The Annie Moses Band

For the uninitiated, This Glorious Christmas is a fitting introduction to the amazing family of musicians known as The Annie Moses Band. The group is named after the great-grandmother of the five siblings that form the core of the group: Annie (lead vocals, violin), Alex (viola, Background vocals), Benjamin (cello), Gretchen (violin, mandolin) and Camille (harp, keyboards). The precocious siblings handle their father’s dazzling arrangements (Bill Wolaver composes, arranges, and plays piano) under the watchful eye of Robin (mom) Wolaver, who is also a vocalist and lyricist with the group. The band’s music, often labeled ‘chamber pop,’ is an amalgam of classical, jazz, pop, bluegrass and adult contemporary – incongruous elements that seldom work well together - transformed into an irresistible sound by the sheer weight of talent and devotion possessed by these seven family members.

It’s fitting that a group that speaks so eloquently of family and tradition should produce a Christmas album that will become a family tradition in many homes – and This Glorious Christmas should definitely take its place in your regular holiday music rotation! The album is a combination of traditional Christmas songs such as “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “What Child is This,” and “We Three Kings,” alongside original compositions by the Wolavers like the insightful “Bethlehem, House of Bread,” the tender “Little Baby,” and the bluesy ballad, “Red, White and Blue,” which, given proper exposure, could certainly take its place among Christmas pop standards like “I’ll Be Home For Christmas.”

There are several instrumentals on the CD, highlighting the tour de force arrangements of Bill Wolaver. Elements of country and bluegrass are present on “Go Tell it on the Mountain” and “Sussex Carol,” while “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” goes for pure drama, with sweeping passages surrounding some sweetly played solo violin lines. “We Three Kings” starts out fairly subdued before expanding into a jazzy section that the late jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli would comfortably fit into. “What Child is This” is an emotional travelogue of a song, with a movie soundtrack feeling – very lyrical, very evocative, and very moving.

Adding vocals into the mix but keeping a strong jazzy instrumental presence, “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” and “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” swing about as hard as a Christmas carol can swing, showing that this very attractive, talented family can also be a formidable and amazingly aggressive jazz ensemble. Fluid violin runs, sophisticated piano work and articulate, well-mixed drumming produce some amazingly fresh renditions of songs that you might have thought had no surprises left in them.

This Glorious Christmas has a unique sound that won’t become dated, thanks to the creativity and excellence of The Annie Moses Band, and will take its place as a welcome addition to the Christmas season year after year. The album manages the delicate balance of being musically exciting and fresh while retaining a sense of reverence about the holiday. This is a project that honors the birth of the Savior and celebrates His birth by fulfilling the words of the little ‘drummer boy’ from the well-known Christmas song: “I played my best for Him…”

I believe The Annie Moses Band has done just that.

Tagged as: Annie Moses Band, This Glorious Christmas

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