Kenny G - The Greatest Holiday Classics

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Title: The Greatest Holiday Classics
Artist: Kenny G
Audio CD (October 18, 2005)
Original Release Date: October 18, 2005
Number of Discs: 1
Genre: Christmas
Format: Free Lossless Audio Codec


Track Listing:

01. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
02. Medley: Deck The Halls/The Twelve Days Of Christmas
03. Joy To The World
04. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
05. Sleigh Ride
06. Miracles
07. Jingle Bell Rock
08. White Christmas
09. Winter Wonderland
10. My Favorite Things
11. Medley: We Three Kings/Carol Of The Bells
12. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
13. Ave Maria
14. The Chanukah Song (From Miracles 1994)
15. Jingle Bells
16. I'll Be Home For Christmas


Allmusic Review:
The Greatest Holiday Classics compiles highlights from the many holiday albums Kenny G has recorded over the years, adding four previously unreleased songs to the mix. Although these 16 tracks were recorded over many years, ranging from 1994's Miracles to 2002's Wishes, Kenny G didn't change his musical aesthetic much over the years, so this holds together rather well as an album. In fact, it could be argued that it's more cohesive than any of his proper Christmas albums ΓΓé¼ΓÇ¥ it has a better selection of songs and boasts more tracks than Miracles, Wishes or 1999's Faith ΓΓé¼ΓÇ¥ and while it's a little redundant to anybody that owns all three of those records, fans in a market for one Kenny G holiday album will find this very helpful indeed.

Amazon Review:
Doing what every good merchandiser does when there's no new real product for the Christmas season, Kenny G repackages his best stuff with a few new tracks. The Greatest Holiday Classics boasts pieces from previous holiday records, Wishes (2002), Faith (1999) and Miracles (1997), with five new cuts for a total of 16. To be sure it's a generous offering from the one guy in popular music who just might be contemporary America's Jazzman. Whether playing his acclaimed alto sax or blowing tenor, Kenny's signature tone is nearly unmistakable from anyone else's, perhaps, for his easily accessible phrasing and the limited improvisation he's willing to put on record. His focus has always been on delivering the song, rather than the possibilities for innovation, exploration and enhanced creativity that more adventurous players readily welcome in the jazz setting with any tune. One of the new pieces, a big band treatment of "Jingle Bell Rock" joyfully swings under Randy Waldman's arrangement and fellow his horn men seem to push G on his solo, while the other new works "My Favorite Things" and "I'll Be Home for Christmas" are fairly predictable fare. Even "Jingle Bells" is reduced to a slow tempo, with KG's trademark moody, saccharine strings and piano in the mix. But then, this is exactly the kind of Christmas tea many want against the often-overwhelming din of the holiday rush.