You’ve heard Christmas albums before, but not like this. While some feel mostly like a blatant grab for everyone’s wallets, Michael Tinholme’s ‘It’s Christmas Time in the City’ is a definite swing in the opposite direction with a true celebration of the holiday season by some of music’s brightest stars.
While the tracklist is a talking point in itself, with Tinholme providing two original cuts alongside an assortment of hand-picked favourites, the real piece de resistance comes from the record’s cast. Tinholme is more than capable of standing tall upon his own critical acclaim but, this alone, he did not see fit and studded his Christmas night sky with with more than guiding light.
Bruce Fowler (former collaborator with Captain Beefheart, Frank Zappa) lends his considerable talents on trombone. The great jazz guitarist, Mike Miller (Bette Midler, Quincy Jones, Brand X, Chick Corea) also features, as do renowned pianist, Bill Cunliffe (who can cite working with Frank Sinatra and Buddy Rich on his CV), celebrated drummer, Gary Novak (Chick Corea, Natalie Cole), and Steve Ukather (guitar player for Toto, Michael Jackson’s Thriller, Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney). All of which culminates 12 pieces of star-studded holiday wonder from some of the industry’s most refined talents.
This style, however, is certainly packed with substance as Michael instills genuinely felt messages of gratitude and peace amongst all – his troubled upbringing under a mentally ill mother followed by six years on the Californian streets giving the acclaimed musician an unclouded perspective on what really matters.
This year deserves some originality, some novelty instead of the same tired hits being dusted off for their annual re-runs; Tinholme and co have delivered just that and more. Exactly what this Christmas deserves.
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