A Sweet Christmas Gift

3 Fox Drive and Friends (Koch Records)

Christmas Grass 3

By Bob Mitchell

Just in time for the holidays, Koch Records gives you a new collection of special music for a special holiday. As the title suggests, the featured artists are 3 Fox Drive but the "friends" add a scoop of ice cream and extra icing on a festive musical cake.

The opening track is a gorgeous duet with Sonya Isaacs and Kim Fox, "New Star Shining." This track alone is worth the price of the CD, but the listener gets much more - after all, it is the season for giving and this collection has plenty to give. Larry Sparks and Russell Moore (both IBMA vocalists of the year) join the party. Sparks contributes a soulful "I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day," and Moore adds a sensitive "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas."

From start to finish, the musical support is first rate. I'm sure that if Santa hears this project he will be very good to everyone involved in the production. A short list of "friends" (also referred to as elves) includes Bryon Sutton, Cody Kilby, Adam Steffy, Aubrey Haney, Darrin Vincent, Rob Ickes and Bryon House.

Family vocalists Kim, Barb and Joel display their marvelous talents especially on a lilting cover of Irvin Berlin's classic, "White Christmas," their gentle "O Holy Night," and a lightly swinging cover of Mel Torme's "White Christmas.

This CD will make a nice stocking stuffer or a pleasant listening gift for yourself. It will go especially well with a cup of hot chocolate in front of the fireplace.

For more information go to http://www.3foxdrive.com/store.html