wojazz3

A couple months ago I posted a note about places to perform charity concerts while in the UK at Christmas. I received a number of great suggestions and we are now scheduled to play three concerts and it looks like I may be doing a couple of jazz gigs while I'm at it.

The question today concerns what the residents of the UK listen to. I'm not sure if tunes like, White Christmas, The Christmas Song, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas etc are at all popular or are just veiwed as sappy tunes from the tax dodgers across the pond. It's not like there isn't enough music to fill a show, but if there was something that was hugely popular, I'd want to have it ready. There may be some wildly popular "secular" Christmas tunes that I have never heard of here, so I would like to have them in the book.

My wife has asked this of one of the hosts and she was pretty vague. We got the general response, "We'll love anything you play." which is nice but not what we really wanted to hear.

So what's at the top of the UK Christmas charts this year?

Bill

ezlivin

"Do They Know It's Christmas" by Bob Geldoff and Midge Ure.

Scarlett

How fabulous is that! Congrats on the gigs
Whenever I hear that girl Charlotte Church singing holiday music, it is the same stuff we hear in the US.
Good luck and Have a great and successful time!

PatrickLondon

Hmm, it's all a matter of taste, and a lot may depend on precisely where you're performing and who the likely audience will be, as well as what style of music you normally play.

Hard to think of anything that might be popular here that isn't likely to be already known in America or to be thought just as cheesy (by the people who think that way) as Hollywood schmaltz.

The titles you quote are - to me - the kind of thing we hear too much in TV adverts and cheesy 'Christmas special' TV shows (not sure what you mean by The Christmas Song, but no doubt I know it as something else), but some people might love them and expect to hear them from visiting Americans.

Who knows, some people might like a break from all-too-familiar Christmas music, whether traditional carols or Hollywood style. Or they might appreciate the odd comedy/novelty number (All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth, anyone? or what about Eartha Kitt's Santa Baby?).

wojazz3

Thanks for the information. I've considered things like "Do They Know It's Christmas" but it might lose something in the translation to Classical Guitar and Horn. "Santa Baby" on the other hand would work, though I would use my jazz horn. The changes are actually pretty nice once you get past the melody and if I were doing it with a jazz group, it can swing pretty hard if we try.

"The Christmas Song" is the official title to the Mel Torme tune known to many as Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire.

We'll be playing at a children's hospice, a retirement home and a homeless shelter so we expect a wide range of interests. We are trying to tailor the tunes to the crowd a bit but we figure the traditional stuff will work regardless.

Thanks again for the help.

Bill

PatrickLondon

Ah yes, The Christmas Song is so well-known over here that last year there was an advert for batteries on a bus with a picture of an inert toy and a vacant space where there should be batteries: the slogan was "Dad's nuts roasting.."

But I digress.

For children, it would have to be all the usual favourites like Jingle Bells and Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

For the retirement home, well it's hard to know. Part of me wants to suggest really nostalgic old tunes like the Miner's Dream of Home, but people in retirement homes nowadays will be nostalgic for the 30s, 40s and 50s, so any of those we've mentioned could do well, and probably the same for the homeless centre.

Just steer clear of Away in a Manger in any of them, or everyone will be in floods.

ezlivin

Considering the circumstances where you will be playing (a very noble and generous gesture from you and your band), the message of the song that I initially recommended, i.e. "Do They Know It's Christmas", is not appropriate.

Perhaps, and just to makke up for my earlier suggestion, a nice and bouncy tune like Darlene Love's version of "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"?

Tallulah

I'm delighted that you've arranged this. Well done (even though it makes me feel a bit shoddy for not doing my bit!)

Where will the concerts be?

wojazz3

Thanks again for the information. It sounds like I can pretty much use our standard Christmas book and feel out the crowd as we go. We'll certainly have a different show for the kids as opposed to the adults.

Tallulah: We are playing a retirement home in York, which I can't remember the name of. My wife has that info. Additionally, we are playing at the Richard House Children's Hospice and the Crisis Homeless Center, both in London. We may actually be doing the homeless shelter on Christmas Day. That has not yet been finalized.

I'm not sure where the jazz gigs will be or if they will happen at all. The contact person at the Crisis Center is a sax player and her thought it would be great to get something set up. I'm waiting to hear back from him.

Thanks for the help folks!

Bill

PatrickLondon

Well done you. You put the rest of us to shame. You might, though, get some TV coverage since there's usually a piece about the Crisis centre on the news....

adamhornets

Contact BBC London (they have their own website as part of the main BBC site) and I' sure they would do a piece. Good luck and please DO NOT play "Do they know It's Christmas"!

Mathieu

I too am moved and impressed by what you're doing. Bless you.

I'd also recommend including some of the older traditional English carols and seasonal music (like the Coventry Carol, The Holly and the Ivy, etc.) as well as the type of stuff done by John Rutter.

As you must know, the beauty of listening to a concert is hearing new music, as well old favourites done in a new style (non traditional) style. How about a jazzy rendition of Blue Christmas ? or anything in the style of Michel Buble or Matt Dusk ? And don't forget the participatory element - 'The 12 days of Christmas' is always good to get the crowd going and lots of fun. And I'm sure your audiences will always be open to some of the more contemporary pop stuff even though they may not be familiar with it, such as " My Christmas Wish " or " No more blue Christmases ".

Best of luck, and good on you.