Album of the Week, 12-12-23
John Paul McGee – A GospeJazzical Christmas
Self-Released
Release date: November 16, 2023
Dr. John Paul McGee’s (AKA Dr. JP) new album A GospeJazzical Christmas brightens up the holidays with 11 tracks of original and classic Christmas selections with his unique Gospejazzical sound: a pianistic amalgam of gospel, jazz and classical genres.
A follow up to Gospejazzical, Vol.1 (2022), McGee’s magical musical hybrid provides the right mix to spice up the holiday season in solo, duo, trio and quartet configurations.
The Caribbean-cadenced “Emmanuel,” the solemn sonorities of “The Manger Medley” and “Mary Did You Know” are evocative original compositions.
They complement the well-known Christmas tunes like “Little Drummer Boy,” with the “Linus and Lucy” bass-line, the beautiful balladry of the Charlie Brown classic, “Christmastime is Here” and “Oh Holy Night.”
McGee’s Gospejazzical sound is sure to bring many musical genres and listeners together for the holidays.
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Each week, WDNA music director, Michael Valentine shares his album of the week. Michael’s picks often focus on new jazz releases, but sometimes dip into history with notable and classic releases worth revisiting.
