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Our Review

Caleb Collins Christmas is a spirited and swinging tribute to the holiday season. As pop styles go, Collins arrangements represent some of the more free-spirited, joyous and eclectic music I have heard. From swinging jazz ensemble arrangements to string-laden power pop, Collins weaves together a complex tapestry of sound, a set of songs that can be taken in all together, or that whose detail can be pored over endlessly.

After the swinging opening Let It Snow, I thought Collins would be taking me for a mostly jazzy sleigh ride. But the opening belied the awesome generosity of Collins' vocal performance. Using primarily the more inspirational songs from the Christmas catalog, Collins turns one after another into a pop anthem, each more impressive than the last.

It would be hard to pick a favorite from among these, though I liked his duet with Rachel Williams on I Heard The Bells, a song I have heretofore found great difficulty liking. At 55 minutes, this is an ample offering, and Caleb Collins serves up a complex assortment of musicians and styles for holiday entertainment. This is easily one of my favorite CDs of the season so far.

--Richard Banks
(Reviewed in 2008)

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From the liner notes:

Piano: Jason Webb, Caleb Collins

Guitar: Dave Cleveland

Bass: Craig Nelson

Drums: Steve Brewster

Percussion: Larry Prostick

Accordian: Caleb Collins

Trumpet: Steve Patrick, Jeff Bailey

Trombone: Barry Green, Prentiss Hobbs

Alto Sax: Mark Douthit

Tenor Sax: Sam Levine

Baritone Sax: Sam Levine

French Horn: Jennifer Kummer

Choir: Ruben Estevan, Ruth Hofstetter, Matt Moran, Jennifer Melson, Michael, Passons, Brad Ramsey, Nicholle Stoller, Lorraine Walden, Etta Welker

Caleb Collins

Christmas

Artist link

Track List