GWEN HUGHES

THE FIRST NOEL JAZZ HYMNS FOR CHRISTMAS

Fairfield Records

Gwen Hughes is a singer, songwriter, producer and touring artist.  When she is not singing and recording her own original songs, Gwen’s musical choices are shaped by curiosity as to what a song can become. You clearly hear this curiosity and exploration on the familiar holiday hymn, “We Three Kings.”  The arrangement is very contemporary and the unusual chord changes do not deter Hughes from singing the song on top of them with smooth elegance.

“Patapan” is a French Christmas Song that shuffles into my listening room, inviting the rich bass solo of Terrell Montgomery and the guitar solo of Micah Cadwell.  Hughes has an alto/second soprano voice that dances along at moderate pace with the shuffle drums of Mike Hinton holding down the groove.

A more familiar song is “the First Noel” with Tyrone Jackson playing the piano this time. Gwen Hughes boasts a career that has embraced jazz, soul, Christian and gospel music. On this album, she offers eleven holiday carols, hymns and seasonal compositions from France, Ireland, England, the Welsh and African American traditions, as well as the Thad Jones and Alec Wilder jazz standard “A Child Is Born.” This is a mixed bag of treasured holiday compositions. Some arrangements are familiar.  Others, unique and creative. That adds interest to this holiday entertainment featuring Gwen on vocals.

Hughes introduces us to songs that are often unfamiliar, but quite beautiful, like the melody of the Irish hymn, “The Wexford Carol” with a jazzy solo by the pianist Randy Hoexter.  The interesting thing about this production is that Hughes sings these song like a church choir member, but the musicians play them like jazz compositions with well-written jazzy arrangements.

THE GWEN HUGHES BAND: Gwen Hughes, vocals; Micah Cadwell & Max Brown, guitars; Ramon Pooser, Jason DeBlanc, Charlie Chadwick & Terrell Montgomery, acoustic bass;  Randy Hoexter & Tyrone Jackson, piano; Philippe Bronchtein, steel guitar/Hammond BH3 organ; Colin Agnew, percussion; Mike Hinton, drums.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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