Since the success of 1997's
The Gift
, new age pianist
Jim Brickman
has had several subsequent holiday-themed albums. But
The Hymns & Carols of Christmas
demonstrates that he hasn't yet exhausted the genre. As the title suggests, the collection is largely given over to religiously oriented Christmas hymns and carols of a considerable vintage.
Brickman
plays most of them as solo piano pieces in his familiar flowing style, with lots of embellishments, while mostly taking a reverent, even solemn, approach. On two occasions, he throws in variations.
"Holy, Holy, Holy"
adds a rhythm section as well as guest violinist
David Klinkenberg
. And
"Christmas Is..."
is a new song, sung by
Mark Masri
, presumably to give contemporary jazz radio stations something to play from the album. (And it's always a good idea to put something new on a Christmas album; you never know if it will join the ranks of the standards.)
should fit on the shelf and on the multi-CD player with
's other seasonal releases to play after Thanksgiving and before New Year's. ~ William Ruhlmann