A Child Is Born (album)

A Child Is Born is an album of Christmas carols by pianist Geri Allen with vocalists recorded in 2011 and released on the Motéma label.[1]

For 1995 album, see Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge.
A Child Is Born
Studio album by
Geri Allen
ReleasedOctober 11, 2011
RecordedJanuary 14–15 and April 27–28, 2011
StudioUnion Country Performing Arts Center, Rahway, NJ and Klavierhaus, NYC
GenreJazz, Christmas
Length50:31
LabelMotéma MTM-69
ProducerGeri Allen & Kunle Mwanga
Geri Allen chronology
Geri Allen & Timeline Live
(2009)		 A Child Is Born
(2011)		 Grand River Crossings
(2013)

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
The Guardian[3]
PopMatters[4]

AllMusic awarded the album 4 stars, stating, "this is a holiday collection for the more adventurous jazz piano fan, rather than for someone looking for a safe, warm, and fuzzy set of jazzed-up Christmas tunes".[2] The Guardian review by John Fordham awarded the album 3 stars, noting, "Wherever you're coming from, this remains the work of a gifted improviser exploring timelessly haunting songs".[3] PopMatters reviewer Josh Langhoff said, "Geri Allen’s mostly-solo, mostly-jazz-piano album A Child Is Born flows through traditional Christmas songs and hymns with much facility, some invention, and a couple of surprises"[4]

Track listing

All compositions Traditional except where noted.

  1. "Angels We Have Heard On High" – 4:24
  2. "A Child Is Born" (Thad Jones, Alec Wilder) – 3:43
  3. "Imagining Gena at Sunrise" – 1:10
  4. "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" – 7:31
  5. "Journey to Bethlehem" (Geri Allen) – 1:12
  6. "We Three Kings" (John Henry Hopkins, Jr." – 5:08
  7. "Little Drummer Boy" (Katherine Kennicott Davis) – 5:00
  8. "God Is With Us" (Allen) – 2:16
  9. "Amazing Grace" (John Newton/Traditional) – 2:43
  10. "Christmas Medley: Away in a Manger/What Child Is This?/Silent Night" (Traditional/William Chatterton Dix/Franz Xaver Gruber) – 4:32
  11. "Imagining Gena At Sunset" – 0:32
  12. "Let Us Break Bread Together" – 5:00
  13. "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" (Richard Storrs Willis) – 6:24
  14. "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" – 0:56

Personnel

References
  1. Geri Allen catalog, accessed July 2, 2014
  2. Ruhlmann, W., Allmusic Review accessed June 30, 2014
  3. Fordham, J., The Guardian Review, December 23, 2011
  4. Langhoff, J., PopMatters Review, December 11, 2011
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