2 comments about The Sugo Holiday Collection, Vol. 1.

1. This is definately my favorite musical Christmas CD. I was so happy to find it at Amazon, as my original CD is so scratched it barely plays, and I found it in a little gift shop. The music is soothing and beautiful, and could be listened to year-round.



2. I was thrilled to find this CD on Amazon (I've already have one--very well-worn). To me, this captures everything that is magical and spiritual about the Christmas season. I only wish Amazon would carry the other volumes as well!

No comments about The Christmas Touch.

1 comments about Christmas Gift of Love (Sl).

1. While I cannot speak specifically on the SACD version of this CD, I can speak for the music on the CD, which is the same.
   
   Well, it was 103 degrees last August in Baltimore, but I had the car windows open, air off, singing Dixieland-style "Santa Clause is Coming to Town" with Barry. OK, I'm nuts, but whaddoicare! There are only 11 songs here, but they are super, high-power big band arrangements. I love Christmas songs anyway, so much peace and love. Why only at Christmas?
   
   These are lively arrangements of the old favorites, that make you think of the family around the tree. But, oh my, "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" really rocks! I LOVE that arrangement! I blast that bad boy on the car radio at 60 mph and sing, LOUD! Revs me up for work for hours. There are also 2 absolutely beautiful songs I never heard before, "River" and "A Gift of Love," the latter written by Barry.
   
   A beautiful collection of songs from 2002 and a treat for any Manilownian. So hey, get outside the box and listen to it all year long. By the way, it's great to hear somebody still say, and sing, the word "Christmas".

No comments about The Essential Collection: Traditional Christmas Favourites.

No comments about Eloise at Christmastime.

No comments about Frank Kelly's Christmas Countdown.

3 comments about White Christmas.

1. Raymond Lefevre White Chrismas cd is wonderful. He ranks right up there with Paul Mauriat. It's hard at times to tell them apart. This cd is a must. Disneyland plays his music during the holidays on Main Street and I love every minute ot it. I hope they reissue this cd for the coming holiday.



2. It took a very long time(4 years)to finally puchase this CD even after searching all over the internet, but at last Amazon had it available. The music is very good (if you like instrumental stuff). My only complaint - the notes and other information regarding titles, etc are all in Japanese. Couldn't they print copies in English that will be sent to English speaking areas? Most everything else that comes from Japan is printed in English.



3. The Christmas album by Raymond Lefevre is gorgeous. There are not that many albums of seasonal music which are purely instrumental if that is your thing but this CD is ALL orchestral.The arrangements are not over fussy and therefore do not detract from the composers intentions. Raymond Lefevre used a number of clever devices in his arrangements such as sudden changes in key or raising or lowering a note here and there which caused the listener to sit up and listen to the very exciting and different sounds of the orchestra.
   Quite often it would take the listener by surprise and it made the music much more interesting and very modern sounding.He would also used shifts in timing causing the music to sound ever so slightly jazzy which takes some doing with an orchestra of massed strings.
   The orchestrations and arrangements in this recording are much more conventional and are not jazzed up in any way but are played beautifully.
   Mr.Lefevre worked very closely with two other very famous French arranger/ conductors over many years.Paul Mauriat was one and the other was Franck Pourcel. They collaborated on a number of projects but not all at the same time.The late Paul Mauriat's recordings were often mistaken for Raymond Lefevre's as also were Franck Pourcel's on occasions as they all seem to have that certain French/European sound to their arrangements.
   This was not surprising as they often used the same orchestra for their recordings which were almost always recorded in Paris,France.
   This is an excellent CD for the holidays in wonderful stereo sound.
   The quality of the recording is excellent and with such a great orchestra you simply can't go wrong with this great CD. Thank you for reading my review friends and may I wish you happy holidays and happy listening.

2 comments about Christmas Number 1's [Eco-Friendly Packaging].

1. This collection of songs is fun to listen to - you've probably heard them all at some time of another. I happen to love Elton John, Dolly Parton and Nat King Cole so this cd is great for me because I get them all. The Chipmunks are great - just as you remember. The one song I had never heard before was Silent Night by the Temptations - just great and so cool. Louis Armstrong's Cool Yule is amazing. The only song I didn't care for is the Little Drummer Boy sung by some children's choir that to me was just painful to listen to, which is a shame because it's one of my favorite Christmas songs. All in all a good cd to add to the mix, it'll sound fresh after listening to all the other Christmas music out there.



2. Christmas Number 1's is one of the nicer Christmas compilations out there. The CD is packaged in an "eco-friendly" way so there's little beside the CD; we don't get liner notes but this is a minor disappointment. The quality of the music itself is excellent and we get a good number of tunes from a wide variety of artists.
   
   Elton John's "Step Into Christmas" is an energetic, upbeat number that provides the perfect start for this album. I really like how the number was mixed so that there's a slight echo to Elton's voice as he sings this number to perfection. "Step Into Christmas" rocks pretty well, too! Vince Gill's sensitive "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" impresses me as he croons this flawlessly; and the musical arrangement makes good use of the strings, percussion and guitar. Moreover, Nat "King" Cole's "The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)" certifies that this truly is a bona fide Christmas music album.
   
   Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" still gets airplay all these years later; and this same tune was high in the charts during more than just one holiday season back in the early 1960s; one listen shows you why. Bobby Helms's "Jingle Bell Rock" is sweet while still managing to rock a bit at the same time; and the backup chorus works well for "Jingle Bell Rock."
   
   There truly isn't a dud here; it makes selecting my favorite songs somewhat difficult. I suppose other big highlights would include Gene Autry's "Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer," which was a huge hit for him; and Burl Ives's "A Holly Jolly Christmas remains a classic holiday time hit. Burl sings this very well; his voice is in great shape and I think you'll enjoy "A Holly Jolly Christmas."
   
   The album concludes with Bing Crosby's "White Christmas." A minor drawback is that this track appears to be copied directly from a radio appearance rather than a studio recorded number; but the entire CD is so strong this remains a relatively minor disappointment.
   
   I highly recommend this charming album for fans of Christmastime music. The songs are bound to out anyone in a good holiday mood and I am very impressed with the track set.

No comments about Christmas Toons (CD+DVD).

5 comments about Ho! Ho! Hoey!, Vol. 3.

1. Although by now some of his rhythm choices are getting a little repetitive, Gary Hoey's third collection of Christmas songs is still an enjoyable listening experience. He rocks as hard as ever on "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and "Joy to the World". His soulful string bending on the fifties styled "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is particularly impressive. Even if you already have the first two, this third one is still well worth buying. It might be more of the same, but when the "same" is this good, you don't want to miss out!



2. Another great Christmas album by Gary Hoey! He continues to entertain with his third Christmas CD of rock guitar instrumentals. I really hope that he continues with this series for years to come.



3. There are millions of Christmas albums out there--why would I get this one?

   The only reason I can think of would be for the novelty. I'd heard a couple of Hoey's more intense Christmas songs (Grinsch, and Joy to the World) via "illegal" file sharing and thought it would be cool to make my parents listen to my Christmas music after listening to their lifeless drivel all those years growing up. I purchased "Ho Ho Hoey" 2 and 3 from amazon. Unfortunately this CD seems to have more than it's fair share of lifeless drivel. I guess I'll have to make a compilation CD of the few good songs and be happy with that.

   I guess it depends on what your expectation for the CD are. I'll probably buy one of Hoey's real CD's one of these days because he is a fantastic guitar player. This just strikes me as a novelty disc with a staggering lack of novelty.




4. Alright let's face it, xmas and it's music comes but once a year. At that time we tend to get a little more into the spirit by playing some xmas tunes as tradition dictates. If you like to change the tradition of the "regular" xmas music you might give a listen to guitarist extraordinaire Gary Hoey. He is the type of guitar player that if you here one track on the radio you might be inclined to go out and get a CD. You won't be dissapointed as he makes some clever arrangemnts and provides for some rollicking good fun music. He plays the traditional songs but with a rock 'n roll flair that swings and cuts deep with some excellent jam solos. His blues lines on "Let it Snow" are reminiscent of the best guitarist in rock. Not all of the songs are of the rock guitar frolicking licks as some are more in keeping with the more gentle side of the xmas spirit. Hoey's version of "Little Town of Bethlehem" is a toned down slow number with a dreamy guitar that sounds like a subdued Santana caught somewhere under a California palm tree on a sunny beach. The songs chosen are all those that you may have been forced to listen to as a child so the memories will stay alive but with a new twist. The classic corny xmas song "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" has a rippping guitar that plain out rocks. Again by contrast "The First Noel" is more in keeping with the spirit of xmas and features a blistering but soothing guitar that has that Hoey magical arrangement that distinguishes it from the usual xmas fare. All in all as xmas albums go this rates right up there. If you have not yet heard of Hoey give him a try, especially if you like rock guitar. Buy it and throw a cure ball on the usual Bing Crosby, Manheim Steamroller, Nat King Cole(stil the best) and Mormon Tabernacle Choir xmas music.



5. Got some funny looks when we first played it, but it grew on us. Very tallented and versatile guitarist and the songs are quite good in moderation.