Jazzy Stocking Stuffers

Most collections of Christmas music emphasize the secular over the sacred, the celebratory holiday over the religious elements. Jingle Bells, despite its title, is more on the religious side with mostly lesser known but worthy recordings that offer Christians an opportunity to think about the meaning of the Christmas season.

There is some variety on this set, which begins in light-hearted fashion with Louis Armstrong's "Zat You, Santa Claus" and has happy versions of "Jingle Bells" and "Jolly Old St. Nicholas" by the Holly Players Orchestra. Other performances include "O Holy Night" (by Jack Jones), "What Child is This," "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear," "The Bells of St. Mary's" (by Vic Damone), "Good Christian Men Rejoice" and "Joy to the World." In addition, Mahalia Jackson sings a powerful version of "In the Upper Room."

This CD will be of strong interest to those who take the Christmas season seriously, but also enjoy hearing spirited music.

—Scott Yanow