Breath of Heaven: A Holiday Collection: Difference between revisions

Breath of Heaven: A Holiday Collection
Breath of Heaven: A Holiday Collection
Compilation album by Grover Washington Jr.
Released	September 30, 1997
Studio	Van Gelder Studio (Hackensack, NJ)
Genre	Jazz
Length	59:35
Label	Columbia CK 68527
Producer	Donald Robinson; Todd Barkan;
Grover Washington Jr. chronology

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Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[1]
The New York Times	(favourable)^[2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings	^[3]

Breath of Heaven: A Holiday Collection is a Christmas compilation album by Grover Washington Jr., mostly on soprano saxophone, released in 1997 and nominated for a Grammy in 1998.^[4] Dawn Andrews contributes vocals and cello. Billy Childs contributes piano.^[5] It was also the last album released during his lifetime as he died less than three months later on December 17, 1999. His next album, Aria, was released posthumously on March 7, 2000.

Reception

Scott Yanow of AllMusic commented "For this set of Christmas-related songs, Grover Washington Jr. (mostly on soprano but also contributing some tenor and alto) sounds soulful but restrained. The renditions are lightly funky, atmospheric, and generally quite dull. Billy Childs is excellent on piano, and the musicianship of the other players is fine, but the similarity of moods and grooves, along with the somber feel of most of the music, makes this a surprisingly tedious listen".^[1]

Track listing

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin) – 4:56
"Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song)" (Chris Eaton, Amy Grant) – 6:59
"The Love in His Infant Eyes" (Donald Robinson, Grover Washington Jr.) – 4:27
"Away in a Manger" – 5:56
"I Wonder as I Wander" – 5:23
"Christmas Time Is Here" (Vince Guaraldi, Lee Mendelson) – 5:04
"The Magi's Song/A Child Is Born" (Joe Locke/Thad Jones)– 4:56
"Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" (Johann Sebastian Bach) – 4:22
"The Christmas Song" (Mel Tormé, Robert Wells) – 4:33
"The Christmas Waltz" (Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne) – 4:47
"Christmas Day Chant" – 3:41
"Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song, Instrumental Version)" (Eaton, Grant) – 5:18

Personnel

Grover Washington Jr. – alto saxophone (1, 3, 4, 8), soprano saxophone (2, 5, 7, 8, 10–12), arrangements (5), tenor saxophone (6, 8, 9)
Hiram Bullock – keyboards (1), arrangements (1, 9), guitars (2, 6, 12), electric guitar (4, 9), acoustic guitar (5, 10)
Billy Childs – acoustic piano (1, 2, 5–8, 10, 12), keyboards (4, 9), arrangements (4, 5, 8, 10)
Joe Locke – keyboards (2, 7, 11, 12), arrangements (2, 6, 7, 11, 12), chimes (5), vibraphone (5, 7, 8, 11), marimba (11)
Donald Robinson – acoustic piano (3), keyboards (3), arrangements (3)
Adam Holzman – synthesizers (3)
Will Lee – bass (1, 2, 4–10, 12)
Gerald Veasley – bass (3)
Steven Wolf – drums (1, 3, 4, 9)
Victor Lewis – drums (2, 5–8, 10, 12
Pablo Batista – percussion (1, 3, 9)
Bashiri Johnson – percussion (5, 7)
Dawn Andrews – cello (2, 11, 12), vocals (11)
Lisa Fischer – vocals (2)

Production

Todd Barkan – producer
Donald Robinson – producer
Rudy Van Gelder – engineer, mixing, mastering
Maureen Sickler – assistant engineer
Paul Silverthorne – production coordinator
Christine Washington – production coordinator
Sven Granert – product manager
Kiku Yamaguchi – art direction
Alice Butts – design
David Ellis – illustrations
Norman Jean Roy – photography

References

^ ^a ^b Yanow, Scott. "Grover Washington, Jr.-Breath of Heaven: A Holiday Collection". allmusic.com. Allmusic.
^ Ratliff, Ben (December 5, 1997). "From Sacred to Silly: Chestnuts Roasting on the CD Player". The New York Times – via nytimes.com.
^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 1469. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
^ "Top Contemporary Jazz Albums". Billboard: 50. 27 June 1998. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
^ "Grover Washington, Jr. – Breath Of Heaven - A Holiday Collection". Discogs. Retrieved 29 December 2018.

[AM-1] Yanow, Scott. "Grover Washington, Jr.-Breath of Heaven: A Holiday Collection". allmusic.com. Allmusic.

[2] Ratliff, Ben (December 5, 1997). "From Sacred to Silly: Chestnuts Roasting on the CD Player". The New York Times – via nytimes.com.

[Penguin-3] Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 1469. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.

[4] "Top Contemporary Jazz Albums". Billboard: 50. 27 June 1998. Retrieved 29 December 2018.

[5] "Grover Washington, Jr. – Breath Of Heaven - A Holiday Collection". Discogs. Retrieved 29 December 2018.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 | recorded   =
 | venue      =
-| studio     = [[Van Gelder Studio]], Hackensack, NJ
+| studio     = [[Van Gelder Studio]] (Hackensack, NJ)
 | genre      = Jazz
 | length     = 59:35
 | label      = [[Columbia Records|Columbia]] <small>CK 68527</small>
-| producer   = Donald Robinson, [[Todd Barkan]]
+| producer   = * Donald Robinson
+* [[Todd Barkan]]
 | prev_title = [[Soulful Strut (Grover Washington Jr. album)|Soulful Strut]]
 | prev_year  = 1996
@@ Line 22: / Line 23: @@
 | rev1Score ={{rating|3|5|}}<ref name="AM">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/breath-of-heaven-a-holiday-collection-mw0000028262|title=Grover Washington, Jr.-Breath of Heaven: A Holiday Collection|author=Yanow, Scott|publisher=[[Allmusic]]|website=allmusic.com}}</ref>
 | rev2      =[[The New York Times]]
 | rev2Score = (favourable)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/05/movies/from-sacred-to-silly-chestnuts-roasting-on-the-cd-player-463680.html|title=From Sacred to Silly: Chestnuts Roasting on the CD Player|author=Ratliff, Ben|date=December 5, 1997|work=[[The New York Times]]|via=nytimes.com}}</ref>
+|rev3 = ''[[The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings]]''
+|rev3score  = {{Rating|3|4}}<ref name="Penguin">{{cite book |last1=Cook |first1=Richard |authorlink1=Richard Cook (journalist) |last2=Morton |first2=Brian |authorlink2=Brian Morton (Scottish writer) |title=[[The Penguin Guide to Jazz|The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings]] |year=2008 |edition=9th |publisher=[[Penguin Books|Penguin]] |isbn=978-0-141-03401-0 |page=1469}}</ref>
 }}
-'''''Breath of Heaven: A Holiday Collection''''' is a Christmas compilation album by [[Grover Washington Jr.]], mostly on [[soprano saxophone]], released in 1997 and nominated for a Grammy in 1998.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Top Contemporary Jazz Albums |journal=Billboard |date=27 June 1998 |page=50 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7w0EAAAAMBAJ&q=Breath+of+Heaven%3A+A+Holiday+Collection&pg=PA50 |accessdate=29 December 2018}}</ref> Dawn Andrews contributes vocals and cello. [[Billy Childs]] contributes piano.<ref>{{cite web |title=Grover Washington, Jr. – Breath Of Heaven - A Holiday Collection |url=https://www.discogs.com/Grover-Washington-Jr-Breath-Of-Heaven-A-Holiday-Collection/release/5355897 |website=[[Discogs]] |accessdate=29 December 2018}}</ref>
+'''''Breath of Heaven: A Holiday Collection''''' is a Christmas compilation album by [[Grover Washington Jr.]], mostly on [[soprano saxophone]], released in 1997 and nominated for a Grammy in 1998.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Top Contemporary Jazz Albums |journal=Billboard |date=27 June 1998 |page=50 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7w0EAAAAMBAJ&q=Breath+of+Heaven%3A+A+Holiday+Collection&pg=PA50 |accessdate=29 December 2018}}</ref> Dawn Andrews contributes vocals and cello. [[Billy Childs]] contributes piano.<ref>{{cite web |title=Grover Washington, Jr. – Breath Of Heaven - A Holiday Collection |url=https://www.discogs.com/Grover-Washington-Jr-Breath-Of-Heaven-A-Holiday-Collection/release/5355897 |website=[[Discogs]] |accessdate=29 December 2018}}</ref> It was also the last album released during his lifetime as he died less than three months later on December 17, 1999. His next album, [[Aria (Grover Washington Jr. album)|''Aria'']], was released posthumously on March 7, 2000.
 ==Reception==
-[[Scott Yanow]] of [[AllMusic]] commented "For this set of Christmas-related songs, Grover Washington, Jr. (mostly on soprano but also contributing some tenor and alto) sounds soulful but restrained. The renditions are lightly funky, atmospheric, and generally quite dull. Billy Childs is excellent on piano, and the musicianship of the other players is fine, but the similarity of moods and grooves, along with the somber feel of most of the music, makes this a surprisingly tedious listen".<ref name="AM" />
+[[Scott Yanow]] of [[AllMusic]] commented "For this set of Christmas-related songs, Grover Washington Jr. (mostly on soprano but also contributing some tenor and alto) sounds soulful but restrained. The renditions are lightly funky, atmospheric, and generally quite dull. Billy Childs is excellent on piano, and the musicianship of the other players is fine, but the similarity of moods and grooves, along with the somber feel of most of the music, makes this a surprisingly tedious listen".<ref name="AM" />
 == Track listing ==
@@ Line 36: / Line 39: @@
 # "[[Away in a Manger]]" – 5:56
 # "[[I Wonder as I Wander]]" – 5:23
-# "[[Christmas Time Is Here]]" ([[Vince Guaraldi]], Lee Mendelssohn) – 5:04
+# "[[Christmas Time Is Here]]" ([[Vince Guaraldi]], [[Lee Mendelson]]) – 5:04
 # "The Magi's Song/A Child Is Born" (Joe Locke/[[Thad Jones]])– 4:56
 # "[[Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring]]" ([[Johann Sebastian Bach]]) – 4:22
@@ Line 45: / Line 48: @@
 == Personnel ==
+* Grover Washington Jr. – alto saxophone (1, 3, 4, 8), soprano saxophone (2, 5, 7, 8, 10–12), arrangements (5), tenor saxophone (6, 8, 9)
-*Dawn Andrews – Cello, Vocals
+* [[Hiram Bullock]] – keyboards (1), arrangements (1, 9), guitars (2, 6, 12), electric guitar (4, 9), acoustic guitar (5, 10)
-*Todd Barkan – Producer
+* [[Billy Childs]] – acoustic piano (1, 2, 5–8, 10, 12), keyboards (4, 9), arrangements (4, 5, 8, 10)
-*Pablo Batista – Percussion, Conga
+* [[Joe Locke (musician)|Joe Locke]] – keyboards (2, 7, 11, 12), arrangements (2, 6, 7, 11, 12), [[chimes]] (5), [[vibraphone]] (5, 7, 8, 11), [[marimba]] (11)
-*[[Hiram Bullock]] – Acoustic & Electric Guitar, Arranger, Keyboards
+* Donald Robinson – acoustic piano (3), keyboards (3), arrangements (3)
-*Alice Butts – Design
+* [[Adam Holzman (keyboardist)|Adam Holzman]] – synthesizers (3)
-*[[Billy Childs]] – Piano, Arranger, Keyboards
+* [[Will Lee (bassist)|Will Lee]] – bass (1, 2, 4–10, 12)
-*David Ellis – Illustrations
-*[[Lisa Fischer]] – Vocals
+* [[Gerald Veasley]] – bass (3)
+* [[Steven Wolf]] – drums (1, 3, 4, 9)
-*Sven Granert – Production Assistant, Assistant Producer
+* [[Victor Lewis]] – drums (2, 5–8, 10, 12
-*Adam Holzman – Synthesizer
+* Pablo Batista – percussion (1, 3, 9)
-*Bashiri Johnson – Percussion
+* [[Bashiri Johnson]] – percussion (5, 7)
-*Kiku – Art Direction
+* Dawn Andrews – [[cello]] (2, 11, 12), vocals (11)
-*[[Will Lee (bassist)|Will Lee]] – Bass
-*[[Victor Lewis]] – Drums
+* [[Lisa Fischer]] – vocals (2)
-*[[Joe Locke]] – Arranger, Chimes, Keyboards, Marimba, Vibraphone
+== Production ==
-*Donald Robinson – Piano, Arranger, Keyboards, Producer
-*Norman Jean Roy – Photography
+* Todd Barkan – producer
+* Donald Robinson – producer
-*Maureen Sickler – Assistant Engineer
+* [[Rudy Van Gelder]] – engineer, mixing, mastering
-*Paul Silverthorne – Production Coordination
+* Maureen Sickler – assistant engineer
-*Richard Lee Steacker – Guitar
+* Paul Silverthorne – production coordinator
-*[[Rudy Van Gelder]] – Engineer
+* Christine Washington – production coordinator
-*[[Gerald Veasley]] – Bass
+* Sven Granert – product manager
-*Christine Washington – Production Coordination
+* Kiku Yamaguchi – art direction
-*Grover Washington Jr. – Arranger, Alto, Soprano & Tenor Saxophone
-*[[Steven Wolf]] – Drums
+* Alice Butts – design
+* David Ellis – illustrations
+* Norman Jean Roy – photography
 ==References==
 {{Reflist}}
+{{Grover Washington Jr.}}
+{{Authority control}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Breath Of Heaven: A Holiday Collection}}

v t e Grover Washington Jr.
Studio albums	Inner City Blues (1972) All the King's Horses (1972) Soul Box (1973) Mister Magic (1975) Feels So Good (1975) A Secret Place (1976) Reed Seed (1978) Paradise (1979) Skylarkin' (1980) Winelight (1980) Come Morning (1981) The Best Is Yet to Come (1982) Inside Moves (1984) A House Full of Love: Music from The Cosby Show (1986) Strawberry Moon (1987) Then and Now (1988) Time Out of Mind (1989) Next Exit (1992) All My Tomorrows (1994) Soulful Strut (1996) Aria (2000)
Live albums	Live at The Bijou (1977)
Compilations	Baddest (1981) Anthology (1981) Breath of Heaven: A Holiday Collection (1997)
Singles	"Just the Two of Us" (1981) "The Best Is Yet to Come" (1983)