A Swingin' Christmas (Featuring The Count Basie Big Band)
Encyclopedia
A Swingin' Christmas is a Christmas album
by Tony Bennett
, released in 2008, that features The Count Basie Big Band. Bennett's daughter Antonia Bennett also duets with him on one track.
The album was nominated for Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
at the 52nd Grammy Awards
.
A great deal of retailers featured different variations:
" – prior to the unveiling of the store's Christmas window displays. He also performed a special one-off concert at New York's famed Apollo Theater
on December 16, billed as his only show in direct support of the release with The Count Basie Big Band.
albums chart, the album has thus far peaked at #28 in its sixth week on the chart. It also reached the zenith of the Billboard Top Jazz Albums in its seventh week on said chart.
Christmas Album
Christmas Album may refer to:* Christmas Album , a 1968 album by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass* Christmas Album Christmas Album may refer to:* Christmas Album (Herb Alpert album), a 1968 album by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass* Christmas Album Christmas Album may refer to:* Christmas Album (Herb...
by Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett is an American singer of popular music, standards, show tunes, and jazz....
, released in 2008, that features The Count Basie Big Band. Bennett's daughter Antonia Bennett also duets with him on one track.
The album was nominated for Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
The Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album is an award presented to recording artists at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards...
at the 52nd Grammy Awards
52nd Grammy Awards
The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards took place on January 31, 2010, at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Neil Young was honored as the 2010 MusiCares Person of the Year on January 29, two days prior to the Grammy telecast. Only ten of the 109 awards were received during the broadcast...
.
Track listing
- "I'll Be Home for Christmas" (Gannon, Kent, Ram) [2:12]
- "Silver Bells" (Evans, Livingston) [3:17]
- "All I Want for Christmas Is You (A Christmas Love Song)" (Alan BergmanAlan BergmanAlan Bergman is an American lyricist and songwriter.-Life & career:Born in Brooklyn, New York, he studied at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UCLA. His involvement in the entertainment industry began in the early 1950s as a director of children's television shows...
, Marilyn BergmanMarilyn BergmanMarilyn Bergman is a composer, songwriter and author.She was born Marilyn Keith in Brooklyn, New York and studied psychology and English at New York University...
, Johnny MandelJohnny MandelJohnny Mandel is an American composer and arranger of popular songs, film music and jazz. Among the musicians he has worked with are Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Anita O'Day, Barbra Streisand, and Shirley Horn.-Life:...
) [4:18] - "My Favorite ThingsMy Favorite Things (song)"My Favorite Things" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music.-The Sound of Music version:The song was first introduced by Mary Martin in the original Broadway production, and sung by Julie Andrews in the 1965 film.In the musical, the lyrics to the song are a...
" (Oscar Hammerstein IIOscar Hammerstein IIOscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II was an American librettist, theatrical producer, and theatre director of musicals for almost forty years. Hammerstein won eight Tony Awards and was twice awarded an Academy Award for "Best Original Song". Many of his songs are standard repertoire for...
, Richard RodgersRichard RodgersRichard Charles Rodgers was an American composer of music for more than 900 songs and for 43 Broadway musicals. He also composed music for films and television. He is best known for his songwriting partnerships with the lyricists Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II...
) [2:55] - "Christmas Time Is Here" (Guaraldi, Mendelson) [3:59]
- "Winter WonderlandWinter Wonderland"Winter Wonderland" is a winter song, popularly treated as a Christmastime pop standard, written in 1934 by Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith . Through the decades it has been recorded by over 150 different artists.-History:...
" (Bernard, Smith) [2:31] - "Have Yourself a Merry Little ChristmasHave Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is a song introduced by Judy Garland in the 1944 MGM musical Meet Me in St. Louis. Frank Sinatra later recorded a version with modified lyrics, which has become more common than the original. The song was written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane...
" (Blane, Martin) [4:36] - "Santa Claus Is Coming to TownSanta Claus Is Coming to Town"Santa Claus is Coming to Town" is a Christmas song. It was written by John Frederick Coots and Haven Gillespie, and was first sung on Eddie Cantor's radio show in November 1934....
" (Coots, Gillespie) [2:53] - "I've Got My Love to Keep Me WarmI've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm"I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" is a popular song written in 1937 by Irving Berlin. It was introduced in On the Avenue by Dick Powell and Alice Faye. Les Brown's instrumental version, arranged by Skip Martin and recorded in 1946 as Columbia #38324, became a million-seller and Billboard top ten...
" – with Antonia Bennett (Berlin) [3:31] - "The Christmas Waltz" (Cahn, Styne) [3:22]
- "O Christmas Tree" (Traditional) [3:27]
A great deal of retailers featured different variations:
- TargetTarget CorporationTarget Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
carried an edition featuring a bonus DVD with a documentary on the making of the album as well as a host of concert performances. - FYEFyéFyé is a commune in the Sarthe department in the region of Pays-de-la-Loire in north-western France.-References:*...
carried an edition featuring a bonus DVD with a documentary on the making of the album as well as a special holiday-themed postcard reproducing Bennett's artwork. - BordersBorders GroupBorders Group, Inc. was an international book and music retailer based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company employed approximately 19,500 throughout the U.S., primarily in its Borders and Waldenbooks stores....
carried a special edition featuring ten of Bennett's holiday-themed artwork postcards. - Barnes & NobleBarnes & NobleBarnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest book retailer in the United States, operating mainly through its Barnes & Noble Booksellers chain of bookstores headquartered at 122 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District in Manhattan in New York City. Barnes & Noble also operated the chain of small B. Dalton...
carried a special edition featuring Bennett's take on "Christmas Auld Lang Syne" exclusive to the retailer. They also carried a deluxe version featuring a DVD as well as the exclusive track. - Bloomingdales carried a special edition featuring Bennett's take on "Jingle BellsJingle Bells"Jingle Bells" is one of the best-known and commonly sung winter songs in the world. It was written by James Lord Pierpont and published under the title "One Horse Open Sleigh" in the autumn of 1857...
", exclusive to the retailer.
Tony Bennett's combo
- Monty Alexander – Piano
- Paul Langosch – Bass
- Harold Jones – Drums
- Gray Sargent – Guitar
- Lee Musiker – Piano (tracks 7, 9 and 11)
The Count Basie Orchestra
- John Williams, Baritone Saxophone
- Doug Miller, Tenor Saxophone
- Grant Langford, Alto Saxophone
- Marshall McDonald, Alto Saxphone
- Doug Lawrence, Tenor Saxophone
- Clarence Banks, Trombone
- Alvin Walker, Trombone
- Dave Keim, Trombone
- Barry Cooper, Trombone
- William "Scotty" Barnhart, Trumpet
- Michael Williams, Trumpet
- Kris Johnson, Trumpet
- James Zollar, Trumpet
Production credits
- Executive Producer: Danny Bennett
- Producer: Phil RamonePhil RamonePhil Ramone is a South-African violinist, composer, recording engineer, and record producer.-Biography:As a young child in South Africa, Ramone was a musical prodigy, beginning to play the violin at age three and performing for Queen Elizabeth II at age ten...
- Music Director for Mr. Bennett: Lee Musiker
- Recorded and Mixed by Dae Bennett
- Production Manager and Contractor: Jill Dell'Abate
- Production Coordinator: Vance Anderson
- Live Sound: Tom Young with ACIR Pro Audio
- Assistant Engineers: Alessandro Perrotta and Travis Stefl
- Mastering: Bob LudwigBob LudwigBob Ludwig is an American mastering engineer.He is a well known and respected figure within the music industry. His name is credited on the covers of albums released across the world, and he has won numerous awards....
and Gateway Mastering, Portland, ME. - Art Direction and Design: John Cheuse
- Cover Photography: Mark Seliger
Marketing campaign
To promote the release of the album Bennett granted numerous interviews, and made a number of television show performances, from the time of its release through the holiday season. This included a special free street performance outside of Bloomingdales department store at 4:30 p.m. on November 20 in New York City in which he performed three songs – "I'll Be Home For Christmas," "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" and "Jingle BellsJingle Bells
"Jingle Bells" is one of the best-known and commonly sung winter songs in the world. It was written by James Lord Pierpont and published under the title "One Horse Open Sleigh" in the autumn of 1857...
" – prior to the unveiling of the store's Christmas window displays. He also performed a special one-off concert at New York's famed Apollo Theater
Apollo Theater
The Apollo Theater in New York City is one of the most famous, and older, music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with Black performers...
on December 16, billed as his only show in direct support of the release with The Count Basie Big Band.
Chart performance and certifications
After debuting at #159 on the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
albums chart, the album has thus far peaked at #28 in its sixth week on the chart. It also reached the zenith of the Billboard Top Jazz Albums in its seventh week on said chart.