Big Band with electric guitar lead. That sums up A Swingin' Christmas in a nutshell. It's a collection of Christmas classics including "Jingle Bells," "O' Holy Night" (in a catchy islands style!), "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," "Sleigh Ride" (including the familiar horse whinney) and seven others. CD buyers are treated to a flashy 21 second bonus cut of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." "Happy Holidays" opens the album with shifting tempos ranging from a relaxing meandering pace to a vicious swing. The final tune on the album is "O' Little Town of Bethlehem," a slow paced, simple arrangement with guitar only through the first verse, then light strings and stirring brushes on the snare drum. It's a classy finale. (CD listeners wait a minute or fast forward at this point to hear the bonus track.) Over 30 minutes of fancy picking with orchestral accompaniment is found between the first and last tracks on A Swingin' Christmas.
James Hollihan performed all the music on the album except for drums (Steve Grossman) and strings (the Big Rhythm orchestra). It's a bit odd that he is only listed as the producer on the album jacket. It really should say "James Hollihan and Big Rhythm" on the cover. (I'd have titled the album Hollihan Holiday.) Hollihan's name should be familiar to Russ Taff fans. He's the producer and guitar professional behind most of Russ' stylistically varied work including The Christmas Song, an album that's similar to A Swingin' Christmas.
Fans of Big Band music will find A Swingin' Christmas delightful. Aspiring guitarists should refer to it as a model for swing styles. It provides a perfect backdrop for opening presents or decorating a tree, and it's great for critical listening purposes.