Carla's Christmas Carols
Carla's Christmas Carols is an album of Christmas carols arranged by American composer, bandleader and keyboardist Carla Bley with bassist Steve Swallow and the Partyka Brass Quintet recorded in France in 2008 and released on the Watt/ECM label in 2009. Reception. The Allmusic review by Thom Jurek awarded the album 4 stars and stated "While the argument that there should be a moratorium on Christmas recordings is a good one in the 21st century, "Carla's Christmas Carols" provides a powerful counter to that view. She has added so much to these songs without  taking away any of the warmth, joy, and nostalgia inherent to the season or their place in it". The All About Jazz review by John Kelman said that "Most Christmas albums are only good for a limited time each year. The songs Bley has chosen may have such iconic significance as to be tied to a specific time of year, but the arrangements and playing are so good that Carla's Christmas Carols transcends the season for which it's intended; an album that will also bring more than a little welcome cool to the heat of the summer." Carla