From the new-age offerings of George Winston, Kori Linae Carothers and William Ackerman to the jazziness of Vince Guaraldi’s classic “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” if you enjoy acoustic guitar and piano, there’s a lot to love here.
Whether used for background music or focused listening, these albums – ranging from recent to nearly 60 years old – will put a harmonious spin on your holidays.
• Various artists, “Windham Hill Holiday Guitar Collection,” 2006. Artists include William Ackerman, Alex de Grassi, Sean Harkness and Steve Morse. Ackerman, one of the originators of new-age music, introduced many great artists through his Windham Hill label, originally based in Palo Alto. Tracks include “Christmastime Is Here,” “Emmanuel” and “Carol of the Bells.”
• George Winston, “December” (solo piano), 1982. The late acclaimed pianist Winston (d. 2023) recorded for the Windham Hill label, as well as his own Dancing Cat Records. Tracks include “The Holly and the Ivy,” “Joy,” “Thanksgiving” and “Carol of the Bells.”
• Kori Linae Carothers, “On a Cold Frosty Morning” (mostly piano), 2022. A self-proclaimed “instrumental music escape artist,” Carothers credits discovering the aforementioned Windham Hill Records as a tipping point in her career; two of her albums were recorded by Ackerman in his Imaginary Road Studios in Vermont. Tracks include “What Child Is This?” “Emmanuel” and “Gésu Bambino.”
• Vince Guaraldi Trio, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (piano, bass, drum; choir on one track), 1965. San Francisco jazz pianist Guaraldi’s classic album never gets old. Tracks include “My Little Drum,” “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” “O Tannenbaum” and “Christmas Is Coming.”
• Dave Brubeck, “A Dave Brubeck Christmas” (solo piano), 1996. California-born jazz pianist Brubeck’s Christmas album ranked among the best-selling jazz albums of 1997. Tracks include “O Tannenbaum,” “Joy to the World” and “Winter Wonderland.”
• Terry Disley Experience, “The Jazzcracker & Other Delights” (keyboards, bass, drums, percussion), 2007. U.K.-born pianist and composer Disley is a longtime Bay Area resident and frequent performer at the Miramar Beach Restaurant in Half Moon Bay. Tracks include jazz variations on Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker Suite,” “The Little Drummer Boy” and “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring.”
• Jim “Kimo” West, “Kimo’s Hawaiian Slack Key Christmas” (2008) and “Ki Ho’alu Christmastime” (2013). Slack-key guitar master West, best known for his work with Weird Al Yankovic, transports the listener to the islands with a mix of traditional and Hawaiian Christmas music. Tracks include “Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella,” “Kanikapila Christmas,” “Deck the Halls” and “Mauna Kea Sleigh Ride.”
• John Fahey, “The New Possibility – John Fahey’s Guitar Soli Christmas Record” (solo guitar), 1968. This album remains the American folk guitar master’s best-selling recording. Tracks include “Auld Lang Syne,” “The First Noel,” “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” and “Go, I Will Send Thee.”
• Jeremiah Lockwood, “A Great Miracle – Guitar Soli Chanukah Album” (solo guitar), 2021. Inspiration for this album came from guitar legend Fahey’s 1968 Christmas album “The New Possibility” (see above). Eight tracks, one for each night of the Festival of Lights, include “Ritual,” “Little Dreydl,” “Maoz Tzur” and “Chanuka Oy Chanuka.”
