for the Holidays

Hammond organist Joey DeFrancesco makes the perfect jazz “bad Santa”. Larger than life, with a wicked sense of humour, the ebullient DeFrancesco offers up a musical selection box for those who are allergic to traditional Christmas earnestness.

With help from musical associates young and old, including veteran saxophonist George Coleman on a couple of tracks, he scatters his jazzy tinsel over nearly two dozen classic Christmas songs, from the scared – such as Joy to the World a la Milestones and Silent Night a la All Blues – to the profane, including a peas and rice vocal version of Blue Christmas.

No, its not exactly high art, but DeFrancesco knows his way up and down the keyboard and it’s hard not to smile as each old Christmas chesnut swings into view.

[ joeydefrancesco.com ]