The world-class guitarists featured on this collection of Christmas classics include Grammy nominee and Dove Award winner Phil Keaggy, Mark Baldwin, Dave Cleveland, Bruce Gaitsch, Tom Hemby, Michael Hodge, Matt McPherson (founder and designer of McPherson Guitars) and Michael Ripoll.
“Christmas Treasures” is an instrumental look at some of world's most beloved Christmas carols, each performed on an acclaimed McPherson acoustic guitar. These fresh interpretations of classic Christmas songs will surprise you with their depth and beauty. The remarkable sonic beauty of the McPherson guitars is faithfully captured with the finest vintage and modern microphones, and the stellar production adds piano, Irish whistle, harmonica, drums, bass, electric guitars, percussion, organ and live strings. There is some stellar pickin’ (Mark Baldwin’s “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” and Michael Hodges’ uptempo dance with the drums on “We Three Kings”), but the project is highly polished, offering lush arrangements and quiet choruses.
But there is still the occasional sizzle. Michael Ripoli enriches the project greatly with his samba take on “The Christmas Song” and African-influenced “Little Drummer Boy.” Tom Hemby burns with a rich George Benson jazz groove on “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” and I loved his rendition of “Christmas Time is Here” with the muted harmonica. Dave Cleveland goes all Eric Clapton on “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and Mark Baldwin ties things up nicely on the sparkling closer “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”
“Christmas Treasures” does actually highlight the beauty of the McPherson guitar. But beyond that it offers a mellow instrumental Christmas album of exquisite sensitivity. Sounds hoity-toity, I know, but it’s not. Any picker in your life will be thrilled to see “Christmas Treasures” in his stocking on Christmas morning.
Here are two more Christmas albums that are somewhat eclectic and sensitive, Like "Christmas Treasures": Mark Briner's "My Christmas Song for You" and Moya Brennan's "An Irish Christmas."
