Will Downing – Christmas, Love and You
Will Downing
Christmas, Love and You
(Grp – 2004)
by Carmen Miller
Wow! This is such a groovin release I may keep listening to it until summertime. Downing’s vocal phrasing and sense of ‘when’ make this my Number One holiday CD this year. The personnel is top caliber, and the CD is as good as you would expect it to be with such a powerhouse lineup. That’s all I can tell you… check out the line up, read the quote from will downing about the CD, then go out and buy it.
Personnel: Will Downing Vocal, Charlie Drayton Drums, Jonathan Butler Guitar, Michael White Drums, Dwayne “Smitty” Smith Bass, Rex Rideout Keyboards, Dwight Sills Guitar, Gerald Albright Alto Saxophone, Melvin Davis Bass, Najee Flute, Kirk Whalum Tenor Saxophone, Anthony Jackson Bass, Bashiri Johnson Percussion, Joe Sample Keyboards, Tollak Ollestad Harmonica, Ronnie Garrett Bass, David Sanborn Alto Saxophone, Buddy Williams Drums and Rohn Lawrence Guitar.
Will Downing: I think it’s very easy to get caught up in the commercialized version of Christmas, the Gift giving, Christmas Trees, lights, Shopping etc . . . I openly admit that I’m guilty but some of the songs recorded on this CD put things into a different perspective for me, when I started arranging the classic songs (The First Noel, White Christmas etc…) it wasn’t about the content of the song but . . . How could I put a twist on them so that my version would be one that you remembered which is the wrong way to look at it you have to feel the song and understand the song before you can sing THE SONG and I of all people should know better. “The Little Drummer Boy” was the last song recorded on this project and it’s lyrical content struck a chord in me & everyone who participated on the song, we talked about how every year we kill 
ourselves to get the biggest and Best materialistic thing that Money could buy and then you listen to the lyric on this song that paints an image of a Little Boy Kneeling at a Manger before the New born King who has nothing but Love in his heart and a Drum then says “I have no gift but can I play for you?” I’m not trying to sound preachy but it kinda makes you look at this Christmas thing a little differently, so please listen to this Music with your heart and enjoy!!
