Vocalist Jonathan Butler released a new holiday album, Christmas Together, on October 4. Here, we share new tunes from the album and old favorites from throughout Butler’s career. He shares a classic recipe for holiday lamb. (Photo: Raj Naik)
South African guitarist and vocalist Jonathan Butler has just released a new holiday album, Christmas Together, on Mack Avenue Records. It’s a celebration of family and friends, and in the spirit of such a jolly get-together, Butler called upon his closest musical colleagues to rejoice along with him. The result is a program of Christmas classics in which Butler’s velvety voice and prodigious guitar playing are made even merrier by contributions from the likes of Sheléa, Dave Koz, Keiko Matsui, Kirk Whalum, Gerald Albright and many more. “Christmas is family and friends,” said Butler in a press statement. “It’s about being all together. So, I called my friends – all these amazing players – and every one of them simply said, ‘Just say when you want me and where you want me and I’ll be there!’ They brought their love and their spirit into my home and I was honored.”
One easy way to bring that sense of love into your own home: Stream our “Best of Jonathan Butler” playlist, featuring highlights from across this incredible musician’s career (including a few from Christmas Together). But to really get into the holiday spirit, why not take it a step further? In addition to being a phenomenal recording artist, Butler is also a top-notch chef, and he recently shared his recipe for his family’s traditional Holiday Leg of Lamb with JAZZIZ.com. Like Butler’s music, the recipe is fun, easygoing and bursting with flavor, using classic ingredients to make a big impression. This being a jazz publication, the recipe places a priority on improvisation. In Butler’s own words…
“Prepare the lamb for baking, freestyle your garlic, fresh rosemary, anchovies, and other favorite spices for lamb to taste!” Sear on all sides in a Dutch oven and then roast in the oven on 325 degrees for 55-75 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 150 degrees. Dish up with a nice side of potatoes, turn on some music, and share with the people you love.
Enjoy the music, folks. Bring on the holiday season!
