A Swingin' Christmas
{{more citations needed|date=December 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = A Swingin' Christmas
| type = studio
| artist = Tony Bennett featuring the Count Basie Big Band
| cover = ASwinginChristmas.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|2008|10|14}}
| recorded = June 2008
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Pop, Christmas
| length = {{Duration|m=37|s=1}}
| label = Columbia
| producer = Phil Ramone
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Tony Bennett
| type = studio
| prev_title = Duets: An American Classic
| prev_year = 2006
| title = A Swingin' Christmas
| year = 2008
| next_title = Duets II
| next_year = 2011
}}}}
{{Music ratings
| noprose = yes
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1423893}}
}}
A Swingin' Christmas is a Christmas album by Tony Bennett, released in 2008, that features the Count Basie Big Band. Bennett's daughter Antonia duets with him on one track. The album received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 52nd Grammy Awards. The album cover parodies Norman Rockwell's 1942 painting, Freedom from Want.
On November 8, 2011, Sony Music Distribution included the CD in a box set entitled The Complete Collection.{{cite web |title=The Complete Collection - Tony Bennett |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-complete-collection-mw0002217006 |access-date=8 October 2024 |publisher=AllMusic}}
Marketing campaign
To promote the release of the album Bennett granted numerous interviews, and made a number of television show performances, from the time of its release through the holiday season. This included a special free street performance outside of Bloomingdale's department store at 4:30 p.m. on November 20 in New York City in which he performed three songs – "I'll Be Home for Christmas," "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" and "Jingle Bells" – before the unveiling of the store's window displays. He performed a concert at New York City's Apollo Theater on December 16 that was billed as his only show in support of the album with the Count Basie Big Band.
Track listing
- "I'll Be Home for Christmas" (Gannon, Kent, Ram) [2:12]
- "Silver Bells" (Evans, Livingston) [3:17]
- "All I Want for Christmas Is You (A Christmas Love Song)" (Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, Johnny Mandel) [4:18]
- "My Favorite Things" (Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers) [2:55]
- "Christmas Time Is Here" (Guaraldi, Mendelson) [3:59]
- "Winter Wonderland" (Bernard, Smith) [2:31]
- "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (Blane, Martin) [4:36]
- "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (Coots, Gillespie) [2:53]
- "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" – with Antonia Bennett (Berlin) [3:31]
- "The Christmas Waltz" (Cahn, Styne) [3:22]
- "O Christmas Tree" (Traditional) [3:27]
Versions
Many retailers featured different variations:
- Target carried an edition featuring a bonus DVD with a documentary on the making of the album as well as a host of concert performances.
- FYE carried an edition featuring a bonus DVD with a documentary on the making of the album as well as a special holiday-themed postcard reproducing Bennett's artwork.
- Borders carried an edition with ten of Bennett's holiday-themed artwork postcards.
- Barnes & Noble carried an edition with Bennett's version of "Christmas Auld Lang Syne" exclusive to the retailer. B&N also carried a deluxe version with a DVD and the exclusive track.
- Bloomingdale's carried an edition with Bennett's version on "Jingle Bells", exclusive to the retailer.
Personnel
- Tony Bennett – vocals
- Monty Alexander – piano
- Lee Musiker – piano (7, 9, 11)
- Gray Sargent – guitar
- Paul Langosch – double bass
- Harold Jones – drums
The Count Basie Orchestra
- Grant Langford – alto saxophone
- Marshall McDonald – alto saxophone
- Doug Lawrence – tenor saxophone
- Doug Miller – tenor saxophone
- John Williams – baritone saxophone
- Scotty Barnhart – trumpet
- Kris Johnson – trumpet
- Michael Williams – trumpet
- James Zollar – trumpet
- Clarence Banks – trombone
- Barry Cooper – trombone
- Dave Keim – trombone
- Alvin Walker – trombone
Production
- Danny Bennett – executive producer
- Phil Ramone – producer
- Dae Bennett – recording, mixing
- Alessandro Perrotta – assistant engineer
- Travis Stefl – assistant engineer
- Bob Ludwig – mastering
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2008)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{album chart|Billboard200|28|artist=Tony Bennett|rowheader=true|access-date=November 25, 2020}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardJazz|1|artist=Tony Bennett|rowheader=true|access-date=November 25, 2020}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2009)
! scope="col"| Position |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Billboard 200{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2009/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2009|work=Billboard|access-date=November 25, 2020}}
| 155 |
| scope="row"| US Top Jazz Albums (Billboard){{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2009/jazz-albums|title=Jazz Albums – Year-End 2009|work=Billboard|access-date=November 25, 2020}}
| 4 |
{{col-end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Count Basie Orchestra}}
{{Tony Bennett}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Swingin' Christmas, A}}
Category:2008 Christmas albums
Category:2008 collaborative albums
Category:Count Basie Orchestra albums
Category:Albums produced by Phil Ramone
Category:Christmas albums by American artists