For the most part, I find the Christmas season completely overwhelming. The one thing that gets me through it is music — but not usually on the “all-Christmas” radio stations. I prefer a bunch of scratched up CD’s from (gasp) almost twenty years ago.
My hands-down, number one, no contest, all-time favorite Christmas album ever is Handel’s Messiah – A Soulful Celebration, with the Boys Choir of Harlem, Stevie Wonder, Al Jarreau, Tramaine Hawkins, Gladys Knight, Patti Austin, and Sounds of Blackness, just to name a few.
I’ve been listening to this since it came out in ’92. It’s probably not for Messiah purists, but I can’t help but think that Handel would somehow approve. This is “soul” music at its best – R&B, modern, hip-hop, rap, urban, black gospel. And when combined with the power of “The Messiah”, it’s pure heaven.
