Natalie Grant - Jingle Bells (Review)
| Artist: | Natalie Grant |
| Album: | Christmas |
| Release Date: | October 3, 2025 |
| Genre: | Christmas Jazz, Swing, Holiday Pop |
| Duration: | 2:33 |
| Inspiration: | Ella Fitzgerald |
| Stream/Buy: | Click here |
Review
"Jingle Bells" represents a delightful departure from the emotional depth that characterizes much of Natalie Grant's Christmas album. This upbeat, swing-infused rendition showcases a different dimension of Grant's artistry — one rooted in pure joy, nostalgia, and the infectious spirit of classic mid-century holiday music.
Inspired directly by the legendary Ella Fitzgerald's iconic swing interpretation, Grant's version of this 1857 James Lord Pierpont classic is a masterclass in honoring musical heritage while bringing fresh energy to a familiar tune. The decision to channel Fitzgerald's approach was intentional and reverent, demonstrating Grant's deep appreciation for the golden age of American jazz and her desire to create something that feels both timeless and celebratory.
What truly sets this recording apart is the authentic production approach. Grant and her husband, Grammy-winning producer Bernie Herms, made the bold choice to record this track completely live with all musicians in the room together. Real horns, background singers, and instrumentalists gathered around a single shared microphone — a recording technique that hasn't been common in mainstream music for decades. This old-school methodology creates a warmth and organic feel that simply cannot be replicated through modern studio trickery.
Grant has openly discussed the intentionality behind this approach, explaining that the team asked themselves a crucial question during production: how would this song have been recorded back in the mid-century heyday of studio sessions? The answer led them to create what Grant describes as a throwback to those classic recording sessions where spontaneity, live performance, and collective musicianship were paramount. The result is a track that feels like it could have been pulled from a vinyl record spinning in a 1950s living room — crackling with life, personality, and authentic musical joy.
The production credits reveal the caliber of musicianship that went into this recording. Bernie Herms serves as producer and recording arranger, with string arrangements by David Hamilton performed by the Nashville Recording Orchestra. The rhythm section features upright bass by Lyman Medeiros, guitar by Andrew Synowiec, and piano by Josh Nelson. Bernie Dresel's drumkit work provides the swinging backbone, while Steven Robinson's trombone adds that essential big band flavor. This isn't synthesized or programmed — every note comes from skilled musicians playing together in real time.
The horn section deserves special mention. These aren't samples or digital recreations but actual brass instruments played by seasoned professionals, giving the track an authentic swing era sound that immediately transports listeners to a different time. The horns punch through at just the right moments, providing melodic counterpoints and rhythmic accents that make the arrangement feel full and sophisticated without overwhelming Grant's stellar vocal performance.
Grant's vocal delivery on this track reveals her impressive versatility as an artist. Known primarily for powerful worship ballads and emotionally charged anthems, she demonstrates here that she can swing with the best of them. Her phrasing shows clear influence from jazz vocal traditions — she plays with the tempo, elongates certain syllables, and adds tasteful embellishments that honor the improvisational spirit of jazz without ever feeling forced or inauthentic. There's a playfulness in her voice that's infectious, inviting listeners to smile and move along with the music.
The background vocalists contribute significantly to the overall texture of the track. Rather than being relegated to the background, they function almost as a vocal section within a big band arrangement, providing harmonies and rhythmic support that enhance the swing feel. The collaborative vocal work around that single microphone creates natural blending and dynamic interplay that's difficult to achieve through isolated vocal tracking and digital mixing.
This recording approach also creates wonderful imperfections — the kind that make music feel alive. There might be subtle variations in timing, natural breathing sounds, or the slight bleed of instruments into each other's space. These aren't flaws to be corrected but features that contribute to the track's warmth and humanity. In an age of auto-tuned perfection and quantized rhythms, Grant's choice to embrace the spontaneity of live recording feels refreshingly honest and musically brave.
The engineering team of Danny Duncan and Steve Genewick as recording engineers, with vocal engineering by Jeff Breakey, faced unique challenges in capturing a live ensemble performance. Mixing engineer Andy Selby then had to balance all these elements while preserving the organic quality of the original tracking session. Bob Boyd's mastering work ensures the track sounds excellent on modern playback systems while maintaining that vintage character. The final product is available in high-resolution audio formats including FLAC 24-bit at 48kHz, allowing audiophiles to appreciate every nuance of the performance.
Contextually, this track serves as the second song on Grant's Christmas album, immediately following the emotionally weighty "I'll Be Home For Christmas." This sequencing is intentional and effective — after the tender vulnerability of the opening track, "Jingle Bells" provides an energetic uplift that balances the album's emotional landscape. It demonstrates that Christmas encompasses both the contemplative and the celebratory, the sacred and the joyful, the introspective and the exuberant.
Grant's interpretation also serves as an important reminder that Christmas music doesn't have to be exclusively sacred or serious to have value. While much of her album explores the deeper theological meanings of the season and the personal emotions tied to family and homecoming, "Jingle Bells" celebrates the simple pleasure of winter fun and holiday festivities. This balance reflects a holistic understanding of Christmas — a season that encompasses worship, family, reflection, and pure joy.
The Ella Fitzgerald influence is unmistakable throughout the arrangement. Fitzgerald's 1960 recording of "Jingle Bells" with a swinging big band arrangement became one of the definitive jazz interpretations of the song. Grant doesn't merely copy Fitzgerald's approach but uses it as inspiration, bringing her own vocal personality and contemporary sensibilities while honoring that jazz vocal tradition. It's a delicate balance that Grant navigates skillfully, paying homage without falling into mere imitation.
For worship leaders and church musicians, this track might seem less immediately applicable than Grant's more explicitly spiritual offerings. However, it serves an important function in the broader cultural conversation about Christianity and the arts. Grant demonstrates that Christian artists can excel in multiple genres and musical styles, bringing excellence and joy to secular Christmas traditions while maintaining their faith identity. There's something beautifully incarnational about this approach — engaging fully with human culture and celebration as an expression of the joy that Christ brings.
The track's brevity — just two and a half minutes — is perfect for its purpose. It doesn't overstay its welcome or try to be something it's not. Like a perfectly executed dance move, it accomplishes its goal efficiently and memorably. The arrangement builds energy throughout, culminating in a satisfying conclusion that leaves listeners energized and smiling.
This recording also represents an important statement about production values in contemporary Christian music. Grant and Herms could have taken the easier, less expensive route of programming drums, using sample libraries for horns and strings, and recording all vocals separately for maximum control. Instead, they invested in real musicians, live tracking, and authentic instrumentation. This commitment to excellence honors both the musical tradition they're drawing from and the listeners who will experience the final product.
For fans who have followed Grant's career since her 1999 self-titled debut, this track showcases how far she's come as an artist. While she's always possessed a powerful voice and strong technical skills, the confidence and ease she displays on "Jingle Bells" reflect decades of experience and artistic maturity. She's comfortable enough in her own musical identity to step outside her primary lane and excel in a completely different style — a testament to her versatility and musicianship.
The Nashville Recording Orchestra's contribution cannot be overstated. Nashville has long been home to some of the world's finest session musicians, and the string section on this track demonstrates why. The orchestral strings add lushness and sophistication to the arrangement, filling out the sonic space and providing rich harmonic support. String arranger David Hamilton crafts parts that enhance without overwhelming, supporting the swing rhythm while adding classical elegance.
As part of the larger Christmas album narrative, "Jingle Bells" represents the pure joy of the season — uncomplicated fun and celebration. After twenty years since Grant's previous Christmas album Believe, this project showcases an artist at the peak of her powers, confident enough to take risks, embrace diverse styles, and create music that serves multiple purposes: entertaining, honoring musical heritage, and spreading holiday cheer.
A vibrant, authentic swing interpretation that honors Ella Fitzgerald's legacy while showcasing Natalie Grant's impressive versatility — a joyful celebration of Christmas captured through the timeless magic of live musical performance.
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