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They don't make holiday albums like Gentle Christmas much anymore (don't ask me who "they" are, they just don't). Singer/songwriter Gavin Coyle's award-winning voice is the gentle instrument that cradles the listener on this excellent offering. Coyle is Irish, but this is not Celtic music; the style is pop/folk, although the vibrato in Coyle's voice sometimes suggests classical undertones. His singing is pure, warm, and supremely emotive; some numbers may flat out reduce you to tears. Coyle's colleague Paul Burgess does a tremendous job as pianist/arranger on many numbers.

Gentle Christmas presents 17 tracks (well over an hour of music!), including 16 well-known classics and one appealing original ("Heaven's Wind")(composer Ray Bonelli works with pianist/arranger Paul Burgess at Lucent Technologies). This album is all about Coyle's singing; the instrumental support is terrific, but relatively sparse, leaving the focus where it should be. Coyle effortlessly handles these holiday numbers with heart and tremendous style, absolutely nailing such diverse favorites as "Mary Did You Know?" and "Ave Maria (Schubert)." I found Coyle's treatment of "Away in a Manger" (usually not one of my favorite carols) to be especially sweet and affecting (the la-da-da intro and refrain stayed in my mind long after the song ended). Every track has something special to offer. In certain moments of "White Christmas," Bing Crosby springs to mind (especially when Coyle puts that little inflection on the word "dreaming"). Coyle's a cappella opening to "O Little Town of Bethlehem" is riveting.

One listen to Gavin Coyle's Gentle Christmas and you'll know exactly why his voice has won so many awards. His album is a wondrous, generous gift for the holiday season.

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2005)

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From the liner notes:

Produced by: Gavin Coyle
Vocals: Gavin Coyle
Arrangements/Piano: Paul Burgess
Engineer: Sam Beckley

Paul Burgess has been a musician all his life while simultaneously enjoying a career as an engineer at Lucent Technologies. He has a wide range of musical interests, spanning classical, jazz, and Christian praise music styles. He and Gavin first met in 1999, and they have performed together since then.

Piano: Paul Burgess (1,4,7,8,9,11-17)
Cello: Fabiano Aiko Mino (2,4,14,16)
Guitar: Michael Flynn (3)
Violin: Jay Gemkow (4,14,16), Kara Eubanks (14,16)
Viola: Ai Ishida (14,16)
Harp: Ida Gannon (6)
Recorder: Gavin Coyle (8)
Lead Guitar & Bass: Michael Flynn (10)
Drum: Same Beckley (10)
Snare Drum: Scott Burgess (11)

From the Web site:

Gavin Coyle was born in Derry, Northern Ireland. His parents raised him and his four sisters amid the fallout from the troubles including frequent bombings and shootings. Gavin credits his parents with keeping them from harm and encouraging their interest in music. He first came to America when he was 14 years old as part of a peace project involving youths from Northern Ireland. Similar to the Ulster Project, the goal was to help teens from Northern Ireland build friendships that would otherwise not be possible with the social and religious divisions existing at home. He continued his commitment to such peace projects when he joined the Ulster Project in 1992 and came back to the States as a counselor and chaperone. When he returned home, he graduated from St. Mary's College in Belfast in 1994 with a double major in Education and Art. In 1995, he returned to the States and has been here ever since performing to sold out crowds throughout the area.

An accomplished singer and songwriter, Gavin's musical range covers both pop and folk music as well as traditional music from his homeland. His performances often reflect this versatility as he mixes traditional and original compositions. In addition to being an excellent guitarist, he plays several other instruments including the bodhran (an Irish drum) and the flute. Gavin's musical influences are a varied lot: Elvis, Patsy Cline, Beethoven, U2, The Velvet Underground, and John Williams.

Gavin Coyle

Gentle Christmas

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Track List