Howdy! (Martin here.)

As the guy who’s thrown together the AZ Music Café website, I have conferred upon myself the privilege of being a guest author on the newly launched AZ Music Café Blog.  Hopefully, big brother won’t mind me treading water in his pool.

I recently purchased Yo Yo Ma’s new Christmas album.   Wow is this good stuff!  

There are all kinds of people on this CD.  James Taylor, Allison Krauss, Edgar Meyer, Dave Brubeck, and Chris Botti, to name a few.

The first 15 songs on the CD were phenomenal.  (I didn’t care much for 18-20, but with 15 very strong, very high quality pieces up front, I can deal with 3 I don’t like.  Who knows, maybe they will grow on me.)  The CD has 20 tracks in all.   James Taylor and Diana Krall are both excellent as featured vocalists.  

Number 13, INVITACIÓN AL DANZÓN, is really great.  Since my daughter plays the clarinet, we always keep an ear out for this instrument in any jazz or classical music we buy.  This one does not disappoint.  Wow!

This is a Christmas album that I will probably listen to all year, since it doesn’t necessarily come across as a the same old holiday staples.  (For instance, I had a quick listen to some of Spyro Gyra’s Christmas effort.  It was OK, but not outstanding.)  This CD is outstanding and I would have to say, out of the norm for Christmas music.  I highly recommend it.