"When I'm 64" - This Lennon/McCartney favorite is as charming as ever! Bass primarily has a walking line, while the melody changes hands from the soprano to the tenor. "Don't Know Why" - A ballad of the 40's in block harmonies. The tempo is medium. "My Funny Valentine" - Classic ballad by Rodgers and Hart. This jazz arrangement features lush harmonies and many solo lines for all parts.

Songlist: When I'm Sixty-Four, My Funny Valentine

"Fum Fum Fum" is a traditional Christmas folk song from Catalan with bright tempo and traditional harmonies. Two verses are in Spanish and two in English. It is a straight four-part singing without solos. " O Come With Us" is an English carol with bright tempo and contrapuntal lines. A fun sing! Traditional carol " The Holly And The Ivy" with non-traditional rhythm setting in 6/8. Bright tempo, and several solo sections. "That You Gonna Call Your Pretty Little Baby/a Child Is Born" is a two-song blend of a traditional spiritual and a Thad Jones' jazz classic. Solos meant for free interpretation. Never more than 4-parts at once includig solos. These sophisticated arrangements willl add some sizzle to your Christmas program.

Songlist: Fum, Fum, Fum, The Holly and the Ivy, O Come With Us, What You Gonna Call Your Pretty Little Baby / A Child Is Born

The four members of Inner Voices' bios read like a who's who of session recording. Practice has made perfect, and they are caroling at your door! The female soprano, alto and tenor (one of whom is Morgan Ames, Grammy winning arranger) and male baritone, along with guest vocalist Mervyn Warren of Take 6, have produced an immaculate recording. The luminous sound has been refined and honed until it shimmers. All four singers trade lines on "I Wash My Face in a Golden Vase" (accompanied by keyboard, as is "Christmas in My Dreams"). Soprano Donna McAfee soars on "The Savior is Born," gliding effortlessly up and down the scale with total precision. "Christmas Night in Harlem" captures that NewYork smoky jazz club vibe; "My Father" combines the mixolydian harmonic minor with the traditional Western carol for a haunting, enigmatic result. This sophisticated group satisfies the heart and the mind. Additional bonus of Guest artist Mervyn Warren.

Songlist: Christmas In My Dreams, De King Is Born Today, I Wash My Face In a Golden Vase, The Savior Is Born, Liz and Ralph and Calvin, Christmas Night In Harlem, Christmas Love Song, O COme With Us, My Father, Alegria, The Holly and the Ivy, Bright, Bright, the Holly Berries, O Holy Night, Have Yourself a Merr Little Christmas

Los Angeles-based four-woman, one man vocal jazz quintet brings us their long-awaited second Christmas album after their critically-acclaimed "Christmas In My Dreams" and "Prairie Jazz." The one man would be Morgan Ames, the group's producer, arranger and alto, and he is masterful at what he does, as are sopranos Shelby and Julie, tenor Sheri and baritone Michael. "Greetings" is a delicious, refreshing collection of 15 tunes, and some of our favorites include originals written by group members, such as Shelby Flint's lovely "State of Grace" and "Greetings Of The Season" and Morgan's romantic "Merry Christmas, Sweetheart." Also very fine are the bluesy "Silent Night," the slightly scary "Zat You, Santa Claus?," Sammy Cahn's "Christmas Waltz," Chas. Brown & Gene Redd's plaintive "Please Come Home for Christmas," John Wallowitch & G. Shocker's lyrical, nostalgic "A Christmas Journey," a jazzy, salsa-flavored "Jingle Bell Rock," Joe Van Winkle & R. Sherman's joyous "Christmas Time In New Orleans" and the moody "Carol Of The Wildwood," with additional lyrics by Morgan. Every Christmas season Inner Voices holds their sold-out, acclaimed Christmas show in LA, and given the great material we've heard on "Greetings of the Season," this year's will be particularly wonderful. There is some light accompaniment here, but we loved every cut on the album, so don't miss this one!

Songlist: Silent Night, State of Grace, We Need A Little Christmas, Zat You, Santa Claus, Carol of the Bells, Merry Christmas Sweetheart, Greetings of the Season, Christmas Waltz, Please Come Home For Christmas, I'll Be Home For Christmas, Jingle Bell Rock, A Christmas Journey, Christmas Time In New Orleans, Christmas Time Is Here, Carol of the Wildwood

Inner Voices : Prairie Jazz   

Manhattan Transfer meets the Sons Of The Pioneers!! The incomparable Morgan Ames had produced, arranged and recorded the selections which she describes as "a group of a cappella cowboy and mountain songs based on pure historical American, plus a few strays, filtered through my jazz-based sense of harmony and four city singers." She goes on to add... "I grew up looking for home on the range, pretending to be Annie Oakley on rented horses at the Burbank Stables. But singing this music, our shared American heritage, was a gift and that's how we offer it to you." Now, all isn't just tradition as occasionally a new lyic or two is added, but the singers Shelby Flint, Morgan, Melissa Mackay and Michael Mishaw manage to maintain a sensibility of tradition while creating an entirely new feel, exactly as Morgan describes in her quoted comments above. Real traditional tunes such as "Home on the Range," "Old Diamond Joe," (a multi-track overdubbed recording sung entirely by Michael) and "Old Chisholm Trail" are mixed in with a leavening of newer tunes such as "Witchi Tai To," "My Real Home," and "Springtime in the Rockies." The only difficulty we face in reviewing a recording of this calibre is expressing our enthusiasm without going overboard!

Songlist: Old Chisholm Trail, Witch Tai To, Goodbye Old Paint, The Cuckoo, Tumblin' Tumbleweeds, My Real Home, Old Diamond Joe, Where Am I Going, Home On The Range, There's A Star On The Horizon, Springtime In The Rockies, Unused To Lovers, Cielito Lindo, The Water Is Wide/Oh Winding River, I Wonder As I Wander