Breath of Heaven: A Holiday Collection

Breath of Heaven: A Holiday Collection is a Christmas compilation album by Grover Washington Jr., mostly on soprano saxophone, released in 1997 and nominated for a Grammy in 1998.[3] Dawn Andrews contributes vocals and cello. Billy Childs contributes piano.[4]

Breath of Heaven: A Holiday Collection
Compilation album by
Grover Washington Jr.
ReleasedSeptember 30, 1997
StudioVan Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ
GenreJazz
Length59:35
LabelColumbia CK 68527
ProducerDonald Robinson, Todd Barkan
Grover Washington Jr. chronology
Soulful Strut
(1996)		 Breath of Heaven: A Holiday Collection
(1997)		 Aria
(2000)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
The New York Times(favourable)[2]

Reception

Scott Yanow of AllMusic commented "For this set of Christmas-related songs, Grover Washington Jr. (mostly on soprano but also contributing some tenor and alto) sounds soulful but restrained. The renditions are lightly funky, atmospheric, and generally quite dull. Billy Childs is excellent on piano, and the musicianship of the other players is fine, but the similarity of moods and grooves, along with the somber feel of most of the music, makes this a surprisingly tedious listen".[1]

Track listing
  1. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin) – 4:56
  2. "Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song)" (Chris Eaton, Amy Grant) – 6:59
  3. "The Love in His Infant Eyes" (Donald Robinson, Grover Washington Jr.) – 4:27
  4. "Away in a Manger" – 5:56
  5. "I Wonder as I Wander" – 5:23
  6. "Christmas Time Is Here" (Vince Guaraldi, Lee Mendelssohn) – 5:04
  7. "The Magi's Song/A Child Is Born" (Joe Locke/Thad Jones)– 4:56
  8. "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" (Johann Sebastian Bach) – 4:22
  9. "The Christmas Song" (Mel Tormé, Robert Wells) – 4:33
  10. "The Christmas Waltz" (Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne) – 4:47
  11. "Christmas Day Chant" – 3:41
  12. "Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song, Instrumental Version)" (Eaton, Grant) – 5:18

Personnel
  • Dawn Andrews – Cello, Vocals
  • Todd Barkan – Producer
  • Pablo Batista – Percussion, Conga
  • Hiram Bullock – Acoustic & Electric Guitar, Arranger, Keyboards
  • Alice Butts – Design
  • Billy Childs – Piano, Arranger, Keyboards
  • David Ellis – Illustrations
  • Lisa Fischer – Vocals
  • Sven Granert – Production Assistant, Assistant Producer
  • Adam Holzman – Synthesizer
  • Bashiri Johnson – Percussion
  • Kiku – Art Direction
  • Will Lee – Bass
  • Victor Lewis – Drums
  • Joe Locke – Arranger, Chimes, Keyboards, Marimba, Vibraphone
  • Donald Robinson – Piano, Arranger, Keyboards, Producer
  • Norman Jean Roy – Photography
  • Maureen Sickler – Assistant Engineer
  • Paul Silverthorne – Production Coordination
  • Richard Lee Steacker – Guitar
  • Rudy Van Gelder – Engineer
  • Gerald Veasley – Bass
  • Christine Washington – Production Coordination
  • Grover Washington Jr. – Arranger, Alto, Soprano & Tenor Saxophone
  • Steven Wolf – Drums

References
  1. Yanow, Scott. "Grover Washington, Jr.-Breath of Heaven: A Holiday Collection". allmusic.com. Allmusic.
  2. Ratliff, Ben (December 5, 1997). "From Sacred to Silly: Chestnuts Roasting on the CD Player". The New York Times – via nytimes.com.
  3. "Top Contemporary Jazz Albums". Billboard: 50. 27 June 1998. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
  4. "Grover Washington, Jr. – Breath Of Heaven - A Holiday Collection". Discogs. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
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