An Evening in December
An Evening in Decemberis quite simply one of the most beautiful Christmas albums ever made.  A collaboration between contemporary Christian group First Call (their roster at the time was Bonnie Keen, Melodie Tunney, and Marty McCall) and arranger/guest bass singer David Maddux, it's 37 minutes of a cappella bliss, starting with the touching title tune and stepping through numerous traditional favorites plus lesser-known gems such as "Starlight."  The lush, multitracked sound will remind you of Gene Puerling's Singers Unlimited, and you will notice a few spots of religious correctness ("Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" gives a nod to the Lord rather than to the Fates).  Guest soloists include Kelly Nelon Thompson, Wayne Watson, Cynthia Clawson, David Meece, and Dave Boyer.  It was followed in 1987 by an excellent, but not quite as exquisite, Volume 2.--David Horiuchi