It was Hannah Gill’s Spooky Jazz Vol. 2, released on Turtle Bay Records, that made Spooky Jazz Vol. 1 that label’s commodity. Independently released by Gill in 2020, Spooky Jazz Vol. 1 broke Christmas’ hold on the holiday canon, opening a previously unexplored sub-genre of niche music.
Hannah Gill’s transition from Spooky Jazz Vol. 1 to Spooky Jazz, Vol. 2 is a dramatic one. While Vol. 1 is uniformly excellent, Vol. 2 betrays a potent boost in energy and freedom. Adderall-laden spirits and spooks of all stripes inhabit her second installment, honoring the macabre charms of Halloween. Eartha Kitt’s “I’d Rather Be Burned As A Witch” kicks off Spooky Jazz Vol. 2 with grand and extroverted style, one that speeds up on Dinah Washington’s "My Man’s An Undertaker.”
Gill has much of her Spooky Jazz band back in violinist Gabe Terracciano and reedman Ricky Alexander. Trumpeter/trombonist Mike Davis and guitarist Justin Poindexter bring the heat to Vol. 2. Poindexter in particular plays a desperately dirty electric guitar that properly sullies “Hummin’ To Myself,” “You Hurt Me,” and “Haunted House Blues” giving each a bit of musical dread. A great surprise is Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth’s “Shine On Harvest Moon,” where Gordon Webster adds an Addams Family organ in the background and Poindexter tops off his electric guitar. Gill’s genius in song choice makes these two recordings a delight.
Writer’s Note: I had previously published parts of this article here in “Hannah Gill - Home For The Holidays” - Bailey, C. M. (2024, October 31). Hannah Gill - Home For The Holidays. Wildmercuryrhythm.com; Wild Mercury Rhythm. https://www.wildmercuryrhythm.com/p/hannah-gill-home-for-the-holidays?utm_source=publication-search.