5 comments about Kenny Rogers Christmas Special: Keep Christmas With You.

1. I first saw this special on TV back in the early nineties when it first came out. I was really glad I'd taped it, because it's never been shown since, and I was still able to watch it year after year. Now, it's finally been released on DVD, and the quality is even better (*much* better than my own home-recorded version, especially). Kenny Rogers, Garth Brooks, and Trisha Yearwood are on top of their game, and Boyz II Men provide amazing renditions of holiday classics. What I find to be the best part of the special, though, are the kids. The chemistry between them and Rogers is magical, and they all have wonderful voices: from Drew's somewhat nervous solo to Maggie's tremendously soulful alto, these five kids will truly warm your hearts and help you to Keep Christmas with You.



2. The DVD came on time and was in excellent condition wish they had more kenny rogers singing like the one he did for halmark.



3. Disappointing. Fast forwarded through the entire thing and regreted spending my money. I also ordered and received the Donny and Marie Christmas Special. Though I wasn't asked to review it, don't order it. Far too wacky. Where are those wonderful Julie Andrews and John Denver Christmas Specials???



4. I enjoy Kenny Rodgers, but this special was filled with too much children, and very few of Kenny Rodgers actually singing Christmas carols as I expected it to be.



5. This is a very entertaining dvd. I like Kenny Rogers and enjoy his singing. My husband and I enjoyed watching this dvd

5 comments about My Hometown.

1. Along with John Lennon's "Happy Christmas (War is Over)", this is the best Christmas song of the Rock-n-Roll era. It's lighthearted and fun but, like any live Springsteen tune, it's played with all out spirit and convicton. Bruce's banter with the band and the live audience is so engaging, that by the time the last sleighbell rings, you just want to hear the song over and over. It just wouldn't feel like Christmas without this gem from Bruce and the guys in the E Street Band. Classic.



2. This is an excellent short cd. I get shivers up and down my spine every time I listen to Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Bruce Style. It is essential Bruce material and features solos by almost all members of the band, another hallmark of Bruce and the E-street band. I was playing this tune in my head all day at work eventhough it is March the temps were in the high 50's herre on the east coast.



3. the romantic sound of the first song and the happy sound of the second... together a wery well impression. i recommend for the real bruce fans.



4. It was exactly what I wanted and was very pleased with it. Also bought one for a gift and she was equally pleased.



5. Excellent. Has 2 songs on it but was worth the money. I am a collector of oldies and this is real rare to find. Santa Claus is coming to town was excellent.

1 comments about Do You Hear What I Hear.

1. There are 4 unique CDs of Christmas piano music available - but even after listening to the wonderful music of David Lanz, John Boswell and George Winston, I am still astounded by the piano mastery of Emile!

   A "must get" for Christmas piano music lovers !

5 comments about Our Favorite Things - Christmas in Vienna / Tony Bennett, Vanessa Williams, Placido Domingo, Charlotte Church.

1. Placido Domingo has done several holiday concert special for PBS over the years. The ones I've seen usually pair him with Jose Carreras on the classical end and maybe one pop diva like Dionne Warwick or Diana Ross. That makes for a mixed bag, and maybe a few awkward moments when the vocal styles don't quite mesh. But with the visuals, the glitz and glamour of the stars usually make these spectacles enjoyable enough.
   
   I've never seen the DVD version of this concert, which also aired of PBS, as I understand it. But I'll wager it works better with the visuals. As a pure listening experience, OUR FAVORITE THINGS comes up short. Domingo is really the only singer who is in top form for the occasion, and his Spanish language carols (probably unfamiliar to most American listeners) are a real treat. Tony Bennett, who has been fine in other recent broadcasts and recordings, sounds a bit hoarse here. He improves as the concert progresses, but he relies more on phrasing than chops and is at a disadvantage when duetting with Domingo. (On the other hand, Domingo's noticeable discomfort with idiomatic American English weakens his performance on tracks like "My Favorite Things" and "I'll Be Home For Christmas").
   
   On the distaff side we have Charlotte Church and Vanessa Williams, whose work I am less familiar with. Church sounds a little nervous and out of her depth when duetting with Domingo. She has a pleasant enough voice, which I hope she does not subject to too much strain before reaching her potential. I am not an expert in these matters, but I have been told by classical singers that too much too soon can be disastrous for a developing voice.
   
   Williams is less distinctive a pop singer than, say, Dionne Warwick or Diana Ross, who could at least begin to hold their own against the classical singers in those previous holiday concerts. She has her moments, but even her duet with Tony Bennett on "White Christmas" seems a bit strained.
   
   Fans of the individual singers featured here may well want to purchase this CD, but (even without having seen it), I'm betting that the DVD would be a wiser purchase. With the visuals of Vienna, the concert hall, the gowns and the glitter, I'm guessing it holds up a bit better. Strictly on a musical level, though, this is none of the stars' shining hour.



2. ONE AT A TIME IF YOU PLEASE!!!!
   
   This disc includes four of the best voices of our day, BUT they simply do not belong together in one program!!!!Somehow hearing 'O Holy Night' by two classical sounding singers following 'The Christmas Song' sung by a jazz-pop singer doesn't 'light my fire'. Now if you offered me a complete album of anyone of these singers, I probably would take it and enjoy it. Obviously, this is a money-making venture of the extreme sort; after all(say the great commercial powers) if you don't like Tony Bennett, then you have Placido Domingo etc. etc. etc. As I recall the same type disc was recorded 2 years ago (1998) with four diverse singers, Domingo again included.
   
   Oh well, the individual contributions are, for the most part enjoyable, but you will notice I did say: for the most part.



3. Maybe you had to be at the performance to appreciate it. Perhaps the concert itself, with the presence of these four performers, had some sort of flow and dazzle.
   
   But this CD is merely a strange assortment of singers, songs, and stylings, in no particular order. For instance: Placido Domingo's Jesus de Nazareth (the reason I'm giving this three stars instead of two) - followed by Tony Bennett and Vanessa Williams warbling a swinging "Winter Wonderland." Which detracts from my enjoyment of both those pieces.
   
   And then there are the inexcusable versions of "Angels We Have Heard on High" and "Silent Night," in which Tony Bennett's voice is just not up to the music anymore. It should have been obvious during rehearsals, and Bennett removed from the ensemble or given easier solos, or other songs selected. (And I still love him as a singer, just hate to see his aging voice be bested by the wrong music. In public.)
   
   It is an odd little CD, as is suggested by the cover. I found it in a bargain bin and was puzzled by the selection of these four performers, and decided to buy it and find out how well it worked. I'm so glad I didn't pay full price.



4. My favorite holiday music performed by top professionals and the gifted Charlotte Church. The amazing abilities of the featured artists supported by the magnificent orchestra and chorus make this an album that I wait all year to hear.



5. An odd assortment of singers you never thought of putting together, come together to produce a truly delightful Christmas concert. The visuals are beautiful to look at as well.

No comments about Holiday Instrumentals.

No comments about Christmas in the Country.

5 comments about Veggie Tales: A Very Veggie Christmas.

1. A great and different way to hear and learn some classic christmas songs. Our whole family from 2-66 laughs and sings its way through the tape/cd. The recordings are of a similar (good) quality to the silly songs and other songs in the Veggie Tales video tapes. The chatter between songs is hilarious. There is direct mention of Jesus Christ and his birth. I don't think we'll be able to store it for next Christmas!



2. Working in a toy store at Christmas time, I can tell you that finding a Christmas album for children that will not drive you out of your head is next to impossible. But once again, Veggie Tales come to the rescue! The only songs from a VT video you will find here are from "The Toy That Saved Christmas", including the Silly Song "Oh Santa!" Unusual in that it presents itself as a Christmas party at Bob's house with talking between the songs, but, like all Veggie Tale productions, it is incredibly entertaining. I think my favortie song has to be "The 8 Polish Foods of Christmas" featuring Oscar the polish caterer (You remember, he was the one stung by a bee, right on the lip!)



3. I bought this CD expecting more cute veggie fun, and I wasn't disappointed. It doesn't have much of a storyline, but the music is great! The veggies sing a variety of fun Christmas carols, including some lesser-known ones from different countries. It's a lot of fun to listen to around Christmas time, but if you're looking for a plot don't look because it isn't there. If that doesn't bother you, then this CD is for you. I would recommend this CD to any Veggie Tales fan.



4. This is the first Christmas CD my girls (6&10) want to listen to!
   It helps that they are fans of Veggie Tales already. It has songs that they have never heard and are now singing constantly.



5. You really can listen to this and never get bored. Every song is entertaining and (as with every Veggie Tales song) extremely addictive. You will be singing the songs for the rest of the day once you've heard them initially. There are some good traditional tunes (with a Veggie Tales twist, of course) and some terribly amusing new little numbers. About 4 years ago I would listen to this with my family in the car when we drove long distances and all the kids (5-14) and the parents, too, would sing along. If you enjoy good old fashioned fun at all, you can't not like this CD. It incorporates Jesus into the Christmas season again, but it never preaches. I dare anyone to listen to even 2 songs on this CD without laughing. It is fun and good music, and worth every penny.

5 comments about Christmas Story.

1. This is one of the most wonderful Christmas compelations out there! I have listened to many, many albums and this tops most by far. The rich alto voices combine in an awesome effect with strong melodies with wonderful harmony and counter-harmony flowing around it. The voice are full, rich and vibrant. This is an uplifting and soul-warming CD. A must for all Christmas music fans! One song, 'Immanuel,' makes me want to cry because it is so full of meaning and has the most wonderful sound. Five stars does NOT do this CD justice.



2. This album is one of the best Christmas albums, in the fact that it's so different from most now, while it still keeps the traditional feel in tact. Their arrangement of "Angels We Have Heard On High" is glorious and has become my favorite version of all time. I absolutely loved the inclusion of "How Great Our Joy", one of the most underrated and underused Christmas songs. And of course the girls sound absolutely lush on this entire album. The traditional and religious songs like "O Holy Night" (what an amazing and different arrangement!), "Let It Snow/Sleigh Ride", and "Santa Claus is Comin' To Town" are certainly some of the standouts, but a few of the real gems here are the originals "One King" and "Not That Far From Bethlehem". Another song that was nice to see here was "The Coventry Carol" which is primarily a song only done by English artists, because for some reason it's never crossed over the Atlantic that well. And of course none of this is to be outdone by the absolutely wonderful "Carol of the Bells/What Child Is This" where the girls sound absolutely on point and amazing.
   
   The entire album flows well, which is another reason why it's so great. Many Christmas albums, or just albums in general don't flow quite like this one. This one, from the "Joy To The World" instrumental at the beginning to the very last note of "Not That Far From Bethlehem" you feel as if you're in another place, one of snow covered Nativity scenes and great Christmas memories.



3. Never received this - tried to contact the seller, couldn't find any link to get the sellers attention. The product itself is great - we did own this particular CD by Point of Grace - it's their best!



4. "We're not that far from Bethlehem, where all our hope and joy began." -- We're Not That Far From Bethlehem
   
   
   I picked this up last year and it quickly became a Christmas favorite. Wonderful harmonies and the true spirit of Christmas are marvelously captured here by Denise, Shelly, Heather, and Terry, collectively known as Point of Grace. A real joy comes through the music, even in songs which sometimes take on a somber tone in other's hands. Perhaps it is their love for what they are singing which has this effect.
   
   There is a fine mix of traditional Christmas songs sung around a campfire and songs sung on a snowy night in church by a choir. The simple and pleasant productions allow the girls to just sing the songs as they were meant to be sung. Their harmonies make for a happy listening experience. You can truly pop this one in and let it play through, enjoying the entire overall affect of their Christmas joy somehow working its way into you by the last song.
   
   If I had to pick a favorite here, it might be Light of the World, in which the girls take the background vocals and somehow manage to make the harmonies more important than the main vocal. Then again, their blending of Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow, with Sleigh Ride is a Christmas potpourri of fun. Respectfully joyous is perhaps the best way to describe this Point of Grace Christmas album.
   
   The liner notes are designed and presented in the same manner as the music. Point of Grace having fun in the snow and individual favorite Christmas memories related by each give this an intimate feel. But it is a spiritual light burning within and that joy which comes across even in their thanks to those who helped make the album possible.
   
   If you're looking for something pleasant and fun to put on while you trim the tree or cook the turkey, I highly recommend some time with Denise, Shelly, Heather, and Terry. It will keep you in a festive mood for sure.



5. I have owned this cd for at least 4 years. Every year in November (okay, somtimes October) it goes back into my car as that seems to be where I spend the most time sitting down! Yes, it is Christmas music, but the harmonies are so beautiful that I love the music anytime of the year! I am now buying my second one as I have worn out the first. You will not be disappointed in this cd.

1 comments about Ho: A Dan Band Christmas.

1. This is a quite humorous Christmas album. I think the Dan Band really excels and is better appreciated in live performances or at least video clips. The albums, where enjoyable soon lose their appeal. For example, when I first saw some Dan Band clips and bought this and the other album from Amazon, I probably would have rated this disc between 4 and 5 stars. A month later it is down to three. Does it get any worse? No, but it doesn't have the longevity one would hope for.

2 comments about Christmas Celebration Concert.

1. No one sings music like John Denver can on this CD. A must for everyone's Christmas CD collection!



2. This cd is a 10 selection recap of the 24 track "Christmas in Concert". If you have "Christmas in Concert", you don't need this cd at all. If you just want a few songs and can get this cheap, fine, but you might want to see if you can get the complete version.