Favorite Holiday Music

I’d love to receive some emails from those of you that read the blog about your favorite holiday music. I am especially interested in “outside the box” responses – music that may be a little more obscure to the average listener but might serve as a gift to those of us looking for new listening choices. I’d also appreciate info on music for Hanukah and Kwanzaa. What warms your heart this season? Drop me a comment or an email, and I’ll share your suggestions on the blog.

I’ll share two of my favorites with you, both from the Christmas tradition. The first is Liz Story’s The Gift (pictured above). I’m partial to piano music, and Story’s arrangements bring a fresh and contemporary sound to old favorites. The second is James Taylor’s version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” which is found on James Taylor at Christmas (at right). This version, supposedly recorded just before September 11, 2001, was released as a single in late fall 2001 as a soothing tribute to those who lost loved ones in the disaster. Perhaps it is an excellent choice for this Christmas as well, as fears and anxieties run high about global economic and environmental crises.

Tags: Christmas, Hanukah, James Taylor, Kwanzaa, Liz Story, Music