The Tampa Tribune from Tampa, Florida • 141

HOLIDAY MUSIC KOWIE HUB Mult Material LJ Nov. $23.50, $27.50 CHARLES DICKENS' 970 WFLA 71 LOS ANGELES "A CHRISTMAS CAROL" I DUIIUADMnVir Tuc, Dec. 13, 8pm riiluinmiiUHIU J10.50.Jl3.50.J16.DO. Sia.DO 22 Sponsored by Id I a VICTOR HERBERTS TTS" EV.J ORCHESTRA ESA-PEKKA SAL0NEN, MUSIC DIRECTOR BEETHOVEN, SHOSTAKOVICH, SIBELIUS Dec. 2, 8pm $29.50, $39.50, $45.50 "RflRPv 111 a jsl IHWkV III TOYLAKD" LflJ WITH ORCHESTRA Mon, Dec.

12, 5pm $10 KATHY MATTEA CHRISTMAS SPECIAL Dec. 3, 8pm $25.50 ALJAEREAU Dec. 15, 8pm $37.50 870 WFLA AimAAIRUNES Sponsored by "EV1TA" MUSIC BY ANDREW LLOY0 WEBBER LYRICS BY TIM RICE Dec. 7, 3pm 8pm Three Kings." Still, if you subscribe to the definition of a gentleman as "someone wfio knows how to play the accordion but doesn't," better move on down the aisle. Tom Jackson KENNY Miracles The Holiday Album (Arista) '2 Kenny blows holiday honey through his saxophone, setting a sweet, cheek-to-cheek mood.

Turn down the lights; throw another log on the fireplace. All you need is mistletoe. Tom Jackson THE MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR, This Is Christmas (Bonneville Classics) Those fabled voices accompanied by opulent orchestration render a seasonal concert fit for a Cecil B. DeMille production. If a big, soaring choir performing with seamless precision is your idea of Christmas music, this is your collection.

All 14 cuts display varying degrees of brilliance, but the best is saved for last: 11V2 minutes of "The Twelve Days of Christmas," in which the lyrics are wound around a chronological progression of musical styles, from ancient Gregorian, chants, through "Swan Lake" and "Ride of the Valkyries" to the "Stars and Stripes Forever." Tom Jackson THE ANIMAL KWACKERS, Christmas Favorites (Ne-sak) '2 Remember the dogs barking "Jingle Remember how fast that got real old? Now, imagine an entire barnyard chickens, pigs, horses, cats, cows, sheep having a go at Christmas carols. It's like a Jerry Lewis movie: One awful joke, stretched across 30-odd minutes. For kids only, and only if the kids have personal listening devices. Tom Jackson SAMMY KERSHAW, Christmas Times A Comin' (Mercury) Yeehaw! In a word that's how one might describe Sammy Kershaw's Christmas entry, an album crammed with so much yuletide yokel that listeners should consider sinking their CD dollars into something a little more, er, traditional. Like Gregorian chants.

The covers are OK; even Kershaw couldn't ruin the lovely "We Three Kings" and the everlasting "White Christmas." But when it comes to those not-so-familiar songs with a country swing, I want to run screaming into the wintry night. "Christmas Won't Be Christmas" sounds like a bad blues number; same for "Please Come Home for Christmas," which is clearly a ripoff of the Elvis Presley's "Blue Christmas." Jennifer Barrs TINGSTAD RUMBEL, Star of Wonder (Narada Lotus) If you need a totally relaxing tonic for whatever ails you during the holidays, this is it. The gentleness of the multiple acoustic instruments, woven like elaborate embroidery, only embellishes tunes that you may have believed couldn't be improved upon. They can. And here's proof.

You'll find yourself reliving the Renaissance with flutes and oboes on "Three English Carols," then turning around to do a jubilant jig on a contemporary version of "We Three Kings." One of the most beautiful arrangements is Little Town of Bethlehem," which features a single guitar, delicately strumming. This album is what Christmas music is meant to be uplifting, elegant, sweet and simply beautiful. (Look for this in the new age music bin, although it belongs in the instrumental section.) Jennifer Barrs DAVID LANZ, Christmas Eve (Narada Lotus) There is something strangely melancholy, even mysterious, about traditional holiday music. And this album creates both these moods, and many more. Moreover, by playing these tunes on a single instrument, listeners come to realize just how lovely these familiar compositions really are.

Pianist Lanz lends his two-handed brilliance to improving these compositions; from the very first notes of the very first song, "Angels We Have Heard On High," you hear something special. There's something in these songs you've never heard before, but want to hear again. And again. (Look for this in the new age music bin, although it belongs in the instrumental section.) Jennifer Bans THE ROCHES, We Three Kings (Rykodisc) '2 Thank heaven for the cartoonish Joisey goil accents these sisters affect for "Frosty the Snowman" and "Winter Wonderland," not to mention the cheesy sax solo that sinks the closer "Silver Bells." Without those brief interludes, the heart-wrenching beauty of Maggie, Terre and Suzzy's harmonies would be more than mortal listeners could bear in extended doses. Pauses to catch one's breath are advised after, especially, "Angles We Have Heard on High" and "The First Nowell." Curtis Ross DONNA SUMMER, Christmas Spirit (Mercury) Those dreaming of a disco Christmas should stick with Sal-soul Orchestra.

Worse even than Summer's tepid interpretations of holiday standards are a pair of instantly forgettable originals. Like we needed something more noxious than Mariah Carey's Christmas disc? Curtis Ross From Page 21 KOFI, A Very Reggae Christmas (Atlantic) Born in Ghana, singer-arranger Kofi usually tours the world with the African folk-oriented Odomankoma Kyerema Cultural Troupe. This self-produced holiday set showcases his vocal inventiveness and a magnetic musical personality. The dance-hall opening cut features rapper Daddy Freddy assisting on "The Little Drummer Boy." The rest of the show is pure reggae springy instrumentation with a jazz-pop lilt. Kofi decks the halls with festive danceable arrangements that respect the songs' melodic integrity.

BeBe Winans joins him for a set-ending "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing." This is a perfect addition to your Christmas-party music collection. Bob Ross JERRY JEFF WALKER, Christmas Gonzo Style (Ryko-disc) Like a homemade tape sent by a friend, this is fun, but no classic. Jerry Jeff and his Gonzo Compadres deliver some rowdy renditions that sound like they made them up on the spot. More interesting is a Western swing version of "Jingle Bells." "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" have a wistful tone, as if he were strumming a guitar on his back porch, alone. Suzie Siegel JUDY COLLINS, Come Rejoice! A Judy Collins Christmas (Mesa) '2 Every time I hear this disc, I feel as if I'm standing in a church.

Collins sings the classics with a crystal clear voice that resonates with reverence. Michael Dunn NATALE COLE, Holly Ivy (Elektra) She's no Whitney Houston, but Natalie Cole puts a fine spin on "I'll Be Home for Christmas," "Silent Night" and Charles Brown's 1940s classic, "Merry Christmas, Baby." Michael Dunn NEIL DIAMOND, The Christmas Album Vol. II (Columbia) If you thought Hugh Culverhouse was greedy, wait till you hear Neil Diamond gobbling for Christmas gold a second time. And he's ho-ho-hoing all the way to the bank. Michael Dunn RICK BRAUN, Christmas Present (Blue Moon) Trumpeter Rick Braun brings sentimental moments to the holiday table with smooth, assuring versions of "The Little Drummer Boy" and "Maybe Next Year." But many will find this disc plodding and dry.

Michael Dunn KIM WATERS, Home for Christmas (Warlock) Christmas music can be done in a variety of styles, from reggae to zydeco. But the funk approach boom-THUMP-boom simply gives the reindeer headaches. Michael Dunn MARIAH CAREY, Merry Christmas (Columbia) She wails. She warbles. Her big ol' voice competes with an extremely determined backup trio and some overreaching orchestration.

In other words, the usual. Her fans will love it; traditionalists in search of "something different" may not. Half Mahalia Jackson, half Phil Spector, all full volume, Carey's Christmas ranges from soulfully spiritual Holy Night," "Hark! The Herald Angels to sleigh-ride bouncy I Want for Christmas Is You," "Christmas Baby Please Come giving new meaning to "Silent Night." One thing is sure: Hearing Three Dog Night's "Joy to the World" (Jeremiah was a bullfrog spliced into the traditional carol of the same name certainly holds your attention. Tom Jackson ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS, A Very Merry Chipmunk (ChipmunkSonyEpic) -k-kVt Alvin and his brothers have come a long way from their original Christmas hit, "The Chipmunk Song," back in 1958. These days they're caroling with some of the biggest names in popular music, and they're accompanied by more than a harmonica.

Kenny puts a sweet new spin and a samba beat on "The Chipmunk Song." Patty Loveless' "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" jumps in spite of the boys. Through the miracle of digital mixing, the Chipmunks teleport to 1948 to join Gene Autrey in "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." And they have the good sense to stay out of the way when Celine Dion, Alan Jackson and James Ingram are at the microphone. Of course, Alvin goofs things up wherever he can but it's all in fun. Tom Jackson THE PITTSBURGH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA, A Classical Christmas (Alanna) '2 Henry Doktorski may be an accordionist, but he's no Guy Lombardo which is why we (hesitantly) can recommend this beautifully arranged and faithfully reproduced collection of carols, where lush strings, harp and glockenspiel abound. Doktorski's concert accordion intrudes only rarely; more often it lends surprisingly listenable qualities, as in "Twelve Days of Christmas," "Nocturne: Stille Nacht" and, accompanied by tambur and timpani, in "Farandole: March of the MIAMI CITY BALLET and THE FLORIDA ORCHESTRA in "THE NUTCRACKER" EDWARD VILLELLA, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR MUSIC: TCHAIKOVSKY CHOREOGRAPHY: BALANCHINE Dec.

23 -26 ML $22.50, $25.50, $28.50, $32.50 $19.50, $25.50, $29.50, $32.50 1 In conjunction with waru 11 970 WFLA 94UFU KlSP II ROSEMf CLGOXEY'S WHITE CHHSSTMAS PARTY 1 -f5S. CD Ol STARRING ROSEMARY CL0ONEY, DEBBY BOONE and Children RUTH ECKERD HALL SINGERS AND THE SOUNDS OF CHRISTMAS ORCHESTRA Dec. 8, 3pm 8pm $24.50, $28.50 I --IB ECKERD THEATER (COMPANY "FRONTIER FESTIVAL" Dec. 3, 10am Noon "OLIVER" Dec. 10, 3pm 8pm $19.50, $23.50, $26.50, $29.50 $5 off children 12 and under Dec.

4, 1pm 3pm I 3 a 1:5 Heye Great Room (6 General Admission NJ WARM fj HiEH 1 1 A RUTH ECKERD HALL GIFT CERTIFICATE makes a wonderful holiday gift for the person who has TICKETS: (813) 791-7409 RmilWl I BUVTDt WOW THRU 01440 00 11 LECTDtUJWr MtlMfcW (olullo'Oim vEctTuffrus Rkhakd B. Balmgarixr Center tKUttWMEHOUK Tall fnr tniUHT iiwu in Ml McMrtleR-BflOtR ClMfWlH, H. 1.