This is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

From West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Welcome to our holiday jazz celebration Joy to the World.

With pianist Bob Thompson and his band.

Featuring our special guest vocalist Judith Owen.

Support provided by the West Virginia Lottery.

[applause] Alright, thank you!

Thank you very much.

Welcome to Joy to the World.

Here we are in the Culture Center Theater, With, Ryan Kennedy on guitar, John Inghram on bass, Timothy Courts on drums, and James Moore on trumpet.

I'm Bob Thompson, thanks for joining us.

We're really excited about this show tonight.

Our special guest is a grea musician, singer and performer.

She's the total package all wrapped up into this wonderful person wh has a great love of Christmas.

In fact, she has a new Christmas recording just out called Judith Owens Swings Christmas.

Youll hear some songs from tha album tonight and she helps us celebrate the season.

She also has a fine saxophonist with her, Ricardo Pascal who is from New Orleans, where she now makes her home.

And we've had such a grand time the last couple of days.

Shes made it really a joy for us to work with her.

So if you would please give her a warm welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to Judith Owen.

[applause] Good evening.

[Bob] Two, two, one, two, three, four If you can perhaps make someone laugh why not now?

If there was a way to make someones day, why not do it now?

To be perfectly honest, Decembers upon us Go out and be kind There's no better time than a holiday time.

Oh, maybe it's time for you.

For you and I to be together What could be better than to spend each and every holiday with you?

Ooh!

Youve never seen joy until you give a kid a toy Just watch their face If someone's out of luck and you can spare a buck A buck, then why wait?

Because this is the season you dont need a reason to let your light shine.

There's no better time Than a holiday time Woah!

Maybe it's time for you and I to be together.

What could be better.

Than to being each and every other holiday With you?

Let's go on a log Take a walk to the park.

See all the lights.

Come on.

You and me on a New Year's Eve just feels so right Let's raise up our glasses and leave all the baggage of the old year behind.

Theres no better time to lay it on the line.

There's no better time than a holiday time.

A holiday time You and me, baby.

Under the tree, under the tree.

Waiting on Santa.

[applause] It's not possible that you're 82.

I'm sorry, I just.

Did you hear me screaming from the back?

Oh, it was me.

I had no idea.

I mean this it's almost illegal, but.

Happy birthday, Bob!

May I interest you in something a bit naughty?

A naughty song?

Yeah, I think the audience are demanding it tonight.

I feel it here.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, let's do it.

Okay.

(Bob) Two, one, two, three.

Santa, baby, Just slip a Sable under the tree For me Ive been an awful good girl Santa, baby So hurry down the chimney tonight Oh, Santa baby.

A ‘54 convertible too, ice blue Ill wait up for you, dear Santa baby.

So hurry down the chimney tonight.

Think of all the fun I missed.

Think of all the fellas that I havent kissed Next year I'll be just as good.

If you check off my Christmas list, oh!

Santa, baby I want a yacht and thats not a lie Ive been an angel all year Santa baby So hurry down the chimney tonight.

Come and trim my Christmas tree with some decorations bought at Tiffany's.

I really do believe in you.

Lets see if you believe in me Oh, Santa baby.

I forgot to mention one thing.

A ring I dont mean on the phone Santa baby So hurry down the chimney tonight Woo!

Hurry down the chimney tonight [scatting] Hurry down the chimney tonight [applause] [Bob] Alright, Judith Id like to invite you over here to the piano.

[Judith] Sure, why not.

[Bob] Would you like to play?

[Judith] I would!

It seems wrong to take you away from the piano so soon!

[Bob] Well, I was hoping that something would appear so I could play along with you a little bit.

And what?

Here it is.

Okay!

[Judith] I gotta tell you, You know, youve probabl gathered that Im not from here.

[audience laughs] And Im not actually from anywhere in America As you can tell.

Im Welsh.

[applause] And I happen to know, and think Ive said this a few times that Ive played here before.

How huge the Welsh community, or how many people from Wales came here because of the mining and coal.

And so driving around today, and every time I come here, I always think of Wales.

And so that's why Bo very kindly said, would you do one of those deep, deepl depressing Welsh songs of yours?

[audience laughs] And, and this is an original and it's about all the people I remember growing up with i Wales and Christmases in Welsh and great grandparents, great, you know, uncles, all those people who are no longer with us.

And so this is my way.

I wrote this to say, I' thinking of you every Christmas.

I will always think of you.

And I'll sing Silent Night for you.

Well, it's Christmas time.

Yes, it's come again.

And my heart will break as it must again.

Seeing all those faces from way back when.

So tonight I'll sing Silent Night for you.

I could hide, I could run away.

But what am I gonna do?

Live to see you all again Christmas Eve and my stomach churning.

Waking up to my Christmas stocking down the stairs.

And my family waiting here for me.

So Ill dress and Ill light the bough Cause it makes me feel like you're with me now.

And a smile will soften this heavy brow in the dark When I sing Silent Night for you.

‘Cause I could run, I can hide away But what am I gonna do?

Miss the chance to see you all again.

A turkey leg falling off my plate.

Christmas cake when the world was so safe.

“Miss You Cards” from the aunties too Made us laugh how they made us so blue Everyone in their rightful place.

Here with me.

Well, it's Christmas time.

Yes, it's come again.

And my heart will break as it must again.

Seeing all those faces from way back when.

So tonight I'll sing Silent Night for you For you.

[applause] Sleigh bells ring Are you listening?

In the lane Snow, snow is glistening A beautiful sight, were happy tonight Were walkin in a Winter Wonderland Gone away Is the bluebird Here to stay Is a new bird As we go along and we sing a song.

We're walking in a Winter Wonderland In the meadow we can build a snowman And we pretend that he is Parson Brown.

He'll say “Are you married?” Well say “No man” but You can do the job while youre in town Later on Well conspire As we dream by the fire To face unafraid the plans that weve made We're walking in a Winter Wonderland.

Woah!

In the meadow, we can build a snowman And well pretend that he is Parson Brown.

He'll say “Are you married?” Well say “No man” but You can do the job while youre in town Later on!

Well conspire As we dream By the fire To face unafraid the plans that weve made Were walkin in a Winter Wonderland Let it snow!

[scatting] Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Oh oh no.

Baby, baby, baby baby baby Let it snow [applause] [Bob] Judith Owen, ladies and gentlemen.

Alright!

Yeah.

All right, Judith will be back.

Will be back.

Alright, we want to feature the band now.

And our trumpet player, Mr.

James Moore.

This is called “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.” [applause] Alright, thank you!

James Moore on trumpet!

[Bob] One, two, three Just hear those sleigh bells ringaling Ting, ting, tingaling too Come on, its lovely weather for a sleigh ride together With you Outside the snow is falling and friends are calling “Yoo hoo!” Come on, its lovely weather for a sleigh ride together With you Giddy up, giddy up, giddy up, lets go Let's look at the show.

Were riding in a wonderland of snow So giddy up, giddy up, giddy up its grand Just holding your hand.

Our cheeks are nice and rosy and comfy cozy are we Were snuggled up together like birds of a feather should be Lets take that road before us and sing a chorus or two Come on.

Its lovely weather for sleigh ride together with you Giddy up, giddy up, giddy up lets go Lets look at the show We're riding in a wonderland of snow So giddy up, giddy up, giddy up Its grand Just holding your hand Our cheeks are nice and rosy And comfy, cozy are we We're snuggled up together lik birds of a feather should be Lets take that road before us and sing a chorus or two Come on, Its lovely weather For a sleigh ride Together with you A sleigh ride together with you A sleigh ride together with you [scatting] A sleigh ride together with you A sleigh ride together with you A sleigh ride together with you [applause] Now Bob and I share this love of Christmas.

Why you ask me?

Its dreadful.

So.

No, I love Christmas.

I love Christmas because My mother taught me to dress, to decorate the tree.

And, you know those are the things that count.

Ultimately at the end of the day when you own everything And bought everything You possibly can.

and you know, and you're not speaking to your husband or wife day of Christmas, you know, it's always good to remember.

That the best things are free.

They really are.

And my memory of dressing the tree with my mother that's the exquisite joy that I have.

And that's why I love I love being invited here.

I'm so grateful to Bob for inviting me and bringing, Ricardo, because this is the joy of Christmas, being around the piano, playing great music together.

This is it.

This is the joy.

So glad you're all here.

So glad.

[applause] And we had this tree and it sparkled on and off.

You know, like ones do like they do.

And because I was a simple child, I actually thought the tree looked like it was dancing In my mind, In my imagination.

And so I wrote this song That I cannot go through Christmas without playing.

And you're the first people to hear it this Christmas, And it's called The Dancing Tree.

Once a child and now a Mother Christmas came with all its glee Tinsel topped and crystal covered.

She knelt to dress The Dancing Tree Gone were all her thoughts revealing Gone was all the drudgery, all the worries she'd been weaving.

As she knelt to dance The Dancing Tree And she thought all the time When she was just a child And she helped her mother dress the tree And she thought with a smil how her world seemed so wide when she said.

You long for days like this Through her dreams, her sentimenting came the sound of her sweet song Full of life, so unrepenting And down the stairs The family came And she said, Little soldier, when youre older Youll have a girl like me Kiss her, hold her Remember, I told you To dance around The Dancing Tree For you long For the time when you were just a child And you helped your mother dress the tree And you think who wouldnt smile Or who would seem so wise when she said.

You long for days like this Once a child and now a mother Thankful for her family Sleeping babe and Sleeping She dances round The Dancing Tree She dances round The Dancing Tree She dances round The Dancing Tree [applause] They call him Back Door Santa Makes his run at the break of day They call him Back Door Santa Makes his run at the break of day Keeps all the little girls happy now While the boys are out to play.

He aint old Saint Nick who comes but once a year.

I said he aint old Saint Nick who comes but once a year.

Hell come running with your presents Every time you call him dear He keeps some change in his pocket In case the children are at home He gives them all some pennies So they will leave him alone, so Keep your back door open So if anybody smells a mouse.

Cause you'll be in big trouble.

With no chimney in the house.

Yes, they call him “Back Door Santa” Makes his run at the break of day He makes all the little girls happy while While the boys are out to play He keeps some change in his pocket In case the children are at home He gives them all some pennies So they will leave him alone So keep your back door open Cause if anybody smells a mouse He'll be in big troubl with no chimney in the house.

Yes, they call him “Back Door Santa” Makes his runs at the break of day Makes all the little girls happy while While the boys are out to play Oh, oh, oh!

Keep your back door open, baby [scatting] Hes a Back Door Santa!

Woo!

Keep your back door open, baby!

[scatting] Keep your back door open, baby!

Woo!

[applause] [Bob] Alright, Judith Owen!

Judith Owen, ladies and gentlemen!

[applause] All right.

Little Drummer Boy!

Yeah.

Ricardo Pascal, tenor sax.

James Moore, on trumpet!

Ryan Kennedy on guitar!

John Inghram on bass.

Timothy Courts on drums.

Chesnuts roasting on an open fire Jack Frost nipping at your nose Yuletide carols being sung by a choir And folks dressed up like eskimoes Everybody knows Some turkey and some mistletoe.

Can help to make the season bright Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow Will find it hard to sleep Tonight They know that Santas on his way He is bringing lots of toys And goodies on his sleigh And every mothers child is gonna spy To see if reindeer really know how to fly And that is why Im offering this simple phrase To kids from one to ninety-two Although its been said many times, many ways Merry Christmas to you And so, Im offering this simple phrase To kids from one to ninety-two Although its been said many times, many ways Merry Christmas to you [applause] Support provided by The West Virginia Lottery This has been a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.