Colors of Christmas

Christmas Coll ~ Colors Of ChristmasSome of R&B’s top singers come together for this yuletide vocal celebration, featuring the estimable pipes of Peabo Bryson, Oleta Adams, Philip Bailey, and others. Backed by a fine jazz ensemble and orchestra under the direction of producer Robbie Buchanan, Bryson opens the set with a croon-approved version of “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” and later duets soulfully with Roberta Flack on “The Gift.” The funky “This Christmas” finds Jeffrey Osborne shimmying around melodic curves; and Bailey’s harp-laden, almost Celtic take on “Silent Night” boasts his distinctive falsetto and preternatural vibrato. Sheena Easton wraps the album up (heh…) with a Buchanan arrangement of “The Lord’s Prayer,” which handles the profession of faith with suitable passion. –James Rotondi