Customer Reviews

A Family Christmas [VHS]

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

(From the cover)

Featuring the Ralph Sharon Trio and special guest appearance by the Manhattan Transfer.

Songs are:

Snowfall/Introduction

I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm

Christmas Waltz

Winter Wonderland (Duet with Antonia Bennett)

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

My Favorite Things

Christmas in Herald Square

Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

Toyland/Deck the Halls/Toyland

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Johanna Bennett)

All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth (The Bennett Grandchildren)

I Love the Winter Weather

Where Is Love

We Wish You a Merry Christmas/Silent Night/O Come, All Ye Faithful/Jingle Bells (Medley)

Christmasland

I'll Be Home for Christmas

The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) (The Manhattan Transfer)

Christmas Auld Lang Syne

White Christmas

What can I say except that this is one of my favorite christmas videos, actually I would put it at #2 (and tied with AN OLD-FASHIONED CHRISTMAS VHS video and HOLIDAY SING ALONG WITH MITCH VHS video). So great is this video that sometimes when I have it on, it's #1 as it's just so beautiful for that family themed christmas atmosphere.

TONY BENNETT has his family gathered with him at some home (done in a studio) and together they al celebrate the christmas season through so many christmas classics. There is not one song that is bad here, all are great. In fact, the recording of most/all songs here are unique recordings (usually new/different recordings of songs that are on his christmas cd's) and in most cases, the songs are better than his cd versions. It really is that strong. Plus you get a coupel of other songs that aren't on any of his cd's. A soundtrack cd of this video would be really great.

There are some guests here which are a little jazz combo and the MANHATTAN TRANSFER pop by towards the last part of the video.

Some absolute wonderful christmas songs are THE CHRISTMAS WALTZ which is one of my favorite versions if not my favorite version of the song, especially when coupled with the video footage of TONY BENNETT'S family gathered around him as he sings the song. A great swinging version of I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS is here as is the opening number, SNOWFALL. A medley that includes TOYLAND is on this video and it's great with the kids opening presents as TONY sings this song and DECK THE HALLS. I'VE GOT MY LOVE TO KEEP ME WARM and SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN deserve special mention as great takes of each of them.

Tony duets with one of his daughters on LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW! and WINTER WONDERLAND while another daughter sings HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS all by herself. All these three songs are great.

One of the highlights for me and perhaps the highlight is a terreific version of AULD LANG SYNE but done in a christmas fashion as it's actually called CHRISTMAS AULD LANG SYNE. Everybody, family and friends, get together and sing this song and man, is it ever good. And WHITE CHRISTMAS closes the video wheer TONY BENNETT begins the song and everybody else joins in an although it's a little short, it's still a wonderful take of the song and ends the video in a very powerful and christmasy way. And every other song not mentioned are great. As mentioned earlier, nothing weak here whatsoever.

Some of the songs listed above and a couple of others are sung outside (in a studio setting, that is) in a nice winter wonderland setting.

This is so wonderful to have TONY BENNETT sing with his family and the jazz combo, it really creates a wonderful family atmosphere at christmas.

My most highest recommendation if you can get it and it would make for a nice background christmas video when entertaining family and friends over the christmas season.