Sales Rank:18232 List Price: $18.98 Lowest New Price: $12.11 Lowest Used Price: $9.34
Average Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5 Total Reviews: 5
Customer Reviews:
Rating: 5
It's About Time
Finally, after more than 20 years of making wonderful music together, the best jazz fusion band ever has produced a Christmas album. If you like SG, you'll not be disappointed with this release.
The arrangements are superb and the performances are immaculate. The vocals are just great, with the possible exception of drummer Bonny's opening to "The Christmas Song." To me it is a silly bit of unneccesary nonsense, but many will probably like it.
The best vocal is Christine Ebersole's lovely interpretation of Jay Beckenstein's original "It Won't Feel Like Christmas." This promises to be an annual favorite, especially so long as we have loved ones apart at the Holidays. Bonny redeems himself well in his duet with singer Janis Siegel on "Baby It's Cold Outside", which is an excellent arrangement and a clever vocal counterpoint.
The other charts are typical SG, with interesting and clever reworks of familiar tunes, sparked with high quality playing by all members. As an extra treat, Dave Samuels returns for cameos on "Carol of the Bells" and "Winter Wonderland" - great to hear his fine vibes' work again.
Rhythmic, harmonious and excellent describes SG's work over all these years, and "A Night Before Christmas" fills in the missing niche exactly the same way.
Rating: 5
Great Christmas Music, Amazing Musicianship!
Finally, a great collection of Christmas music from the legendary Spyro Gyra! I do love Christmas music and personally own several hundred CD's of Christmas music. As a musician, I have a high standard of quality that I want in this type of music. This is now one of my favorites. If just for the "cool" performances of "Carol of the Bells" & "The First Noel". I really like that this disc has a nice mix of sacred and secular melodies. The gem in the collection is Jay Beckenstein's "It Won't Feel like Christmas", sung beautifully by Christine Ebersole, it should be a "new classic". No other jazz group has put out such consistantly fine music for such a long period of time (almost 30 yrs). They are the best!
Rating: 4
Spyro Christmas...
Excellent, as always. I love Christmas music and Spyro Gyra is one of my all-time favorite jazz groups so it was a no brainer for me. I think I might be the only person on the planet who didn't know Christine Ebersole could sing - not bad but I prefer these guys to stay instrumental, even though it's Christmas.
Rating: 4
mixed feelings
Spyro Gyra is my all time favorite band. however, I'm an atheist, and don't celebrate Christmas or any other religious holiday. but jazz Christmas music makes it tolerable.
Rating: 2
fair to so
Id pass on this cd all together. Id stick non christmas cd you guys next time.