Martin Sasse, Martin Gjakonovski & Joost van Schaik - Swinging Christmas (2024) [Hi-Res]

Oh, what hasn't been done to good old Christmas music? Year after year, it serves as an acoustic mood lifter, decorates sentimental commercials and is used as a trivial soundtrack at Christmas markets, without the original beauty of Christmas melodies still being perceived. Now, however, there is the ultimate musical rebuttal: the Martin Sasse Trio passionately dedicates itself to both American Christmas songs and the German heritage of Christmas folk and church songs - the result is simply overwhelming: a sound experience that will have an effect far beyond the Christmas season.

Swinging Christmas” confidently makes the Christmas song repertoire accessible to jazz. Martin Sasse, Martin Gjakonovski and Joost van Schaik create sensitive arrangements and spirited, grooving improvisations from the simple Christmas carols, which are often touching in their natural beauty. As elegant as they are intelligent, they stroll through moods, sounds and situations, letting themselves be guided by the familiar melodies with palpable and audible joy, celebrating them sometimes with infectious cheerfulness, sometimes with sublime festivity. After the magnificent album “Longing” (2023, JJ5135), Martin Sasse has succeeded in creating another great moment of contemporary trio jazz art: “Swinging Christmas” invites you on a lively sound journey far from the more usual easy listening paths - as a jazzy replica of ‘Driving Home for Christmas’…

Martin Sasse – Piano
Martin Gjakonovski – Bass
Joost van Schaik – Drums