With a musical career spanning nearly three decades, and given popular success as a Classical music artist, it is surprising that musician Joshua Bell's current music release -Musical Gifts From Joshua Bell And Friends - marks the violin instrumentalist's musical debut in the seasonal music releases genre.
The release, which follows Bell's Joshua Bell Conducts: Beethoven Symphonies Nos. 4 & 7 studio recording, showcases an array of selected traditional songs that celebrates the holidays plus a few surprises thrown in for good measure. For example, while paying homage to his own given religiously mixed familial heritage, Bell offers a Chrismukkah" directed release that incorporates popular Christmas favorites as "Let It Snow," "I'll Be Home For Christmas," and "White Christmas," to Jewish traditional musical piece "Baal Shem: Simchat Torah (Rejoicing)." Bell even offers an instrumental piece called "Christmas Confusion," with musicians Aleksey Igudesman and Hyung-ki Joo, that fittingly and humorously serves in resolving the musician's shared holiday dilemma in musical form.
The collection also makes for quite a spirited collaborative effort, completely filled with duets, featuring a notable company of musicians and vocal performers as guests. Music entertainers from Alison Krauss, Renee Fleming, Branford Marsalis, to Chris Botti are a few among the many that make appearances. While all newly crafted arrangements bear Bell's own unmistakable musical imprint, as he even explores other various forms of musical genres, the favorite holiday melodies presented in whole are true to their recognized and original melodic integrity.
Bell's Musical Gifts From Joshua And Friendsis sure to become a seasonal classic and holiday favorite worth opening every year.