By Kyle Polillo
Singer Brynn Stanley grew up with CDs. But she still remembers listening, as a 5 year old, to her father’s vinyl albums of Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby. They became her favorite holiday albums.
“What’s so amazing is that Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole’s albums created such warmth and home feeling for me when I was young,” said Stanley.
Now, it’s her turn to go vinyl for Christmas.
The Basking Ridge native is re-releasing her 2019 digital album, Classic Christmas, on vinyl this month.
Available on Amazon and at Scotti’s record shop in Summit, the record includes 10 of her cheery Yule tunes and a bonus track, What a Wonderful World.
Video: Behind the scenes at Brynn Stanley’s ‘Classic Christmas’:
“I think I’m such an old soul, and what I love about vinyl and the reason I think it’s becoming popular is because it’s classic,” said Stanley, who has appeared at Morristown’s Mayo Performing Arts Center and is a favorite at Shanghai Jazz in Madison.
The retooling of Classic Christmas has evoked lots of nostalgia for the singer. She plans to celebrate the vinyl release with a concert tour of area churches, with a full band and a saxophone player.
“I think it brings you back to simpler times,” Stanley said of vinyl. “People back then would sit down in front of a fire and listen to a record from start to finish, and not a lot of people do that anymore. It really makes you appreciate the moment more.”
She hopes to replicate the feelings that Crosby and Cole kindled.
“It was comfort,” Stanley said. “I don’t know how else to describe it. And it was Christmas. What’s really amazing about having my own album on vinyl, is that hopefully my album will be able to create that for someone, maybe a young child.”
Stanley said vinyl appeals to a niche market, people who really appreciate the sonic qualities of recordings. “On vinyl, you are hearing the sound in the purest form,” she said. “It feels like you are in the room with the musicians. It’s really cool.”
Although digital natives are accustomed to shuffling through songs in seconds on their phones, Stanley says there’s something great about slowing down, appreciating the album as a whole, and being in the moment.
“We put thought into the song choices and then the order of the songs,” said Stanley. “When you sit down and listen to it from start to finish, you hear the story the artist is trying to tell.”
Christmas Classics is listed at $20 on Amazon.
Stanley said she feels fortunate to have the opportunity to do this project.
“I’m tearing up, because it’s so beyond what I ever expected,” Stanley said of the success of her 2019 album.
“I’m just so happy I was able to record, in the first place, a Christmas album, and they’re with the top musicians in Los Angeles… to have a big band sound on vinyl, I’m so grateful.
Next on the radar for the Montclair State grad: Hallmark. Her songs are in Hallmark’s music library. She’s hoping they will be chosen for use in films.
“I’ve got my fingers crossed. I’m hoping that pans out one of these Christmas seasons, because that would be pretty cool,” said Stanley. “I would be so excited if I found out that one of my songs ended up on a soundtrack in a movie.”
Beyond Hallmark moments, another big item looms on her bucket list. Stanley always has wanted to sing a duet with Michael Buble.
“He hasn’t called me yet, but I’m expecting his phone call,” Stanley said with a laugh.
