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A GOSPEL CHRISTMAS
(DVD; Urban Works)
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Ray Charles joins the Voices of Jubilation on all but a handful of cuts on this concert DVD, with uneven results. The Voices deliver some powerful performances, and the 120-member troupe decked out in colorful African dress is a sight. Their version of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," moreover, moves from whisper to shout as it shows what they’re capable of. But they also deliver monotonous arrangements and vocal sluggishness, and the concert becomes a full-on Christmas revival only when Charles joins the mix. Although he drops a few notes here and there on "The Christmas Song," he still cooks, lighting dull standards like "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" and "The Little Drummer Boy" and making "America the Beautiful" soulful and irresistible. The gospel is poured on thick, a reminder that Christmas wasn't always a secular holiday. Give Ray a chance, but keep your clicker handy.
