Christmas Songs is the eighth studio album by Canadian singer Diana Krall, performed with The Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. It was released on October 26, 2005, by Verve Records. This is Krall's first full-length album of Christmas songs (not counting her 1998 EP Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas), and her first studio album with a big band. The album was released on vinyl for the first time on October 14, 2016.
Critical reception
Tad Hendrickson of JazzTimes stated, "Krall gets a ton of help on her Christmas album from the well-drilled Clayton–Hamilton Jazz Orchestra as well as from the usual peeps in her own bands. The singer doesn't work too hard to sell it, preferring to stay in the pocket, and the solos are short all the way around, but it all sounds swingin', fun and jazzy". John Bungey of The Times noted, "If your idea of a perfect Yuletide is Jimmy Stewart on the telly and Bing on the radio, and you believe that, musically, it's all been downhill since 1955, then Krall's album will suit perfectly".
Dave Gelly and Nail Spenser of The Observer wrote, "If you feared the worst after hearing Diana Krall's last, rather droopy CD you can cheer up, because this one proves she hasn't forgotten how to swing after all. Corny idea or not, it is a terrific jazz-vocal album that will raise your spirits now and for several Christmases to come".
Track listing
Personnel Credits adapted from the liner notes of Christmas Songs.
Musicians
Diana Krall – vocals ; piano solo ; piano ; arrangement Jeff Clayton – alto saxophone solo ; flute solo Ira Nepus – trombone solo Anthony Wilson – guitar ; guitar solo John Clayton – bass ; arrangement Jeff Hamilton – drums Rickey Woodard – tenor saxophone solo Ben Wolfe – bass Russell Malone – guitar Assa Drori – concertmaster Jules Chaikin – orchestra contractor Gerald Clayton – piano Stefon Harris – vibes Tamir Hendelman – Fender Rhodes ; piano Gilbert Castellanos – trumpet solo George Bohanon – trombone solo Alan Broadbent – piano Randy Waldman – keyboards Robert Hurst – bass Emil Richards – percussion Johnny Mandel – arrangement, conducting Chris Walden – orchestrations
The Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra
Jeff Hamilton – drums Robert Hurst – bass Anthony Wilson – guitar Gerald Clayton – piano Tamir Hendelman – piano ; Fender Rhodes Jeff Clayton – lead alto saxophone, flute Keith Fiddmont – alto saxophone, clarinet Rickey Woodard – tenor saxophone solos, tenor saxophone, clarinet Charles Owens – tenor saxophone, clarinet Adam Schroeder – baritone saxophone, bass clarinet Rick Baptist, Sal Cracchiolo, Clay Jenkins, Gilberto Gilbert Castellanos, William Barnhart – trumpets Ira Nepus, George Bohanon, Ryan Porter – trombones Tommy Johnson – tuba Rick Todd, David Duke, Joe Meyer, Brad Warnaar – French horns Joe Porcaro – percussion
Technical
Tommy LiPuma – production ; co-production Diana Krall – production Johnny Mandel – co-production Al Schmitt – recording, mixing Steve Genewick – engineering assistance, Pro Tools Koji Egawa – engineering assistance Bill Smith – engineering assistance Brian Vibberts – engineering assistance Dave Swope – engineering assistance Doug Sax – mastering at The Mastering Lab, Ojai, California
Artwork Hollis King – art direction Coco Shinomiya – design Sam Taylor-Wood – photography
Charts
Weekly charts + Weekly chart performance for Christmas Songs Chart (2005–2006) Peakposition Australian Jazz & Blues Albums (ARIA) 4 Japanese Albums (Oricon) 78 US Traditional Jazz Albums (Billboard) 1
Chart (2025) Peakposition Portuguese Streaming Albums (AFP) 153
Monthly charts + Monthly chart performance for Christmas Songs Chart (2026) Peakposition German Jazz Albums (Offizielle Top 100) 14
Year-end charts + 2005 year-end chart performance for Christmas Songs Chart (2005) Position Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) 83 US Top Jazz Albums (Billboard) 7
+ 2006 year-end chart performance for Christmas Songs Chart (2006) Position Australian Jazz & Blues Albums (ARIA) 36 US Billboard 200 139 US Top Jazz Albums (Billboard) 2
Decade-end charts + Decade-end chart performance for Christmas Songs Chart (2000–2009) Position US Top Jazz Albums (Billboard) 14
Certifications
Notes
See also List of Billboard Top Holiday Albums number ones of the 2000s
References