Saturday and Sunday Yuletide-themed highlights:
KDHX 88.1 FM
- Ding Dong! Merrily On High-Firesign Vocal Quartet (A warm, cheerful a cappella rendering. Think The King's Singers, with a somewhat lighter approach.)
- Little Drummer Girl-The Gothard Sisters ('The Little Drummer Boy" has never been one of my favorite carols; it's too repetitive for my taste and doesn't move me as most other carols do. This instrumental version of it, however, is excellent. The guitarist, violinist, and percussionist give it a much-needed dose of energy, thus improving the tune.)
- Winter Wonderland-Jan Luna (A pleasant, Hawaiian-sounding instrumental rendition.)
WSIE 88.7 FM
- I'll Be Home For Christmas-McCoy Tyner (Through his arpeggio flourishes on the piano, Tyner conveys the excitement and anticipation of going home.)
- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas-The 442s & Peter Martin (An appealing transition from stately Classical intro to hip jazz melody.)
- Winter Wonderland-Warren Wolf (Wolf shows how "Winter Wonderland"'s bounce cries out for a vibraphone-led version.)
K297BI 107.3 FM, a.k.a. WFUN-HD2
- What Child Is This?-Vince Guaraldi Trio (Guaraldi's piano playing underscores this carol's downcast nature, with exactly the right amount of melodic embellishments.)
- In The Bleak Midwinter-Robert Shaw Chamber Singers (These resonant vocals sound as though they were recorded in a cathedral with great acoustics.)
