Still shopping? It’s not too late to add some Christmas CDs to the stockings:
“Comfort &Joy,” John Cowan. While most Christmas albums by vocalists are for diehard fans only, Cowan, former vocalist with New Grass Revival, delivers one of the few new discs worthy of being owned by everyone.
“A Family Christmas,” Various Artists. This 11-track set brings together songs from some of the best Christmas CDs of the past decade or so, including cuts from Leon Redbone (whose “Christmas Island” remains the best Christmas album since Bing Crosby went to that big orange grove in the sky), Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Deana Carter, Sam Bush, Martin Sexton, Brave Combo and Kate Rusby (the last offering the first version of “Here We Come A-Wassailing” that you immediately want to hear again).
“If on a Winter’s Night,” Sting. An usually deep-voiced and gruff-sounding Sting presents a rather ponderous collection of holiday-themed mostly original songs.
“Christmas,” The Irish Tenors. There’s something lovably old-fashioned about these big-throated renditions of Christmas songs by classically trained tenors Finbar Wright, Anthony Kearns and Karl Scully.
“My Christmas,” Andrea Bocelli. Italian tenor Bocelli is even more operatic. It’s generally pretty good, but did Mary J. Blige, Reba McEntire and the Muppets really need to be at this Christmas party?
“Yuletide Beat,” Los Straightjackets. Los Straightjackets’ turf is somewhere between surf-guitar giant Dick Dale, guitar army the Ventures and country great Hank Garland. There’s a Buckaroos-style version of “Jingle Bells” and a version of “Jolly Old St. Nicholas.”
“Connie Talbot’s Holiday Magic,” Connie Talbot. Here’s a full Christmas album by little 9-year-old Connie Talbot of “Britain’s Got Talent.” Little Connie has a great voice but the never-ending vibrato can be exhausting.
“Winterbloom: Traditions Rearranged,” Duvekot, Heaton, Hutchinson, Zuckerman. Four singer-songwriters (Antje Duvekot, Anne Heaton, Meg Hutchinson and Natalia Zuckerman) combine for this sweet, mostly acoustic collection.
“Channukah Fever,” Mama Doni. Only one Hanukkah disc this year: This starts fun, but is nearly maddening before it’s over.
“A Holiday to Remember,” Audrey Malone and Michael Evans. This is a nice set that’s a little jazzy, a little torchy and just out-there enough to be charming.
“Trio West Plays Holiday Songs, Vol. 2,” Trio West. Trio West does not play it by the book. Like the group’s first Christmas set, this set swings.
“The Spirit of Christmas,” Ray Charles. This re-issue of Charles’ classic Christmas disc (featuring Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and flugelhorn) is one of the most welcome discs of the season.
“Echo Glory of Gabrielli,” Canadian Brass; “Jazzy Brass for the Holidays” (www.eddieallen.net). Santa has finally delivered something for brass lovers. “Echo” is for the classical crowd. It’s stately and beautiful. “Jazzy Brass” is just what the title says — fun jazz arrangements or traditional Christmas songs for trumpet, trombone and French horn.
Scripps Howard News Service
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