It’s time to crank up the Christmas Music. I hope everyone enjoyed some great food on Thanksgiving and are still eating the left-overs. I am.
I love Christmas time although the past few years I’ve been in Miami where it is only Christmas because people wear large coats, not for the weather, but for style. I’m getting to enjoy Fall a little bit here in Washington, D.C. and I really like it. There’s something reminiscent about this time of year. Makes me remember times when I was younger and more carefree.
I enjoy Christmas music too. It’s some of the most familiar music to me and I enjoy listening to it, playing it, or arranging new versions of them.
I have a goal. I am shooting to produce a Christmas Brass CD by next Christmas, 2012. I was planning to arrange the music and record it this summer, but then I decided to get the military job and was at Basic Training instead. So the goal as far as I’m concerned has already been pushed back one year. But it’s coming, I promise.
If you have any ideas for cool arrangements or songs, I’d love to hear them. The majority of the CD will probably be trombone ensemble but may have other instruments join in. In particular, my great friend Joel Baroody has created a clever arrangement of Sleigh Ride which seamlessly combines the original work with some instances of quotes from other holiday songs, hidden into the accompaniment parts. The arrangement is for 3 trumpets and 3 trombones.
Happy Holidays everyone. Let me know if you are doing something really cool for the Holidays, I want to hear about it.
Will
tbonetimmons 