Rich Willey, Boptism Christmas Review

Rich Willey’s Boptism Christmas: Reimagining the Classics

By Nolan DeBuke

Rich Willey has a career as varied as his instrument collection, and his versatility shines on Boptism Christmas. A musician of many talents—playing trumpet, bass trumpet, valve trombone, tuba, and the Electronic Valve Instrument (EVI)—Willey is also a composer, arranger, bandleader, and educator with deep roots in the jazz community. He studied jazz at the U.S. Navy School of Music, North Texas State University, and the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied trumpet performance and honed his arranging skills with Mike Abene. Willey has toured with icons like Maynard Ferguson and played alongside legends such as Lionel Hampton and Mel Tormé. With Boptism Christmas, Willey brings a festive jazz journey to life, taking traditional holiday tunes and reimagining them with his distinct blend of creativity and technical command.

The album itself is a celebration of holiday standards transformed for the jazz audience, featuring Willey’s creative arrangements originally crafted for local jazz Christmas concerts over the years. It was bassist Zack Page who nudged Willey to bring these arrangements into an album format, and the result is a delightful combination of festive cheer and sophisticated jazz interplay, infused with Willey’s signature horn voicings and harmonic imagination.

“Merry Gentlemen Kings,” the opening track, sets the tone with its New Orleans drum march influence, powered by Justin Watt’s drumming. Rich Willey’s trumpet solo navigates between hard bop and cool jazz influences, with bluesy eight-note lines that bring a conversational feel. Bill Reichenbach (trombone), Ashley Pritchard (tenor sax), Andy Page (guitar), and Watt each deliver well-constructed solos that highlight their individual voices while contributing to the celebratory group dynamic.

“White Christmas” is given a gentle bossa nova makeover, with Willey’s arranging sensibilities shining through. The piece begins intimately with a trumpet and guitar duet featuring Andy Page before expanding to the full rhythm section, leading into a powerful full ensemble shout chorus. Willey’s horn writing evokes the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis orchestral sound, buzzing with harmonic complexity and vibrant voicings, while the ensemble—including the solos of Willey, Dylan Hannan on alto sax, Reichenbach on trombone, and Alex Taub on piano.

“Silver Bells” mixes things up with a reggae-inspired rhythm, giving it an infectious Holiday spirit. Ashley Pritchard’s tenor saxophone brings a swing aesthetic to her solo, while Taub’s switch to organ provides a new layer, blending the festive theme with soulful jazz flavors. This rhythmic and textural shift shows how Willey doesn’t just rearrange songs—he reinvents them.

“Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” highlights the trio of Taub on piano, Zack Page on bass, and Justin Watt on drums. This intimate setting features a lush re-harmonization of the classic ballad, with Andy Page’s guitar solo unfolding with an elegant, warm tone that sings through the jazz chords. Dylan Hannan’s bop-inspired alto sax lines and Reichenbach’s bluesy trombone solo lead into Willey’s cool and well-played theme, culminating in a creative and satisfying ensemble cadence.

Russ Wilson’s vocals take center stage in “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer,” which features a classy arrangement that allows for interplay between the vocals and the horns. The horn section, led by Willey’s inventive writing, wraps around Wilson’s voice, creating attractive chordal pads and counterpoints that make this classic tune an enjoyable listening experience.

“Little Drummer Boyz” is a clever reimagining of the traditional carol, structured around a call-and-response between the horn section and Watt’s drum fills. Zack Page’s bass solo channels the spirit of Jimmy Blanton, adding a dimension of depth that matches Willey’s sophisticated Ellingtonian voicings.

“The Christmas Song” is delivered with an upbeat samba rhythm that injects energy into the familiar tune. Willey’s four-part harmonies in the horn section bring the melody to life, and solos from Pritchard, Willey, and Andy Page offer a lively, engaging exploration of the progression’s possibilities.

“What Child Is This?” takes a fresh step away from its traditional 3/4 waltz feel, swinging instead in 4/4 time. For the solos, Willey’s Harmon-muted trumpet trades phrases with Pritchard’s tenor sax, creating a dynamic and interactive interplay. With its classic big band flavor, the subsequent shout chorus adds grandeur, and Taub’s piano solo provides elegance and swing, ensuring the track feels fully developed and richly textured.

The final track, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” closes the album on a high note. Willey leans into a classic big band sound, crafting four-part horn harmonies that are bold and intricate. Each horn player—Dylan Hannan on alto sax, Ashley Pritchard on tenor sax, Bill Reichenbach on trombone, and Willey on trumpet—brings flair to this excellent arrangement.

Willey’s arrangement techniques throughout Boptism Christmas are exemplary of his command over getting his small ensemble to take on the qualities and power of a big band aesthetics. His voicing of horns, use of harmonic rubs, and clever employment of counterpoint create a sound that is rich and expansive. Willey’s four-part harmonies often evoke the lush textures of the classic big bands, while his creative use of tension and release within the voicings keeps each piece engaging. His incorporation of different rhythmic feels—from bossa nova to reggae, samba, and swing—also contributes to the album’s fresh and varied soundscape. The choice of instrumentation and balanced orchestration plays a vital role in defining the album’s character. Willey’s decision to use a classic four horn frontline adds a distinct timbral quality to each track.

Boptism Christmas captures the festive spirit of the holiday season while adding a fresh perspective from jazz’s many textures. Willey’s arrangements balance the familiar comfort of these classic holiday melodies with the excitement of unexpected harmonic and rhythmic turns. The holiday season is about celebrating, and Willey’s work here respects that tradition while pushing into jazz-driven territory. His arranging touches are evident in every track, focusing on building a story through music.

The ensemble’s cohesion throughout Boptism Christmas is outstanding. Each musician brings a distinctive voice that combines seamlessly to form a unified sound. The balance between individual expression and group synergy is particularly evident in Willey’s writing. For example, in “Little Drummer Boyz,” ensemble and individual interplay between the horns and drums creates a vibrant conversation.

From a production standpoint, the album has a careful recording by Phil Ludwig, meticulous mixing by Jim Massoth, and Brian Schwab’s mastering, which capture the warmth and vibrancy of each performance. The result is a polished album, but still retains the liveliness of a live jazz session.

Rich Willey’s Boptism Christmas is a delightful journey through familiar holiday classics reimagined with the creativity and technical sophistication of a seasoned jazz arranger and performer. Each track is infused with a festive spirit and jazz sensibility, making it an album of fresh twist to the holiday playlist.