Talk about surprises. How does one justify recounting a Christmas album when it’s almost spring? For starters, it’s a darn good album— full of unexpected wonder—like Carol Hall’s yearning ”Hard Candy Christmas” (The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas). Secondly, its not just all about Christmas; it’s much more about the dark winter nights told through well-chosen story songs that suit this singer like a glove.

Kaye’s jazzy spirit presents the lady in a special light that glows like a lantern. Her jazz-folk sensibility exudes deep emotions that simply shine. With assists from Musical Director/arranger Ethan Fein and a dynamite hot band, she is in great form on buoyant classics like a risk-taking “Christmas” (“Baby Please Come Home”), a 1963 classic. A risky move, but Kaye comes through in a cut that rocks. Steve Allen’s “Cool Yule” swings with a big band flavor that’s infectious. Annie Lennox’s “Cold” makes a strong statement about desperate love and Kaye captures the right mood on this most complex song: “Cold is the color of crystal...I want to be with you, baby/Slip me inside of your heart,” etc. This song is the album’s centerpiece and a highlight of this seasonally-challenged album that holds up all year long. More songs like this would be welcome in future outings from Kaye. She also captures the subtle nuances in Joni Mitchell’s “River” with a pensive reading that shows the depth Kaye is capable of. Again, more of this is called for. Ricki Lee Jones’s folksy “Bonfires” is a haunting tale well told by one who is capable of such depth and needs to be taken more seriously.

John Hoglund
Cabaret Scenes
March 2012
www.cabaretscenes.org