A Jazzy Christmas: How Christian Sands and legends reimagine timeless carols

Christian Sylvester Sands.[courtesy]

It only happens in December of every year. A sudden flurry of activities. Yes, it’s Christmas, the festive season when the world celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. Usually, there is widespread sharing of greetings, gifts and goodwill. Likewise, it is also the moment when Christmas carols fill the air, songs that flow with expressions of joy, togetherness, sharing and appreciation for each other among relatives and friends.

Popular carols include classics like “Jingle Bells,” The Little Drummer Boy,” “Silent Night,” “Joy To The world,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “O Holy Night,” “Greensleeves,” and more.

Interestingly, these carols have been jazzed up for many years and still come as yet another repertoire for the festive happiness. Thanks to a good number of jazz musicians who acknowledge this fact and have gone a step further and re-worked these masterpieces. Indeed, their fascination with carols is legendary for these are songs that many of them grew up singing and performing.

Hence, some recorded jazz versions contain elements that give the songs slicker and enchanting vibes. Some are performed with an innovative mainstream jazz flair, attesting that carols can also generate considerable sonic excitement in their own right. Yet, on the same jazz platform, some are rendered with a contemporary touch, or with even a combination of both.

Indeed, jazz musicians can be adventurous without sacrificing the expressive warmth of both the carols and jazz traditions, all of which they very much cherish. One of them is the young pianist from New Haven, Connecticut, Christian Sands, whose Christmas Stories album, released 2023, delights listening to. With a touch powerful and catchy, he performs his favourite carols, including “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Silent Night” and “Jingle Bells,” and his own compositions –– “A Christmas Hymn,” “Last Christmas,” “Shoveling.” “The Gift” and “Snow Dayz.”

He is backed by his brother, drummer Ryan Sands, percussionist Keita Ogawa, saxophonist Jimmy Greene, vibraphonist Stefon Harris, Marvin Sewell and Max Light on guitars, and Yasushi Nakamura on bass.

Commenting on Christmas Stories, Sands, two-time Grammy Award nominee, says he cherishes feelings associated with Christmas. “As much as we love to listen to the classics and songs that have been created over time, there also is room for new songs to be created and new memories to be related to on those songs.” He feels that his interpretations fit together with other musical styles to create an atmosphere of sharing and family get together.

But he is nostalgic about his purpose on “Last Christmas,” stating: “It is about remembering Christmas’ past, remembering ones that are no longer with us, whether it’s family members that are no longer there or maybe there’s a new child that was born.”

On “Snow Dayz,” the pianist’s narrative captures the excitement of having a day off from school because of bad weather, adding that it was a great feeling then “but unfortunately kids don’t have that anymore because it hasn’t snowed like that in a long time.” 

Among notable musicians who have rendered Christmas carols with a jazz touch include legendary pianists Nat King Cole, Count Basie and Joe Sample; singers Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne, Lou Rawls and Diana Krall, among others. In 1946, Cole recorded The Christmas Song, featuring him on piano and vocals backed by guitarist Oscar Moore and bassist Johnny Miller. In 1961, he released a definitive Christmas album featuring “Silent Night,” “Joy To The World,” and “O Holy Night.”

Born on May 22, 1989, Christian Sands started playing piano at a young age. Mentored by the late pianist Dr. Billy Taylor and bassist Christian McBride, he has recorded ten albums as a leader debuting with Footprints, released 2002, featuring bassist Jeff Fuller and drummer Jesse Hameen II. Another recent release is the melancholic Embrace Dawn.

Sands’ style on carols brings back lingering memories from their early years; he has them on top of his head with bags of ideas. For me, Christmas Stories offers an ideal accompaniment for Christmas festivities.