Search - Curtis, Betsy :: BETSY'S CHRISTMAS

Big Island's best known cabaret singer shines on holiday alb

Mary Whipple | New England | 12/11/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

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1. I'll Be Home for Christmas

2. Coventry Carol

3. Peace on Earth, Goodwill to All

4. The Holly and the Ivy

5. Deck the Halls

6. The Christmas Song

7. Home for the Holidays

8. Jingle Bells

9. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

10. Santa Claus is Coming to Town

11. O Come, O Come Emmanuel



Betsy Curtis, popular cabaret singer on the Big Island and vocalist for the Bill Noble Trio, performs several nights a week at a well known Kona Coast resort. A star in Japan where she has been recording since she was a teenage exchange student, she has a lively presence, a clear voice with perfect diction, and a sense of when to let her voice soar and when to whisper. Loren Wilken, also a member of the Bill Noble Trio, co-produced and arranged this album, writing one of the songs, providing sensitive backing to the vocals, and shining in his jazzy solos. Four other musicians contribute the drum/percussion rhythms, some of which are unique for Christmas albums.



A nice balance of traditional and more modern Christmas songs makes up the selections, which usually begin traditionally, then move into soft, swingy jazz shortly afterward. "I'll Be Home for Christmas" is a jazzy waltz, while "Coventry Carol" begins with flute sounds until the quick-paced percussion (which sounds like tapping blocks) kicks in. Wilken's composition, "Peace on Earth, Goodwill to All," is serious, asking what Christmas means and suggesting that "Every child throughout the world deserves this bounteous cheer."



"Deck the Halls," my favorite treatment, is quick-paced from the outset, with some nice vibe sounds, but it's the syncopation and hesitation which Curtis includes with the "Fa-la-la-la-la" refrain which provides the greatest interest. And just when you think you've heard every possible treatment of "Jingle Bells," Curtis and Wilken come up with something new--offbeat and syncopated, with a nice piano/keyboard solo.



Curtis has a huge voice and can wail with the best in performance, but she obviously respects the season and its traditions here, choosing to restrain her power in order to emphasize the sweetness of some of the lyrics. Wilken's arrangements and his accompaniment are perfect, allowing Curtis to maintain her light touch, and the several drum/percussionists add to the album's festive tone. n Mary Whipple

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