Triple Platinum Christmas Album Released on 180g Vinyl LP!Features Holiday Classics Like "White Christmas," "Away In A Manger" & Winter Wonderland!"
Christmas Extraordinaire, released in 2001, was the sixth Christmas album from the group Mannheim Steamroller lead by Chip Davis. The album was certified triple Platinum as of June 21, 2004 by the RIAA.
Grammy® Award winning composer/musician Chip Davis is one of the most successful innovators and entrepreneurs in music today. Davis changed popular instrumental music over 35 years ago by combining classical compositions with rock rhythms and instruments. He is credited with creating the New Age music genre.
Today, Chip Davis and Mannheim Steamroller are synonymous with Christmas. He revolutionized the sounds of the holiday with the release of his first Christmas album, transforming the season into the huge music industry it is today. Mannheim Steamroller is the #1 Christmas music artist in history. Total records sold are over 40 million albums; 28 million have been Mannheim Steamroller Christmas albums.
With 19 gold, 8 multi-platinum and 4 platinum certified records, Davis is among an elite group of artists including U2, Jay-Z, and the Beach Boys holding the most such certifications.
David turned his attention to music that he called "18th century classical meets Rock 'n' Roll". He called the music Fresh Aire and named his band Mannheim Steamroller. When he couldn't sell his first Fresh Aire album to record companies, he started his own label (American Gramaphone) in 1974, one of the most successful independent labels in the country.
In 1984 Davis released his first Christmas album, Mannheim Steamroller Christmas and the rest is history. Mannheim versions of songs as Joy To The World, The First Noel, and Silent Night. consistently top the charts every holiday season.
"Longtime holiday favorite Mannheim Steamroller's Christmas Extraordinaire is yet another holiday collection by the group. It's not much of departure from Mannheim's other holiday collections. If anything, it aims to resurrect the spirit of preceding holiday releases by Mannheim. There's a good chance if you enjoy other Mannheim holiday albums you'll enjoy this one... it should please Mannheim's devoted following. Some of the featured songs include 'Hallelujah,' 'White Christmas,' 'Away in a Manger,' and 'Winter Wonderland,' among others." - Jason Birchmeier, allmusic.com
Features:
180g Vinyl LP
Certified triple Platinum as of June 21, 2004 by the RIAA
Mastered for vinyl by Brian Ackley
Musicians:
Chip Davis, drums, recorders
Jackson Berkey, harpsichord
Ron Cooley, guitar, lute, bass
Roxanne Layton, recorder, crumhorns
Arnie Roth, violin solo "The First Noel", concertmaster
Bobby Jenkins, oboe solos
Johnny Mathis, vocals "O Tannenbaum"
Selections:
Side A:
1. Hallelujah
2. White Christmas
3. Away In A Manger
4. Faeries ("Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite)
5. Do You Hear What I Hear?
6. The First Noel
Side B:
7. Silver Bells
8. Fum, Fum, Fum
9. Some Children See Him
10. Winter Wonderland
11. O Tannenbaum (vocals by Johnny Mathis)
12. Auld Lang Syne
