Jack Sheldon's "HO HO HO", which includes new original holiday themed songs, was recorded in Los Angeles during the summer of 2010. There are primarily two very different songs that comprise this CD, as well as instrumental versions that feature some great jazz players. As a bonus, there are some out-takes from the sessions which allows the listener to enjoy the playful zany personality for which Jack is known. 　　 　　“Jack's In The House” combines a great groove, hot trumpet, and unique sing along vocals with a humorous holiday message. No holiday party is complete without this tune. “Christmas In My Hometown” is a more traditional holiday song in which Jack Sheldon sings about the magic of Christmas. Again, tremendous trumpet and a unique vocal make this song a modern classic. Jack Sheldon is well known for his improvisational rants, whether on the Merv Griffin Show, or live in concert. Here are a few priceless gems as well as instrumental versions of the tunes that feature trumpet and piano arrangements. 　　 　　Jack Sheldon is one of the great jokesters in jazz (whose spontaneous monologues are as hilarious as they are tasteless), Jack Sheldon's personality has sometimes overshadowed his excellent trumpet playing and effective vocals. Along with Lester Young in the 30s, Dizzy Gillespie in the 40s, and Zoot Simms in the 50s, Jack Sheldon is one of the Original Lions of the West Coast Sound. Jack's a premier improviser, is one of only a handful of trumpet players throughout jazz history who has developed his own distinctive “signature sound”. It's an inimitable sound that comes from his heart and soul, what Miles Davis called “a voice”. As an integral part of the West Coast Scene of the 1950s, he played an important role in developing that era's bebop-inspired sound. His solid connection to that vibrant period in West coast Jazz surfaces with each impeccable solo. Sheldon's collaborative list is indeed long and impressive: Dizzy Gillespie, Dexter Gordon, Curtis Counce, Shelly Manne, Art Pepper, Frank Sinatra, Benny Goodman, Stan Kenton, Mel Torme, Tony Bennett, Lena Horne, Peggy Lee, Sammy Davis Jr., Rosemary Clooney, Carol Kaye, Diane Schuur and many other greats. Nominated five times for the Playboy International Artist Of The Year Award, Jack Sheldon continues to dazzle audiences with his prodigious chops and unerring sense of swing. Sheldon has been featured on innumerable soundtracks. It was his sensuous trumpet solo that immortalized Johnny Mandel's "The Shadow of Your Smile" from the Taylor-Burton film "The Sandpiper". Today, his lyrical trumpet continues to garner the spotlight on soundtracks like "Object of Beauty", "The Super", "White Men Can't Jump", "For The Boys", "Mr. Saturday Night", and his trumpet work is heard like a character in the Francis Ford Coppla film "One From The Heart". A sublime vocalist, Jack Sheldon has been ranked as one of the top jazz singers of the day. In addition to the many recordings show casing his trumpet, he's been a featured singer on soundtracks as well. Jack Sheldon made his acting/comedy debut on "The Steve Allen Show". His comedic skill was an immediate hit and he was soon given his own TV sitcom by CBS, "Run Buddy Run". Over the years Sheldon has also appeared regularly on various television series including "Dragnet", and "Star Trek-The Next Generation". But his most powerful and popular TV stint was his tremendously successful 18 year association with Merv Griffin as featured soloist, resident comedian and musical director on "The Merv Griffin Show". In 2008, a feature documentray film opened, "Trying to Get Good: The Jazz Odyssey of Jack Sheldon", celebrated with many notable music and film personalities in interviews and rare archival films with Jack playing with Benny Goodman, Chet Baker, and with his own remarkable band. He currently performs weekly at a number of LA jazz clubs. 　　 　　Dave Tull is known in the Los Angeles area primarily as a go-to jazz drummer. He has toured the world since 2000 as drummer and lead vocalist for Chuck Mangione, and sang and played drums for several years with The Page Cavanaugh Trio. Dave has played with Jack Sheldon’s Quartet and Big Band since 1991, and played on Jack’s 2007 CD, “Listen Up” on Butterfly Records. Dave has played with the Steve Huffsteter Big Band since 1998 and is on Steve’s live CD “Live at Café 322”, and is on Steve's AIX Records DVD as well. Dave plays on four of singer Michael Buble’s CD’s including Buble’s notable version of “Moondance”. He is the drummer on five of Cheryl Bentyne’s CD’s including her 2005 release “Let Me Off Uptown”, and “Songs of Our Time”, that came out in June 2008 on King Records. Dave is the drummer for the newly formed “LA Jazz Trio” with bassist Kevin Axt and pianist Corey Allen, with a CD due out soon from King Records, ande he has been a member of The Les Brown Band of Renown since 1999, playing on that band’s CD, “Session 55”. Dave was the drummer for The Steve Allen Big Band and Trio for 5 years, and performs regularly with The Paul Smith Trio, as well as Jack Sheldon. 　　 　　Joe Bagg has played and/or recorded with most of the jazz musicians in Southern California, as well as a number of visiting musicians including Bobby Hutcherson, Madeleine Peyroux, Larry Goldings, Charles McPherson, Anthony Wilson, Seamus Blake, Lea Delaria, Brian Lynch, Billy Higgins, Arthur Blythe, Ralph Moore, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Joe LaBarbara, Alphonse Mouzon, as well as Jack Sheldon and many more. He also has played extensively overseas (Germany, France, Greece, Turkey, Dubai) and in the States such as Yoshi's in Oakland, Birdland in New York, The Moore Theater in Seattle, The Alladin Theater in Portland, and Richard's in Vancouver. Between recording sessions and touring, Joe can be seen currently playing with Jack Sheldon. 　　 　　Jennifer Leitham has been referred to by noted jazz critic Leonard Feather as the "left-handed virtuoso of the upright bass". In addition to her successful performance career, Jennifer has appeared on over 100 recordings with some of the giants of jazz music. Jennifer is best known for her decade-long stints with both Mel Tormé and Doc Severinsen. She has also appeared with Woody Herman, George Shearing, Gerry Mulligan, Peggy Lee, Joe Pass, Cleo Laine, Louie Bellson, Pete Rugolo, Bill Watrous, and numerous others. She has been a member of the Tonight Show All-Stars, The Woody Herman Thundering Herd, Benny Carter Quintet, Bob Cooper Quartet, DIVA, and more. Jennifer has been invited to perform as a featured artist or group member at almost every major jazz festival in North America as well as festivals overseas.  Her incredible story has been profiled in many respected publications, including JazzTimes, The Hollywood Reporter, Cadence, and the Los Angeles Times. 　　 　　Kirk Smith joined the Glenn Miller Orchestra under the direction of Jimmy Henderson in 1976, which led to another year on the road that included tours of the U.S., Europe, Scandinavia, England, and Japan. He also joined Stan Kenton's Band for the last tour that Stan would do in 1978. Since moving to California in 1977, Kirk has performed, recorded, and/or toured all over the world with The Ray Anthony Orchestra, The Tex Beneke Orchestra, Les Brown and The Band Of Renown, The Ray Conniff Orchestra, Billy Vaughn, Michael Feinstein, Michael Crawford, Keely Smith, The Bill Tole Orchestra, Louie Bellson, The Harry James Orchestra, and Suzanne Somers, among others. Kirk has played live with an extensive number of artist including Mel Torme, Nancy Wilson, Marvin Hamlish, Anthony Newley, Michael Feinstein, Diane Schuur, Sheena Easton, Marilyn McCoo, Michael Crawford, Billy Eckstein, Frankie Laine, Four Freshmen, Lola Falana, The Fifth Dimension, Andy Williams, Debbie Boone, Lorna Luft, Buddy Greco, John Davidson, Diahann Carroll, Roger Williams, Rita Moreno, Joel Grey, and Chante Moore. 　　 　　Joel Leach, who produced “HO HO HO”, is an award winning educator, author, composer, publisher, and producer with a life-long connection to jazz. As a composer/arranger, Joel has composed and/or arranged more than 175 publications for Concert Band, Jazz Band, Marching Band, and Percussion. In addition, he has authored more than 300 magazine articles in the areas of Percussion, Jazz and the Music Industry. Joel founded and formerly served as President of two publishing companies: Studio 4 Music (performance music) and Studio 4 Productions (books, non-music), whose products are available worldwide. He is active nationally as an expert witness specializing in the area of music copyright infringement. He also serves as a musicologist for motion picture studios, television studios, and recording companies. Joel is a long time friend and associate of Jack Sheldon, and was instrumental in putting together this particular group of players for “HO HO HO”, as well as producing the recording sessions. 　　 　　The material was written by three noted composers from the Los Angeles area. John Corlis is a film composer, songwriter, and producer who has scored numerous films, and has written and co-written songs for established recording artists for placement in films, television, commercials and on internet radio. He grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is a graduate of California State University Northridge with a degree in Media Composition. Robert Best is a composer, songwriter, and producer who has placed original music in numerous television shows and movies. In 2007 he was awarded ASCAP's Top Earner Award for media placement. Longtime music partner of John Corlis, the two recently launched MightyCore Music, a company established for them to compose and record music for film and television. Brian Potter is a Grammy-nominated, Country Music Award winning songwriter and producer. Along with longtime writing partner Dennis Lambert, he wrote/produced several #1 hits from the 1970s including "Ain't No Woman" by the Four Tops, "One Tin Soldier" by Coven, and "Don't Pull Your Love" by Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds. He also produced Glen Campbell's huge hit album "Rhinestone Cowboy".