2013 Mary J Blige – A Mary Christmas
A Mary Christmas is the eleventh studio album and first Christmas album by American R&B recording artist Mary J Blige. It was released on October 15, 2013, by Matriarch, Interscope and Verve Records. The album was primarily produced by David Foster, and features guest appearances from Barbra Streisand, Chris Botti, Jessie J, The Clark Sisters, and Marc Anthony. The album peaked at number ten on the US Billboard 200, becoming her twelfth top-ten entry on the chart. It also peaked at number five on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It marked Blige’s fifteenth top-ten entry on the latter chart, tying her with Snoop Dogg for second-most top ten entries in the Nielsen SoundScan era. Upon its release, A Mary Christmas received generally mixed reviews amongst critics. The album was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on December 4, 2013, denoting shipments of 500,000 copies. In October 2023, Blige released a deluxe version of the album, titled A Mary Christmas: Anniversary Edition, which saw four additional tracks.
Tracks
1 Little Drummer Boy (Katherine Davis; Henry Onorati; Harry Simeone) 04:09
2 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Hugh Martin; Ralph Blane) 04:36
3 My Favorite Things (Oscar Hammerstein II; Richard Rodgers) 03:47
4 This Christmas (Donny Hathaway; Nadine McKinnor) 03:18
5 The Christmas Song (Mel Tormé; Robert Wells) 03:53
6 Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (Johnny Marks) 02:27
7 When You Wish Upon A Star (Leigh Harline; Ned Washington) 03:42
8 Mary Did You Know (Buddy Greene; Mark Lowery) 03:48
9 Do You Hear What I Hear (Noel Regney; Gloria Shayne) 04:19
10 Petit Papa Noël (Raymond Vincy; Henri Martinet) 03:57
11 The First Noel (Traditional) 04:24
12 Noche De Paz (Silent Night) (Traditional) 03:28
Musicians
1 Little Drummer Boy
| Bass | Alex Al |
| Drums | Rexsell Hardy Jr |
| Keyboards | David Foster |
| Synthesizer | Jochem van der Saag |
| Programming | Jochem van der Saag |
| Vocals | Mary J Blige |
2 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
| Bass | Alex Al |
| Drums | Rexsell Hardy Jr. |
| Rhodes | David Foster |
| Synthesizer | Jochem van der Saag |
| Programming | Jochem van der Saag |
| Vocals | Mary J Blige |
3 My Favorite Things
| Keyboards | David Foster |
| Piano | David Foster |
| Synthesizer | Jochem van der Saag |
| Programming | Jochem van der Saag |
| Vocals | Mary J Blige |
4 This Christmas
| Bass | Alex Al |
| Drums | Rexsell Hardy Jr |
| Keyboards | David Foster |
| Piano | David Foster |
| Synthesizer | Jochem van der Saag |
| Programming | Jochem van der Saag |
| Vocals | Mary J Blige |
5 The Christmas Song
| Bass | Chuck Berghofer |
| Drums | Vinnie Colaiuta |
| Guitar (Solo) | Andreas Varady |
| Rhodes | David Foster |
| Synthesizer | Jochem van der Saag |
| Programming | Jochem van der Saag |
| Vocals | Mary J Blige |
6 Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
| Bass | Chuck Berghofer |
| Drums | Guido Jöris |
| Drums | Vinnie Colaiuta |
| Guitar | Dustin Higgins |
| Piano | Chris Walden |
| Synthesizer | Jochem van der Saag |
| Programming | Jochem van der Saag |
| Sax (Solo) | Jeff Driskill |
| Trombone | Juliane Gralle |
| Trombone | Chris Walden |
| Trumpet | Wayne Bergeron |
| Trumpet | Chris Walden |
| Vocals | Mary J Blige |
7 When You Wish Upon A Star
| Bass | Chuck Berghofer |
| Piano | David Foster |
| Synthesizer | Jochem van der Saag |
| Programming | Jochem van der Saag |
| Trumpet | Chris Botti |
| Vocals | Barbra Streisand |
| Vocals | Mary J Blige |
8 Mary Did You Know
| Piano | David Foster |
| Synthesizer | Jochem van der Saag |
| Programming | Jochem van der Saag |
| Vocals | Mary J Blige |
9 Do You Hear What I Hear
| Drum (programming) | Kendu Isaacs |
| Guitar | Dean Parks |
| Keyboards | David Foster |
| Piano | David Foster |
| Synthesizer | Jochem van der Saag |
| Programming | Jochem van der Saag |
| Background Vocals | Angela Fisher |
| Vocals | Jessie J |
| Vocals | Mary J Blige |
10 Petit Papa Noël
| Guitar | Dean Parks |
| Synthesizer | Jochem van der Saag |
| Programming | Jochem van der Saag |
| Accordion | David Foster |
| Violin (Solo) | Caroline Campbell |
| Vocals | Mary J Blige |
11 The First Noel
| Bass | Derrick Ray |
| Drums | Rexsell Hardy Jr |
| Keyboards | Asaph A. Ward |
| Organ | Kevin Powel |
| Synthesizer | Jochem van der Saag |
| Programming | Jochem van der Saag |
| Background vocals | Bethany Devine |
| Vocals | The Clark Sisters |
| Vocals | Mary J Blige |
12 Noche De Paz (Silent Night)
| Guitar (Solo) | Ramon Stagnaro |
| Guitar | Dean Parks |
| Keyboards | David Foster |
| Synthesizer | Jochem van der Saag |
| Programming | Jochem van der Saag |
| Vocals | Mark Anthony |
| Vocals | Mary J Blige |
Liner Notes
Producer – David Foster
Co-Producer – Jochem van der Saag
Arranged By – David Foster
Arranged By Chris Walden (Track 6)
Arranged By – Asaph A. Ward, David Foster (Track 11)
Arranged By (Horns) David Foster, Jerry Hey (Track 2)
Arranged By (Orchestra) – David Foster, William Ross (Tracks 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10)
Arranged By (Orchestra) – David Foster (Track 2, 4, 11)
Arranged By (Orchestra) – William Ross (Tracks 12)
Arranged By (Orchestra) – Jerry Hey (Track 2, 4, 11)
Conductor (Orchestra) – William Ross
Orchestrated By – Everton Nelson
Recorded By – Jorge Vivo, Jochem van der Saag
Recorded By (Additional Recording) – Serge Tsai
Recorded By (Additional Overdubs) – Jochem van der Saag
Recorded By (Orchestra) – Steve Price
Recorded By (Choir, Horns & Rhythm) – Steve Genewick
Recorded By (Barbra Streisand Vocals) – Dave Reitzas
Recorded By (Protools) – Adam Miller
Mastered By – Vlado Meller
Mixed By – Jochem van der Saag
Mixed At Blue Studios, Malibu, CA
Mixed At Verve Studio, Santa Monica, CA
Recorded At Verve Studios, Santa Monica, CA
Recorded At Chartmaker Studios, LA, CA
Recorded At Platinum Sound Recording Studios, NY
Recorded At Capitol Studios, Hollywood, CA
Recorded At Air Studios, London, UK
Phonographic Copyright The Verve Music Group
Phonographic Copyright Interscope Records
Copyright The Verve Music Group
Copyright Interscope Records