(Bop, Christmas, Crossover Jazz) VA - Jazzy Christmas (w/ David Benoit, Brian Bromberg, Stanley Clarke, Paul Smith, etc.) - 2001, MP3, 320 kbps

This Christmas CD compiles two tracks each by five different groups of standard holiday fare. David Benoit leads an acoustic trio (with bassist Brian Bromberg and drummer Greg Bissonette) that swings considerably more than the pianist's series of dull smooth jazz dates for GRP, though his arrangement of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" is more successful than his rather pedestrian take of "O' Tannenbaum." Pianist Patrice Rushen's acoustic trio (with bassist Stanley Clarke and drummer Ndugu Chancler) performs a rather plodding "Christmas Time Is Here" and a march-like "We Three Kings," which has a opening bass vamp by Clarke reminiscent of Wayne Shorter's "Footprints." A quintet featuring tenor saxophonist Pete Christlieb, pianist Tom Ranier, and Slyde Hyde on euphonium (with bassist Jim Hughart and drummer Charles Harris) hints at Benny Golson's "Killer Joe" in their driving interpretation of "White Christmas," while Hyde's lush horn is the high point of "The Christmas Song." Veteran pianist Paul Smith, with bassist Jim De Julio and drummer Joe LaBarbera, offers a playful miniature take of "Jingle Bells" and a slightly overdone "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." The weakest tracks are easily the last two by guitarist Federico Ramos (in a quartet with electric bassist Alphonso Johnson, drummer Tom Walsh, and percussionist Bob Conti), which include a quickly tiresome "Little Drummer Boy" and a very uninspired "Let It Snow." The unevenness of this collection makes it difficult to recommend to jazz fans, even though there are a handful of tracks that are worth hearing a second time.