Harry Connick Jr. - What A Night! A Christmas Album

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. Album Description

4 and a quarter stars, actually

If I read the album notes correctly, it appears Harry Connick et al. recorded this album in 10 days. What a magnificent feat. If only, however, he'd spent another 10 days improving the vocals on this album, this project would be much better for it. It's a quibble, to be sure, but still enough to subtract half a star. Also, his conducting the orchestra (hired string, horn players in NYC) sounds wooden and tentative. Another quibble...

My two cents. November 24, 2008

Harry's third holiday album featuring covers of popular Christmas hits, newly written songs and more!"

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. November 19, 2008

I love this album!

This is a great album and Harry Connick, jr. is a master singer and songwriter. And arranger. Buy this album. You'll love it. It's just what you need to get into the holiday spirit. November 16, 2008

Great album, a must have for Christmas

"What a Night!" is a great album. Harry really kicks up these classic songs- you'll find yourself tapping your foot and enjoying the awesome rhythm and tight syncopated beats. Similar to the first album, there is not a single song on here that I don't like. I listen to Harry Connick Jr. every year for Christmas, and this album will get a lot of play time. November 16, 2008

A Musical Wonderland

This is a beautiful record, musically as well as sonically, not to mention that when Harry swings, he SWINGS his butt off. Check out Jingle Bells! I haven't heard swing as hard driving as that since Basie. This CD is so rich in so many ways. It's one of the best recordings I've heard in a long time -- It's definitely on par or might be even better than Harry's last CD, "Oh My Nola" which is hard to top (check that one out if you haven't already!), kudos to the engineer and producer. The arrangements are stunning -- some of Harry's best writing to date. His playing has matured. It is much more sparse, but he says more with fewer notes. Wonderful choice of classics and new originals. I've heard talk of some interesting bonus tracks... I'll have to search those out. Great work HCJ! Keep the music coming! November 13, 2008

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