Search - Various Artists :: Christmas Grass Too

Good song selection emphasizing vocal numbers

J. Ross | Roseburg, OR USA | 11/01/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Playing Time - 40:09 -- Christmas Grass Volume 2 is a sequel to the very nice acoustic, mostly instrumental bluegrass Christmas album which was released in October, 2002 by Koch Records. Volume 2 continues the holiday presentation with good song selection, this time emphasizing vocal numbers from Dolly Parton, Ronnie Bowman, Rhonda Vincent, Doyle Lawson, Darrin Vincent/Jamie Dailey, Russell Moore, The Larkins, Bobby Osborne, Charlie Daniels, and Sonya Isaacs. Instrumental renditions of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear," and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" round out the set.



Despite an all-star list of musicians, there is no grandstanding on this CD. All 40 minutes are tastefully-rendered arrangements of both the old and familiar, as well as the new and enchanting. Especially nice in the latter category are Bowman singing "Merry Christmas Ho Ho Ho" and Rhonda Vincent's heartfelt rendition of "Tennessee Christmas." Another favorite is "O Christmas Candle," a Tom T. and Iris Hall composition rendered by Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver. A contemporary "Christmas in Dixie" sung by The Larkins is a well-wrought addition to every family's holiday music. Sonya and Ben Isaacs have become defining voices of their time, and "Mary, Did You Know?" illustrates their engaging and breathtaking vocal abilities.



The uncluttered arrangements breathe freely, and just the right instrumental melodic fills are added. They are just as lyrical and fluid as they need to be without any unnecessary tricks. As it should be with Christmas music, the songs bounce along at slower to moderate paces without any racing performances. The vocals, and their inherent messages, are emphasized.



Many of the cuts include a core of musicians -- Darrin Vincent (bass), Bryan Sutton (guitar), Adam Steffey (mandolin), Randy Kohrs (dobro), Stuart Duncan (fiddle) and Jim Mills or Charlie Cushman (banjo). With the exception of Vincent, the core musicians are different than the bunch appearing on Christmas Grass Volume One. Both volumes open with Tex Logan's standard, "Christmas Time's A Comin'." Christmas Grass Volume Two is a better balanced project than Volume One because of its emphasis on vocals with a few instrumentals also. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)

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