In the Christmas Mood (1988)

In the Christmas Mood

• One of my favorite Christmas albums ever, and it has such beautiful melodies. Now technically this is the Glenn Miller Orchestra, although it’s none of the original members. But, they still have the classic swing sound, as well as the same reed sound as the original band. It’s such a great album to listen to if you love swing, and it gives each Christmas song a nice, happy tone. The album opens with “Sleigh Ride”, which is my favorite Christmas song of all time. This specific version is the #3 best version of this song, only behind Ella Fitzgerald and Leroy Anderson. It adds some previous melodies from past Glenn Miller songs, which is awesome. The classic Christmas song with glimpses of 40’s swing is almost nostalgic, as well as refreshing. It makes for such a unique song, and one that I listen to all the time. “White Christmas”, “Winter Wonderland”, and “Yuletide Melody #1” were all done really well, and they are all great foot-tapping songs. There are also great tracks such as “Jingle Bells”, “The Christmas Song”, and “Let It Snow!”, which are all performed wonderfully. You get to hear each and every instrument, which completes the song as a whole. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is done beautifully, and it keeps the melancholy feel that many other versions of this song have. “Yuletide Melody #2” is the second melody on this album, and it’s fun to hear a mash of songs in the swing style. The album closes with “In the Christmas Mood”, which the title of this song is based on the infamous Glenn Miller tune, “In the Mood”. This song gives you a final goodbye, and it ends the album on a really happy note. Overall, this album is really good, and though it mostly consists of traditional songs you hear all the time, each one has its own unique and personal spin. I would definitely recommend this to those who love swing/jazz. This album is officially Berry Approved, so go listen to it now!