Anyone who has heard a Mannheim Steamroller Christmas recording in the past will understand why Chip Davis and his ensemble of supporting players are the best selling Christmas artists of the last decade. They have an affinity for making Christmas carols sound new and familiar at the same time. Davis started making Christmas albums so he could bring the carols back to their origin in the Renaissance, but in a modern way. On Christmas Extraordinaire, Davis continues that tradition, combining modern keyboard music with instruments like the harpsichord, lute and recorder. Its an inimitable sound that will bring you back for more.
Christmas Extraordinaire is the first Mannheim Steamroller recording to include songs of the season along with traditional carols. What an addition! Hallelujah is a stunning version of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah and Faeries is a wonderful rendition of 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies' from Tchaikovsky's beloved The Nutcracker. Other songs include White Christmas, Away in a Manger, Do You Hear What I Hear?, The First Noel, Silver Bells, Some Children See Him, Winter Wonderland, O Tannenbaum and Fum, Fum, Fum. If this is your first taste of Mannheim Steamroller, enjoy. If you are coming back for more, you will not be disappointed.
