Review: Celtic Treasure by Hayley Westenra

Next week, Hayley Westenra, one of my favorite vocalists, releases her latest album - Paradiso. I previously reviewed Celtic Treasure in 2007, so with her forthcoming release I thought it was time to share that review here:

Hayley Westenra's third CD, Celtic Treasure, is a somewhat misnamed as it isn't strictly "Celtic" -- it's an eclectic collection of songs that perfectly showcases her crystalline soprano. The disc features several favorites that are staples on Celtic music releases, such as "Scarborough Fair," "Danny Boy," and "The Water is Wide." Also included is "Last Rose of Summer," a gorgeous duet with Meav from the group Celtic Woman, a nod to Hayley's current involvement with that ensemble (as featured on the recently released A New Journey CD & DVD). Their voices blend beautifully. In addition to these well-known "classics," Hayley expands her artistic horizons with this album which features her in the roles of song writer, arranger, and pianist on a handful of selections. Two of her song writing efforts are particularly striking - "Let Me Lie" is a lovely, lyrical song with an arrangement that possesses a lush, almost cinematic quality, while "Summer Rain" features a driving rhythm reminiscent of Enya's classic "Orinoco Flow." There is a nod to the pop sensiblity that was exhibitied on Hayley's second disc, Odyssey, in songs like "Summer Fly" which recalls the jazz stylings of "I Say Grace" from that disc, allowing Hayley to "cut loose," this time on a toe-tapping, folk-flavored tune. Hayley's extraordinary talent has become more and more evident with each successive album, exhibiting a continued trend of artistic growth and vocal maturity. Her voice has lost none of the purity found in her 2003 debut (aptly titled Pure) or the ability to hit unbelievably high notes with apparent ease; rather, her voice possesses an added depth and richness indicative of her maturation as a vocalist. It's worth getting this album from Walmart, as there it includes a bonus track -- Hayley's version of Loreena McKennitt's "The Mummer's Prayer," which is wonderful. For fans of classical crossover artists like Sarah Brightman, Josh Groban, and Amici Forever, Hayley Westenra is a vocalist to watch. She consistently raises the bar with every release, cultivating her voice and skill, delivering each song as a perfectly polished gem.

Review: Duets: An American Classic by Tony Bennett

Next Tuesday (9/20/11) Tony Bennett is releasing Duets II, a follow-up project to his 2006 Duets album which I thoroughly enjoyed. With the new collaboration album about to debut, I figured it was the perfect time to post my review of Bennett's first Duets album here (originally written in October 2006) --

Just a couple of observations about this CD - first of all, Tony Bennett is in remarkably good voice for 80. Just my opinion, but I think he's taken much better care of his voice as he's aged than Sinatra did. All of the arrangements are terrific (especially the swing numbers), and while I really like all of the guest vocalists, of course some of the duet partners stand up better than others. The Dixie Chicks add a fun "girl group" sound to "Lullaby of Broadway" (reminded me of their work on The Runaway Bride soundtrack) and "Rags to Riches" is the absolute perfect song for Tony to sing with Elton John (there's a nice swagger to their vocals that nicely complements the lyric). The best jazz tracks are Tony's duets with Diana Krall ("The Best Is Yet to Come"), Barbra Streisand ("Smile"), Michael Bublé ("Just In Time"), and k.d. lang ("Because of You" - which also features a trumpet solo by the one and only CHRIS BOTTI!! Loverly...). Surprisingly enough, one of the best tracks on the album is "Cold, Cold Heart" where Tony sings with Tim McGraw. I was amazed at how well they sounded together (and of course a Hank Williams song is an ideal vehicle for McGraw's voice). Celine Dion is in good voice but way overdoes the ending on "If I Ruled the World," completely drowning Tony out (and reminding me of some of Barbra's vocal blasts on her own duets album, i.e., the end of "All I Know of Love" with Josh Groban). A little more subtlety would have been nice (like Celine's reading of "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered" on the Mona Lisa Smile soundtrack). I you get the CD from Target, they are selling a version with four bonus tracks - including a second duet with Michael Bublé (!!!) - "Stepping Out With My Baby," which has been one of my favorite songs since the first time I saw Easter Parade as a kid. Very fun listening. This CD serves a great testament to Tony Bennett's talent, legacy, staying power, and versatility -- good listening.

Any Tony Bennett fans out there? Here's hoping Duets II is as much fun as its predecessor. :)

Review: Christmas Is the Time (To Say I Love You) by Katharine McPhee

I’m a very casual watcher of American Idol, during a good year I may watch one whole entire episode of the show. But AI has produced several singers I've come to love and whose projects I’ve enjoyed, namely Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Daughtry, and Katharine McPhee. McPhee has a gorgeous voice, perfectly suited for breathing new life into jazz and pop standards, and Christmas Is the Time (To Say I Love You) plays to those strengths. The result is one of the classiest, most timeless Christmas albums to be released in recent memory. The album opens with “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” where McPhee is accompanied by one of my all-time favorites, trumpeter Chris Botti. It’s the perfect marriage of vocal and instrumental. This is followed by a catchy piano and tambourine-driven version of “Jingle Bells” – it’s not exactly big band swing, but it’s as close as this album comes and the result is undeniably fun. The McPhee-penned “It’s Not Christmas Without You” reminds me a bit of Mariah Carey’s “Miss You Most (At Christmas Time,” both heart-wrenching, romantic ballads of missing one's love during the holidays. Carols like “Oh Holy Night” and “Little Town of Bethlehem/Away In A Manger” are stunning in the simplicity of their arrangements and in McPhee’s vocal delivery, placing the purity of her voice and the message of the lyrics front and center. “Christmas Is the Time” turned out to be a surprise favorite of mine – fun and upbeat and catchy, this song of the Christmas spirit’s ability to transform everyone who gives into it is an album highlight. McPhee puts a more upbeat, pop spin on “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve,” followed by a gorgeous, heartfelt rendition of the perennial classic “White Christmas.” The album closes with a stunning version of “Who Would Imagine a King,” my absolute favorite track on the disc. The clarity and purity of McPhee's vocal here lends the song an almost heart-rending quality - for all its simplicity, the song is a showstopper. Christmas Is the Time is the very definition of understated elegance. Instead of opting for slick production techniques and musical bombast, McPhee's given fans a timeless Christmas record that is gorgeous in its simplicity and fully showcases her lovely voice, sure to be enjoyed for years to come.

Here's a Katharine McPhee webisode I found on YouTube about the recording of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and featuring CHRIS BOTTI!! :)

Review: Merry Christmas II You by Mariah Carey

I have a ridiculously huge collection of Christmas music. This year, two new releases added to the mix have been getting a lot of play - here is the first of those reviews.

When it comes to Christmas music, I tend to gravitate towards the traditional or jazzier sounds of the season. But there is a big part of me that absolutely adores pop music, and Mariah Carey’s Christmas music ranks high on that list. Her first Christmas album, Merry Christmas, became an instant classic and has received annual play from me since I became a fan of her music in the ‘90s. Aside from the occasional single, I’m not a huge fan of the predominantly R&B sound she’s favored for the last few albums. But Merry Christmas II You is the perfect “bridge” project, a great companion album to her first Christmas release. It’s full of classic Christmas carols given the Mariah Carey treatment and newly-penned songs sure to become favorites that will rank with “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and “Jesus Born On This Day” as modern holiday classics. The album opens with a 23-second pure musical “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” intro that perfectly segues into Mariah’s latest single “Oh Santa!,” clearly an attempt to capture lightning in a bottle twice and repeat the success of “All I Want.” And I have to say, for me it works – it’s addictive, catchy, and fun – pure pop magic like only Mariah can produce. This upbeat opener is followed by a succession of beautifully produced, laid-back carols and ballads, perfect for relaxing with a cup of cocoa in front of the fire. “Christmas Time Is In the Air Again” has a wonderful jazz feel to the arrangement, and medleys like “O Little Town of Bethlehem/Little Drummer Boy” prove Mariah is as adept at wrapping her multi-octave vocal range around carols as she is slinky romantic ballads. One of the stand-out traditional tracks is “O Come All Ye Faithful/Hallelujah Chorus” featuring Mariah’s mother Patricia Carey, an opera vocalist who was a huge influence on her daughter’s vocal stylings. I absolutely loved hearing them sing together, the arrangement and vocals all work together to make their collaboration the crown jewel of the album. My personal favorite is the new song “One Child,” a gorgeous retelling of the Nativity story with the reverential feel of a hymn and a wonderful showcase for Carey’s vocals. Other favorites include a funky, upbeat version of “Here Comes Santa Claus” and perhaps most surprising of all, a fantastic reimagining of “Charlie Brown Christmas.” It wouldn’t be Christmas for Carey’s fans without “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” and Mariah delivers again with an “extra festive” mix of her classic pop gem. Finally, the album closes most appropriately with “Auld Lang Syne,” that starts off traditionally and then transitions into a fantastic dance mix, closing the album on a festive high note. Filled with gorgeous arrangements, catchy pop numbers, and Mariah’s signature vocal acrobatics, Merry Christmas II You is pure pop magic, sure to be enjoyed by Carey’s fans for years to come.

Here's a video of Mariah singing "One Child" from the TV special Christmas in Washington:

Review: Anthems by Kerry Ellis

With soaring pop vocals and anthemic orchestra-meets-rock arrangements, Kerry Ellis makes an unforgettable statement with her debut album, Anthems. I’m a huge fan of classical crossover music (i.e. Sarah Brightman) and have a fairly extensive collection of solo albums from various theater stars. Anthems is a standout project in both categories. Ellis is perhaps best known as the longest-running British actress to play Elphaba in the musical Wicked, playing the role on both the West End and Broadway stage. Many times when theater stars put out albums, they choose to record fairly straightforward versions of musical theater standards, not so with Ellis. Partnered with Brian May, lead guitarist from Queen, Anthems is an inspired fusion of rock-orchestra melodies paired with Ellis’s soaring, passionate vocals. The album opens with the exotic Brian May-penned track “Dangerland,” reminiscent of “Fleurs Du Mal” from Sarah Brightman’s rock-inspired Symphony album, with a distinctive Middle Eastern vibe. Ellis then moves on to a soaring, rock-tinged version of “Anthem” from the musical Chess – her voice soars, and the blistering guitar solos transform the track into an arena-ready anthem. Two tracks from Wicked make appearances with fantastic new arrangements. “Defying Gravity” is transformed into a rousing, rock-driven anthem of empowerment, while “I’m Not That Girl” is an absolute showstopper, one of my favorite tracks on the album. Ellis’s powerful pop voice shines on this song, simultaneously both poignant and hopeful. Another favorite track of mine is a cover of the Brit group The Feeling’s “Love It When You Call,” which is given a rocking “girl group” sound. I absolutely LOVE Ellis’s interpretation of “Diamonds Are Forever” – it’s great to see a classic James Bond theme revisited. Shirley Bassey owns this song, but Ellis fearlessly takes it on and makes it her own. The album ends with a pair of Brian May-penned tracks – a gorgeous, powerful rendition of Queen’s “No One But You (Only the Good Die Young)” and the beautiful and poignant “I Loved a Butterfly.” Kerry Ellis’s debut is a standout. The press release in the product description section of Amazon states that “Broadway’s about to get a little bit grittier” with Ellis’s debut – and to that all I can say is more, please. Kerry’s powerhouse vocals married to musical theater-meets-rock-orchestra-fusion is an addictive combination.

Here's a brief video to give you a taste of Kerry's sound:

Review: The Lovers, the Dreamers and Me by Jane Monheit

This is another CD review from my blog archives. I originally reviewed Jane Monheit's The Lovers, the Dreamers and Me in February 2009.

The Lovers, the Dreamers and Me is Jane Monheit’s eighth album and second for Concord Records (following 2007’s Surrender). Monheit doesn’t stray too far from the dreamy bossa nova rhythms that populated her previous offering, and depending on what you’re looking for the disc will satisfy or disappoint largely on that point. This time around there’s less of a Brazilian-influenced sound, but the overall feel of the album remains just as mellow and relaxed (and slow) as its predecessor – it depends on your mood as to whether or not that’s a drawback. On this disc, perhaps more than ever before, Monheit spreads her wings a bit and interprets more songs outside the canon of the Great American Songbook. There’s a balance of classics from songwriters like Cole Porter (“Get Out of Town” – the sole up-tempo number on the album) and Jimmy Dorsey (“I’m Glad There is You”) to contemporary songwriters like Fiona Apple (“Slow Like Honey”) and Paul Simon (“I Do It for Your Love”). Two songs bridge Surrender’s style and this album’s slow burning tempo – “A Primeira Vez” and the Ivan Lins-penned “No Tomorrow (Acaso).” I would love to see some more up-tempo numbers from Monheit in the future – something along the lines of the balance of swing songs and ballads found on Taking a Chance on Love (her first of two albums for Sony a couple of years ago, and the disc that introduced me to her talent – those looking for an album with a better balance of ballads and swing songs should check out Renee Olstead’s Skylark). However, I am starting to think that Monheit’s true passion is in interpreting slower, more contemplative songs and arrangements – and when she wraps her smooth, buttery voice around songs like “Something Cool” or “Ballad of the Sad Young Men,” I can’t fault the stylistic choice too much because she sounds so sublime. However, if this path continues with little or no derivation every album is going to blend right into the other. This is the first Monheit album that I can’t give a full five stars based on my view that except for a few standout gems like her lovely lullaby-like cover of the Muppets’ song “Rainbow Connection,” there doesn’t seem to be a willingness to branch out & shake things up a bit artistically. Few vocalists can wring as much emotion from a lyric as she can, but after a while there’s a “sameness” to some of the arrangements. Perhaps with her next outing we’ll get to see her experiment with some fresh musical styles.

Review: Surrender by Jane Monheit

One of my all-time favorite vocalists, Jane Monheit, recently release a brand new album - Home. Her new CD inspired me to revisit my review archives and re-post any Monheit album reviews I've done in the past to this blog. I originally reviewed Surrender back in May 2007.

Surrender, Jane Monheit's seventh release and her first with Concord Records finds the velvet-voiced chanteuse in top vocal form, interpreting a selection of pop songs and standards woven together with dreamy bossa nova rhythms. I was a little concerned about what direction Monheit's recording career would take after she departed Sony, where she released Taking a Chance on Love and The Season. The former is an absolutely sublime collection of standards from MGM musicals, while the latter, a Christmas disc, contains moments of brilliance but stylistically is somewhat disjointed and quite frankly a bit of a mess style-wise. She's a great singer who seems to struggle with finding her musical "niche." With Surrender, Monheit moves away from the straight pop-jazz style of Taking a Chance on Love, and returns to the Brazilian-influenced, bossa nova style pop that was often evident on her first three albums for the N-Coded label. It's a shrewd move and a successful one given the resulting album. Surrender is so utterly lovely, lush and romantic and seamlessly constructed, it reminds me of the classic Brazilian-style concept album Frank Sinatra recorded with the inimitable Antonio Carlos Jobim forty years ago. Given that it is fitting that on Surrender Monheit puts her own spin on two of Jobim's compositions -- "So Tinha De Ser Come Voce" and "Caminhos Cruzados" (the latter featuring Toots Thielemans accompanying her on the harmonica). She turns in an absolutely stunning version of "Moon River" -- Monheit at once makes the song both a tribute to the original version and entirely her own with her pitch-perfect, wistful interpretation. There is a gorgeous duet with Ivan Lins on his composition "Rio De Maio." Monheit's also accompanied by composer Sergio Mendes on "So Many Stars," one of my favorite tracks. Other standouts include the beautiful, lyrical "If You Went Away," "Surrender," which shows off Monheit's vocal range, her re-invention of Stevie Wonder's "Overjoyed," and the elegant simplicity of Johnny Mandel's "A Time for Love." Target is selling Surrender with a bonus track, "The Shining Sea."

Review: Italia by Chris Botti

I originally reviewed Chris Botti's Italia album in November 2007. This project is available in two formats - a single CD and a CD/DVD digipak. This review is for the digipak edition.

With Italia, Chris Botti has once again delivered a lushly orchestrated album of astonishing beauty, full of memorable, breath-taking performances. He not only proves there's wisdom in the old adage, if it ain't broke, don't fix it - but instead of resting simply on his laurels, with each successive album he's succeeded in making his "formula" of richly orchestrated, romantic standards better. Where To Love Again focused on duets, Italia focuses on Botti's trumpet playing with only a handful of vocal tracks (similar to his break-out album, When I Fall In Love). The inspiration of the album is, of course, the music of Italy, and in keeping with that theme Botti interprets two compositions by master film composer Ennio Morricone - the hauntingly beautiful "Deborah's Theme" from Once Upon a Time in America and "Gabriel's Oboe" from The Mission. The lushly orchestrated, David Foster-penned "Italia" pairs Botti with one of contemporary Italy's most famous voices, Andrea Bocelli. "Estaté" is Botti's gorgeous solo version of the track that he accompanied Bocelli on for the tenor's Under the Desert Sky project. Three of the tracks on Italia mine the realm of classic popular song, evocative of Italy because of their close association with interpretations by the likes of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. "The Very Thought of You" is a sublime duet with Paula Cole - her voice, featured on When I Fall In Love and To Love Again, once again proves to be an ideal complement to Botti's trumpet. With her whisper-soft vocal and Botti's velvety-smooth trumpet playing, it's a seductively dreamy performance. "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" pairs Botti with Dean Martin (this track also appears on the Forever Cool duets album). The arrangement is swinging and playful, and Botti's trumpet effortlessly plays off of Martin's smooth vocals. As he proved with To Love Again, Botti is an expert at complementing a vocal, and the fact that the duet with Martin sounds so real, so convincing, is a testament to his skill as a performer. The trio of up tempo numbers is rounded out with "The Way You Look Tonight," the Fields-Kern classic featuring a sparkling arrangement that I can easily imagine Sinatra swinging to in his prime. The album ends with a stunner - Botti's jaw-droppingly gorgeous rendition of "Nessun Dorma," the highlight of the instrumental tracks. As some other reviews have noted, there's not much improvisation on this disc. However in my opinion the lack of improvisation highlights Botti's skill as a trumpeter -- there's no room for error in a song like "Nessun Dorma," and he delivers a spine-tingling, spot-on accurate performance. The control he exhibits on such tracks is quite frankly awe-inspiring.

The deluxe edition features a DVD with four bonus audio tracks. The short DVD (it's about twenty minutes) features some behind-the-scenes footage of the making of the album, the highlights being Bocelli in the studio with Botti recording "Italia" and Botti talking about his inspiration for making the album. What makes this edition really worthwhile, though, are the four bonus tracks - "Emmanuel," "Flamenco Sketches," "If I Loved You," and "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes." "If I Loved You" is another superb duet with Paula Cole, her vocal perfect for the song's romantic, wistful tone (incidentally in the DVD portion Botti states that Cole records all of her vocals for his projects in one take). "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" is what I like to think of as a Casablanca song - the arrangement and delivery evoke all the romance of that film and others like it - it's classy and timeless. Italia is another wonderfully addictive offering from Chris Botti's seemingly endless reservoir of creativity and talent. I had the thrill of seeing him perform live earlier this year - if you ever get the chance, GO. When you see him perform live and cut loose with his band, and then contrast that with the beautifully orchestrated, soaring trumpet playing he exhibits on an album like Italia, one's respect for the scope of his talent increases tenfold.

Review: Live With Orchestra & Special Guests by Chris Botti

I originally reviewed this Chris Botti project in September 2006. This review is for the DVD/CD package, which to my knowledge is no longer available. But the DVD is, and I link to it below:

Two words to describe Chris Botti's latest release: ear candy. Or maybe auditory bliss would be a more accurate description? Either way, you get my point - I love this DVD. There are no gimmicks here - this is a beautiful, slickly produced concert that first and foremost showcases Botti's virtuosic trumpet playing (which is heavenly!). Most of the musical selections are culled from his latest studio album, the duets-heavy disc To Love Again (read my review of that album on Amazon). The duets are truly duets in every sense of the word - Botti's playing partners with each vocalist perfectly, and the two work to compliment each other, resulting in first-class performances. My favorite duets performances are Paul Cole singing "My One and Only Love," Renee Olstead singing "Pennies from Heaven" (amazing vocalist!), and Gladys Knight singing "Lover Man" (a fantastic performance, very classy). The weakest vocal is Jill Scott's on "Good Morning Heartache" - I love the studio version, but her vocal improvisation here is somewhat jarring, to say the least - but the song is still a great vehicle for Botti's playing and I love the lyric. Sting also appears for two songs - "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" and "My Funny Valentine" (it's a nice touch when Botti serenades Sting's wife sitting in the audience during the latter number). The program also features some swoon-worthy solos from Botti, especially "Someone to Watch Over Me," "When I Fall In Love," and "One For My Baby." His improvisation on these tracks is absolutely stunning, and the songs provide the perfect showcase for Botti's tremendous talent. The arrangements for all of the tracks sparkle, and it's fun to see and hear Botti and the band cut loose and have some fun with the music. This DVD comes packaged with a bonus CD featuring all the songs from the concert. This is an excellent live recording and a great document of Botti's skill with the trumpet. Now...not to sound (too) impatient or anything, but I am so ready for a new studio album!

Review: To Love Again by Chris Botti

Day one of the great move of 2010 is over, and my brain is mush. But I don't want things to get too stale on the ol' blog until I'm back up and running in the new apartment (and hopefully saner, LOL!), so I thought I'd pull a couple of old music reviews from the "archives" that I've never shared on this blog. First up is a couple of Chris Botti album reviews (a.k.a. Ruth's Future Husband, LOL!). I originally reviewed To Love Again in December 2005.

To Love Again is Botti's follow-up to last year's collection of romantic standards, When I Fall In Love. That album was primarily a collection of lushly orchestrated instrumentals that showcased Botti's breathtaking skill with the trumpet, supplemented by select duets with Paula Cole and Sting. In contrast, To Love Again features vocalists from across the musical spectrum duetting with Botti on nine of the disc's thirteen tracks. My favorite duet tracks include Michael Buble' singing "Let There Be Love" and Renee Olstead singing "Pennies from Heaven." The arrangements of both songs positively sparkle and give Botti a chance to really cut loose and swing with his trumpet. Botti's trumpet playing is often likened to Chet Baker's mellow sounds, but on these tracks I found the collaborations reminiscent of the type of recording Harry James and Tommy Dorsey used to do with their bands...the vocalists (stars in their own rights) complemented the music, and vice-versa. Olstead's performance is particularly noteworthy...her outstanding vocal skill has grown by leaps and bounds since the release of her self-titled jazz album last year. Each of the duets on this disc are perfect examples of an ideal give-and-take relationship between the vocal and the trumpet...one never seeks to overwhelm the other, which makes the listening experience absolutely intoxicating (some of Sinatra's concept albums that he recorded for Capitol Records - particularly ones arranged by Nelson Riddle - are excellent examples of this effect). To Love Again is a brilliantly executed album and I cannot wait to see the artistic heights Chris Botti takes his listeners to with his next offering!

Review: A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas by Kristin Chenoweth

The last of my encore Christmas music reviews is from one of my all-time favorite vocalists, the fabulous, amazing Kristin Chenoweth. I originally reviewed this album in November 2008.

A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas is Kristin Chenoweth's third full-length studio album (following 2005's As I Am and 2001's Let Yourself Go). While she's been one of my favorite vocalists since her debut, her second disc fell a bit short. Let Yourself Go is a classic concept album - it flows perfectly, the entire disc a throwback to the 1930s big band sound, seamlessly blending classics with new songs. As I Am by comparison was more hit-or-miss. While Kristin's voice shines (most notably on my favorite, "Taylor, the Latte Boy"), the album lacks a cohesive style, running the gamut from country to Broadway to pop. Thankfully, A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas is a classic Christmas album from the first track to the last. The song selections and arrangements perfectly frame Chenoweth's soaring, sparkling voice. She covers many of the classics here, like her rich, emotional delivery of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and the classically influenced "Do You Hear What I Hear?" and "What Child Is This?". There's also lesser-known gems like "The Christmas Waltz" and "Christmas Island." The latter is the only "novelty" song on the album, but Kristin makes the song her own and turns it nto a showcase for the spunky and comic side of her personality. "Sing," "Silver Bells," and "Come On Ring Those Bells" have the pop-country feel that Chenoweth introduced on her second album, recalling her Oklahoma roots. "Sleigh Ride/Marshmallow World" is a fun, jazzy duet with John Pizzarelli - his laid-back vocal is a great counterpoint to Kristin's high energy delivery. The disc closes with the stunning, perfectly paired "Sleep Well Little Children/What a Wonderful World" where the richness and depth of Kristin's voice is on full display. A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas is an instant holiday classic. Kristin's so crystalline voice is so good here I'll be hard pressed not to listen to this album year-round.

Review: Noel by Josh Groban

I originally reviewed this modern Christmas classic in November 2007. It's become one of my Christmas favorites. If you have yet to check this one out, maybe this encore of my review will convince you. ;-)

Noel is the type of Christmas album Josh Groban’s fans have been hoping for ever since he burst on to the music scene in 2001 with his self-titled debut. The following year teased fans with the release of a gorgeous, classical rendering of “O Holy Night” – a bonus track on his Josh Groban In Concert DVD/CD package. It’s been a five year wait since then for a full Christmas album, but Noel proves it’s been worth the wait. It’s chock-full of Christmas classics, and thanks to production by David Foster, each song is now stamped with Groban’s signature sound – lush, orchestral arrangements that perfectly frame his exquisite vocals. What sets apart so many of the recordings of familiar carols on Noel from the countless other versions out there is the smart pop sensibility woven throughout many of the arrangements. While the songs feel familiar the arrangements are fresh and there are new melodic hooks that set Groban’s performances apart from the vast slew of Christmas music that’s available. For example, “Little Drummer Boy,” featuring guitarist Andy McKee, is one of the standout tracks on the album. It’s transformed from a sweet carol into a soaring pop anthem with a stirring penny whistle solo that lends it a Celtic feel (somewhat reminiscent of “You Raise Me Up”). Similar to this is “What Child Is This?,” where the lilting rhythm of the music turns it into pure ear candy. “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” featuring Josh on the piano, is beautiful in it’s simplicity which How one views “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” depends on your tolerance for songs containing dialogue. Here, Groban’s exquisite reading of the lyric is interspersed with Christmas greetings from soldiers stationed overseas. The combination recalls the song’s origins as a World War II anthem of hope, and when you keep in mind the historical context of the song and listen to the heartfelt messages from soldiers today, the effect is incredibly moving. (And I’m not biased just because one of the solders is a friend of mine. ) The one original song on the album is “Thankful,” a lovely David Foster-Carol Bayer Sager ballad about remembering in the midst of the craziness of life to be thankful for the blessings in our lives. Only time will tell if this song will become a holiday classic like the Foster-penned “My Grown-Up Christmas List,” but the potential is there. Groban duets with Brian McKnight on laid-back, guitar driven version of “Angels We Have Heard On High” – McKnight’s smooth voice provides a nice counterpoint to Groban’s more robust baritone – it’s a nice juxtaposition of vocal styles. He also sings “The First Noel” with Faith Hill. I’m a huge Hill fan but she sounds a tad hoarse here, and one gets the sense singing opposite Groban really pushed her a bit beyond the range she sounds most comfortable singing. I would’ve preferred to hear Groban sing with the likes of Carrie Underwood on this track instead – she has a crystalline purity to her voice that would’ve been a gorgeous foil to Groban’s vocal. The disc closes with a stunner – “O Come All Ye Faithful,” featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, where Groban unleashes the full power of his voice and soars. Noel is an instant Christmas classic, thanks to Groban’s magnificent voice, timeless songs, and fresh arrangements that play to Groban’s strengths as a vocalist and while breathing fresh life into beloved Christmas music.

Review: White Christmas, the musical

I originally reviewed this cast album in December 2006, prior to seeing the show on stage the following year. If you ever get the chance to see White Christmas on stage, I highly recommend it - it's a wonderful experience.


Irving Berlin’s White Christmas is one of the best musicals ever made – make that one of the best movies ever made. I absolutely adore it. This CD is the soundtrack to the stage version of the film. I so want to see this show. If the music is any indication, the show is an absolute blast. It’s chock-full of the classic Irving Berlin songs from the movie, with the addition of other Berlin classics such as “Happy Holiday,” “Blue Skies,” “How Deep Is the Ocean,” and “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm." The arrangements positively hum with energy – the music has a full, big-band flavor. And the principal vocalists, led by Brian d'Arcy James and Jeffrey Denman, are terrific – they don’t try to imitate their filmic predecessors Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen. If they had, that would’ve equaled disaster. What makes this album work is that you are given top-notch Broadway singers performing timeless Berlin tunes with life and energy. They’re not trying to present a carbon copy of the film onstage – the show is more of a love letter to the film, if you will. The story's been tweaked, some of the movie's songs eliminated ("Choreography" is no great loss IMO) or rearranged, but the nostalgic heart of the film's story is vibrantly present. Check out the show's website at WhiteChristmasTheMusical.com.

Review: Winter Tracks by Susan Egan

Since the Christmas season is "officially" upon us (though I confess I've been living with Christmas for two weeks now, ha!), and since this is my first Christmas on Blogger, I thought I'd pull the few Christmas music reviews I've done over the years and start posting them here. I originally reviewed Winter Tracks in December 2006.


As the title of this CD suggests, it isn’t a Christmas album per se – the songs included cover Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s. Egan first skyrocketed to fame as the original Belle when Disney’s Beauty and the Beast opened on Broadway (she appears on the cast album). Her soprano is so crystal-clear and controlled it sounds as though it could cut glass. With Winter Tracks, Egan has delivered a laid-back collection of classics mixed with new material that evokes the warmth and comfort of the season like drinking a cup of hot cocoa on a cold winter’s day. The arrangements have a classic, orchestral feel to them and perfectly frame Egan’s sparkling vocals. My favorite tracks are Sondheim’s “We Are Lights” combined with the traditional “Shalom Alaychem” (absolutely beautifully done!) and “Silent Night/Greensleeves.” The newer tracks blend nicely with the more traditional fare – “The Turkey and the Stuffing” by producer Christopher McGovern gently skewers the stress the holidays can bring by suggesting a worry-free alternative – “Swansons and a six-pack,” while “Cold Enough to Snow” examines heartache around the holidays. Definitely worth checking out, Winter Tracks is one of the best offerings from a Broadway vocalist in recent memory.

Review: Soundtrack by Linda Eder

I couldn’t be happier with Linda Eder’s latest release, Soundtrack. And a huge thank you to both Eder & her label, Verve, for giving the fans new albums two years in a row – way to deliver, Eder & team! As a film music album, Soundtrack is a throwback of sorts to the type of music that garnered Eder legions of fans – Broadway showstoppers and standards – but with a generally more understated, intimate feel to the set. Her first album for Verve, The Other Side of Me, was a departure from that previous norm. While I loved that release, it’s decidedly more laid-back, country feel marked quite a change from releases like It’s No Secret Anymore or By Myself. Soundtrack sees Eder interpreting 11 songs from a wide variety of films, ranging from the Henry Mancini-Johnny Mercer penned “Charade” (from the 1963 film of the same name) to “Falling Slowly” from the 2007 sleeper hit Once. From the well-known to the more obscure, Eder takes each song and puts her own unique spin on the lyric and arrangement. It would’ve been so easy for Eder to deliver power-ballad versions of classics like Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love” or Bryan Adams “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You.” However, I’d argue that you’ll be hard-pressed to find versions that are more elegant, understated, and emotive than Eder’s take on these classics. The lyric is front and center, and Eder proves once again that she’s a master at wringing ever drop of emotion, every nuance, from the words of a song. Another of my favorite tracks is the stunning version of “Falling Slowly” – the power in this arrangement and delivery gives one chills! While the Presley and Adams songs are perhaps not unexpected song choices, Eder also ventures into some surprising territory by putting her own unique spin on the BeeGee’s “If I Can’t Have You” and the Beatles’ “Help,” the latter a tribute to her son’s love for their music. Prior to hearing the album, some of the song choices (like the Beatles’ cover) had me wondering if Eder could successfully pull off her own version. I need not have doubted. The entire album has a cohesive, beautifully constructed feel to it, and Eder succeeds in making each song her own. Sountrack would be an excellent companion piece to Eder’s 2003 musicals-themed album, Broadway, My Way. It’s also a great set with which to introduce new fans to Eder’s work, in how it successfully melds her ability to interpret classic song with the more laid-back, country-touched arrangements she’s favored in recent years. This album is another winner from Ms. Eder, one I’ll be enjoying for years to come.

Review: The Other Side of Me by Linda Eder

I originally reviewed Linda Eder's first album for Verve in October 2008.


Linda Eder has always been known as primarily singer of show tunes and standards, a vocalist in the grand tradition of Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland. Her last album, By Myself: The Songs of Judy Garland, is perhaps the most glowing example of her voice’s ability to wrap itself around pop standards and make well-known songs her own while paying tribute to one of her vocal idols. If that album set a high standard (no pun intended) for reinventing the Great American Songbook, Eder’s latest – The Other Side of Me – finds the accomplished vocalist doing a complete 180-degree stylistic turn. The results are stunning. The last time Eder attempted to branch out into pop-country fare with 2002’s Gold, the results were mixed with one too many less than stellar covers and weak arrangements, mixed with some outstanding gems (like “Gold”). With the backing of a new label (Verve), Eder and producer Billy Jay Stein have crafted a solid album of country/pop songs with arrangements that perfectly frame Eder’s voice, which is perhaps at its most relaxed and joyful. Eder’s cover of “If I Could” blows Celine Dion’s (from her Miracle album) version out of the water. The song brims with emotion, Eder’s voice pure and crystalline backed by a piano-based arrangement. Cover-wise Eder also delivers gorgeous renderings of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” and the Indigo Girls’ “Ghost,” the latter of which has become one of my favorite Eder songs. It’s absolutely breath-taking. Songwriter extraordinaire Kara DioGuardi (who penned the Celine Dion hit “Taking Chances”) contributes “Back to Life,” an upbeat number that’s just one of many cuts on the album that could potentially find a home on country radio. Along with “Ghost,” my other favorite song on the album is the Linda Eder-penned “Waiting For the Fall,” a funky, blues-rocker of a number that recalls the likes of Carrie Underwood’s smash hit “Before He Cheats.” The Other Side of Me is a winner for Eder – she’s taken a risk that’s paid off in spades artistically and solidifies her position as one of today’s pre-eminent vocalists in everything from pop to country fare. (If you can, pick up the Barnes and Noble exclusive edition of TOSOM with the bonus track “Everything Comes and Goes” – it’s worth it!)

Review: By Myself by Linda Eder

I originally reviewed this fantastic album back in 2006.


By Myself: The Songs of Judy Garland, by Linda Eder, is a brilliant album. I absolutely love it. It easily makes the top five in my favorite albums of 2005 (if I were to ever bother to create such a ranking). My fears about losing Linda's crystal-clear voice in a tribute to her idol, Judy Garland, have proven to be unfounded. One of many reasons to rejoice about this album is that there is no Frank Wildhorn music on this disc. I like a lot of Wildhorn's work (the Broadway shows Jekyll & Hyde and The Scarlet Pimpernel), but I am thrilled that Linda is finally getting a chance to expand her recording repertoire (her 2002 album Gold contains some of Wildhorn's less than stellar work, as well as some truly insipid, uninspired covers...I think there are three good songs on this disc, maybe). The arrangements on By Myself are absolutely fantastic...they pay a fresh tribute to Judy and her work without sounding overblown or trite.

In "By Myself" Linda's voice is eerily similar to Judy's...she emulates Garland's every vocal nuance to perfection. Perhaps this is done a bit too well...the arrangement is fantastic but I would've liked to hear more of Linda's trademark crystal clear high notes. Incidentally this is one of my favorite songs ever. However, the Judy comparisons end for me with the 2nd track, "Almost Like Being In Love/This Can't Be Love"--this song swings with a stellar, sparkling arrangement and Linda's voice soars. This sets the tone for the rest of the disc, which alternates between upbeat, swinging numbers and slow, smoky jazz (whoever first used the adjective "smoky" to describe jazz was brilliant). "It Never Was You" is an gorgeous ballad that serves as the perfect showcase for Eder's achingly poignant vocals. Linda outdoes her previous recording of "Over the Rainbow" (on It's Time) with her new version...and if you listen to them both that's really saying something...each one is stellar. "Rainbow's End" is the one original song on the disc, written by Jack Murphy. It's a tribute song to Judy that tells her story, and it fits in beautifully with the rest of the album.

Eder has the kind of voice that was born to breath new life into these classic songs, and as a fan I'm thrilled that she's finally had the opportunity to record an album of standards and to do it so well. I hope in future releases that she revisits this type of music, but perhaps she will be able to blend the old with new jazz/pop songs? Jamie Cullum is one of the best examples of doing this successfully, IMHO. We shall see...if this is any indication the future is bright for Linda's recording career. To compare Linda's incredible tribute to the original, check out the Essential Judy Garland, a one disc compilation of Garland's work that just released summer 2006.