It's been 10 years since Ottmar Liebert released a Christmas album.
"My first Christmas album ('Poets and Angels') was done back in 1990," Liebert said during a phone call from his home in Santa Fe, N.M. "I was actually railroaded into making that album. The record label I was on at the time (Higher Octave) told me they would support a tour only if I'd release a Christmas album."
This time around, Liebert chose to do a holiday album on his own terms.
"I worked with musicians who have worked with everyone from Iggy Pop to the Grateful Dead," he said with a laugh. "That was a joy, because they were open to many suggestions, and they also had their own for the album."
Liebert's new Christmas album is called "Christmas: Santa Fe," which was released on Epic records just in time for the holiday season.
"I picked traditional melodies, but arranged new parts to them," he said about the carol choices, which range from "Deck the Halls" to "The Holly and the Ivy." "I began with the melody and wove a new time-change and music to it before it returned to the original melody."
There's a cha-cha Latin feel to "Deck the Halls," which is subtitled "Santa Dancing," and a nice bass working of "We Wish U a Merry Christmas/Snow Angel."
"It was a magical time," Liebert said. "A lot of the arrangements happened in the studio. I feel very comfortable there."
Other songs that made it to the album include "Celebration/God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman," "Holiday Buleria/Greensleeves" and "Michelle's Song/The Holly and the Ivy," just to name a few.
"I like the idea of waiting 10 years between Christmas albums," Liebert said with a chuckle. "I hope I am a better player now than back in 1990. And I hope I will be a better player in 2009 or 2010."
E-mail: scott@desnews.com