How To Play: Christmas Time Is Here

Cover from the soundtrack album for A Charlie Brown Christmas (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I found an easy to intermediate chord chart for this very popular song, Christmas Time is Here, by The Vince Guaraldi Trio on the Charlie Brown Christmas at http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com and http://www.azchords.com

The song was written in 1966, with words by Lee Mendelson and music by Vince Guaraldi. Many artists have sung this song and a favorite that comes to mind is Diana Krall with her very laid-back style.

Fmaj7             Eb7 
Christmas time is here 
Fmaj7         Eb7  
Happiness and cheer 
Bm7        Bb7   Am7 
Fun for all that children call   
Ab7 Gm            C      F 
Their favorite time of the year  

 
Fmaj7             Eb7 
Snowflakes in the air 
Fmaj7       Eb7 
Carols everywhere 
Bm7          Bb7 Am7 
Olden times and  ancient rhymes  
Ab7 Gm              C  F 
Of   love and dreams to share 
 
 
Dbmaj7               Gbmaj7  
Sleigh bells in the air 
Dbmaj7      Gbmaj7 
Beauty everywhere 
F            Eb7 D7 
Yuletide by the  fireside 
Am    Gm7         F   C   
And joyful memories there 

  
Fmaj7             Eb7 
Christmas time is here 
Fmaj7            Eb7 
We'll be drawing near 
Bm7          Bb7  Am7 
Oh, that we could always see 
Ab7   Gm             C   F  
Such spirit through the year 
  

Jazzy Instrumental part...  
 

Dbmaj7               Gbmaj7  
Sleigh bells in the air 
Dbmaj7      Gbmaj7 
Beauty everywhere 
F            Eb7 D7 
Yuletide by the  fireside 
Am    Gm7         F   C   
And joyful memories there 

  
Fmaj7             Eb7 
Christmas time is here 
Fmaj7            Eb7 
We'll be drawing near 
Bm7          Bb7  Am7 
Oh, that we could always see 
Ab7   Gm             C   F  
Such spirit through the year 

I have played this particular song at many Christmas parties and family gatherings because it is an all time favorite. I play it slowly in the Key of F with 3/4 time signature.

Intermediate to advanced chords:

Fmaj9             Eb13#11 
Christmas time is here 
Fmaj9         Eb13#11  
Happiness and cheer 
Bm7b5        Bbm7   Am7 
Fun for all that children call   
Abm7 Gm7            Gm7b5/C      F 
Their favorite time of the year  

 
Fmaj9             Eb13#11
Snowflakes in the air 
Fmaj9       Eb13#11 
Carols everywhere 
Bm7b5          Bbm7 Am7 
Olden times and  ancient rhymes  
Abm7 Gm7             Gm7b5/C  Fmaj9 
Of   love and dreams to share 
 
 
Dbmaj7               Gb13#11  
Sleigh bells in the air 
Dbmaj7      Gb13#11 
Beauty everywhere 
Am7           Eb9 D9 
Yuletide by the  fireside 
D7b9    Gm7       Db9   C13 C13b9   
And joyful memories there 

  
Fmaj9             Eb13#11 
Christmas time is here 
Fmaj9            Eb13#11 
We'll be drawing near 
Bm7b5          Bbm7  Am7 Abm7
Oh, that we could always see 
    Gm7              Bb/C  Fmaj9  
Such spirit through the year 
  

Jazzy Instrumental part...  
 

Dbmaj7               Gb13#11 
Sleigh bells in the air 
Dbmaj7      Gb13#11 
Beauty everywhere 
Am7            Eb7 D9 D7b9
Yuletide by the  fireside 
    Gm7         Db9   C13 C13b9   
And joyful memories there 

  
Fmaj9             Eb13#11 
Christmas time is here 
Fmaj9            Eb13#11 
We'll be drawing near 
Bm7b5         Bbm7  Am7 Abm7
Oh, that we could always see 
   Gm7             Bb/C   Fmaj9  
Such spirit through the year 

Here's what the chords look like:

L.H. / R.H.

FA/EGE Christmas time is

EbG/DbFA here,

FA/EGE happiness and

EbG/DbFA cheer

BA/DA Fun for all that

AG/CG children call their

GF/BbD favorite time

C/GBbDbF of

FE/ACG year

Db/EbFC Sleigh-bells in the

GbFb/BbEbAbC air

Db/EbFC beauty every

GbFb/BbEbAbC where

AG/CEC Yuletide by the

DF#/CEC fireside and

GF/BbDBb joyful mem'

DbF/CbEbA ries

CE/BbDA there

FA/EGE Christmas time is

EbG/DbFA here

FA/EGE we'll be drawing

EbG/DbFA near

BA/DA Oh that we could

AG/CG always see such

GF/BbD spirit through

CD/BbDF the

FC/ACG year



Have fun with the song. If you need more melody notes to fill in, remember your scale notes and chord progressions in F. You can also order the sheet music.

Also, you may be interested in,

Christmas Keys1



10 Christmas Classics Arranged for Solo Piano

 Do you have a favorite Christmas song?

Best,





"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

CD review: Diana Krall- Quiet Nights

Just listen to Diana sing The Boy From Ipanema, and her laid back sultry voice will transport you to Brazil in no time! This has always been one of my all time favorite songs. In fact that song just flows into Walk On By and you're clinging onto every breathy word Diana sings. Yep, you'll go down memory lane. Remember Dionne Warwick? And then another favorite of mine Diana adds as a bonus track, How Can You Mend A Broken Heart... remember the Bee Gees? I rate this CD 4+ stars!

I believe the new CD was released on Tuesday so I ran out and grabbed myself a copy. I know my Cousin did, too. I have all of her Cds, songbooks and dvds. I do love Jazz and she is a fine jazz pianist. My Cousin had a pin up poster of Diana in his garage, but his wife asked him to take it down when they moved and so he did! lol

"Quiet Nights is Diana Krall's twelfth album, released on March 31, 2009... The album is currently (first week of April 2009) the best selling CD in Poland."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quiet_Nights_(Diana_Krall_album)

Here's a breakdown of the tracks:
1. Where Or When
2. Too Marvelous For Words
3. I've Grown Accustomed To His Face
4. The Boy From Ipanema
5. Walk On By
6. You're My Thrill
7. Este Seu Olhar
8. So Nice
9. Quiet Nights
10. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
Bonus Tracks:
11. How Can You Mend A Broken Heart
12. Every Time We Say Goodbye

The orchestration behind many of the slow songs is perfect background music for hosting a party. In fact, Diana's right hand riffs to many of her songs shine proudly with fantastic orchestral music of strings in the background. Then you'll hear some blues licks played expertly by Diana on So Nice track. Oh, I wish I could play like that!!! Effortlessly she plays single note melody lines that just flow with ease!

Here's what others have to say about Diana's Quiet Nights:

"Quiet Nights is extremely easy on the ears — maybe too easy. Its foremost charms are the timbre of Krall’s voice and her phrasing, cloaked in Claus Ogerman’s impeccably crafted orchestrations."... says Peter Hum from the Vancouver Sun

http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/review+Diana+Krall+Elaine+Elias+concoct+seductive+sounds/1448274/story.html



"Quiet Nights," on the Verve label, sees Krall back in jazz standard mode, but with a twist. She's singing and playing Brazilian-tinged songs by Jobim, Gilberto, and others.

She never intended the record to be a Brazilian album, but that's how it came out after she recorded about 50 songs, overall, before choosing the music that made it onto the CD." Reuters from The Epoch Timess

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/14664

Stephen Thomas Erlewine's review from allmusic says, "Bossa nova is not unfamiliar to Diana Krall, but 2009's Quiet Nights is her first record devoted to the gently swaying rhythm."

http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:dvfixz8kldde

"In Quiet Nights, Krall succeeds in emotionally connecting with her audience and establishing a romantic mood with her sexy voice and moving piano solos, thus building on her impact on the contemporary jazz world."
I think this is the best review for Diana's Quiet Nights by Joe Skurzewzk. Read more

http://www.dailycardinal.com/article/22702

* Preview of chords to Girl from Ipanema

http://www.freehandmusic.vom/productdetail.aspx?prodid=289236

* Chord Chart to Girl from Ipanema

http://www.bossanovaguitar.com/antonio_carlos_jobim/chords_lyrics/the_girl_from_ipanema.html

D6/9 E7/9 Em9
Tall and tan and young and lovely, The girl from Ipanema goes walking, And when she passes

A7/6 Dmaj9 Bbm6 Dmaj7
each one she passes goes "a-a-ah!"

Dmaj9 E7/9 Em9
When she walks she's like a samba that, Swings so cool and sways so gentle, That when she passes

A7/6 Dmaj9 D6/9
each one she passes goes "a-a-ah!"

Ebmaj7 G#7 Ebm7 B7 B7/6 Em9 Gm6
Oh, but I watch her so sadly, How can I tell her I love her? Yes, I would give my heart gladly

F#m7 F#dim Em7 A7/-9
But each day when she walks to the sea, She looks straight ahead not at me

Dmaj7 Dmaj9 E7/9 Em9
Tall and tan and young and lovely, The girl from Ipanema goes walking, And when she passes

A7/6 Dmaj9
I smile, but she doesn't see, She just doesn't see, No she doesn't see

*
[jobim antonio carlos] girl from ipanema (chords)

Publish at Scribd or explore others: music guitar

Happy easy listening on this beautiful Palm Sunday!
Have a great week ahead,

~ LadyD

Diana Krall- Fly Me To The Moon

Who wrote Fly Me To The Moon?

"Mr. Howard's best-known song was "Fly Me to the Moon," introduced in 1954 under the title "In Other Words."

"One publisher wanted me to change the lyric to 'take me to the moon,' " Mr. Howard told the New York Times in 1988. "Had I done that, I don't know where I'd be today."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/02/28
Who sang Fly Me To The Moon?

From Frank Sinatra to Nat King Cole to so many others...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fly_Me_to_the_Moon
Lyrics to Fly Me To The Moon
Fly Me To The Moon Lyrics
Diana Krall - Fly me to the moon (live with john clayton) posted by emruk

Free Piano Chords to Fly Me To The Moon
Am7 Dm7 G7 Cmaj7
Fly me to the moon, let me play among the stars,
F7 Bm7/b5 E7/b9 Am7
Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and mars,
A7/b9 Dm7 G9 G7/b9 Cm9 Am7
In other words, hold my hand!
Am9 Dm7 G7 Fdim7 Cmaj7 Bm7 E7
In other words, darling kiss me!
Am7 Dm7 G7 Cmaj7
Fill my heart with song, and let me sing forever more
F7 Bm7/b5 E7/b9 Am7
you are all I long for all I worship & adore
A7/b9 Dm7 G9 G7 Em7/b5
In other words, please be true!
A7/b9 Dm7 Dm7/C G7/b9 C6 Bm7 E7
In other words I love you
A7/b9 Dm7 G7 G7/b9 C6 Bb6 B6 C6/9
In other words I love You!
View chord structures

http://www.e-chords.com/guitartab/idmusica/4000/keyb/true/aba/2.htm
I do love Diana Krall's style of playing and singing. I have read many of her reviews.
Here's a bit of her background to share.

“Music was not something I wanted to do. It was something I had to do,” said Krall in a telephone interview from Singapore.

“I grew up in a family where both my parents were jazz pianists and music is like a culture in my house.
“I don’t remember not playing the piano or having music around. My mother sang in the church choir, my father plays piano and my grandmother sang. My mother used to hold me in her arms and sing when I was a baby.”

Although this songstress has been recognized as the world’s best-selling female jazz artiste, she says she is still learning.

“I don’t feel like I’ve mastered my craft. I feel like I’m on a constant journey. There’s always room for creativity in this ever-growing industry.”

Krall started her career as a pianist. It took some years before she decided to sing.

“I didn’t think I was good enough initially to sing,” she says. “When you’re listening to Sarah Vaughan or Ella Fitzgerald, it’s pretty evident there’s a difference between them and me.

“It was only in 1996 that I felt comfortable with singing, so yeah, it was a long process.”

She draws inspiration from Nat King Cole and from piano-playing singers, particularly Carmen McRae.

Krall, 43, began studying piano at the age of four, and subsequently played in her high school’s jazz band. At 15, she began playing regularly in restaurants and bars around her hometown.
The New Straits Times


http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Monday/Features/20080928151736/Article/indexF_html

At 17, she won a scholarship from the Vancouver International Jazz Festival to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Krall’s playing attracted the admiration of legendary bassist Ray Brown, who suggested that she move to Los Angeles to study with seminal pianist Jimmy Rowles. It was during this period that Krall began singing as well as playing.

In 1990, after a three-year stint in Los Angeles, she relocated to New York, where she began performing. Krall achieved both a musical breakthrough and a commercial watershed with her 1999 release When I Look in Your Eyes.

They had an expanded instrumental ensemble as well as orchestral arrangements by Johnny Mandel.

When I Look in Your Eyes became an international sensation, going platinum in the United States and spending an entire year in the No. 1 position in the Billboard Jazz Chart.

In addition to winning Krall a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, it also became the first jazz album in a quarter of a century to receive a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year.

Krall’s crossover success was further reflected in her participation in the historic Lilith Fair tour in 2000, and the prominent presence of her songs on the soundtracks of TV’s Sex in the City and such films as Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.


I also enjoy hearing Fly Me To The Moon Bossa Nova-
sinvalfonseca
The musician and composer Joe Harnell won a Grammy for the classic ' Fly me to the Moon', done in bossa nova rhythm. He reached fame as musical producer when working with the jazz singer Peggy Lee and with Frank Sinatra.
It died in the last July 15, 2005 to the 80 anose in Los Angeles,após to suffer a fall and to enter in coma.
My na me is Sinval Fonseca I am plastic artist and amateur musician, that it likes the good music. I make a simple presentation here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSYyw1F5FgA
More bossa nova sounds

http://ladydpiano.com

Diana Krall- Just The Way You Are

My Christmas was "swonderful", hoping yours was, too! I was in the kitchen preparing lots of food for family and friends and playing with my 2 Grandsons. After taking a short break, now it's time to gear up with one of my favorite jazz artists, Diana Krall.

Anders Eriksson tells us "Diana Krall is an accomplished singer, and jazz pianist. Diana was born in British Columbia Canada in 1964. She learned to play piano when she was just four-years-old. Everyone is her family are musicians... In 2000, Diana went on a tour with Tony Bennett and was nominated for more Grammy awards. The Look of Love album went platinum, the following year. It went to number one on the Canadian charts, and on the Billboard 200, top ten. In 2001 Diana toured the world. The Paris Olympia concert was recorded, and Diana Krall-Live in Paris was released and went to the top of Billboard jazz charts, number 5 in Canada and the top 20 of Billboard 200. On the recording was a cover of Billy Joel’s “Just The Way You Are” and “A Case Of You” by Joni Mitchell."

http://www.johndoessqueezepage.com/jazz-music/diana-krall.htm/
I definitely agree with this article. I own the Diana Krall Dvd, Live In Paris and have concluded that Diana is indeed a great jazz improv artist. Have a listen to
Diana's studio version of Billy Joel's classic Just The Way You Are on YouTube:
Music Video for Diana Krall singing Billy Joel's "Just The Way You Are" Adolfo2500


Diana Krall Lyrics
Just The Way You Are Lyrics
* Just The Way You are Chords
D--------Bm6-----Gmaj7-------Bm----------D7/9
Don't go changing, to try and please me

Gmaj7-----Gm7-----------D-Am7-D7/9
You never let me down before

Gmaj7--Gm7---D------------Bm7
Don't imagine?. you're too familiar

Bm7--E9-------------------A9sus
And I don't see you anymore

D-----------Bm6-----Gmaj7--------Bm------D7
I would not leave you in times of trouble

Gmaj7----Gm7------------------D-Am7-D7
We never could have come this far

Gmaj7------Gm6--------D------------Bm7
I took the good times, I'll take the bad times

Em7--------------------A9sus--------D
I'll take you just the way you are
* Chord Breakdown:
Bm6= B G#/ D F# D to B

E9= E G#/ D F# D to E

A9sus= A G/ B D A to G

Gm6= G D/ Bb E to D


Learning 5 finger scales in any key helps recognize chords, with whole steps and half steps, whether Major or Minor Keys. Think Major first and listen to it, then play a Minor Chord, flatting the third, and listen to the sound you've made. Also play the octave of the chord in your l.h. and play the triad in your r.h. You can also arpeggiate the chord in your r.h. and that gives the chord a different sound.

I'm loving this song, I love You Just The Way You Are. Have a relaxing time playing the chords. I appreciate each and everyone of you. Thanks for stopping by my blog.


For more, visit my site:

http://ladydpiano.com