This Is the Time: The Christmas Album (CD - 1996)

Personnel includes: Michael Bolton, Placido Domingo, Wynonna (vocals); Johnny Mandel (orchestra conductor); Ronn Huff (string conductor); Dan Shea, Walter Afanasieff (various instruments); Keith Thomas (guitar, piano); Dan Huff, Jerry McPherson, Dean Parks (guitar); Sam Bush (violin); Marc Russo (tenor saxophone); Ian Underwood (piano); Randy Kerber (electric piano); Phil Madeira (Hammond B-3 organ); Byron House (bass); Claytoven Richardson, Kitty Beethoven, Sandy Griffith, Jeanie Tracy, Conesha Owens, Darlene Coleman, Tina Gibson, Terrance Kelly, Brenda Roy, Anna Lisa Patterson, Cynthia Green, Andre Hughes, Nicolas Bearde, Larry Batiste, Miflin "Dooney" Jones, Ada Dyer, Chris Rodriguez, Audrey Wheeler (background vocals); Nashville String Machine.

Producers include: Walter Afanasieff, Michael Bolton, Johnny Mandel, David Foster, Keith Thomas.

Engineers include: Dana Jon Chappelle, Dave Reitzas, David Gleeson.

This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.

Personnel: Michael Bolton (vocals); Plácido Domingo (vocals); Walter Afanasieff (guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards, synthesizer, bass synthesizer, Synclavier, programming, drum programming); Keith Thomas (guitar, drum programming); Dann Huff, Jerry McPherson, John Chiodini (guitar); Amy Shulman, Gayle Levant (harp); Gerald Vinci, Assa Drori, Don Palmer, Mark Sazer, Harris Goldman, Shari Zippert, Ronald Folsom, Dorothy Wade, Russ Cantor, Norma Leonard, Eve Sprecher, Betty Moore, Michael Ferril, Lisa Johnson , Mark Baranov, Bob Sanov, Henry Ferber, Elizabeth Wilson, Gwen Heller, Claudia Parducci, Reg Hill, Dixie Blackstone, Irma Neumann, Betty Moor, Yoko Matsuda, Robert Sushel, Mari Botnick, Isabelle Daskoff, Sam Bush, Israel Baker, Yvette Devereaux, Brian Leonard, Armen Garabedian, Michael Markman, Berj Garabedian, Mark Cargill, Haim Shtrum (violin); Carole Mukogawa, Jerry Epstein, Kazi Pitelka, Laura Kuennen-Poper, Rollice Dale, Linn Subotnick, Peter Hatch, Hershel Wise, Cynthia Morrow, Jimbo Ross, Michael Ramos, Roland Kato, Harry Shirinian, Raymond Tischer (viola); Paula Hochhalter, Tina Soule, Jodi Burnett, Bob Adcock, Ronald Cooper, Ray Kelly, Anne Karam, Ray Kelley, Ernest Ehrhardt, Miguel Martinez, Suzie Katayama, Larry Corbett, Dane Little, Daniel Rothmuller, Christine Ermacoff, Marie Fera, Frederick Seykora (cello); Nashville String Machine (strings); Fred Selden, Jim Walker , Valarie King (flute); Sam Karam, Gene Cipriano, Bob Efford (clarinet); Dan Higgins (woodwinds, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Gary Foster, Don Ashworth, Marty Kristall, Jack Nimitz, Joel Peskin, Jon Clarke (woodwinds); Marc Russo (tenor saxophone); Gary Grant, Jerry Hey (trumpet); Dave Rockin Duke, David Duke, James Atkinson , Jeffrey DeRosa, Mark Taylor , Richard Todd, Bill Lane, Calvin Smith, Brad Warnaar (French horn); Bill Reichenbach Jr. (trombone); Dan Shea (piano, keyboards, synthesizer, bass synthesizer, programming, drum programming); Michael Lang , Mike Lang (piano); Randy Kerber (electric piano); Mike McKnight (synthesizer, programming); Ian Underwood (synthesizer); Larry Bunker (vibraphone, percussion); Sol Gubin (drums); Mark Hammond (drum programming); Chris Rodriguez, Claytoven Richardson, Sandy Griffith, Conesha Owens, Kitty Beethoven, Jeanie Tracy, Ada Dyer, Audrey Wheeler (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Dana Jon Chappelle; Dave Reitzas; John Richards; Al Schmitt; Mick Guzauski.

Recording information: Bennett House; Capitol Recording Studios; Ocean Way Recording; Passion Studios; Wally World Studios.

Director: Louis Levin.

Photographer: Tim White .

Arrangers: Dan Shea; Johnny Mandel; Keith Thomas ; Mariah Carey; Michael Bolton; David Foster; Walter Afanasieff.

These are the salient facts. The singer is Michael Bolton: chiseled cheekbones, superhuman lung power, worldwide superstardom. The holiday is Christmas: Santa Claus, mistletoe, peace on earth. The songs are holiday standards that go back farther than Bolton's hairline: "Silent Night," " Joy To The World," "White Christmas" and others. If any of the above appeal to you, THIS IS THE TIME is likely to prick up your ears. If all of the above appeal to you, this album is a winter wish come true.

Bolton covers all the yuletide bases on THIS IS THE TIME. There's a rocking version of "Santa Claus Is Coming Town," a solemn reading of "O Holy Night," there's even a duet with opera deity Placido Domingo on "Ave Maria" that finds Bolton testing his operatic chops alongside the master. In addition to the eight evergreens essayed by Bolton, there are two original songs co-authored by the singer (one with hitmaker Diane Warren). Both tunes sound very much at home nestled among these Christmas classics. Bolton fans could hardly dream of a better stocking stuffer. minimize