While dozens of Christmas albums are released each year, the most evocative ones are often those made by jazz musicians from the likes of Chet Baker's Have Yourself a Jazzy Little Christmas to Vince Guaraldi's A Charlie Brown Christmas. Taking proud place in this music lineage is David Ian Vintage Christmas, which breathes new life into a set of familiar Christmas classics in relaxed, swinging arrangements that capture the spirit of the season while respecting the sanctity of the material. Rather than burying the songs under a wall of sound, Ian has opted for a small jazz combo that places the accent firmly on their melodic and lyrical content. In this beguiling blend of instrumental and vocal versions, the mood is intimate, the vibe is mellow, the sound warm and inviting. As the title of the record suggests, Ian sought to create a vintage sound, one that harks back to classic jazz and Christmas LPs of the 1950s. Hence his decision to use a trio format (Ian on piano and guitar, Jon Estes on upright bass, Brian Fitch on drums) augmented by guest vocalists Andre Miguel Mayo and Acacia. "I tried to bring the arrangements within reach of the listener; I want them to feel like they're sitting by the fire in their living room listening to these melodically driven, mid-century arrangements. Each instrument, tone and note on this recording was purposefully chosen in an attempt to take the listener to that time and place."
