I originally shared the recording of “O Holy Night” by The City of New Orleans on the occasion of sixstr stories’ first Christmas.
On December 22, 2010, I wrote:
This is my favorite recording/performance of Christmas music. Period. Hands down. No doubt. Head and shoulders above all the rest.
Back in 2006, there was a TV show called “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” on NBC. The series, by writer & director Aaron Sorkin, was about the goings on behind the scenes of a Saturday Night Live type of show. On December 4, Episode #11 aired. It was called “The Christmas Show.”
A group of displaced New Orleans musicians performed on the show-within-the-show. They were introduced as “The City of New Orleans.”
I did not mention in that “Merry Christmas” post that The City of New Orleans was a sextet: two trumpets, trombone, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone and sousaphone.
Thanks to my son, I now know that the group’s dazzling lead trumpet player was Troy Andrews, the New Orleans-born, then-20-year-old, multi-instrumentalist also known as Trombone Shorty.
The City of New Orleans’ rendition of “O Holy Night” still stands as my all-time favorite recording/performance of Christmas music.
I hope you enjoy it, too. Headphones recommended!
“O Holy Night” by The City of New Orleans
(In case you’re wondering, NBC made that recording available as a free download.)
Best wishes to you and yours for a Very Merry & Musical Christmas from sixstr stories.
“Good music doesn’t get old.”
This is an amazing piece of music and television. I watch this every year. Any chance you could send me the audio file? I’ve been looking for this off and on for ten years. Thanks
This is also my favorite Christmas recording. Absolute magic!