Christmastime Is Here / Kunzel, Erich & Cincinnati Pops
A mere 16 years after Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops recorded their now-classicChristmas with the Pops,Christmastime Is Hereis their 2006 follow-up.  It sticks to the same basic formula: a mix of orchestral, choral, and solo numbers performed by the Indiana University Singing Hoosiers (a Kunzel favorite, succeeding the original's May Festival Chorus), the School for Creative and Performing Arts Children's Choir (who sang on the original, though presumably with a different roster), and an entirely new crop of soloists.  While the original relied on classic veterans such as Rosemary Clooney and Doc Severinsen,Christmastime Is Heremakes use of hip jazz vocalists (and, not coincidentally, Telarc recording artists all) Ann Hampton Callaway ("I Wonder as I Wander"), Tierney Sutton ("I'll Be Home for Christmas"), Tony DeSare ("The Christmas Song"), and John Pizzarelli (""Silver Bells") as well as British sextet the King's Singers ("Silent Night").--David Horiuchi