The Soul of the Holidays Live CD/DVD music compilation captures the "essence and soul" of classic holiday favorites that have stood the test of time. From the first funky lead-in of Spur of the Moment's smooth jazz rendition of "Angels We Have Heard On High" to Phil Perry's incredible vocal stylings and powerful rendition of "Away In A Manger", Soul of the Holidays delivers the range of all that soul has to offer in a tidy package.The Soul of the Holidays Live CD/DVD music compilation captures the "essence and soul" of classic holiday favorites that have stood the test of time. From the first funky lead-in of Spur of the Moment's smooth jazz rendition of "Angels We Have Heard On High" to Phil Perry's incredible vocal stylings and powerful rendition of "Away In A Manger", Soul of the Holidays delivers the range of all that soul has to offer in a tidy package. The collaboration between Angie Stone and Mike Phillips that pairs Stone's amazingly rich vocals with Phillips' sultry sax on the Donny Hathaway classic, "This Christmas" is the holiday favorite that binds us all together during the season - parents and children, families and friends, artist and audience, singer and song. The stirring blend of Maysa (famed Incognito vocalist) smooth scat style with Brian Culbertson's mastery on the keyboard for "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Comfort and Joy)" emerges as a highlight. Soul of the Holidays features contemporary R&B artists like Angie Stone, Joe, Vanessa Renee Williams, Plunky and Tony Rich, while paying homage to the legacy of soul and jazz music with powerhouse artists such as Maysa, Brian Culbertson, Phil Perry, and Mike Phillips who are featured on classic holiday songs such as "Silent Night", "The First Noel", "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and "Oh Holy Night". Musical arrangements and production was handled by Chris "Big Dog" Davis and Wayne Bruce. Chris Davis is a tour de force, having made his mark on the music industry producing for greats such as Najee, Phil Perry, Maysa and Will Downing. This holiday collection is no exception to his impeccable work, which continues to be stunningly original. Wayne Bruce is a keystone member of Spur of the Moment, in addition to producing for them. Bruce's skills are evident in the production he has done for Spur of the Moment and Maysa, his touch contributes to this seamless compilation of musical styles as well.
The Soul of the Holidays' DVD features the live full-length concert videotaped in high-definition as well as bonus features that include, "behind-the-scenes" footage, on-camera testimonials with music artists discussing their most-memorable holiday moments, and a photo gallery.
The feel good nature of Soul of the Holidays extends beyond the aesthetic gratification, as proceeds from the sale of the Soul of the Holidays Live CD/DVD music compilation will benefit nonprofit organization, "Food2Feed" (www.food2feed.org) whose mission is to help feed needy Washington, DC area families during the holiday season. It is estimated that 1 out of 9, Washington, DC metro area families are at risk of or living with hunger.
These "soulful", contemporary renditions and performances by gifted artists like Angie Stone, JOE, Phil Perry are sure to inspire and ignite the spirit of the holiday season in its listeners and supporters. This promises to make the Soul of the Holidays, Live CD/DVD, a holiday favorite for MANY years to come!
.