Headed up by the Peanuts’ main musical voice these days, David Benoit, this CD is a tribute to the 1965 Vince Guaraldi classic with a few Christmas standards added. Featuring folks like Vanessa Williams, Dave Koz and Brian McKnight, it’s no surprise that Guaraldi’s West Coast cool sound has been replaced by more of a contemporary-jazz and R&B vibe, which will hopefully bring a whole new audience to his music. Highlights include Chaka Khan’s earthy “The Christmas Song” and Norman Brown’s smooth-grooving “Skating.” It’s a safe bet that this is going to be one of the biggest new Christmas albums of the season.
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