Track Listing

1. Carol of the Bells [Instrumental] - David Foster,
2. Blue Christmas - Wynonna Judd
3. First Noel - BeBe Winans, CeCe Winans
4. It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Johnny Mathis
5. Grown-Up Christmas List - Natalie Cole
6. O Holy Night - Michael Crawford
7. Go Tell It on the Mountain/Mary Had a Baby - Vanessa Williams
8. I'll Be Home for Christmas - Peabo Bryson, Roberta Flack
9. Mary's Boy Child - Tom Jones, Tom Jones
10. Chritmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) - Celine Dion
11. Away in a Manger - Tammy Wynette
12. White Christmas - Natalie Cole, Michael Crawford, David Foster, Wynonna Judd, Johnny Mathis, Vanessa Williams, BeBe & CeCe Winans, CeCe Winans

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21502 in Music
• Released on: 1993-10-19
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

Christmas Songs Like You've NEVER Heard Them Before
When you consider the fact that the man who virtually defined pop music culture, as we know it today, worked up a contemporary Christmas album, what you get is an extraordinary blend of traditional sounds with pop flare, mind blowing arrangements, and precise, almost perfect, musical integrity. I offer you : David Foster The Christmas Album.

The Breakdown :

>> Track 1 - Carol Of The Bells (Instrumental) <<
An absolutely amazing rendition. Short, sweet, and oh so powerful. Considering that this piece (with the exception of the horns) is done entirely on keyboards, the Magical Mr. Foster puts his almighty thumbprint on this album and sets the pace for what's to come.

>> Track 2 - Blue Christmas (Vocals: Wynonna) <<
Bluesy rendition with a rich "piano bar" atmosphere. The orchestra makes all the difference.

>> Track 3 - The First Noel (Vocals: BeBe & CeCe Winans) <<
A Two parter. Nice violin work with a soft, angelic, vocal beginning (you can definitely pick up on the "Fosterization" of the music). Magically becomes a light, solid, jazz riff that is Foster all the way.

>> Track 4 - It's the Most Wonderful Time Of The Year (Vocals: Johnny Mathis) <<
Upbeat fanfare. Energizing. Very busy orchestration perfectly suited for this happy, happy song. Mathis is the only one that could have done this.....perfect choice!

>> Track 5 - Grown Up Christmas List (Vocals: Natalie Cole) <<
A Foster original. Much better than the Amy Grant version. Foster's bass work in this song makes it.

>> Track 6 - O Holy Night (Vocals: Michael Crawford) <<
Can the "Phantom Of The Opera" sing "Oh Holy Night"? Answer: "Oh YES!!!" Show stopping vocal performance with what is probably the most POWERFUL orchestration and music on the entire album (or any other album for that matter). The backing boys choir will raise the hair on the back of your neck (guaranteed).

>> Track 7 - Go Tell It On The Mountain/Mary Had A Baby (Vocals: Vanessa Williams) <<
The preacher's wife would love this one. Most people can't pat their head and rub their tummy at the same time, and likewise, most people can't sit down and listen to THIS song at the same time. Starts with a nice southern vocal rendition of Mary Had A Baby, the literally explodes into a foot stompin', hand clappin' full blown gospel rich Go Tell It On The Mountain. Excellent piano work!!!

>> Track 8 - Ill be Home For Christmas (Vocals: Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack) <<
Very nice contemporary jazz version of the song (one of my favorites on the album). Boz Scaggs would be proud of this one. The electric bass work by the wonderfully talented Nathan East makes this juicy track worth playing over and over again.

>> Track 9 - Mary's Boy Child (Vocals: Tom Jones)
No Las Vegas Here. Mr. Jones rips a very good and powerful performance on this somewhat obscure and little known Christmas song. But hey, with Foster behind the wheel, you can't go wrong.

>> Track 10 - The Christmas Song (Vocal: Celine Dion) <<
Oh Celine, Celine.....what can I say. Absolutely beautiful. Makes you want to roast chestnuts on an open fire. Again, a swaying, piano bar feel with a composite orchestration thrown in for spice. If this song doesn't put you in the Christmas "mood", nothing will.

>> Track 11 - Away In A Manger (Vocals: Tammy Wynette) <<
After hearing this, you won't think of this song as a mere "children's" tune any more. Tammy's country vocal "twang" mixes beautifully with an angelic orchestration that will leave a pleasant smile on your face and a warm feeling in your soul. The narrative part of the song is mood altering. Excellent.

>> Track 12 - White Christmas (Vocals: All Of The Above)
Music Master Jeremy Lobbock teams with Foster to put the exclamation point on this album. Nice. Jazzy. Total Foster evident here. The transitions are perfect, progressions absolute. Gotta love it.

Hey, buy this album. Put it on. Decorate the tree. Light a fire in the fireplace. Drink Egg-Nog. Have a wonderful Christmas!!

Something for Everyone
This is one of my favorite Christmas cd's becasue not only is the production and talent top notch, but it's so varried. You get instrumentals, country, gospel, uptempo, ballads, and religious songs all on this one cd! Amazingly, the varried styles don't come off sounding jumbled as one might think, and I suspect that's due to the talent of David Foster who expertly produces each cut. His rendition of 'Carol of the Bells' is to me, the definitive recording of the song. Other's like Natalie Cole's 'Grown-Up Christmas List', Celine Dion's 'The Christmas Song', Vanessa William's 'Go Tell It On The Mountain/Mary Had A Baby' and Michael Crawford's 'Oh Holy Night' are so strong that they wound up on those artists solo Christmas albums. The final track brings together all the featured artsis to preform 'White Christmas'. It's an astounding thing to hear each of these incredible voices take a line or two then sing together. What a beautiful example of the spirit of Christmas.

The vairety of artists and styles makes this a perfect gift for families with multiple musical tastes or new friends you've just met, as well as just anyone who likes classic sounding Christmas carols. It can't be beat.

The Christmas Album by David Foster (Interscope 92295)
During 12/93, there aired a Christmas TV special called "David Foster's Christmas Album" which I videotaped and kept in my video archives. One piece, Michael Crawford's `O Holy Night' was absolutely incredible. Around Christmas time, I pull out the videotape and listen (and I do mean listen) to Crawford sing this one song over and over, ad infinitum. I never get sick of it. Each time seems better than the last. Watching Crawford sing this song is an experience in itself - his ribcage inflated like bagpipes in order to prepare for that last `noel' shows his talent. This exact song/rendition is also on "A Christmas Album" by Michael Crawford (Atlantic 83222-2) which Amazon by the way misnamed as "A Christmas Story," which uses childrens' choirs. Which album you choose really depends on whether you want only Michael Crawford + choirs, or want many singers like Celine Dion and Tom Jones. Both albums get an A+.