No comments about 102 Christmas Songs For Family Gatherings.

4 comments about Christmas Cookies.

1. There is only one reason to buy this album. Yes, it's a compilation of new and classic Christmas songs recorded by well-known country artists from today and yesterday. However, buy this album for Track #11 "An Angel Gets It's Wings" by Trisha Yearwood and Vince Gill. This recording was previously unavailable and was recorded special for an exclusive "It's a Wonderful Life" theme at Target stores during the 1993 Holiday season. Back then, you could only get this song at Target on cassette single when you bought either Yearwood's or Gill's new CD at the time. It's a fabulous song written as a tribute to the classic movie. Thank you MCA for finally including this fabulous song in CD form. Even if you're not a country fan and I'm not a diehard, it's not hard to love this song. Great addition to your X-mas music collection!



2. Contrary to another review, there's sure more than one reason to buy this CD. Sure, I'll agree that the Trisha Yearwood & Vince Gill duet is outstanding. But there's lots more.

   Right off the bat, there's George Strait's rendition of the title song, Christmas Cookies, a rollicking song, maybe mildly suggestive, but basically a lot of fun. Then there's Chely Wright's sprightly rendition of "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow". Lee Ann Womack gives us a deeply feeling rendition of "The Nativity", written by herself. Also along the more seriously spiritual side is George Jones' surprisingly devout "Silent Night". Then we're given three classics at the end, maybe a bit more rockabilly than country in the case of Bobby Helms' "Jingle Bell Rock" and Brenda Lee's "Rockiin' Around The Christmas Tree", and country/folk in the case of Burl Ives' "A Holly Jolly Christmas", but still fittin'. Far as rockabilly goes, don't miss The Mavericks version of "Santa Claus Is Back In Town." And Tracy Byrd's "Jingle Bells" really swings.

   I give this a full five stars, and think it deserves every star. I previously liked "A Country Superstar Christmas 4", but this collection is better balanced with five female vocals and one duet, and six more serious and spiritual songs. And while it's basically traditional country, it does include some rockabilly. So for those who like country, I give this my highest recommendation.




3. A mix of oldies (Brenda Lee, Burl Ives) and current stars (Lee Ann Womack, Mark Chesnutt) converge for a well-rounded collection of Christmas tunes.
   My favorites on this compilation include:
   * George Strait's old fashioned country sound on the title track
   *Mark Chesnutt's warm voice on Light of the World
   *Tracy Byrd's very upbeat version of Jingle Bell
   *** Lee Ann Womack's superb treatment of The Nativity. Her clear tones really told the story well.
   * The Mavericks gave an Elvis treatment to Santa Claus Is Back In Town
   ** Yearwood & Gill's duet on An Angel Gets Its Wings
   * Bobby Helms' upbeat handling of Jingle Bells Rock
   * Burl Ives' robust singing on A Holly Jolly Christmas
   * Brenda Lee's great sound on Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
   The other six tunes were acceptable, though I would have skipped George Jones' plaintive, hokey sounding Silent Night.



4. Back in December, my sister passed away and we played a song that was her favorite and the song is on the Christmas Cookies Cd. The song is Another Angel Gets Its Wings by Vince Gill and Trisha Yearwood, and our whole family just loved that song, that is why I purchased the cd.
   Great Cd with all the other christmas songs also.

1 comments about Santa Swings.

1. Outstanding straight forward jazz. Some great players here showing some intuitive playing. Good selection of tunes artfully and tastefully played. A very enjoyable holiday album for the jazz buff or average joe.

No comments about Christmas Wishes.

5 comments about Here Is Christmas.

1. I have been a heart fan since as far back as I can remember. This album is a richly textured, melodic treat. If you liked the albums "Little Queen" or BeBe Le Strange" you will enjoy this delicate, pure, and moving xmas album.

   If I had to choose one Xmas album to listen to..this would be it. The songs are well choosen, well performed and touch the soul.




2. The whole CD is good but the rendition of "Oh Holy Night" is incredible. Anne and Nancy at their harmonious best.



3. Lush, rich, harmonious and truly stunning, this amazing selection of new gems and Christmas standards, from the sisters who brought you BARRACUDA, DOG & BUTTERFLY, LOVE ALIVE, MISTRAL WIND and SAND, will quickly become the top pick in your Christmas collection. If you are a fan of Heart and the Lovemongers, this is a must have. If you've never heard them before, now is the time to try them out. Ann Wilson's powerhouse vocals, always brilliant, shine at their best. Nancy Wilson's harmonies and muscianship are masterful, and she contributes some dazzling lead vocals of her own. Kudos also to a brave new band with a brave new sound. Among my favorites are CHRISTMAS WAITS, a simply beautiful original with a lush Burt Bacharach-ian mood. Another gem is HOW BEAUTIFUL. How beautiful indeed! And brava to stunning renditions of AVE MARIA and OH HOLY NIGHT! This CD proves what many of us have known all along ... the Wilson sisters are so much more than a couple of pretty faces.



4. To all of you devoted heart fans this is truly a must have . Annie still has those gorgeous golden pipes (Is there anything that this gifted woman can't sing and make it seem magical?)As for nancy harmonies melt together like warm butter & she just breathes guitar .Try it I know you'll love it!



5. Actually the best Christmas album heard in a long time . Have to agree with the others.Very moving romantic , dreamy gives you a real Christmas feel.

No comments about Christmas Songs.

3 comments about A Christmas Celtic Sojourn, Live.

1. Be ready for goose bumps. This is such a beautiful CD. Some funny songs too! It's a favorite!



2. I am a Celtic Music Fan, but was disappointed in this album. It was steady, but not up to what I wanted. It did not have continuity or a theme as it kind of meandered from one type of song to another. I did not think the music that good either.



3. ...as a previous reviewer noted. I thought one or two of the tracks were pretty forgettable (Mary's Boy Child, Miss Fogarty's Christmas Cake), despite the evident talent of some the artists (particularly Fionnuala O'Donovan).
   
   However: Navan's rendition of "Silent Night" is a piece of jaw-dropping beauty, as is "Ambran Oiche Mhaith (Song of Night)."
   
   I'm not much into that tin pan alley, Danny-boy and Celtic Woman version of Celtic music...Navan is more my cup of tea. So don't just buy this CD; pick up Lowena.
   
   While you're at it, grab Kitka's Wintersongs.
   
   Then, your Christmas music collection will be complete. Even if you're an atheist like me. ;)

1 comments about Songs For Christmas.

1. "I'll Be Home for Christmas" is a very heartwarming and traditional Christmas album from Pat Boone. I like the selection of songs and Pat Boone's voice is so heavenly and beautifully sincere. I really like Pat Boone's rendition of the "First Noel" because you can truly feel his heart behind the melody and the delivery of the words. It is so joyous.

5 comments about Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Complete Ballet)/ Sleeping Beauty Suite.

1. The Suite from The Nutcracker has become so familiar and frankly overused today, especially at Christmastime, that it is rare to hear a recording that doesn't either plod through the work with boredom from too many playings or try to compensate with false enthusiasm. This, however, is a recording that restores the true beauty to all of the most familiar numbers in The Nutcracker and gives new life into the less well-known (though equally beautiful) ones as well. The traditionally known dances "Trépak" and "Valse des Fleurs" sparkle with all the shimmer that they deserve. The lesser-known portions of the ballet, such as the Danse Groß-Vater are equally well executed. Particularly noteworthy is the exquisite harp work, especially the cadenza to the Valse and throughout the Pas de Deux. The sonority of the Boston Symphony is exploited to its full potential in the larger scenes, especially the climaxes in the Pas de Deux and the battle between the Nutcracker-Prince and the Rat King. The final Valse et Apothéose is masterfully executed.The Suite from La Belle au Bois Dormant is executed with all the flair found in the Nutcracker. The entire work is extremely attentive to detail, which is not to say that it lacks the quirky nature very much present in Le chat botté et la chatte blanche music. The ever-popular final Valse is appropriately grand as well. I am usually quick to find fault, and after listening to this recording many times, I can find very little not to reccommend.



2. These are wonderful performances captured in excellent sound by the DG label. The complete Nutcracker is perhaps Seiji Ozawa finest recorded performance of any work, and the Sleeping Beauty Suite is equally distinguished. The Boston Symphony rise to the ocassion and show what a truly great orchestra they are. The Penguin Guide inexplicably neglects this version for some unknown reason. I've rarely heard the whole score played so vividly and sensitively, with the melodies just flowing everywhere. If you are only familiar with the Nutcracker Suite, I urge you to hear the rest. Every tune becomes memorable as played on this recording. In particular the Waltz of the Flowers has rarely had such bloom, and you can clearly hear every section of the orchestra. This recording, in my opinion, rivals the Kirov Orchestra/Gergiev on the Philips label. The speeds with Ozawa are a bit slower, but the impact is equally moving. One note for the cost conscious buyer: This set is now available in Europe (although curiously not in the US) as a 2 for the price of 1 set (also includes Ozawa's San Francisco recording of Romeo and Juliet). I urge you to shop around and if you are in the habit of buying online you can probably order this from an online company based in the UK for significantly less than it is going for here, probably because the full price set is still selling so well in the States. It is my hope that Amazon will make some of these "import" versions available online too.



3. 3 stars is enough.Seiji gave us no thrilling,no enthusiamus.And the sound seems too dry.No soundeffect is added,so the whole recording is flat and dull.I really regret having bought it.



4. This recording came as an extremely pleasant surprise to me. The collaboration of Ozawa and Boston has been variable on disc, with probably more misses than hits over the years, but these Tchaikovsky recordings are pretty much all that one could wish for. There is charm and warmth aplenty, aided and abetted by an ideally warm DG recording that captures what I've heard in Symphony Hall, Boston, better than just about any other I've sampled. But charm isn't everything: here, the battle with the Mouse King and the livelier dances from Act I and the Divertissement have an energy and verve that are a joy to hear. Inclusion of the best bits from Sleeping Beauty, ravishingly played again, makes this a very fine Tchaikovsky ballet sampler, despite stiff competition on CD.



5. As a Boston regular and a non-fan of Ozawa's, I'm surprised to report that this gorgeously played Nutcracker from 1990 is among his real successes on disc. He led a bloodless and bland Swan Lake, but here is one of the more committed readings of the socre I'vve heard. DG provides full, warm side if rather lacking in inner detail, and the BSO is in top form -- I doubt the score has ever been better played on disc. The approach is definitely symphonic -- it lacks the dancing rhythms of Zinman's 1993 version with the NY City Ballet Orch. -- but I reveled in the plushness. The filler is the usual Suite of five numbers from Sleeping Beauty. Recommended even to Ozawa skeptics.

1 comments about Snowfall.

1. Sonically, this is one of the most eloquent Christmas releases we've come across this season. Steve Oliver's SNOWFAll is a collection of ten holiday tracks - nine traditional and one original. With more joy than should be contained in just one man, Steve Oliver goes with Christmas like Santa's cookies with milk. SNOWFALL is a tasteful and lovely collection of works from the joyful guitarist/singer. It includes favorite seasonal melodies displayed in stunning Steve Oliver arrangements. In case you weren't totally aware, Steve is a beautiful vocalist. We think he's pitch perfect... In addition to the sparkling and flowing instrumentals, the album features a scattering of vocals. His version of "Silent Night" will move you and he's nothing short of dynamic on his original "Watching The Snowfall." The quality and precision of Steve's voice is on the same level as say, Michael McDonald or Kenny Loggins. Steve is no stranger to the Smooth Jazz arena - he has toured and performed with many format corner stones including the likes of Rick Braun, Peter White, Marc Antoine, Everette Harp, Larry Carlton and may be most remembered as an integral member/partner of Steve Reid's magical ensemble Bamboo Forest. Many like to refer to Steve Oliver as a Rising Star; however, we feel that Mr. Oliver's star has risen with such Smooth Jazz hits as "First View," "High Noon," "Positive Energy," "Chips & Salsa" and his latest, "Good To Go." Add SNOWFALL to your holiday playlist and listen to Steve O shine brightly. ~ SANDY SHORE