The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • Page 19

Stye Jlbincs cjtstar Ann Landers 2T A reader tells of being sexually abused by her brothers. TV Listings Comics Classifieds Jeanne Abbott, Features Editor 515-28-l-fi02! C. R. Mitchell, Today Editor 5 1 5-28 MS207 Friday, December 5, 1997SectionT I I If If vl This year's holiday gds gome with music for every mood and moment. Rekha Basil Facing death with wisdom oti For the sake of personal sanity, space limitations in this fine publication and the well-being of my cat, there was no way to review all the new holiday releases that By KATHY BERDAN Kkoistkr Staff Wiutf.k Holiday music is the ultimate soundtrack for special occasions that come with this time of year.

The new releases hayride, or if you and Dusty and Red are sharing grub around the campfire, but the whole album gets tiresome. "A Winter's Solstice VI," various artists, (Windham Hill). Another collection of pleasant, innocuous "Sunday morning music" with artists such as Michael Hedges, Liz Story, George Winston and Jim Brickman. The nice thing about this CD is that nothing sounds strictly seasonal, so you don't have to pack it away with the Christmas tree or menorah. There was a moment at Mary Louise Smith's funeral back in August when everyone in the crowd seemed to blur, except two people near the front.

Arthur Davis, who had stopped making public appearances about four months earlier, stood with his wife, Judy, each supporting the other, as the mourners who packed Plymouth Congregational Church sang along with the hymn, "Blessed Be The Binds." Davis was dying and everyone knew it. He had already outlived his doctor's expectations, resigning from the mayor's job months earlier, and in an interview, openly discussing the resurgence of his terminal colon cancer. Still, just knowing it wasn't enough to buffer the shock of seeing the man with a once-towering presence reduced to a pale and gaunt figure, a man who only five months previously presided over meetings of the City Council, now needing support simply to stand. He'd done well that day, smiling and greeting people, moving along the bench to make room for new arrivals as more jammed the church. But as the chorus of voices rose to sing about a time of parting, the moment seemed too close, the lyrics too prescient.

What the rest of us couldn't grasp then was that Arthur Davis had already made peace with the ending, which finally came last week. In the months between his diagnosis and his death, as arrived in our mailbox. So here's a quick list of some of them: "Beauty and the Beast, The Enchanted Christmas Soundtrack" (Walt Disney Records). "Celtic Christmas II," various artists (Windham Hill). "Christmas," Rebecca St.

James (Fore-Front Records). "The Christmas Album," Roberta Flack (Angel Records). "Christmas by Candlelight," Randall Atcheson ((RCA). "Country Cares for Kids," various artists, including Clint Black, Martina McBride, Lonestar and Blackhawk, a holiday album to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (BNA).

"God With Us, A Celebration of Christmas Carols and Classics," various contemporary Christian artists including Steven Curtis Chapman, Twila Paris, Sandi Patty and Michael W. Smith (Sparrow Records). "Hallelujah He Is Born," Sawyer Brown (Curb Records). "Hello Christmas," Donald Lawrence (Crystal Rose). "Home for the Holidays," Lorie Line (Department 56 Records).

"Home for the Holidays," Trisha Year-wood (MCA Nashville for Hallmark). "Joy," Melissa Manchester (Angel Records). "Light of the World," The Martins (Spring Hill records). "Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Live," Chip Davis (American Grama-phone). "Once Upon a Christmas," Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton (RCA).

"Peace on Earth," Peabo Bryson (Angel Records). "The Broadway Kids Sing Christmas," with special guest Kathie Lee Gifford (Lightyear Entertainment). "This Christmas," Ann Hampton Callaway (Angel Records). "Through a Different Window," for this year offer all sorts of soundtrack options from festive party music to quiet, reflective moods. There was no real theme to this year's releases, as there seems to have been in previous years, when we've seen the World Beat Christmas, the Tejano Christmas and last year's Cocktail Music Christmas.

Here, in no particular order, are soundtracks for almost everyone. "Warner Bros. Jazz Christmas Party," various artists. For that "cool Yule" mood, requiring a fire in the fireplace or at least a large cluster of candles. Opens with a groovy version of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" by Joshua Redman and includes Bela Fleck, Al Jarreau, Kevin Mahogany and others.

Buy this for nothing else than a nifty number by Michael Franks: "I Bought You a Plastic Star for Your Aluminum Tree." "A Very Green Christmas," Artists for Earth, (Seventh Wave Records). A healthy serving of sweet, soothing, rather mindless stuff. With its mix of traditional and new stuff from new age artists such as Alex de Grassi, Kate Price, Paul McCandless and others, it's a perfect soundtrack for a cup of something hot and a conversation with a good friend "Bonfiglio, Home for the Holidays," Robert Bonfiglio, (OnQ Music). Harmonica? Bet you don't have one of these in your collection. It works on some songs because traditional holiday tunes are simple and his is a simple instrument.

There's almost an Old WestCowboy rhythm to several tunes including "Do You Hear" and "Let It Snow." Bonfiglio, an Iowa-born harmonica player who has performed with the Des Moines Symphony during pops concerts, shows his blues roots, too, on "Blues for Christmas Eve," but this disc can do without the affected "Christmas 2000." Soundtrack? Well, maybe for that holiday "Merry Axemas A Guitar Christmas," various artists, (Epic). The greats of modem guitar crank out versions of popular holiday tunes, opening with Kenny Wayne Shepherd doing a blistering rendition of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Artists include Richie Sambora, Eric Johnson, Jeff Beck. It's a soundtrack for a group of teen-age boys shopping at the mall, but might be a bit much for older types unless you're heavy into guitar music. "Carols of Christmas II," various artists, Windham Hill. A lovely collection of mostly traditional holiday songs featuring George Winston, Janis Ian, Jim Brickman, Leo Kottke and others.

A soundtrack for that rare holiday moment to yourself when you think about the real meaning of the season. "Come on Christmas," Dwight Yoakam (Reprise Records). Very cool, very Dwight, one of the best of this year's batch, blending blues, country, jazz and more. The opening ballad, "Come On Christmas," will tug at the heart, and "Santa Can't Stay" is a true country sad song. I never thought I'd say this, but Yoakam's version of "Here Comes Santa Claus" rivals the Elvis version.

Really. Party soundtrack all the way. "Merry Texas Christmas, Y'all," Asleep at the Wheel (High Street Records). Despite the fact that it includes Willie Nelson on "Pretty Paper," Texas swing just doesn't fit my idea of the holidays. But if you've got a holiday hayride or barn dance, this could be just the soundtrack.

And the armadillo in CDS Please turn to Page 21 Ray Stevens (MCA Nashville). "Tis the Season," various artists including Phil Perry, Patti Austin, Deniece Williams (Encoded Music). "Valley of Christmas: An Ancient Fable with Modern Appliances," written and nar rated by Andrei Codrescu with music by Mark Bingham (Gert Town Records). Kathy Berdan Rabbi Steven Fink would tell the gathering at his funeral Monday, Davis had several rare months to reflect on his life and bring closure to it. He left no unfinished business, no lingering loose ends to tie up.

He even planned the funeral. He wanted a simple service no lofty testimonials about him, just a plea for people to further his dreams by involving themselves in public service. Mary Louise Smith had gone the same way. Relatives said she, too, managed her own last rites down to the last detail. Davis and Smith, both widely respected and loved, will be much missed.

But if there is a right way to go, fully prepared, with your psychological house in order, this has to be it. Dying well is a subject often considered too painful or taboo to talk about. Where death is avoidable, it should be reasonably fought However, when it becomes unavoidable, the best approach is to face and prepare for it. That's the conclusion reached by Marilyn Webb, a former journalism school classmate of mine who undertook a six-year journey to explore the social, medical, legal and financial realities that shape dying in America. She was propelled by a personal need to come to terms with several traumatic family deaths in her childhood.

The result is a nearly 500-page book, "The Good Death; The New American Search to Reshape the End of Life," (Bantam Books, November 1997). The collection of essays explores medical technologies and philosophies on dying, from hospices, to Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, to Buddhism to physician-assisted suicide. She approaches with a critical eye technological interventions which keep people alive but aggravate their suffering. Webb believes "good deaths" are possible through, among other things, open, ongoing communication between doctors, patients and family; by keeping intact the patient's decision-making power; providing emotional, spiritual and family support and focusing on preserving the patient's quality of life. "Modern medicine," she concludes, "may have made dying harder, but it has also given us the gift of time the time to prepare, the time to heal family wounds, the time to bring psychological and spiritual closure." Arthur Davis and Mary Louise Smith came from different religious faiths and opposing political parties, but they shared certain core values, most notably the commitment to eliminate prejudice and build an inclusive community.

Both used their final months to educate people about the importance of cancer prevention; both finally succumbed to cancer. But when they knew their ends were near, both faced the knowledge with wisdom and courage, passing that gift along to those left to mourn them, and adding one more lesson to the many legacies they left behind. GEZED Disney star in Des Moines 'Sevens': Solid effort keeps Garth rolling By BRIAN McCOLLUM Knuhit-Kiiiukr Garth Brooks is part wily salesman, part genuine altruist. That's why half the material on "Sevens" is fc-CH (Vf Brooks HvTiitKMiiNTKR Staff If you've seen "The Little maid," you know Jodi Benson. She's the voice of Ariel, the hapless girl who loses her ability to sing but lives happily ever after Benson appears tonight as the star of the Des Moines Symphony's Snowflake Celebrations.

She will sing Disney songs and holiday favorites at the family concert, which begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Civic Center. Tickets are $14 and $18 for adults, $7 and $9 for children at the box office or through Ticketmaster. Benson Is back on the road promoting the re-release of "The Little Mermaid." She is also the voice of Weebo in the Disney remake of "Flubber." Also tonight at the Civic Center is "Winter Park," a free event for kids with holiday contests and prizes. It begins at 6 p.m.

In the center's West Lobby. For information, call 243-1140. cunningly crafted stuff. Take the, breezy "Two i a Capitol Nashville 1 Garth Brooks went full throttle on "Sevens." Coladas," and try to convince anybody that the song's light steel drums and built-in that saves "Sevens," and makes it his best work since 1991's "Ropin' the Wind." In a day when country has descended into depths more sorry than the lamest, synth-pop balladry of BROOKS Please turn to Page 2T slurred sing-along set sail with Captain don't represent Brooks' savvy reading of his demographic crossover with the Jimmy Buffett crowd. But it's Brooks' benevolent side.