Ledisi

Ledisi

Verve Forecast released It’s Christmas, a joyous new holiday recording from multi-talented singer, songwriter, producer, performer, and actress Ledisi. Recorded mostly live over the course of just three days, the result is a celebratory collection of holiday originals as well as Ledisi's soulful takes on Christmas-time classics. “I hope it will be something that people will pull out and listen to every year,” Ledisi said.

Track by track, Ledisi – a two-time GRAMMY® nominee (for Best New Artist and Best R&B Album) in 2008 – brings her creativity and musical intuition to It’s Christmas. Innovative, yet totally in synch with the spirit and flavor of the holiday season, the twelve-track set is pure Ledisi - a soulful mixture of jazz, R&B, pop, and gospel.

Ledisi kicks off the celebration with “I’ll Go,” a beautiful piece written and arranged by gospel great Richard Smallwood. It’s Christmas also includes the traditional “Children Go Where I Send Thee,” the plaintive original “This Christmas (Could Be The One),” and the holiday classics “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” and “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve.” Ledisi adds a jazzy touch to “Silent Night,” creating an entirely new and memorable interpretation of the song for modern times.

In terms of her approach to making a Christmas record, Ledisi says, “I wanted the vibe of the album to reflect what it was like after Christmas in my household, when there would be ‘grown folk’ talk! You know, after a full day, the kids would be asleep and the adults would start to drink and laugh… I would sneak out and listen in! I wanted that kind of energy on the record.” Creating the right environment, “the studio was set up as if it was Christmas, with ornaments… and cookies at the end of the night!”

Reflecting her intention, Ledisi treats listeners to a brand-new version of a holiday staple in many a black household during the ’70s. “One of my aunts played all the Motown Christmas albums, and she always had the Jackson Five record on whenever we came to visit,” Ledisi grins. “We would go over and eat and she’d be playing ‘Give Love On Christmas Day.’ Of course, I loved me some Jackson Five, and we recorded it in the original key they sang it in.”

Co-written by Ledisi, the infectious “Be There For Christmas” is another cut with a “back-in-the-day” flavor. In fact, Ledisi co-wrote four songs for the set including the poignant title track, co-written and produced by the legendary George Duke.

It’s Christmas also features a number of special guests including trumpeter Christian Scott (on an unforgettable version of Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World”) and GRAMMY®-winning blues favorite Keb’ Mo’ (on the soul-flavored, Walter Kent-penned “Please Come Home For Christmas”).

Ledisi wraps up It’s Christmas with the upbeat original “Thank You.” She offers that the tune is “…my way of saying thanks to God for all the blessings, all the things that have gone on in my career. When I think of Christmas, I think of a time to be grateful for all that I have in my life.”