A Christmas Gift of Love

by Barry Manilow

Overview

Barry Manilow's second seasonal collection, following 1990's Because It's Christmas, was released on Columbia Records, but that label berth appears to be a one-off for the singer, who followed his long tenure at Arista by signing to the jazz independent Concord for his last album, 2001's Here at the Mayflower. Maybe Columbia offered a bigger budget, since Manilow is awash in strings on a set of holiday standards. Those strings are arranged festively, and Manilow is in an appropriately festive mood, really throwing himself into the proceedings; it's his enthusiasm that makes this Christmas album a winner. There are songs actually written as Christmas carols, such as "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," but Manilow also expands the usual repertoire to take in a number of tunes that have become associated with the holiday season over the years, even if they were not intended to be originally, notably Rodgers & Hammerstein's "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music and Joni Mitchell's melancholy "River" from her Blue album, which is certainly set at Christmas time even if it doesn't share the usual holiday sentiments. Inevitably, Manilow ends with his own new Christmas original, "A Gift of Love," which is a good song even if it isn't likely to join the ranks of the perennial copyrights. This is an enjoyable Christmas album in a traditional pop style likely to please both Manilow fans and others. ~ William Ruhlmann

Product Details

Release Date:	08/16/2011
Label:	Bmg / Columbia / Sony Music
UPC:	0886979341821

Tracks

1. Winter Wonderland
2. Happy Holiday/White Christmas
3. Santa Claus is Coming to Town
4. (There's No Place Like) Home for the Holidays
5. I'll Be Home for Christmas
6. My Favorite Things
7. The Christmas Waltz
8. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
9. River
10. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?
11. A Gift of Love

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Barry Manilow   Primary Artist
Patrick Williams   Guest Artist,Conductor
Ken Berry   Guitar
Chuck Berghofer   Bass
John Pisano   Guitar
Gregg Field   Drums
Dean Parks   Guitar
Michael Lang   Piano
Robbie Buchanan   Conductor,Keyboards,String Conductor
Ray Ellis   Conductor
Jorge Calandrelli   Conductor
Mike Thompson   Guitar
Paul Buckmaster   Conductor

Technical Credits

Stephen Marcussen   Mastering
Terry Woodson   Music Copyist
Bill Schnee   Mixing,Engineer
J. Fred Coots   Composer
Irving Berlin   Composer
Kim Gannon   Composer
Jeff Katz   Photography
Doug Sax   Mastering
Jay Landers   Executive Producer
Louie Teran   Digital Editing
Joni Mitchell   Composer
Robert Allen   Composer
Marc Hulett   Assistant
Jule Styne   Composer
Buck Ram   Composer
Al Stillman   Composer
Bruce Sussman   Composer
Haven Gillespie   Composer
Bruce Monical   Studio Assistant
David Low   Orchestra Contractor
Walter Kent   Composer
Steve Genewick   Assistant Engineer
Felix Bernard   Composer
Oscar Hammerstein II   Composer
Richard Rodgers   Composer
Robbie Buchanan   Arranger,Producer,String Arrangements
Ray Ellis   Arranger
Robert Hadley   Mastering
Dick Smith   Composer
Sammy Cahn   Composer
Jorge Calandrelli   Arranger
Toby Foster   Assistant Engineer
Garry Kief   Executive Producer
Jay Anista   Studio Assistant
Scott Erickson   Engineer,Project Coordinator
Willie Vincent   Art Direction
Hooshik   Art Direction
Robert Wolff   Authoring
Wil Donovan   Studio Assistant
James Goforth   Studio Assistant
Charlie Paakkari   Assistant Engineer
Ryan Petrie   Assistant Engineer
Frank Loesser   Composer
Paul Buckmaster   String Arrangements
Patrick Williams   Arranger
Barry Manilow   Concept,Arranger,Composer,Producer