The Christmas Sessions: Season's Greetings from Studio 2 is a beautiful collection of one original and ten traditional piano-based instrumentals by Ed Bazel. Sure to brighten and enrich anyone's Christmas season, the carols on the album are arranged in a thoughtful, reflective style that focuses on the origins of the holiday rather than on Santa Claus and toys. This is the third album that Ed has recorded in Studio 2 at Abbey Road, the studio where The Beatles as well as Pink Floyd, Adele, Ed Sheeran and many others have recorded. Louis Anthony deLise created the string and wind arrangements and appears on four tracks playing mallet percussion. The other musicians on the album are John McMurtery (flute), Vivian Barton Dozor (cello), Nina Vieru (violin), and Alex Carter (mallet percussion on one track).

In addition to composing, arranging and recording, Ed Bazel is the founder of The River of Calm - Music to Soothe Your Soul™ - an online radio station that focuses on relaxing music. He also created a mission to donate headphones loaded with soothing music to chemotherapy centers for patients to use.

The Christmas Sessions begins with "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear." Ed's piano is accompanied by the strings and mallet percussion, the latter evoking images of stars twinkling in a dark sky. "Christmas Time Is Here" is the classic theme by Vince Guaraldi for various Peanuts Christmas specials. Wistful and nostalgic, this is a great solo piano arrangement! Ed plays the first verse of "O Little Town of Bethlehem" as a piano solo and then it becomes a soulful duet for piano and cello. "Silent Night," a trio for piano, violin and cello, keeps it as simple and heartfelt as the "heavenly peace" the song refers to. "O Come All Ye Faithful" includes the full ensemble in a bright and joyous musical celebration. "The Christmas Song" (aka "Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire") begins and ends with a short nod to "Jingle Bells," but is otherwise a gorgeous piano solo with very light mallet percussion to add a little more sparkle. "What Child Is This" has always been one of my favorite carols, and this arrangement for piano with cello and violin is stellar. There are something like 40 different melodies for "Away In a Manger," and the one Ed chose is the one I learned in Sunday School as a kid. Sweet, simple and heartfelt, Ed's arrangement is for piano and cello. "Christmastime Is Coming" is Ed's original composition and it fits in beautifully with the older songs. Piano, flute and cello create a soothing atmosphere of warmth and peace. "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" adapts well to a wide range of musical styles, and this one is quieter and a bit slower than usual, emphasizing the beauty of the melody and the spirit of the lyrics. Flute, cello and violin add their voices to the piano's. The album comes to a peaceful close with "We Three Kings." The full ensemble plays on this one - an elegant ending to an excellent album!

The Christmas Sessions: Season's Greetings from Studio 2 would make a great addition to anyone's collection of Christmas albums! It is available from Amazon and Apple Music/iTunes as well as streaming platforms including Spotify. Highly recommended!