Recording for this album must have felt like one giant ego trip. They are singing with Elvis Presley. Of course, the great King of Rock and Roll is no longer in the flesh. We do not even know if he would have approved. Come to think of it, Elvis was not really much for duets. I cannot recall any from the albums I have heard. But he is in no position to complain and like it or not, thanks to the wonder of technology anybody can now do duets with him and they can proudly say that they have duets with Elvis.
The new CD is Christmas Duets. Basically it is made up of previously recorded songs by Elvis. Most of them are from his very first Christmas sessions in 1957 while he was at the peak of his career. The resulting LP became the biggest selling Christmas album of all time. The others come from a later set done in 1971. These songs were then arranged into duets, the new vocals were added and then reorchestrated, remixed and presto!, you have the Elvis Presley Christmas Duets.
Eleven country music stars were treated to this chance to sing with Elvis in one of this year’s most important Yuletide releases. Blue Christmas with Martina McBride; I’ll Be Home for Christmas with Carrie Underwood; Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) with LeAnn Rimes; Santa Claus is Back in Town with Wynonna Judd; Silent Night with Sara Evans; White Christmas with Amy Grant; Merry Christmas Baby with Gretchen Wilson; O Little Town of Bethlehem with Karen Fairchild & Kimberly Schlapman of Little Big Town; Silver Bells with Ann Murray; O Come All Ye Faithful with Olivia Newton-John.
This is a powerhouse line-up that cuts across generations of country music stars. For some strange reason though, the duets are exclusively female. This is probably because the people behind the project still saw Elvis in his leading man image and not as the music artist. It would have been nice to have a male or two singing along. Garth Brooks or Tim McGraw in a duet with Elvis would have really been an event. And what about a band, something like the Eagles would have been sensational. But that is all wishful thinking.
The best thing about the CD is that it showcases Elvis in his country roots, back to the time before he discovered Italian-inspired pop. And he sounds great, bluesy and rocking hard. Another one is that it shows that Elvis has really no need for singing partners. As the three solo bonus tracks, The First Noel, If I Get Home on Christmas Day and Winter Wonderland that he recorded in 1971, easily prove, he could put so much feeling in a song that embellishments like added vocals come out superfluous.
Still, this is a must for all Elvis fans who must have thought they will never again get new recordings from their king. It is also a good addition to this year’s harvest of new holiday albums, which seems to be turning out one of the most varied and interesting.
Speaking of varied and in this case of a very different sort from Elvis’ music is the Cool Sexy Christmas CD. This one is an off-shoot of the Cool Sexy Jazz series. The compilation usually features jazz tunes ranging from the simply jazzy like Kenny Rankin’s to the fusion type from Spyro Gyra to the R&B of Patti Labelle. So if you like your Christmas music, elegantly laid back, you should consider getting this one.
But too bad, there are no Rankin or Labelle in the holiday edition. Only Spyro Gyra made the cut and its contribution, I’ll Be Home for Christmas is the best of the batch. Great to find two cuts by the smooth as honey sounding Vanessa Williams’ Do You Hear What I Hear? and What Child is This? Nice too, to hear the strong vibrant tones of Carl Anderson again in O Holy Night. Was he not Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar?
Other titles included are This Christmas with Yutaka; Let It Snow by Boyz II Men; The First Noel by Brian McKnight; Silent Night by Al Jarreau; Give Love on Christmas Day by Daryle Chinn; The Little Drummer Boy by Daryle Stuemer; The Christmas Song by Norman Brown; Winter Wonderland and The Christmas Song by Larry Carlton; Do You Hear What I Hear? by David Benoit; The First Noel by Will Downing; Winter Wonderland by Ashanti; Feliz Navidad by Tom Scott; and Sleigh Ride by Eddie Daniels.