2008 Ledisi – It’s Christmas
It’s Christmas is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Ledisi, and her first Christmas album. Released by Verve Forecast on September 23, 2008, the album features cover versions of popular Christmas songs in addition to original material. Ledisi worked with George Duke, Rex Rideout, and Luther “Mano” Hanes, with whom she wrote all of the original tracks, as well as producing Ledisi’s interpretations of the covered material. “Give Love on Christmas Day” was released as a radio single from the album.
Tracks
1 I’ll Go (Richard Smallwood) 02:03
2 Children Go Where I Send Thee (Traditional) 06:10
3 Give Love On Christmas Day (Emory Gordy; Deke Richards; Fonce Mizell; Freddie Perren; The Corporation) 03:59
4 Be There For Christmas (Ledisi; Rex Rideout) 04:01
5 This Christmas (Could Be The One) (Ledisi; Lorenzo Johnson) 04:43
6 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Hugh Martin; Ralph Blane) 04:24
7 What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? (Frank Loesser) 03:06
8 It’s Christmas (George Duke; Ledisi) 04:50
9 What A Wonderful World (Bob Thiele; George Davis Weiss) 04:09
10 Please Come Home For Christmas (Walter Kent) 04:15
11 Silent Night (Franz Gruber; Joseph Mohr) 04:48
12 Thank You (Ledisi; Luther Hanes) 04:36
Musicians
1 I’ll Go
| Piano | Richard Smallwood |
| Vocals | Ledisi |
2 Children Go Where I Send Thee
| Bass | Melvin Davis |
| Drums | Teddy Campbell |
| Guitar | John Jubu Smith |
| Organ | Craig Brockman |
| Percussion | Mike White |
| Background Vocals | Phoenix Normand |
| Background Vocals | Sara Williams |
| Vocals | Ledisi |
3 Give Love On Christmas Day
| Bass | Melvin Davis |
| Drums | Teddy Campbell |
| Guitar | Errol Cooney |
| Fender Rhodes | Rex Rideout |
| Sax | Gregory H Smith |
| Sax | Bob Sheppard |
| Trombone | Nick Lane |
| Trumpet | Lee Thornburg |
| Background Vocals | Carol Perry |
| Background Vocals | Darlene Perry |
| Background Vocals | Kristle Murden |
| Vocals | Ledisi |
4 Be There For Christmas
| Bass | Melvin Davis |
| Drums | Teddy Campbell |
| Guitar | Errol Cooney |
| Fender Rhodes | Rex Rideout |
| Piano | Rex Rideout |
| Percussion | Mike White |
| Background Vocals | Carolyn Perry |
| Background Vocals | Darlene Perry |
| Background Vocals | Kristle Murden |
| Vocals | Ledisi |
5 This Christmas (Could Be The One)
| Bass | Melvin Davis |
| Drums | Teddy Campbell |
| Guitar | John Jubu Smith |
| Piano | Rex Rideout |
| Vocals | Ledisi |
6 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
| Bass | Melvin Davis |
| Guitar | Errol Cooney |
| Percussion | Mike White |
| Fender Rhodes | Rex Rideout |
| Piano | Rex Rideout |
| Vocals | Ledisi |
7 What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?
| Bass | Melvin Davis |
| Drums | Teddy Campbell |
| Guitar | Errol Cooney |
| Piano | Rex Rideout |
| Sax | Gregory H Smith |
| Sax | Bob Sheppard |
| Trombone | Nick Lane |
| Trumpet | Lee Thornburg |
| Vocals | Ledisi |
8 It’s Christmas
| Bass | Larry Kimpel |
| Drums | Teddy Campbell |
| Guitar | Ray Fuller |
| Piano | George Duke |
| Synthesizer | George Duke |
| Vocals | Ledisi |
9 What A Wonderful World
| Fender Rhodes | Rex Rideout |
| Trumpet | Christian Scott |
| Vocals | Ledisi |
10 Please Come Home For Christmas
| Bass | Melvin Davis |
| Drums | Teddy Campbell |
| Guitar | John Jubu Smith |
| Guitar | Keb Mo |
| Fender Rhodes | Rex Rideout |
| Piano | Rex Rideout |
| Background Vocals | Carolyn Perry |
| Background Vocals | Darlene Perry |
| Background Vocals | Kristle Murden |
| Vocals | Keb Mo |
| Vocals | Ledisi |
11 Silent Night
| Fretless Bass | Melvin Davis |
| Drums | Teddy Campbell |
| Vocals | Ledisi |
12 Thank You
| Guitar | Akil Thompson |
| Drums | Dan Needham |
| Guitar | Courtlan Clement |
| Guitar | Rick Watford |
| Clavinet | Luther Hanes |
| Fender Rhodes | Luther Hanes |
| Organ | Luther Hanes |
| Sax | Doug Moffet |
| Trombone | Barry Green |
| Trumpet | Steve Patrick |
| Trumpet | Vinnie Ciesielski |
| Vocals | Ledisi |
Other Musicians
Cello – Elizabeth Wright, Kevin Buck, Sarah O’Brien, Timothy Loo (Tracks 3, 9)
Violin – Charlie Bisharat, Joel Derouin, Josefina Vergara, Mario DeLeon, Michele Richards, Susan Chatman (Tracks 3, 5)
Liner Notes
Producer – Ledisi Young
Producer – Rex Rideout (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 1, 11)
Producer – George Duke (Track 8)
Producer – Luther Hanes (Track 12)
Arranged By – Richard Smallwood (Track 1)
Arranged By – Teddy Campbell, Ledisi Young, Melvin Davis (Track 11)
Arranged By (Horns) – Nick Lane (Tracks 3, 7)
Arranged By (Horns) – Gerald Albright (Track 10)
Arranged By (Horns) – Lloyd Barry (Track 12)
Arranged By (Strings) – Nick Lane (Tracks 3, 9)
Conductor – Nick Lane (Tracks 3, 9)
Edited By (Pro-Tools) – John Lawry
Engineer (Assistant) – Brendan Dekora, George Gumbs, Grant Greene, Lisa Chamblee Hampton, Luther “Mano” Hanes*, Nick Sparks, Scott Velazco
Mastered By – Herb Powers Jr
Mixed By – Ray Bardani (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12)
Mixed By – Erik Zobler (tracks: 8)
Recorded By – Shannon Follin (Track 1)
Recorded By – Ray Bardani (Tracks 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11)
Recorded By – Danny Duncan (Track 12)
Sequenced By (Album) – Kim Burse
Art Direction – Hollis King, Ledisi Young
Graphics – Sachico Asano
Photography – Beth Herzhaft
Mastered At Powers House Of Sound
Phonographic Copyright The Verve Music Group
Copyright The Verve Music Group