Jethro Tull - The Jethro Tull Christmas Album
	Released: 2003 Label: Fuel 2000 Cat. No.: 061340 Total Time: 59:11
	Reviewed by: Eric Porter, December 2004 Am I just getting old? When I saw late last year the Jethro Tull was releasing a Christmas album, I didn’t even flinch, I ran out to buy it. Now, go back a few years and I am sure I would have thought - oh god, one of my favorite bands has joined ranks with my parents favorites, I can see it now, Ian Anderson and Andy Williams sing Christmas duets. But the thoughts never crossed my mind. As a matter of fact, as I thought about the band performing traditional numbers, I thought their sound would be perfect for Christmas music. What do you know, for once I was right! Tull has suceeded in making a very enjoyable album of seasonal, ah, who needs to be politically correct, an album of Christmas Music. Anderson's acoustic guitar and flute are magical, and keyboardist Andrew Giddings adds piano, organ, and the accordion where needed. The band offers plenty of re-worked originals that have appeared on other releases ("Boureé," "A Christmas Song," "Another Christmas Song" among others). Traditional classics include "Holly Herald," a jazzed up "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," and a track that does receive some radio play, "We Five Kings," a different take on "We Three Kings." Perhaps my favorite track is the closing "A Winter Snowscape," a Martin Barre instrumental of mostly guitar and flute, just a beautiful piece of music. I do love the Christmas season, and can think of nothing better than hearing the bands I grew up with and love performing their favorite songs of the Holidays. Rather than throwing on that Bing Crosby CD from your parents collection, how about a little Tull for Christmas?? You know what you will hear in my house on Christmas, and I don’t even get a look from the wife! Thanks guys! [See also Keith's review -ed.] More about The Jethro Tull Christmas Album: Track Listing: Birthday Card at Christmas (3:37) / Holly Herald (instrumental) (4:16) / A Christmas Song (2:47) / Another Christmas Song (3:31) / God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (instrumental) (4:35) / Jack Frost And The Hooded Crow (3:37) / Last Man At The Party (4:48) / Weathercock (4:17) / Pavane (instrumental) ( 4:19) / First Snow On Brooklyn (4:57) / Greensleeved (instrumental) (2:39) / Fire At Midnight (2:26) / We Five Kings (instrumental) (3:16) / Ring Out Solstice Bells (4:04) / Bourée (instrumental) (4:25) / A Winter Snowscape (instrumental) (4:57) Musicians: Dave Pegg - Bass, Mandolin Martin Barre - Acoustic and Electric Guitars Andy Giddings - Organ, Bass, Accordion, Keyboards, Keyboard Bass Doane Perry - Percussion, Drums Jonathan Noyce - Bass James Duncan - Drums Gyula Benkö - Viola Gábor Csonka - Violin András Sturcz - Cello Sturcz String Quartet Ian Anderson - Acoustic Guitar, Flute, Mandolin, Percussion, Piccolo, Vocals Péter Szilágyi - Violin Contact: Website: www.jethrotull.com Note: will open new browser window Discography This Was (1968) Stand Up (1969) Benefit (1970) Aqualung (1971) Thick As A Brick (1972) Living In The Past (1972) A Passion Play (1973) War Child (1974) Minstrel In The Gallery (1975) M.U. The Best Of (1976) Too Old To Rock ‘N’ Roll: Too Young To Die (1976) Songs From The Wood (1977) Repeat - The Best Of Jethro Tull Vol 2 (1977) Heavy Horses (1978) Bursting Out - Live (1978) Stormwatch (1979/2004) 'A’ (1980) The Broadsword And The Beast (1982/2005) Under Wraps (1984) Original Masters (1985) Crest Of A Knave (1987/2005) 20 Years Of Jethro Tull (1988) Rock Island (1988) Catfish Rising (1991) A Little Light Music (1992) The Anniversary Collection (1993) 25th Anniversary Box Set (1993) Nightcap (1995) Roots To Branches (1995) J-Tull Dot Com (1999) The Very Best Of (2001) Living With The Past (2002) (cd) The Jethro Tull Christmas Album (2003) Nothing Is Easy: Live At The Isle Of Wight 1970 (2004) Living With The Past (dvd) (2002) Live Review: Jethro Tull In Concert At The North Shore Theater, Beverly, Massachusetts, August 25, 2001 Live Review: Jethro Tull In Philadelphia, Academy Of Music, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania April 23, 2002 Live Review: Jethro Tull: An Evening With Jethro Tull & The Boston Symphony Orchestra Live Review: This Locomotive Keeps Rolling Along - Jethro Tull Live 2004 Interview: Ian Anderson and Martin Barre (January 2000)
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