Erin O'Donnell - 'Christmas Time is Here'

If you're like me, each year you long for some fresh interpretations of the traditional Christmas favorites. Well, you can finally call off the search. Erin O'Donnell makes the season swing in a new and wonderful way with Christmas Time is Here.

It's going to be hard not to rave here, but I'll try to show some restraint. Let me just say that I absolutely loved this CD. I confess that I do get a bit tired of the same renditions of the same songs each year, though I love a classic as much as the next person. Erin O'Donnell studied jazz in college and for that scholastic turn of events, we can be forever grateful. She wisely assembled a superb team of players- pianist Ben Shive, drummer Jim Brock, and upright bassist Byron House, who has mastered the art of soft swing - and together they have created a fresh Christmas music experience that we can all celebrate.

The production style is perfectly bare-bones, allowing O'Donnell's voice to sparkle through the material. They establish their groove right out of the gate with opener, Hark, the Herald Angels Sing and they never give it up throughout. "Frosty the Snowman" swings like never before and "Christmas Time is Here," the old Charlie Brown classic, makes you see Snoopy carving his figure eights on the ice as if you had traveled back in time. These arrangements are creative and well thought out, from the samba beat and sparkling keyboards of "Angels We Have Heard On High" to the 40's feel of "I'll Be Home for Christmas," with its retro introduction. The soft bongos perfectly match the gentle piano to set up a melancholy feel that fits the tune to a tee. The beauty of this band is in the way they ever so smoothly offer the listener a fresh take, never forcing themselves or intrusively tearing down your memories, not an easy task when offering up carols so familiar and sacred to our deepest recollections. And the two original songs are a good fit with the classics included, especially "Christmas Kiss," written by O'Donnell's husband Brad.

Oh my, I've gone ahead and raved anyway, haven't I? Well, you'll understand completely when you hear Christmas Time is Here.

Christmas Time is Here - The Basics

• Style: Swing/jazz influenced Christmas songs
• Released October 5, 2004
• 10 songs