MARISHA'S SHOP - ALBUMS OF SONGS

Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz is the oldest continuously broadcast music series on National Public Radio. During tapings of the program in recent years, she invited 18 of her guests to contribute a performance to this holiday CD, NPR Jazz Christmas with Marian McPartland and Friends, which totals 22 tracks and a generous 70 minutes of music. There are blues piano and vocals by Marcia Ball, great vocals by Nnenna Freelon and Roseanna Vitro, plus the lyrical duet by trombonist J.J. Johnson with McPartland on "The Christmas Song." Of course, the highlights of Piano Jazz programs are the piano solos and duets: whether it's Keith Ingham, George Shearing, Jon Weber, or McPartland herself, the magic continues. The only problem with this CD is NPR's clumsy distribution of it (compared to the Jazz Alliance's handling of complete Piano Jazz programs), which makes it harder to acquire than it should be.