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6年ぶりとなったアルバムはクール初のホリデイアルバム。前作『STILL KOOL』で紹介されたボーカルJirmad Gordonはすでに脱退しており、今回は長年クールライブのフロントマンを努めるShawn McQuiller、そし最新メンバーではあるが2013年の来日で4度の来日をしていて日本のファンにもおなじみのLavell Evansの他、ゲストボーカルを迎え重厚な作品になっている。驚きなのはOdeen Maysも3曲リードを取っている事。来日直前にリリースされ、ひと昔前ならば「来日記念盤」として帯がかかり、大きくプロモーションされるところだろうが、大きく時代が変わっていることを感じる。今回はデシタル配信にての先行リリースとなった。

KOOL FOR THE HOLIDAYS（2013）

 

1. HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

　　 - 4:10 (George Brown, Shaunice "Sha Sha" Jones, Mario Dillard,

　　 Larry Ferguson, Robert "Kool" Bell, Dennis Thomas, Ronald "Khalis" Bell,

　　 Clifford Adams, Curtis Williams, Lavell Evans, Shawn McQuiller,

　　 Timothy Horton, Michael Ray)

2. JOY TO THE WORLD - 4:14 (I. Watts, L. Mason)

3. CHRISTMAS ALWAYS - 4:45 (Odeen Mays)

4. LET'S REJOICE (CHRISTMAS IS HERE)

　　 - 4:37 (C. Adams, M. McLaurine, N. Samodian)

5. CHRISTMAS TYME (THE PERFECT TIME FOR LOVE) - 3:34 (C. Gray)

6. THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY

　　 - 3:52 (Henry Onorati, Katherine K. Davis, Harry Simeone)

7. HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS - 4:13 (R. Blane, H. Martin)

8. WINTER WONDERLAND - 3:33 (Dick Smith, Felix Bernard)

9. THE CHRISTMAS SONG (CHESTNUTS ROASTING ON AN OPEN FIRE)

　　 - 3:26 (M. Torme, B. Wells)

10. I LOVE THE HOLIDAYS - 4:30 (C. Williams, L. Lamb Brinson)

BONUS TRACKS

11. DO NOT AFRAID - 3:43 (Scott Krippayne, Jeff Peabody)

12. MY PRAYER - 6:10 (George Brown, Shanice Ross, Dominique Dean,

　　 Larry Ferguson, Robert "Kool" Bell, Ronald "Khalis" Bell, Dennis Thomas,

　　 Clifford Adams, Lavell Evans, Shawn McQuiller, Timothy Horton, Michael Ray,

　　 Christina Berry, Mychelle Nychole)

13. PEACE - 4:37 (Horace Silver)

14. CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE - 3:38 (Vince Guaraldi, Lee Mendelson)

 

1. HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

(George Brown, Shaunice "Sha Sha" Jones, Mario Dillard,

Larry Ferguson, Robert "Kool" Bell, Dennis Thomas,

Ronald "Khalis" Bell, Clifford Adams, Curtis Williams,

Lavell Evans, Shawn McQuiller, Timothy Horton,

Michael Ray)

 

Produced and Arranged by George Brown

Lead Vocals: Shaunice "Sha Sha" Jones & Shawn McQuiller

BGVs: Shaunice "Sha Sha" Jones, Shawn McQuiller,

Mario Dillard, Clifford Adams

Alto Saxophone: Dennis Thomas, Lewis Van Taylor

Tenor Saxophone: Ronald "Khalis" Bell

Drums: Timothy Horton

Trumpet: Bijon Watson

Keyboard: George Brown

Trombone: Clifford Adams

Trumpet: Michael Ray

Programmer: George Brown

Published by Old River Music / Warner Chapell (BMI),

Ecinuahs Senoj Music (ASCAP)

 

 

2. JOY TO THE WORLD

(I. Watts, L. Mason)

 

Produced and Arranged by Curtis Williams &

Christina Berry

Lead Vocals: Shawn McQuiller, Lavell Evans, Dante Jordan

BGVs: Curtis Williams, Shawn McQuiller, Lavell Evans

Music Programmer / Keyboard: Curtis Williams

Public Domain

 

 

3. CHRISTMAS ALWAYS

(Odeen Mays)

 

Produced and Arranged by Odeen Mays

Lead Vocals: Odeen Mays

Music Programmer: Odeen Mays

Published by Warner Chapell (BMI), Omaysing Music (ASCAP)

 

 

4. LET'S REJOICE (CHRISTMAS IS HERE)

(C. Adams, M. McLaurine, N. Samodian)

 

Produced and Arranged by George Brown & Curtis Williams

Lead Vocals: Nizreen Samodian

BGVs: Nizreen Samodian

Piano: Curtis Williams

Violin: "Ilse Violin" Van Wyk

Trumpet: Johnny Britt

Saxophone: Lewis VanTaylor

Trombone: Clifford Adams

Trombone Solo: Clifford Adams

Published by Old River Music / Warner Chapell (BMI),

Innerflight Publishing (BMI), Jade Elephant Publishing (ASCAP)

 

 

5. CHRISTMAS TYME (THE PERFECT TIME FOR LOVE)

(C. Gray)

 

Produced and Arranged by Ronald "Khalis" Bell

Lead Vocals: Dante Jordan

BGVs: Ronald "Khalis" Bell

Music Programmer: Ronald "Khalis" Bell

Guitar: Royal Bayyan

Trombone: Clifford Adams

Published by Kharana Music Inc (ASCAP)

 

 

6. THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY

(Henry Onorati, Katherine K. Davis, Harry Simeone)

 

Produced and Arranged by Larry Gittens & Dennis Thomas

Music Programmer: Larry Gittens

Soprano Saxophone Solo: Dennis Thomas

Published by International Korwin Corp., EMI Mills Music, Inc. (ASCAP)

 

 

7. HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS

(R. Blane, H. Martin)

 

Produced by George Brown

Piano Arrangement by Bill Augustine

Lead Vocals: Dominique Dean & Odeen Mays

Piano: George Brown

Upright Acoustic Bass: Marcus McLaurine

Violin: "Ilse Violin" Van Wyk

Trumpet: Bijon Watson

Keyboard/ Programming: George Brown

Tenor Saxophone: Ronald "Khalis" Bell

Trombone: Clifford Adams

Drums: Tim Horton

Published by EMI Feist Catalog Inc. (ASCAP)

 

 

8. WINTER WONDERLAND

(Dick Smith, Felix Bernard)

 

Produced and Arranged by George Brown

Lead Vocals: Lavell Evans, Christina Berry, Dominique Dean

BGVs: Mychelle Nychole, Shawn McQuiller, Debra Thomas,

Dominique Dean, Nizreen Samodian, Kool & the Gang

Rap Vocals: Shanice Ross

Bass: Robert "Kool" Bell

Drums: Timothy Horton

Guitar: Amir Bayyan & Ricardo Rouse

Tenor Saxophone: Ronald "Khalis" Bell

Alto Saxophone: Dennis Thomas

Trumpet: Michael Ray

Keyboard: Curtis Williams

Trombone: Clifford Adams

Published by WB Music Corp. (ASCAP)

9. THE CHRISTMAS SONG

(CHESTNUTS ROASTING ON AN OPEN FIRE)

(M. Torme, B. Wells)

 

Produced and Arranged by Odeen Mays &

Ronald "Khalis" Bell

Lead Vocals: Odeen Mays

Drums: Jeff McAllister

Music Programmer: Odeen Mays

Published by Sony/ATV Tunes LLC & MPL Music Publishing, Inc.

OBO Edwin H. Morris & Co. (ASCAP)

 

 

10. I LOVE THE HOLIDAYS

(C. Williams, L. Lamb Brinson)

 

Produced and Arranged by Curtis Williams

Lead Vocals: Shawn McQuiller

BGVs: Lavell Evans

Keyboard/Programming: Curtis Williams

Flugelhorn: Larry Gittens

Published by: Spyder Fingers Publishing (BMI), Warrior Music (BMI)

 

 

BONUS TRACKS,

11. DO NOT AFRAID

(Scott Krippayne, Jeff Peabody)

 

Produced and Arranged by Ronald "Khalis" Bell

Lead Vocals: Dante Jordan

BGVs: Ronald "Khalis" Bell

Music Programmer: Ronald "Khalis" Bell

Guitar: Royal Bayyan

Engineered by Rashad Muhammad and Ronald "Khalis" Bell

Assistant Engineer: Kendall Stubbs

Mixed by Rashad Muhammad and Ronald "Khalis" Bell

Published by Pirk Music (BMI), Jeff Peabody Music (BMI))

 

 

12. MY PRAYER

(George Brown, Shanice Ross, Dominique Dean,

Larry Ferguson, Robert "Kool" Bell, Ronald "Khalis" Bell,

Dennis Thomas, Clifford Adams, Lavell Evans,

Shawn McQuiller, Timothy Horton, Michael Ray,

Christina Berry, Mychelle Nychole)

 

Produced and Arranged by George Brown

Lead Vocals: Dominique Dean

BGVs: Christina Berry and Mychelle Nychole

Alto Saxophone: Dennis Thomas, Lewis Van Taylor

Drums: Timothy Horton

Trumpet: Michael Ray

Keyboard: Odeen Mays

Tenor Saxophone: Ronald "Khalis" Bell

Trombone: Clifford Adams

Bass Guitars: Robert "Kool" Bell

Acoustic Guitar: Ricardo Rouse

Violin: "Ilse Violin" Van Wyk

Keyboard: George Brown

Baritone Saxophone: Lewis Van Taylor

Engineered by Larry Ferguson, Ilongomo Eneme, and Rashad Muhammad

Mixed by Larry Ferguson and George Brown

Published by Old River Music / Warner Chapel (BMI)

 

 

13. PEACE

(Horace Silver)

 

Produced and Arranged by Dennis Thomas and Ronald "Khalis" Bell

Alto Saxophone: Dennis Thomas

Trombone: Clifford Adams

Music Programmer: Ronald "Khalis" Bell

Engineered by Rashad Muhamad

Mixed by Rashad Muhammad and Dennis Thomas

Published by Ecaroh Music Inc. (ASCAP)

 

 

14. CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE

(Vince Guaraldi, Lee Mendelson)

 

Produced and Arranged by George Brown

BGVs: Janet Harmonie Jefferson

Keyboard: Curtis Williams

Upright Bass: Marcus McLaurine

Alto Saxophone: Lewis Van Taylor

Trombone: Clifford Adams

Keyboards: George Brown

Piano Arrangement: Bill Augustine

Engineered by Larry Ferguson, Ilongomo Eneme, and Rashad Muhammad

Mixed by: Larry Ferguson and George Brown

Published by Lee Mendelson Film Prod., Inc. (BMI)