1995 Luther Vandross – This Is Christmas

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This Is Christmas is the first Christmas album and tenth studio album by American singer Luther Vandross. It was released on October 18, 1995, by Epic Records. Produced by Vandross along with Nat Adderley, Jr. and Marcus Miller, the album received mixed to negative reviews from music critics and peaked at number 28 on the US Billboard 200 and number 4 at both Billboard’s Top Holiday Albums and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. A steady seller throughout the Christmas season, it was eventually certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), exceeding physical sales of 1.0 million copies in 2002.

The same year, Sony Music Special Products reissued the album, as Home for Christmas with an altered order of tracks, and again in October 2012 as part of The Classic Christmas Album line with additional tracks. The two editions of the album had sold a combined total of 1,147,000 copies as of December 2012. This is Christmas lent its name to a syndicated television special Vandross hosted which aired in November and December 1995, and featured songs from this album, as well as performances by his special guests.

Tracks

1  With A Christmas Heart (Luther Vandross; Skip Anderson) 04:04
2  This Is Christmas (Luther Vandross; Reed Vertelney) 04:45
3  The Mistletoe Jam (Everybody Kiss Somebody) (Luther Vandross; Ivan Hampden) 04:45
4  Every Year, Every Christmas (Luther Vandross; Richard Marx) 05:06
5  My Favorite Things (Richard Rodgers; Oscar Hammerstein II) 05:56
6  Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Ralph Blane; Hugh Martin) 05:05
7  I Listen To The Bells (Luther Vandross; Fonzi Thornton) 06:06
8  Please Come Home For Christmas (Luther Vandross; Skip Anderson) 03:37
9  A Kiss For Christmas (Luther Vandross; Ivan Hampden) 04:12
10  O’ Come All Ye Faithful (Traditional) 04:19

Media

Musicians

1 With A Christmas Heart

DrumsSkip Anderson
KeyboardsSkip Anderson
SynthesizerSkip Anderson
ProgrammingJason Miles


2 This Is Christmas

Drums (programming)Reed Vertelney
GuitarPaul Jackson Jr
KeyboardsReed Vertelney
KeyboardsSkip Anderson
ProgrammingJason Miles
Background VocalsCissy Houston
Background VocalsCindy Mizelle
Background VocalsTawatha Agee
Background VocalsPaulette McWilliams
Background VocalsBrenda White
Background VocalsFonzi Thornton
Background VocalsRobin Clark
Background VocalsMilt Grayson


3 The Mistletoe Jam (Everybody Kiss Somebody)

BassMarcus Miller
DrumsIvan Hampden
GuitarPaul Jackson Jr
KeyboardsSkip Anderson
ProgrammingJason Miles
PercussionIvan Hampden
Background VocalsCissy Houston
Background VocalsCindy Mizelle
Background VocalsTawatha Agee
Background VocalsPaulette McWilliams
Background VocalsBrenda White
Background VocalsDarlene Love
Background VocalsRobin Clark
Background VocalsFonzi Thornton


4 Every Year, Every Christmas

BassMarcus Miller
GuitarPaul Jackson Jr
Fender RhodesSkip Anderson
PianoNat Adderley Jr
ProgrammingJason Miles


5 My Favorite Things

BassLuico Hopper
DrumsIvan Hampden
GuitarPhil Hamilton
GuitarPaul Jackson Jr
KeyboardsNat Adderley Jr
PianoNat Adderley Jr
ProgrammingEric Coudieux
SaxDick Oatts
PercussionCrusher Bennett


6 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

BassLuico Hopper
DrumsIvan Hampden
GuitarPhil Hamilton
KeyboardsNat Adderley Jr
PianoNat Adderley Jr
ProgrammingEric Coudieux
SaxDick Oatts
PercussionSteve Kroon


7 I Listen To The Bells

BassTinker Barfield
DrumsSkip Anderson
GuitarPaul Jackson Jr
KeyboardsSkip Anderson
ProgrammingJason Miles
SaxClarence Clemons
Background VocalsCissy Houston
Background VocalsTawatha Agee
Background VocalsCindy Mizelle
Background VocalsPaulette McWilliams
Background VocalsBrenda White
Background VocalsKevin Owens
Background VocalsRobin Clark
Background VocalsFonzi Thornton


8 Please Come Home For Christmas

DrumsSkip Anderson
PianoSkip Anderson
SynthesizerSkip Anderson
ProgrammingJason Miles
Background VocalsTawatha Agee
Background VocalsCindy Mizelle
Background VocalsPaulette McWilliams
Background VocalsRobin Clark
Background VocalsFonzi Thornton


9 A Kiss For Christmas

DrumsIvan Hampden
GuitarPaul Jackson Jr
KeyboardsSkip Anderson
ProgrammingJason Miles
Background VocalsCissy Houston
Background VocalsCindy Mizelle
Background VocalsTawatha Agee
Background VocalsPaulette McWilliams
Background VocalsBrenda White
Background VocalsRobin Clark
Background VocalsFonzi Thornton


10 O’ Come All Ye Faithful

BassMarcus Miller
DrumsIvan Hampden
GuitarPaul Jackson Jr
Hammond OrganMarcus Miller
KeyboardsMarcus Miller
PianoNat Adderley Jr
Background VocalsTawatha Agee
Background VocalsValerie Simpson
Background VocalsPaulette McWilliams
Background VocalsYvonne Lewis
Background VocalsKatreese Barnes
Background VocalsAda Oyer
Background VocalsRobin Clark
Background VocalsTamira Sanders
Background VocalsVivian Cherry
Background VocalsGenobia Jeter
Background VocalsKevin Owens
Background VocalsFonzi Thornton

Liner Notes

Producer (Executive) – Luther Vandross
Arranged By – John Anderson (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9)
Arranged By – Luther Vandross (Tracks 2, 3, 4, 7, 9)
Arranged By – Reed Vertelney (Track 2)
Arranged By – Ivan Hampden (Tracks 3, 9)
Arranged By – Richard Marx (Track 4)
Arranged By – Nat Adderley Jr (Tracks 5, 6)
Arranged By – Fonzi Thornton (Track 7)
Arranged By – Marcus Miller (Track 10)
Arranged By (Strings Arranged By) – John Clayton (Tracks 10), Nat Adderley Jr. (Track 4)
Arranged By (Vocals Arranged By) – Luther Vandross (Tracks 2, 3, 7, 8, 9)
Concertmaster – Peter Dimitriades (Track 6)
Conductor – John Clayton (Tracks 10)
Conductor (Choir Conductor) – Marcus Miller (Track 10)
Contractor (Choir Contracted By) – Fonzi Thornton (Track 10)
Contractor (Orchestra Contracted By) – Emile Charlap (Track 10)
Contractor (Strings Contracted By) – Alfred Brown (Track 6)
Contractor (Vocal Contractor) – Fonzi Thornton
Coordinator (Project Coordination) – Marsha Burns
Edited By (Digital Editing) – Max Risenhoover (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10)
Edited By (Digital Editing) – Eric Caudieux (Tracks 2, 5, 7)
Engineer (Assistant Engineer) – Aya Takemura, Carl Glanville, Gerardo Lopez, Paul Falcone, Robert Friedrich, Tony Duino-Black
Mastered By – Ted Jensen
Mixed By – Ray Bardani
Orchestrated By (Horns Orchestrated By) – Earl McIntyre (Tracks 5, 6)
Recorded By – Ray Bardani (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9)
Recorded By – Paul Brown, Stan Wallace (Tracks 5, 6)
Recorded By – Dan Wojnar (Track 9)
Recorded By (Additional) – David Ward
Recorded By (Vocals) – Ray Bardani (Tracks 5, 6, 9)
Recorded By (Orchestra) – Joe Ferla (Track 9)
Sound Designer – David Ward (Track 10)

Photography By – Alberto Tolot

Copyright (c) – Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Copyright (c) – EMI April Music Inc.
Copyright (c) – Williamson Music
Copyright (c) – Loew’s Incorporated
Copyright (c) – Leo Feist, Inc.
Record Company – Sony Music
Manufactured By – Epic
Glass Mastered At – DADC – DIDP 087510
Recorded At – The Hit Factory
Recorded At – Power Station
Recorded At – Camel Island Studios, Los Angeles
Recorded At – Clinton Recording Studio
Mixed At – The Hit Factory
Mastered At – Sterling Sound