With the jingle bells jingling on the on-coming wind, the Christmas albums are coming thick and fast. Latest is a two CD set from American jazz pianist PEGGY DUQUESNEL. Entitled ‘All I Ask For Christmas’, the pack boasts one CD of straight-ahead jazz instrumental presentations of traditional Christmas songs while the second CD has 9 vocal versions.

Throughout, Peggy’s backed by a star quartet – Brian Bromberg (bass) Joe La Barbera (drums), Jay Leach (guitar) and Brian Kilgore (percussion) and between them they offer versions of tunes like ‘Little Drummer Boy’, ‘Silent Night’ and ‘O Christmas Tree’ in a style that mixes the classic Christmas sounds of the 50s with the flavour of contemporary acoustic jazz.

On the vocals disc, Peggy sings and scats on a variety of classics and originals – like her own ‘Under The Christmas Tree’. Of note too is a version of Amy Grant’s ‘Breath Of Heaven’, while there are three duets with Bill Cantos.

PEGGY DUQUESNEL’S ‘All I Ask For Christmas’ is out now on Joy Spring Music.