Well, mostly authentic. Bruno van Acoleyen and Bart Brouwer’s German-inflected fake-gumbo accents, in their performances of “Winter Wonderland” and “Christmas Time in New Orleans,” only add to the fun.
The fun is plentiful. On a recording where horns have bite rather than sting and colors are maximally saturated, the blend of piano, bass, guitar, clarinet, banjo, trumpet and trombone is ideal. The dynamic range isn’t great, mainly because the whole ensemble plays so much of the time, but imagination is plentiful. Anyone who wants to test their system's resolution is invited to search for the “in time” throat clearing at the beginning of an upbeat “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.”
Most of the tracks are familiar, including Bob Wells & Mel Tormé’s “Christmas Song” and Walter Rollins & Steve Nelson’s “Frosty the Snow Man,” but there are a few less common ones among the 13 selections. Instrumental combinations vary, with the stereo spread adding interest. This one’s a winner—and it's available at HD Tracks and Pro Studio Masters at 24/96. It also streams in 16/44.1 FLAC on Tidal and 24/96 FLAC on Qobuz.
