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Our Review

Welcome to holiday cabaret perfection! Tamer Tewfik is a New York-based jazz pianist and cabaret singer bringing his many-faceted talents to the forefront in Let It Snow!, a most excellent offering. The ensemble here is small, and the ambience is intimate and welcoming.

Tewfik leads the way with his piano playing and bright, expressive voice (reminiscent of Harry Connick, Jr.). As a jazz pianist, Tewfik has played with some true giants (including Les Paul and Stanley Clarke). As a singer, his stylings are comfortable, cool, and carefree. Tewfik's singing is incredibly natural and not at all self-conscious; its organic quality reveals a pacing and rhythm that maximize the emotive value and flow of his lyrics. The artist's outstanding piano and vocal abilities combine for highly personal performances on jazzy holiday numbers.

The song selections are superb. The opening is a clever, seamless combination of Let It Snow! and Winter Wonderland. My personal favorites abound--from Baby, It's Cold Outside to Linus and Lucy/Christmastime Is Here to I'll Be Home for Christmas. Of the 11 cuts on this album, only three are instrumentals, but what grand instrumentals they are (Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, We Three Kings, and O Tannenbaum)! These numbers burst with sophisticated creativity and are a joy to absorb. The vocals are equally fine; Tewfik's duet with Kirsten Lara Becker on Baby, It's Cold Outside is about as good as it gets. Their playful banter suggests a mutual attraction that is more than credible--it is downright palpable.

So there you have it. If you are a jazz aficionado, run--don't walk--to make Let It Snow! a part of your holiday music collection. You will be very glad you did.

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2003)

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From the liner notes:

Musicians on Let It Snow are
Tamer Tewfik: piano, vocals
Dave Wood: guitar
Jessie Heckman: alto saxophone, flute
Billy Jones: drums
Jason Harris: bass
Kirsten Lara Becker: guest vocalist


"Happy Holidays, my friends! Thanks for joining me on this great holiday journey. I am very proud to say that my jazz ensemble and I are back to swing on some holiday tunes. Many will be listening intently to the music and may appreciate the interesting arrangements, as there are many great elements of surprise in this mix. Some will put it on for background music to celebrate the holidays and will find themselves getting pleasurably lost in its warmth. At the end of the recording, I realized that this CD has elements for all generations. I sincerely hope that this recording provides you with the familiar feeling of the holiday season with all its magical splendor."

"We have added famed drummer Billy Jones to the mix this time and, as you'll hear, it was quite a treat. Once again, I am blessed to feature Jessie Heckman (Sax/Flute), Jason Harris (Bass), and Dave Wood (Guitar). Also, Kirsten Lara Becker once again added her beautiful voice for Baby, It's Cold Outside." --Tamer Tewfik

From Tamer Tewfik's promotional materials:

"Tamer Tewfik (PIANO/VOCALS) is a graduate of The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he earned his Bachelor of Music in Piano and a Masters of Arts in Teaching. As a student, Tamer pursued additional classical studies abroad in Budapest, Hungary, to study harmony, solfege, and conducting. As a vocalist, Tamer sang with the Choral Arts Society and Philadelphia Orchestra under the baton of conductors Riccardo Muti, Kurt Mazur, and Charles Dutiot. After teaching music for five years in The Lower Merion School District, Tamer established Swamp Queen Music, through which he recorded solo piano performances and original compositions. Tamer then created The Jazz Assembly, a one-of-a-kind participatory experience for elementary and middle schools. Tamer performs these Assemblies in conjunction with Young Audiences of New Jersey, Young Audiences of Eastern PA and Peter Nero and the Philadelphia Pops' Jazz in the Schools Series. As a jazz pianist, Tamer has played with Les Paul, Grover Washington Jr., Stanley Clarke, and Eddie Gomez. As a cabaret artist and pianist in New York City, Tamer has performed at NBC's Rainbow Room, The Iridium Jazz Club, Sam's Cabaret, ASCAP Songwriters Showcase, Don't Tell Mama, The Townhouse, Brandy's Saloon, Cleopatra's Needle, The Duplex, The Triad Theater, Odette's, and Tavern Camac."

Tamer Tewfik

Let It Snow

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Track List