Pinot Noir Brass Christmas

Pinot Noir Brass Christmas

Available on CD/Digitally

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The highly anticipated release of Pinot Noir Brass Christmas, a spiritedly arranged, soulfully and powerfully performed holiday themed recording that follows in the tradition of and puts a contemporary holiday twist on the traditional five horn brass dynamic, inspires a whimsical deep dive into the history of North American brass quintets.  

For Braun, the opportunity to play with Pinot Noir Brass harkens back to the classical horn ensembles he played with as a student at Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY in the mid-70s – long before he toured with Rod Stewart, Tina Turner and Sade and became a multiple #1 Billboard charting icon as a contemporary jazz artist over the past 30 years. “For a brass player,” he says, “the brass quintet format offers some of the tightest structures and most demanding playing possible, where all vulnerabilities are exposed and everything has to be accomplished with five unique voices. Pinot Noir Christmas is a chance to go back to my roots and explore this style playing a classic repertoire while recalling fond memories of my early days. More than simply fun, playing with this quintet has helped me improve my playing as a trumpeter, which will certainly impact my solo career in the coming years.”

Track List

  1. Jingle Bell Fantasy [02:52]
  2. Joy to the World [02:48]
  3. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas [02:05]
  4. Three French Carols [04:18]
  5. Frosty the Snowman [03:05]
  6. Holly Ding Dong [03:24]
  7. What Child is Born [04:43]
  8. Santa’s Sleigh [02:35]
  9. Blue Home [04:24]
  10. Wonderful Time of the Bells [03:30]
  11. Silent Night [03:54]
  12. O Come, O Come Emmanuel [03:05]
  13. The Christmas Song [02:37]
  14. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen [04:06]
  15. Don’t You Know It’s Christmas [04:00]

Credits

Performed, recorded and mixed by The Pinot Noir Brass, Pinot Noir Brass Christmas features the core unit of Rick Braun (trumpet/flugelhorn), Jeff Bunnell (trumpet/piccolo trumpet), John Dickson (French Horn), Nick Lane (trombone) and Doug Tornquist (tuba), with drums by Greg Bissonette on “Joy to the World” and “Frosty the Snowman” and Grammy-nominated keyboardist Philippe Saisse adding piano to “Silent Night.”