Ray Charles The Spirit Of Christmas CD

Digitally remastered by Bill Inglot and Dan Hersch (DigiPrep).

The problem with most Christmas albums is that they're so similar to all other Christmas albums: same songs, same arrangements, same cheesy background choruses. Any fears that Ray Charles' THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS will fit the mold are quickly dispelled on the first track, "What Child Is This?," on which Charles renders a beautiful, soulful vocal, then leads a swinging big band through several tempo and feel changes, all accompanied by hot charts and hotter solos. True, Charles trots out the same old songs, but it's guaranteed you've never heard "The Little Drummer Boy," "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer," and "Winter Wonderland" performed this way before.

Charles pulls out all the stops on THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS, incorporating elements of gospel, soul, big band jazz, and country (Charles recorded his classic album MODERN SOUNDS IN COUNTRY AND WESTERN the same year that he recorded this album). The result is a brilliant fusion of American sounds that presents as cogent an argument as any for the cultural preeminence of the U.S. in the twentieth century. Rhino's reissue includes a bonus track, the Charles-Betty Carter duet "Baby, It's Cold Outside."

Recorded in 1985, The Spirit of Christmas finds Ray Charles performing a variety of holiday favorites with vocal assistance from the Raelettes and an appearance by jazz trumpeter Freddie Hubbard. The ten tracks mix standards and originals, including "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," and the ballad "That Spirit of Christmas," which was featured in the movie National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. The Spirit of Christmas is perfect background music for any holiday celebration. [A slightly expanded edition, featuring the bonus track "Baby It's Cold Outside," was released in 2009.] ~ Al Campbell

Recorded at R.P.M. Studios, Los Angeles, California.

Reissue producer: James Austin.

Personnel: Ray Charles (vocals); Kevin Turner, Jeff Pevar (guitar); Freddie Hubbard (trumpet, flugelhorn).

Personnel includes: Ray Charles (vocals, piano, synthesizer); Marty Paich (arranger, conductor); Betty Carter (vocals); Jeff Pevar, Kevin Turner (guitar); Rudy Johnson (tenor saxophone); Freddie Hubbard (trumpet, flugelhorn); The Raelettes, The Jack Halloran Singers (background vocals).

Producer: Ray Charles.

Entertainment Weekly (12/5/97, p.94) - "...While his warm, avuncular rasp evokes images as traditional as a turkey dinner with stuffing, it's that tension between swing and solemnity that makes it all his own." - Rating: A-