Search - Steve Green :: Joy to the World

***One of the all-time best Christmas albums***

K. L. Sternitzky | Green Bay, WI USA | 12/29/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Wow!! I adore this CD. I love music that is both traditional and yet a little different, and Steve can do both so extremely well. The best track on the CD is "Adorar al Niño," which combines a wonderful Latino beat with the traditional Christmas story. This song was so impressive, I wrote to CD recording company & was able to obtain a copy of the the sheet music to use in our contemporary praise band at church. This song really gets people's attention, let me tell ya!! It's just fabulous. AND it's a Christmas eve tradition in our church, 2 years in a row, to use this album on Christmas Eve as pre-service music until our band is ready to go. The very first track, Joy to the World, is done in such an outstanding, majestic, upbeat manner, it captures the joy of the season. The next few tracks are awesome as well, with everyone's favorite "Silent Night" as the 4th track, which is performed traditionally with excellence. You have to wait until track 9 to hear "Adorar al Niño," but you'll be very pleased with all the music in-between. Awesome. Thank you, Steve! And God Bless You!!"

Refreshing and filled with beauty

Alejandra Vernon | Long Beach, California | 11/29/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Steve Green has a glorious voice, a full liquid sound that has a huge range and power of operatic proportions, but is equally effective when he is singing softly, which is how he interprets many of of the lovely songs on this CD, which span the centuries from Handel and Beethoven to "Jesus is Born" which was co-written by Steve.
He sings in a straightforward style, and with the melody, instead of against it, which has become so popular in modern times, with singers sometimes thinking that exaggerated "frills and meandering" make a song "their own"; Steve instead relies on his vocal technique, and the rare gift of true artistry. Highlights for me are the exquisitely tender "Silent Night", and no Christmas album is complete for me without "O Holy Night", which is here presented in a medley with "The Birthday of a King"; other good medleys are the excerpts from Handel's "Messiah", and the final combination of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel"/"Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne".
My absolute favorite is "Adorar al Niño", sung in flawless Spanish (with one verse in English) and with a marvelous Mexican-style arrangement; it's an infectious tune, and the performance by all, including Jon Goin and Mark Casstevens on guitars, is exceptional.Whether singing in the richness of his full voice, or in subdued velvety textured tones, Steve is a joy to listen to, and this 1987 CD, released in the fourth year of his long recording career, is tasteful and inspiring; a perfect addition to any Christmas music collection, it is one that becomes increasingly appealing with each hearing. The sound is very good and total time 33'38."