Redlemon

I'm looking for some suggestions on instrumental Christmas albums, excluding "soft jazz" like Kenny G. At present I have:

Canadian Brass - Christmas in the Morning
The Classical Jazz Quartet - The Nutcracker
The Glenn Miller Orchestra - In the (Christmas / Nutcracker) Mood (3 albums)
Turtle Island String Quartet - By the Fireside (not very good)
Border Brass - Tijuana Christmas (downloaded off of BoingBoing; quite odd)

I was disappointed that the Transsiberian Orchestra had vocals on most of their tracks; I thought the instrumentals were much better.

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maleficent

George Winston has some beautiful piano stuff... some of it is well known, other is really nice background music..

The Boston Pops Orchestra has a christmas album or two out that's wonderful...

Vince Guaraldi Trio -- Peanuts Jazz Christmas..

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Elphaba

Mannheim Steamroller has several that I like.

I am listening to Steamroller and realize that there are a few vocal tunes. They blend so well into the "orchestra" that as background music you are likely not to notice it.

Anything Windham Hill will be a good choice, as Mal said. Winston can be found there, but he may have his own distributor now. He was GREAT when we saw him Texas. (Walks on stage in his socks; gotta love that says the barefoot girl)

roachboy

http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/events...istmas2459.htm

now THIS would be a calvacade of instrumental xmas muzik. i dont know if marclay is doing it again this year or where, if he is.

short of seeing the maestro, there is always eigenradio:

http://eigenradio.media.mit.edu/xmas...hristmas_1.mp3

you can download mp3s of the....um.....transformed xmas music. pretty cool and what's more this music doesnt make me want to drive nails into my forehead the way almost all other xmas music does.

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maleficent

The Carols of christmas a windham Hill collection

the carols of christmas ii


this one aint fancy - but i really like it - - the second one has a versio of o come all ye faithful by a guy who does television music theme songs.. it's really nice..

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steelerz

Merry Axemas Vol.1- If you like guitars this one has players like Steve Vai, Joe Perry, Eric Johnson and more doing Christmas tunes. There's also a Vol. 2 with different guitarist on it but I've not heard it yet.
Gary Hoey has some good rock guitar versions of Christmas songs also.

cellophanedeity

Trans Siberian Orchestra. They're awesome.

They make hard rock versions of Christmas songs. Their live show has fake snow and pyrotechnics.

trickyy

here are some records that may fit the bill. more stuff is added regularly. many have vocals, sorry.

http://ernienotbert.blogspot.com/
http://www.falalalala.com/

spindles

I second the George Winston thing - the album is called "December" - one of my favourites

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radioguy

gary hoey -- ho ho hoey christmas.....i think there are three of them. check them out.

onodrim

Just adding in another vote for Mannheim Steamroller.

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Jinn

AMEN, cellophane!! I just bought their box set (DVD + 3 CDs) and it's only $40 -- full of instrumental christmas music with a rockish flavor..

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SiN

i want some xmas music that, sounds xmasey, but no cheese, please.

preferably no vocals ... or weird vocals ...

i'm thinking of something along the lines of a Miss Kittin xmas mix or so

does anything exist for us electronic music lovers?

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