A Bowl of Merry is light-hearted collection of holiday music from North Star Music’s various instrumental artists. The instrumentation is diverse, and the styles range from Celtic to smooth jazz, with a lot of easy-listening in between. As always, pianist Robin Spielberg shines with “Jingle Bells” (with Luna Moon) and “Jolly Old St. Nick”. Pianist David Tolk is joined by an ensemble on the opening “Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant” and “Angels We Have Heard On High” - both exceptionally nice arrangements. “Silent Night” is a guitar and cello piece (Chris Caswell and Friends) that is exquisite in its simple elegance and beauty. “The First Noel” is a jazzy, sax-driven ensemble piece. This song is usually played slower and more seriously, so this is an interesting approach. I also like the medley of “In Dulce Jubilo” and “The Holly and the Ivy” (Steve Schuch and the Night Heron Consort), which has a laid-back mood on the first song, and a lively dance-like tempo on the second. A Bowl of Merry is a very nice collection designed to accompany holiday festivities and gatherings. There aren’t many surprises, but that’s okay in a collection such as this. It is available from most of the online music retailers as well as from northstarmusic.com.