Christmas For All, third of Servant trilogy - SOUNDS FAMILIAR by Baby Gil

Christmas For All, the third album of the highly inspiring Servant For All trilogy is now available in the music shops. So after acquiring some respite from the hardship of everyday life with Servant For All and paying homage to the Blessed Mother with Mother For All, we now get the chance to welcome the coming Yuletide Season with a deeper sense of spirituality with this new album.

Like its predecessors, Christmas For All is made up of songs interspersed with spoken words. This was the idea that TV personality turned album producer Jeanne Young originated in the Servant album. This gives the listener a combination of songs and prayers guaranteed to take you through every hour of the day. So you listen to the famous Jubilee Song by Donna Cruz and Morning Has Broken by Zsa Zsa Padilla as you start the day and then end the evening with The Act of Contrition by Bo Sanchez. The second album Mother For All picked up the same idea. This one has songs like Mother of All, Mary Most Holy by Regine Velasquez and recitations like Lovely Lady by Alissandra Martinez.

Both albums proved to be very successful and Viva Records decided that a Christmas edition would be the fitting completion of a trilogy. Hence, Christmas For All was born. Here well-loved Christmas carols performed by artists collectively billed as the Angeli Domini Choir keep company with readings from the Bible and new works written by Jeanne herself about the blessed event and the participation of angels in our lives.

Among the famous traditional songs included in the album are: Hosanna Filio David, and Agnus Dei sung by the Paules; the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah, Pie Jesu and Gloria in Excelsis Deo done by the UP Singing Ambassadors; O Come All Ye Faithful, and Let There Be Peace on Earth by Edgar Narce, Stephen Rualo, Ronald Somera and Marvin Victoriano also of the UP Singing Ambassadors; Little Drummer Boy by Moy Ortiz, Reuben Laurente, Andre Castillo and the Tiples of Santo Domingo; Be Thou My Vision performed by Eugene Villaluz, Jeanne Young and Pat Castillo; and Eugene’s solo of the Ave Maria.

Original Filipino music is also very well represented. Now just in case you are one of those who think that our Christmas songs can never stand on equal footing with the carols from Western countries, here are versions that will surely make you change your mind. Listen to Ang Aking Pamasko by Tony Velarde and Levi Celerio performed by the UP Singing Ambassadors: Himig Pasko by S.Y. Ramos sang by Eugene Villaluz, Moy Ortiz, Andre Castillo and Reuben Laurente; and Angelic Musical Variations composed by Fabian Obispo.

Christmas For All is a must for the Holiday Season. It captures the spirit of Christmas and puts all strife and worries to rest. Best of all it reminds us that no matter what happens, Christmas renews our belief in the innate goodness of man and our hope for a better tomorrow.

Still on Christmas: Joey@Rhythms 92.3, has come up with its own music compilation. Titled Joey’s Christmas Rhythms, the superb collection is made up of the sort of tunes that Joey listeners expect to hear from the radio station. And that means lots of smooth, trendy and sophisticated rhythms of retro, pop jazz, R&B and soul by some of the biggest singers and instrumentalists in these areas of music.

Lea Salonga who ends the set with her version of Grown-up Christmas List puts a Filipino touch in the album. The others are It’s a Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Peabo Bryson; This Christmas by Jeffrey Osborne; Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! by flautist Nelson Rangell; Let There Be Peace on Earth by fusion group Voyceboxing; Joy to the World by pianist Jim Brickman;

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing by the a capella group Take 6; We Three Kings by guitarist Earl Klugh; Silver Bells by A Few Good Men; Spirit of the Season by the Japanese jazz group Hiroshima; Winter Wonderland by Tuck Andress; The Gift of Your Love by Tom Scott with Maysa Leak; The Simple Birth by Barbara Higbie; Who Would Imagine a King by Philip Bailey of Earth, Wind and Fire; and The First Noel by violinist Tracey Silverman and flautist Thea Suits-Silverman.