It wasn’t in the plans to record a holiday-themed album this year, but Rodney Whitaker found himself doing just that – and for the first time in his exemplary career.

In addition to serving as Director of Jazz Studies at Michigan State University, Whitaker is University Distinguished Professor of Jazz Bass and wears many other hats. He is a special assistant to the dean for diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, a teacher and mentor to numerous jazz students, and remains active with multiple jazz legacy institutions. In addition, Whitaker has spent five-years as Artist in Residence with the historic Christ Church Cranbrook near Detroit.

Normally, Whitaker and Christopher Wells, the church’s music director, are able to collaborate on an annual Christmas concert, but 2020 had other plans. Unable to perform live, the pair partnered with others at the church and decided to take on an ambitious project: recording an album of Christmas music.

"When it became evident that we would be unable to schedule our annual Christmas performance in person, I met with the Christ Church Cranbrook leadership, Father Bill Danaher, Pastor Manisha Dostert, and music director Christopher Wells. We planned to record a virtual Christmas performance,” Whitaker said. “We also wondered what else we could create to make this event special. So, we decided to record a CD with only a short, two-month window.”

The result is Cranbrook Christmas Jazz, a new album now available from Origin Records. According to the label, this recording provides rich opportunities to bring together the worlds of jazz and traditional choir music, documenting the church’s long-running Sacred Jazz Concerts. Featured performers include vocalists Vanessa Rubin, Rockelle Whitaker, and Christopher McDole, plus Rodney Whitaker's sextet and the Church's choir. The musicians perform arrangements of hymns, Christmas favorites and jazz standards of the season, including Mel Torme's "The Christmas Song" and Vince Guaraldi's "Christmas Time is Here."

The CD also features MSU College of Music Jazz Studies Alumni Tim Blackmon on trumpet, Christopher Glassman on bass trombone, Len'I Glenn-McKinney on baritone sax, and Michael Reed on drums.

Proceeds from this project support Christ Church Cranbrook outreach mission in Detroit and Pontiac.

“It has always been a dream of mine to record a Christmas CD, it is my favorite holiday of the year,” Whitaker said. “I am proud to announce, we got it done!"