In time for Christmas

It’s Christmas

Rick Braun

You can tell from the slightly askew titles that jazz trumpeter Rick Braun has something up his sleeve. “The Coventry Torch Song” begins with “The Coventry Carol” before segueing into “Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella.” “Do You Hear the Angels” weaves together “Joy to the World,” “Do You Hear What I Hear,” “Angels We Have Heard on High,” and “Oh Come, All Ye Faithful.” “The Good Kings” blends “Good King Wenceslas,” “The Carol of the Bells,” and “We Three Kings.” Even the songs taken at face value—the two that Braun sings and the two that he wrote included—give off a playful sense of discovery and wonder.

Meanwhile

Eric Clapton

On paper, this album makes no sense. Nine singles released to little or no fanfare (the anti-COVID-lockdown nature of the first three all but guaranteed that reception) plus a traditional folk song, Charlie Chaplin’s “Smile,” a slow Chuck Berry blues, and Bob Neuwirth’s “The Call.” But for much of its hour-plus length, work it does. The main reason is Clapton’s comfort amid—and increasing mastery of—the warm, adult-contemporary pop-soul that he has been practicing now for longer than he has practiced anything else except maybe blues power.

A Christopher Cross Christmas

Christopher Cross

Thanks to Omnivore Records, this refreshingly low-key offering by the silky-voiced ’80s hitmaker is getting new life on vinyl (Black Friday) and CD (a week later). Initially released in 2007 via Cross’ website, it delicately juxtaposes pop (“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “The Christmas Song,” “Christmas Time Is Here”), sacred (“Silent Night,” “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”), pop-­sacred (“Little Drummer Boy,” “Do You Hear What I Hear”), and poignant Cross originals. In one, he sings hallelujahs while dreaming of peace. In another he counts his blessings instead of sheep and recommends that we do likewise.

Johann Pachelbel: Magnificat II 

Himlische Cantorey, Jan Kobow

The English translation of Himlische Cantorey—“Heavenly Choral Ensemble”—befits this volume’s vibrant vocals. But the singers (three of whom have their own Wikipedia pages and one of whom doubles as conductor) would have a harder row to hoe if the 11 instrumentalists (nine of whom perform on 18th-century instruments) weren’t every bit in tune, as it were, with Pachelbel’s intentions. Chief among those intentions? Seemingly, to make worship (or at least Luke 1:46–55) come alive (especially to lovers of fugues).

Lady Gaga Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

Encore

If you’re a fan of the Great American Songbook, the soundtrack to Todd Phillips’ Joker: Folie à Deux should arouse your curiosity. What might quash it: noticing that Joaquin Phoenix, as the psychotic Arthur Fleck, sings half of it. But that still leaves the half sung by Phoenix’s co-star Lady Gaga, who, as even Tony Bennett fans know, has formidable pipes. It was presumably with Bennett (or Bennett-adjacent) fans in mind that, a week before the new Joker soundtrack dropped, Gaga released Harlequin.

Harlequin (Interscope) finds Gaga giving robust voice to songs that she merely emotes in the film (with a fragility in keeping with the instability of her character, Harley Quinn), plus seven more cut from similar cloth (including the Leslie Bricusse–Anthony Newley number “The Joker,” which Phoenix-as-Fleck sings on-screen). Simply put, Gaga shines. And in so doing she restores luster and radiance to material that, for dramatic reasons, Phillips’ film and its soundtrack couch in decadence, madness, and gloom. —A.O.