More of my favorite pairs of Christmas tunes that segue well:
1. Do You Hear What I Hear?-Hampton String Quartet
2. Winter Wonderland-David Grisman
(Classical meets neo-jazz, and it works.)
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3. Sussex Carol-Canadian Brass
4. Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring-Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
(A quiet instrumental version of "Sussex Carol" blends nicely into a quietly sung version of "Jesu, Joy...")
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5. The First Nowell-Roger Wagner Chorale
6. Mary's Boy Child-Harry Belafonte
(Two stately renditions sung with appropriate gravity.)
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7. 2000 Miles-The Pretenders
8. A Warm Little Home On A Hill-Stevie Wonder
(An effective contrast between distance and close proximity in these lyrics.)
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9. Good King Wenceslas-Loreena McKennitt
10. Angels We Have Heard On High-Kenny Rankin & Laurence Juber
(These two carols segue well in almost any combination of versions.)
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11. Fum, Fum, Fum-Robert Shaw Chamber Singers
12. Shepherd's Pipe Carol-James Galway
(If you prefer that your carol singers not skimp on emoting, these two tracks should go over well.)
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13. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear-Rosanne Cash
14. What Child Is This?-Tony Trischka
(Two more carols that segue well in almost any combo of renditions. Cash's intimate vocals flow smoothly into Trischka's understated banjo arrangement.)
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15. A Gift Of Love-The Boones
16. Silent Night-Boyz II Men
(Two ensembles capture the solemnity of Christmas through beautiful harmonizing.)
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17. Christmas Time Is Here-Vince Guaraldi
18. Welcome Christmas-"How The Grinch Stole Christmas" soundtrack
(Two of the purest ways in which to give Christmas its due.)
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19. A Special Wish-B.W. Stevenson
20. There's No Place Like Home-Glen Campbell
(Here's hoping everyone can be with the ones who mean the most to them this holiday season--in spirit, at a minimum.)