Merry Christmas! Here are noteworthy Christmas selections I've heard this morning:
KDHX 88.1 FM
- Do You Hear What I Hear?-The Persuasions (This is one of this group's best Christmas recordings. The a cappella arrangement and baritone punctuation suit the tune well. Also recommended: "Joy To The World.")
- Poor Little Jesus-Maddy Prior & The Carnival Band (Captivating vocal harmonizing.)
- In Dulci Jubilo (Choir Of Clare College, Cambridge/John Rutter, conductor) (Powerful, resonant vocals. Generally, I gravitate toward faster renditions, but this tempo is ideal for this arrangement.)
- What Child Is This?-Raison D'Etre (Appropriately solemn vocals. Kudos to "Lotsa A Cappella" host Marjie for packing such a strong assortment of carols and diverse genres into a one-hour program. )
WSIE 88.7 FM
- Winter Wonderland-Bobby Timmons (Cool jazz piano, a walking bass line, and percussion blend compellingly here.)
- I Saw Three Ships-Carolbeth True (I've heard many good versions of "I Saw Three Ships." This is the first one I've heard that cooks and swings. At times, I forgot I was listening to a Christmas carol; that isn't always a compliment, but in this case, it is. True leads her combo on piano in this rendition that should be better known.)
- Santa Claus Is Coming To Town-Dave Valentin (In my opinion, this is the best track on the first GRP Christmas compilation. It's an energetic flute instrumental that kicks into an infectious mambo-flavored gear.)
- The Christmas Waltz-Doug Webb (An appealingly peppy saxophone-driven rendition.)
KEZK 102.5 FM
- What Christmas Means To Me-Stevie Wonder (Even if I'd never heard of Christmas, Wonder's energy level and list of some of the holiday's best attributes would make me want to celebrate.)
- Winter Wonderland-Jewel (Jewel's voice strikes the right balance of confidence and idealism the lyrics require. Instrumentally, it's a compelling blend of soft rock, jazz, and country styles. Also recommended: "O Little Town Of Bethlehem," which KDHX had the good taste to play this morning.)
K297BI 107.3 FM, a.k.a. WFUN-HD2
- Shepherd's Pipe Carol (James Galway, flute) (The singers don't skimp on emoting here. I wouldn't doubt their conviction to follow the piper to Bethlehem.)
