A Christmas Collection

1	The Christmas Song	3:07
2	Hark! The Herald Angels Sing O Come All Ye Faithful Angels We Have Heard On High God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen	4:58
3	We Three Kings What Child Is This	4:02
4	Jingle Bell Rock Jingle Bells	3:51
5	Winter Lights -A Christmas Fantasy	5:33
6	I Wonder As I Wander Coventry Carol O Come O Come Emmanuel	4:55
7	Let It Snow Here Comes Santa Claus Santa Claus Is Coming To Town Jolly Old Saint Nicholas Up On The Housetop I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus Winter Wonderland	5:44
8	I'll Be Home For Christmas White Christmas	4:12
9	I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day It Came Upon A Midnight Clear Auld Lang Syne I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day II Toyland Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas	8:59

Neil Hogan

JS 101
Total Playing Time: 45:54

Neil Hogan's A Christmas Collection proves that the seasonal standards don't have to be sedate. A bluesy version of "The Christmas Song" smacks of a Mamas & the Papas influence. Mellow standards like "Hark the Herald Angels Sing,""O Come All Ye Faithful,""Angels We Have Heard on High," and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"–here as one medley– swing without changing the all-too-familiar mold of traditional tunes. "Jingle Bell Rock" and "Jingle Bells," meanwhile, are tossed together to create a witty little number. And combinations such as "We Three Kings/What Child is This" and "I'll Be Home For Christmas/White Christmas" suffer no strain for slower tempos.

Hogan focuses on the merry in his Christmas collection. His arrangements offer more bounce, more jive, and more groove than the average seasonal solo guitar recording–but he doesn't overdo it. That's what makes this package so appealing.

Mary-Kate Bourn, CD Review