A really fantastic record from Jamie Cullum – a great singer on his own, but one whose voice is especially well-tuned to Holiday material like this! The set's one of those once in a blue moon Christmas records – not a batch of overdone standards, but instead all new material by the man himself – really fresh tunes that not only open up our December listening, but which also ensure that the record will be a Christmas classic in years to come! The backings are great – jazzy, but with the warmth of a fire after a Holiday dinner – and we might actually say that the whole thing has Jamie finding a focus for his talents that hasn't been this strong in years. Titles include "The Jolly Fat Man", "Hang Your Lights", "It's Christmas", "Turn On The Lights", "Christmas Caught Me Crying", "The Pianoman At Christmas", and "So Many Santas". CD

Over 50 years in jazz, and Toots Thielemans is still one of the most distinctive players around – one of the few who could actually make us like the sound of harmonica in modern music, and an artist who's lent his style to countless great albums over the years! For this set, Toots explores the music of Harold Arlen – set to arrangements by Jurren Haanstra that follow strongly in the mode of some of Thieleman's albums with larger orchestrations from the 70s and 80s – warm and lush, but never too overwhelming. And noteworthy here are a number of vocalists who are sure to push Toots talents into the consciousness of younger audiences who may recognize his sound, but not know the man behind it – singers who include Jamie Cullum, Laura Fygi, Beth Hart, Till Bronner, Oleta Adams, Silje Nergaard, Madeleine Peyroux, and Lizz Wright. Tunes include "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "Ill Wind", "Last Night When We Were Young", "Stormy Weather", "It's Only A Paper Moon", "I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues", and "That Old Black Magic". CD