| | Barry Manilow Christmas Gift Of Love CD Barry Manilow Discography of CDs
 (5 Customer Reviews)
This is a Super Audio CD playable on only Super Audio CD players.
What's a nice Jewish boy doing singing about Santa? Never you mind. Barry's been doing it for a while now, and A CHRISTMAS GIFT OF LOVE turns out to be his second album of holiday music in 12 years. Although this Brooklynite plays it safe with perfectly well done versions of perennials like "Winter Wonderland" and "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town," he also does a fine job going off the beaten path in seeking out unexpected holiday fare. "White Christmas" may be a best-selling Christmas song that's been done ad nauseum, but few artists perform it as a swinging medley alongside the more obscure Irving Berlin nugget "Happy Holiday." Making like a Semitic Sinatra, Manilow offers arrangements that swing hard thanks to conductors including Patrick Williams and Ray Ellis. Other surprising inclusions are Joni Mitchell's "River" conducted and arranged by the legendary Paul Buckmaster and a lush version of Frank Loesser's "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" that ends up being a nice respite from "Auld Lang Syne."
Chuck Berghofer (bass); Gregg Field (drums).
Recorded at Capitol Studios, Hollywood, California and The Hop, Studio City, California.
Personnel: Barry Manilow (vocals); Robbie Buchanan (arranger, conductor, keyboards); Jorge Calandrelli, Patrick Williams (arranger, conductor); John Pisano, Dean Parks, Ken Barry, Mike Thompson (guitar); Michael Lang (piano);
Christmas Gift Of Love Music Barry Manilow Christmas Gift Of Love Songs Christmas Gift Of Love Music Christmas Gift Of Love Music Review Average Rating: (3.6 out of 5 stars)   Barry Manilow scores with new christmas CD
Manilow scores big with new Christmas CD. Most of the CD is very up-beat just plain fun!!! This CD has a very big band, swing feel to it and it makes you want to just dance while you trim the tree. Manilow is in rare vocal form with plenty of lavish orchestrations to back him up. Only draw back to this album is that it is just too short. This CD leaves you wanting more by the time you reach the end. Only 11 tracks would have loved to see a few additions.
Submitted by a reviewer (Bloomfield, NY) 
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No
 Uh, what?? Did I just hear something?
No good. "River" is cool by me. I'm not sure what Barry was doing. Or if he knew for that matter. A "live" album was scheduled. Where's the marketing of putting them both out? Not Stiletto. The album sneezes for a second and then puts away the puffs tissue. The title cut is the Love Boat theme reworked and glorified. I turn down the offer for drinks on deck, and I'm a huge fan yet. Review is late, so is Two Nights Live. I can't hear you still, so I'm turning up Fogelberg's new one.
Submitted by Jediwielde2 (Dunmore, PA)
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Great Holiday listen
This is Barry at his best. He sounds great and gets you in the holiday spirit. Would have liked acouple of more songs but it still a gem.
Submitted by a reviewer (Charlotte, NC., USA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No This CD Swings!
This CD's big band arrangements are outstanding, and Barry's voice is excellent. Some tunes have an almost Broadway feel. He sounds like he had a ball recording all these songs. A fun background for decorating the tree. It has a much more fun feel than his first Christmas CD, "Because It's Christmas," which has a more traditional in tone. His rendition of "River" will hit home with many. And "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" is really kickin'! A good addition to everyone's Christmad CD collection.
Submitted by a reviewer (Lone Star State)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No  He must have had better things to do!
OK...I believe that a small meaningful gift is better than a big meaningless one...but this is ridiculous. This CD only contains 27 MINUTES OF MUSIC!! It has been a long time since I have felt this ripped off. Look, I like Barry Manilow and his last xmas album is in heavy rotation at my house around the holidays, but this Christmas Gift of Love is contemptable. The music that IS here is good, but it hardly seems worth it. Oh and I would have give the album more stars, but I had better things to do.
Submitted by a reviewer (New Jersey)
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