2. The Christmas Song
3. River
4. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
5. O Holy Night
ARTIST SITE
AMAZON MP3
1. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year 2. The Christmas Song 3. River 4. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 5. O Holy Night ARTIST SITE AMAZON MP3 Javier Colon was the winner of the inaugural season of NBC's The Voice and he turns in a fairly traditional set on this digital holiday release. You may have heard Javier's version of "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" on the Rockefeller Tree Lighting broadcast. And Javier shines on "River" and "O Holy Night". Still, I can't help but feel he might have been well served to have a legitimate soul number or two on "A Very Acoustic Christmas". As it is, I think this set will mostly appeal to those who are already fans with nothing breaking through the avalanche of December releases.
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01 - Carol of the Bells 02 - White Christmas 03 - The First Noel 04 - Oh Christmas Tree 05 - Silent Night 06 - What Child Is This 07 - Days Like Christmas 08 - Winter Wonderland 09 - Jingle Bells 10 - Away in a Manger ARTIST SITE PURCHASE CD FROM ARTIST AMAZON MP3 CD BABY (MP3) Born in Kentucky and now based in Vegas, Shawn Brock was a very much in-demand studio musician for years (still is) before deciding to take it solo in 2009. Shawn's 2011 album, "Sight Unseen", held a position on the Smooth Jazz charts for more than 36 weeks this year.
For "6 String Christmas", Shawn went back to the basics--playing all of the instruments himself from bass to drums to keyboards and, of course, guitar. Shawn has a familiarity in multiple music styles and, consciously or unconsciously, all of those sounds and styles season his playing. You can hear the influence of Appalachia here and flamenco there, keeping the music fresh and original without disrupting the overall Smooth Jazz flavor. A few of these tracks would play very well in a New Age set while one or two others are more Jazz than Smooth. "White Christmas" and "Winter Wonderland" have the sound and feel of old school Traditional Christmas instrumentals. My personal favorites from the album are "What Child Is This" which is just Shawn on the guitar in a very nice arrangement featuring a bit of a Latin flavor, and "Days Like Christmas" (I gather an original) which is very pretty and reminds me of some of the beautiful Hawaiian music I love (not that its slack-key, just laid back). And the steel drums and island rhythms on "Oh Christmas Tree" make for a nice change of pace--both for the album and the song. Expect a lot of these tracks to turn up on Smooth Jazz holiday compilations in the years to come. Nothing here rises to the level of essential, but "6 String Christmas" is a really nice yuletide listen, whether or not you're a big Smooth Jazz fan. Like a lot of independent releases these days, the digital version is widely available, but the hard copy CD seems to be available only from the Shawn Brock himself, at least for now. 1. Can You Remember? - Sound Traveler 2. The Lights In Our Village - The Kruger Brothers 3. Baby It's Cold Outside - Alexis Worthington & Tyrone Young 4. Blue Christmas - Matthew Weaver 5. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear - Jessica Presnell 6. Judah's Land - Blue Ridge Vocal Ensemble 7. Silver Bells - Todd Wright Trio 8. Sweet Little Jesus Boy - Diana Wilcox 9. Christmastime At Home - Sharon Mitchell 10. In The Bleak Midwinter - Steve & Ruth Smith 11. Silent Night - Andy Page 12. Christmas Appalachian Style - Amantha Mill HUNGER & HEALTH COALITION PURCHASE FROM HUNGER & HEALTH COALITION or Send a check for $12 (which includes postage) to: The Hunger and Health Coalition PO Box 1837 Boone, NC 28607 Be sure to write "Christmas CD" in the memo portion of the check. It's always a good time to think about those less fortunate, but, especially with Thanksgiving so close at hand, now is a good time to give thanks for what we have by sharing a little with those who don't. In the Appalachian High Country of North Carolina, it's estimated that over 21% of families live below the federal poverty line. Many more have incomes that exceed the poverty line, but they still lack the resources sufficient to provide for all their basic needs. With the economy in the state it's in, the problems are only getting worse. In the last year alone, according to Executive Director Compton Fortuna of The Hunger & Health Coalition, the number of families seeking assistance is up nearly 50%
The Hunger & Health Coalition is a local charity. They opened their doors in 1982 and, today, they are the only major food pantry and free pharmacy in the area. The Coalition helps to meet emergency needs and provides families in need with referrals to other community resources. "Christmas In The Mountains" is a community effort, with local residents and musicians donating their time and their talents freely. Now in it's fifth year, the CD is specifically used to raise funds to address the health and hunger of children in the High Country. 100% of the proceeds from the CD go to the End Child Hunger In The High Country program. The sale of a single CD will feed a family of four for a week. "Christmas In The Mountains" has always had a very intimate feel, with the music ranging from mountain folk to big city jazz. There's a warmth in these recordings that would be difficult for any major label to duplicate. There's no pretense; the performances are honest and heartfelt. There's no sweetening or overdubbing. Just talented people of good will giving what they have to give. Highlights from this year's set include "The Lights In Our Village" from The Kruger Brothers, "Christmas Appalachian Style" by Amantha Mill, the folk of Sound Traveler, the jazz of Todd Wright's Trio, and another winning performance from young Jessica Presnell. Many local North Carolina businesses will be carrying the Christmas CD and they take not a penny from the sale. For the first time ever, to the best of my knowledge, "Christmas In The Mountains" can be ordered online directly from the Hunger & Health Coalition. For more information, visit the Coalition online, read articles from the High Country Press, and see our review of "Christmas In The Mountains, Vol. IV" from last year. I'll Be Home For Christmas Jingle Bells O Come All Ye Faithful Winter Wonderland Peace On Earth (featuring Jordan Knight) Christmas Don't Be Late (featuring Griffin McIntyre) Do You Hear What I Hear (featuring Carol Gallagher) Santa Claus Is Coming To Town Baby It's Cold Outside (featuring Mario Cantone) O Holy Night Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas ARTIST SITE PURCHASE FROM ARTIST iTUNES At 12 years old when he joined the group, Joey McIntyre was the youngest member of New Kids On The Block. Think about that for a second. If it were me, I think that would suck. Not the "most talented", not the "best looking", not even the "bad boy". For the rest of his life, Joey Mac will always be tagged as "the youngest member of NKOTB". For all that, Joey seems remarkably well adjusted. Since NKOTB initially broke up, he's busied himself acting and writing and recording, and putting out records--mostly on his own. This self-issued Christmas album, "Come Home For Christmas", is an excellent portrait of Joey McIntyre all grown up. The songs seem marvelously arranged and meticulously recorded. His voice is strong and clear and confident. We even get a taste of Justin Timberlake like humor on "Baby It's Cold Outside", a duet with Mario Cantone that, done poorly, could've been kind of creepy; here, it just comes off as wonderfully whimsical. Joey is joined on the record by his son, Griffin, his sister Carol Gallagher, and his friend and former NKTOB partner Jordan Knight. There's nothing about this album that rises to the level of "must have" for the obsessive Christmas collector. But, as a pure Christmas album, this is a top notch effort--much better than many albums from bigger names. So far, the hard copy CD is only being offered through Joey Mac's web site (where the postage seems rather high). And it looks as though the download is initially being offered through iTunes. But you can find minute long clips of all the songs on Joey's SoundCloud page so you can decide for yourself if this is something you'll want in your collection. For whatever it's worth, I decided to buy it. What can I say? Joey's rendition of "O Holy Night" sold me.
1.Andrea Bocelli - Santa Claus Is Coming to Town 2.Neil Diamond - Little Drummer Boy 3.Alison Krauss - Shimmy Down the Chimney 4.Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Sugar Rum Cherry 5.Aretha Franklin - Winter Wonderland 6.The Roomettes - Sleigh Ride (typo courtesy Starbucks) 7.Bob Dylan - Must Be Santa 8.Death Cab for Cutie - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) 9.Fiona Apple - Frosty the Snowman 10.Elvis Presley - White Christmas 11.Rosie Thomas - Let It Snow 12.Dolly Parton - I’ll Be Home for Christmas 13.Brenda Lee - Jingle Bell Rock 14.Bing Crosby - It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas 15.Julie London - I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm 16.Yo-Yo Ma - Silent Night PURCHASE FROM STARBUCKS Whatever you think of their coffee or business model, there is little doubt that some of the folks connected to Starbucks have a good ear for music. Though they've cut well back on the number of CDs they issue themselves, they still manage every year to create a really nice Christmas compilation. I generally buy the Starbucks Christmas CD every year--not so much because of what's on it, but because they sequence the tracks so well. Bouncing between genres and balancing the classics with the newest pop and Indie groups. To be honest, the coffee comps haven't been quite as strong the last couple of years, but they're still pretty darn good. In past years, Starbucks has generally featured a couple of brand spanking new tracks. Looking over the tracklist for "Let It Snow", I only see one track I don't recognize. That would be the Roomettes "Sleigh Ride". And I can find nothing on the Roomettes on line--not even a Facebook page--so its possible that that one's new. In any case, the Starbucks Christmas collections always make for good seasonal soundtracks so odds are pretty good I'll be picking this one up. You can order online, but I always prefer stopping in. I dunno. I kind of dig going to Starbucks and not buying their coffee. (UPDATE: "The Roomettes" have been confirmed to be "Ronettes". So.....never mind.)
1. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 2. Hark The Herald Angels Sing 3. What Child Is This? 4. Magnificat 5. How Suddenly A Baby Cries 6. Joy Has Dawned/Angels We Have Heard On High 7. Jesus Joy Of The Highest Heaven 8. Carol Of The Bells 9. O Savior Of Our Fallen Race 10. Fullness Of Grace 11. Joy To The World (finale) 12. An Irish Christmas Blessing AMAZON CHRISTIAN BOOK ARTIST SITE In the last several years, the church has seen the rise of a "modern hymn" movement. Many talented Christian singers and songwriters feel strongly that the music of the church has become shallow and stale. Let's face it, it's been centuries since the church updated its playlist and the singing of the ancient hymns in worship services is often by rote. The modern hymnists aim is to bring meaningful relatable Christ-centered music back to the church. They take Bible passages and messages, sometimes even the old hymns themselves, modernize the language to make the lyrics relatable, give them a poetic rewrite, and set them to music that is accessible to multiple generations. This movement is completely separate from the Contemporary Christian movement, though their paths do cross on occasion.
Among the foremost practitioners of the "modern hymn" movement are Keith & Kristyn Getty, a married couple from Ireland now living and creating their music in America. Partly in celebration of the birth of their first child, the couple decided to create a Christmas album. About half the songs on "Joy-An Irish Christmas" are the old carols while the other half are newly written pieces. I'm not about to run out and buy up all of the Getty family's modern hymn albums. But, as you might expect, this sort of thing works really well with Christmas music. Really well. And all the more so with the Irish flavor the couple adds in to the mix. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", as interpreted here, is quite dynamic and joyous. And Irish! In many more traditional arrangements, the song is much more somber--sometimes to the point of being depressing. This album might be worth it for that track alone. But everything else hit just the right notes as well. Whether turning an ancient carol into a modern Irish jig, or spinning a beautiful original ballad, Keith & Kristyn Getty have crafted a truly magnificent holiday album. About the only song that didn't click with me was "Jesu Joy Of The Highest Heaven". But that was more than made up for by a trio of absolutely stunning originals--"How Suddenly A Baby Cries", "Fullness Of Grace" and "An Irish Christmas Blessing". The Getty's are even offering up a free download of their medley of "Joy Has Dawned" and "Angels We Have Heard On High" (which, ironically, is my second least favorite track on the album...but free is free). Just hit the little downward arrow on the Soundcloud widget above. Or head to Soundcloud yourself to pick it up. And just make sure to check out all the clips (available on the Getty's web site) before deciding whether or not "Joy-An Irish Christmas" is for you. You might be surprised. I was. 1. The Christmas Song 2. Winter Wonderland 3. Blue Holiday 4. Sugar Cookies 5. Let It Snow 6. Grown Up Christmas List 7. Home For The Holidays 8. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 9. Santa Baby 10. From The Mouths Of Babes 11. Nature Boy 12. I'm Sending You My Heart This Christmas AMAZON ARTIST SITE Finally back in print due to demand from her fans around the world, Many Times, Many Ways features nine seasonal classics sung by award winning vocalist Halie Loren, along with two original compositions by pianist/arranger Matt Treder. Halie recently toured Japan, South Korea and Italy promoting her current release After Dark. Many Times, Many Ways includes the classics "The Christmas Song" through "Home for the Holidays" and "Santa Baby".
Kids, always remember to put the word "Christmas" in the title of your Christmas album when you're an unknown artist. Otherwise people may never find it. This beautiful album from Halie Loren was in and out of print so fast in 2008, I'm not sure a title change would have made much of a difference. But, slowly, as good records find a way to do, people heard or heard of this set and wanted a copy of their very own. I found it as a download in 2010 and, while I'm not entirely in love with "Winter Wonderland" or "Let It Snow", Halie's vocals on the slower material, especially "Blue Holiday" and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" absolutely melt me into a puddle. Since the only accompaniment is the piano stylings of Matt Treder, you and Halie can enjoy a fairly intimate holiday experience. I'm just sayin' that this is a record that shouldn't escape your attention, now that it's back in hard copy. Check the song samples and decide for yourself. But I'm saving a portion of my dance card for Halie this Christmas. 01. The Christmas Song 02. I’ll Be Home For Christmas 03. White Christmas 04. Silent Night 05. It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year 06. What Child Is This? 07. Winter Wonderland 08. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 09. Happy Christmas And Many More 10. O Holy Night AMAZON ARTIST SITE The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year is a new collection of Christmas standards performed by Scott Weiland, front man for Stone Temple Pilots. In the spirit of the greatest holiday crooners, The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year covers a variety of styles including big band swing, orchestrated ballads, reggae, bossa nova and more, all delivered with surprising ease by Scott Weiland.
Scott Weiland is the front man for Seattle grunge band Stone Temple Pilots. The Stone Temple Pilots burst onto the music scene in the early 90s with a couple of absolutely brilliant albums--"Core" and "Purple"--led by the hauntingly wonderful song "Plush" and it looked as though a very bright future was ahead. It didn't exactly turn out that way, though. Legal problems and, specifically, Weiland's drug related issues pretty much derailed the band. Although later efforts yielded flashes of the brilliance of those earlier works, there really didn't seem to be the same promise ahead as once seemed certain. The group split up early in 2003 but reformed and, in 2010, released an eponymous album that was critically well received and justifiably so. Weiland has long wanted to do a crooner styled Christmas record, as he sort of implied when he first sang "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 2006. 5 years later, "The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" is released. Whether Weiland's crooner stylings can carry through an entire album is likely to be a matter of personal taste. There's no doubt he does a very credible job on "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas". I like the arrangement of "Silent Night" and Weiland gives a reggae beat to "O Holy Night" (it was said last year that he'd recorded a reggae version of "Little Drummer Boy" but, if he did, he didn't include it here). The rest is pretty traditional fare with pretty traditional arrangements. My personal reaction to Weiland's set is comparable to the reaction of others to Bob Dylan's Christmas album (which I love) a few years back. If you grew up when Stone Temple Pilots were at their peak, you'll likely enjoy this set. Me, I can't help but listen again to "Plush" and think about a Christmas album that could've been. Just sayin'. 1. It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas 2. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town 3. Jingle Bells [feat the Puppini Sisters] 4. White Christmas [with Shania Twain] 5. All I Want For Christmas Is You 6. Have A Holly Jolly Christmas 7. Santa Buddy (Santa Baby) 8. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 9. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) 10. Silent Night 11. Blue Christmas 12. Cold December Night 13. I’ll Be Home For Christmas 14. Ave Maria 15. Mis Deseos/Feliz Navidad [with Thalia] Bonus Tracks on Special MB Exclusive version: Winter Wonderland Frosty the Snowman AMAZON Silver Bells [featuring Naturally 7] ARTIST SITE Canadian crooner Michael Buble previously racked up sales and airplay with the EP "Let It Snow". But that always bothered him a bit, because the only thing Buble about it was his voice. Buble was just starting out in 2003 when label execs and producers tossed him in a studio and told him to lay down vocals on a handful of Christmas standards that had already been arranged and recorded for him. It did work, as the EP hit #32 on Billboard's album charts that year and has become a perennial with great staying power in the years since.
But Michael, a great fan of Christmas and the music that has been created about the season, dreamed of the day when he could do a full Christmas record...for realz--an album for which he could pick the tunes, set the arrangements, choose a few special guest stars to share it with--a true Michael Buble Christmas record. That time has come and Michael Buble has created "Christmas"--an album he hopes will be as beloved and lasting as the Bing Crosby Christmas albums he grew up on. There's been a slow motion promotional roll out of details on the set to help build excitement for the release on October 24. But Michael needn't have bothered. People were quite excited about the album already. Afterall, "Let It Snow" was a mere 5 tracks long. Add in a duet with Country star Shania Twain, who has been absent from the holiday genre far too long, and, brother, people are ready for this. "Christmas" features 15 tracks in all, most of them familiar standards. Buble includes a few more recent "standards" as well, Darlene Love's "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" from the 60s, a duet with emerging Latin star Thalia on the 70s classic from Jose Feliciano, "Feliz Navidad", and, in a tip to the most popular holiday song of most recent vintage, he covers Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You". In addition to Thalia and Shania Twain (who joins Michael for a Drifters inspired arrangement of "White Christmas"), the Puppini Sisters are along for a joyous "Jingle Bells". And those who purchase the limited edition version, exclusively available at MichaelBuble.com, will also get to hear a cappella's Naturally 7 lending a hand on "Silver Bells". It sounds like Michael Buble had a lot of fun creating "Christmas" and I've always said that's an element that can make all the difference in the world. So the stars, it would seem, are perfectly aligned. "Christmas" promises to be a true delight. Be there or be square. 01. Carol Of The Bells 02. Little Drummer Boy 03. The Christmas Waltz 04. The Christmas Tree 05. The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You) 06. I Saw Three Ships 07. Medley: Deck The Hall - The First Noel - Joy To The World 08. Medley: Silent Night - O Come All Ye Faithful 09. The Twelve Days Of Christmas 10. Toyland 11. Medley: Christmas Is Coming - Angels We Have Heard On High AMAZON LABEL WEBSITE "The David Rose Christmas Album" was David Rose's second--and best--Christmas album. It is one of the great long lost instrumental Christmas albums of the Golden Age of Beautiful Music. Originally released in 1968, the album was re-released the following year as "The Little Drummer Boy". The album has never before been issued on CD under either title.
For years, collectors of Christmas music have asked and prayed that the album be made available once again. And Gordon Anderson and Gabby Castellana of Real Gone Music have now answered those prayers and requests, complete with the original cover art. Born in London, England, David Rose made his name as an American composer. Though his best know composition is undoubtedly "The Stripper" (a #1 hit in 1962), Rose is widely known for his many compositions and scores for radio and television, and he was awarded four Emmy Awards during his lifetime. "The David Rose Christmas Album" has long been a part of the holiday season for millions, both on Beautiful Music or "Lite" radio stations and as part of the annual Yule Log that has aired for decades on New York City's WPIX and other television stations across the country. Popular favorites from the album include "The Christmas Waltz", "The Christmas Tree", and Rose's "Deck The Halls/The First Noel/Joy To The World" medley. |
PREviewsI don't know about you, but I want to see that cover art and I want to see that track list before I make my Christmas music purchasing decisions. The earlier the better. That's what we try to do for you here. We'll also try to give you a little background on the artist(s), in case they're new to you. Archives2010 PREviews Categories
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