A Festival of Carols in Brass

This collection is over thirty years old and it sets the standard for Christmas brass music. It would be my guess that many of people who already own this disc first purchased it as an LP. Others will purchase the disc because their parents and grandparents owned the disc and it has become a holiday musical tradition. Over the years it has been one of Columbia’s best selling albums and listeners will easily understand why. Listeners will almost feel as if the Salvation Army Band is right outside serenading Christmas shoppers. Listeners will quickly discover that many of the tracks of this collection are familiar from radio play. Probably the most creative and perhaps best known arrangements are the group’s version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” You cannot go wrong purchasing this disc.

If you like to listen to the Salvation Army Band on a cold, wintry evening on a city street corner at Christmas (and who doesn’t?), then this outstanding selection of Yuletide favorites is for you. The ensemble obviously enjoyed these recording sessions, for the playing is topnotch, without even the slightest suggestion of routine. The sound is also impressive, given the recording comes from the late 1960′s. Most of the selections last less than two minutes, so the music never outstays its welcome. Highly recommended!