Title: Christmas Worship Artist: John Tesh Release Date: 10/1/2002 Label: Word Entertainment Album Type(s): christmas UPC: 748143459520 Genre: New Age Styles: Christmas, Contemporary Instrumental, Holiday Moods: Relaxed, Reflective, Calm/Peaceful, Earnest, Gentle, Intimate, Laid-Back/Mellow, Poignant, Precious, Refined/Mannered, Reserved, Restrained, Sentimental, Soothing, Amiable/Good-Natured, Literate, Reverent, Romantic, Ethereal, Lush, Sophisticated Total Copies: 0 Members Wishing: 0 Number of Discs/SwapaCD Credits: 1

1. This Is Your Gift
2. Joy to the World
3. It Wouldn't Be Christmas (Without You)
4. Hungry
5. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
6. Away in a Manger
7. We Three Kings
8. We Fall Down
9. Coventry Carol
10. Awesome God
11. Silent Night
12. God in the Stairwell
13. Positano Sunrise
14. Carol of the Bells [Radio Remix][*]

Year Type Label Catalog # 2002 CD Word Entertainment 434595

Christmas Worship [CD & DVD]

An unabashedly big, sweeping tribute to the power of the holiday spirit, John Tesh's Christmas Worship plays like a new age/ccm hybrid, mixing synth-driven instrumentals like "Joy to the World" and original christmas songs like "This Is Your Gift" and "Hungry," which are more ambitious -- and explicitly Christian -- than anything that appeared on Tesh's previous holiday albums. The involvement of ccm artists such as Rich Mullins, Matt Huesmann, and Kathryn Scott emphasizes the religious aspect of the album, particularly on Mullins' "Awesome God" and "We Fall Down." But even with this newfound focus, tracks such as "It Wouldn't Be Christmas (Without You)" still reflect the festive feel of the season and recall Romantic Christmas. For the most part, Christmas Worship works as an invitation to share the holiday with Tesh in a more intimate and spiritual way, although "God in the Stairwell," a recounting of the September 11, 2001, attacks from God's point of view, is awkwardly executed despite its good intentions. Still, renditions of "Silent Night," "Away in a Manger," and other carols round out the album pleasantly, bringing a festive warmth to Tesh's occasionally too-synthetic sounding style. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide

Name Credits Bobby Taylor Oboe Bridgett Evans O'Lannerghty Production Coordination Charles Bush Photography Charlie Bisharat Producer Chris Bellman Mastering Christina Rasch Project Coordinator Chuck Hargett Design Connie Sellecca Executive Producer Dan Needham Drums David Davidson Violin, Viola Gary Burnette Guitar Gene Miller Vocals (Background) Jerry McPherson Guitar Jim Sitterly Violin John Tesh Mixing, Piano, Vocals, Executive Producer, Arranger, Producer Keith Seppanen String Engineer Ken Lewis Drums Kent Hooper Programming, Arranger Kim Keyes Vocals (Background) Leanne Albrecht Vocals Mark Hill Bass Marshall Hall Vocals (Background) Melodie Crittenden Vocals (Background) Mike Millett Vocal Director Nanette Bohannon Vocals (Background) Phillip Keveren String Arrangements Ross Pallone Producer, Mixing Steve Lotz Assistant Engineer Tim Heintz Arranger Tom Laune Producer, Mixing, Engineer