RACQUEL ROBERTS - THE SECRET OF CHRISTMAS (2007)
Fresh, spontaneous, and epic arrangements of a dozen holiday favorites. You're sure to find something to enjoy, be it a tip of the hat to modern and classic jazz, the dusty back room horns of Motown, anthemic rock, or evocative world music.
many thanks to Lisa Reedy Promotions
1 The Christmas Song
2 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
3 God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen
4 Christmas Time is Here
5 The Christmas Waltz
6 Do You Hear What I Hear?
7 What Child Is This? (Greensleeves)
8 Joy to the World
9 I'll Be Home for Christmas
10 Give Love on Christmas Day
11 O Holy Night
12 What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? (Auld Lang Syne)
more tracks can be heard on Vinilemania's Radio Channels
review by Edward Blanco - courtesy www.ejazznews.com
Singer and actress Racquel Roberts from Los Angeles records a special Christmas album with new unique interpretations to many familiar standards heard every year during the Christmas Holiday season. “The Secret of Christmas” turns out to be one very excellent album that should be added to one’s annual holiday music play list. Possessing hip vocals and surrounding herself with a host of musicians, a string section and more, the album plays well. The music provides a blend of jazz/rock that sometimes overshadows the original melodies of known standards like of you’re listening to something new.
Roberts’s interpretation of Mel Torme’s classic “The Christmas Song,” starts out slow and like many other renditions. After a full chorus though, the music completely changes with Roberts moving to a very jazzy beat accompanied by Katisse Buckingham on the flute. Like- wise you’ll never hear such a percussive arrangement of “God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen” than this one where the lady’s appreciable vocals gives way to Mark Cargill & The Tri-Ambient Orchestra on strings backed up by the drumming of Nick Mancini and the percussions from Jimmy Branly.
“Christmas Time is Here” is especially memorable where Roberts shares the spotlight with the band’s superlative instrumentals on this track. My favorite cut and outstanding rendition of this song, is “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” arranged to provide a bossa nova/samba slant to the music, featuring the wonderful guitar play from Mitchell Long, Roberts voices lyrics in Spanish and turns in one beautiful performance.
Other classics on this disc include “Do You Hear What I Hear,” “What Child Is This,” O Holy Night,” and “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? “ just to name a few. No question about this one folks, this is an entertaining Christmas album that you will play every year from now on. Racquel Roberts turns in a magnificent performance here leaving this listener with anticipation for her next project.
