Christmas Music Review: Michael Bolton: This Is the Time: The Christmas Album

 This is a 10-song album of Michael Bolton released by Columbia Records, 1996.

I was very impressed with the song opening the CD, Silent Night.  Even though this is a very old song, Boltong did it with such flare and energy.  I did not realize Bolton had such a high tenor voice.  The album contains two duets: Ave Maria with Placido Domingo a new song, This is the Time with Wynonna Judd.  The second verse, "Sometimes life leads you blind, To the one you've been waiting to find, Sometime life lets you see, Just how great the gift of love can be, Now the light that fires the brightest stars, Is waiting to shine on this moment of ours."  I think that is pretty cool.  The CD includes other favorites: Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Joy to the World, The Christmas Song, O Holy Night, and White Christmas.  This is a fun album.

Music Review: Jim Brinkman: Grace

Jim Brinkman: Grace, 2005.

Jim Brinkman plays piano.  For the most part this is his piano version of several gospel songs, but on a couple of songs he has guest artists providing vocals.  For example Michael Bolton sing “Hear Me (Tear into Wine) in which he asks God to help turn his troubles into blessings.  Ginny Owens sings “Amazing Grace.”  Mario Frangoulis sings “Ave Maria.”  He sings with a group, Selah, for “Be Thou Near to Me.”  “How Great Thou Art” is a favorite, and with the piano the melody comes out clearly and you remember the words and this song is beautiful.  However the two songs I like the best are strictly piano.  The first is called “Joyful” and is a version of “Ode to Joy.”  I love this music.  The second he calls “Jesu” which is a version of “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring.”  I think these two are a couple of my favorite songs of all time, and his version are very nice.  However in Jesu, he wonders with his fancy playing a couple of times, so I actually prefer Joyful.