Review Stadium

• Holidays with Harry and his 2008 release, What A Night! A Christmas Album. Harry Connick, Jr. is an accomplished singer, pianist, and actor who emerged in the late 1980s as a Sinatra-style crooner for a new generation. As a musician, his influences include Bebop, New Orleans Jazz, and big-band swing. His score for the film When Harry Met Sally brought him national acclaim and an Oscar. He has appeared in many films and he is known for his Pop music as well.

Reviews from Amazon:

• As a long time listener of Harry Connick, Jr., one of my favorite Holiday-related album (and laserdisc) that I purchased was from Harry Connick, Jr. back in 1993 with “When My Heart Finds Christmas”.

  Fifteen years later, I still listen to the album a lot and although Harry released a sophomore Holiday album in 2003 with “Harry for the Holidays”, it didn’t capture the same magic as the first album but still enjoyable.

  So, here we are five years later, with another Christmas album from Harry Connick, Jr. and it features a good combination of Harry Connick, Jr.’s style of singing popular Christmas classics, his own written songs and also featuring instrumental tracks as well. Most of all, Harry and his big band is back. So, you get a bit of music that are jazzy or songs that other beautiful arrangements featuring an orchestra.

  In this album, there are a few interesting collaborations. The first is with jazz/gospel artist Kim Burrell who joins Harry Connick, Jr. for “Let There Be Peace on Earth” and “Song for the Hopeful”. With the former featuring a beautiful orchestra-style arrangement and the latter featuring a Harry Connick, Jr. written song featuring a more jazz, contemporary style of track.

  The surprise on the Christmas album is the duet with Harry Connick, Jr.’s second daughter Sarah Kate singing with her father. She does a very good job and has her father’s flair. What’s interesting is that Sarah wasn’t even born when the first Holiday album was released and when the second was released, she was only five. So, it’s good to see Harry and his daughter (now at the age of 11) singing on this album, considering that Harry Connick Jr. first recorded an album at ten which was titled “Eleven”.

  There is also a third collaboration with Harry’s long time friend and trombone player Lucien Barbarin who joining Harry Connick Jr. in an enjoyable big band style song “Santariffic” which is an original Christmas song by Harry Connick Jr.

  Overall, I did enjoy “What a Night! A Christmas Album“, I still enjoy the first album more for its holiday ballads and of course, it’s more of nostalgia for me and my family. But it’s still an enjoyable Christmas album that Harry Connick, Jr. fans will truly enjoy.

• Harry Connick Jr. knows how to bring the Christmas spirit and he really delivers once again with his 3rd Christmas album “What A Night!”.

  Harry adds his own flavor to many of the Christmas classics and he has also given us 4 brand new songs that he wrote himself.

  My favorite song on the record is “Winter Wonderland” where he does a duet with his 11 year old daughter Kate. There is playful banter in the song and they each sing several verses in their own unique style. Kate has a magnificent voice and looks to have a bright future ahead herself.

  His new song, “What A Night!” is brilliant. Very catchy tune that you will be singing in your head long after the album is through playing.

  Other favorites include “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”, “Holly Jolly Christmas”, “Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies”, “It’s Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas”, “Santarrific”, “Zat You Santa Claus”, “Jingle Bells”, “We Three Kings”

  All in all, this cd is splendid and will make you want to grab a hot cup of cocoa, sit by the fire, and be filled with Christmas spirit and love for the season.

  Thanks once again Harry!!!

• This is an excellent disc of Christmas music by Harry Connick Jr. My favorite track is the beautiful duet with Kim Burrell “Song For The Hopeful”. This song is very uplifting. I love the piano playing and the beat on this track. “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year” is such a groovy track. I love all the instruments playing on this song. I also love the duet “Santariffic” with Lucien Barbarin. He sounds great on the trombrone here. Kate Connick duets with her dad on the track “Winter Wonderland”. She is a pretty good singer. I love the jazzy instrumentals “Dance Of The Sugarplum Fairies” and “We Three Kings”. I have never heard these songs performed so well. “Jingle Bells” is an upbeat track. This track is mostly instrumental with some vocals in there. “What A Night” is a new song. This song puts me in a good mood for the Christmas holiday. I love all the tracks on this disc.

Purchase What A Night! A Christmas Album from Amazon.com today!

Fearless is the second studio album by American country pop artist Taylor Swift, released on November 11, 2008 (see 2008 in country music) on Big Machine Records. It debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200, U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums, Canadian Albums Chart, and Canadian Top Country Albums, and has been certified gold by RIAA.

It’s lead single “Love Story” hit number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs (her third number one) and Canadian Country Singles Chart and peaked at #5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #4 on the Canadian Hot 100, becoming her highest charting single in both U.S. and Canada. It’s been certified gold by RIAA.

Four digital only singles were released from the albums and all hit top 20 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100: “Change” (#10), “Fearless” (#9), ““You’re Not Sorry” (#11) and “You Belong with Me” (#12). The song “White Horse”, without a single release and no promotion, due to high popularity, debuted at #13 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. With “White Horse”, Swift made “a calendar-year record for any artist in the 50-year history of the chart [...for...] she is now tied for second place with Mariah Carey and the Beatles for the most top 20 debuts in a career. One more new entry inside this elite tier will put her in a three-way tie for first place with Janet Jackson and Madonna.” Also, every track on the album has charted on the Billboard Hot 100/Bubbling Under Hot 100.
Why we care: There’s never been a more cynical time in pop music, at least from a critic’s point of view. Not only do we assume most Top 40 tartlets aren’t doing their own singing — we’ve accepted it, grading on cultural impact, art and integrity be damned. The 18-year-old Swift’s pop-country pirouettes have all the weight of a dandelion crown, but she can sing and write a bit and flash a genuine smile. Ultimately, though, the Pennsylvania gal is one of the hottest things in music more for what she’s not. Why we like it: With feet-on-dashboard beats and innocent guitar strums, Swift’s sophomore helping of country fluff (see first single Love Story) details the kind of drama and heartbreak crescendo that can devastate a kid…at least until after recess. Her voice is strong when it has to be, wispy and lilty in those quiet times. She knows catchy, that’s for sure.

Get Fearless By Taylor Swift today!