A PLEASANT CHRISTMAS

Warm, traditional holiday fare delivered with sincerity and respect

When it came time to title her Christmas album, the unpretentious, straightforward singer Judy Whitmore apparently didn’t give a whit about coming up with something witty or flashy. It’s simply called Christmas. And in keeping with that no-nonsense title, Whitmore comes off as sincere, sensitive, and spirited throughout.

While some of her singing feels cautious — she often opts for fewer sustained notes, with not a lot of legato — she brings warmth, respect, and attentiveness to the material. Her diction is crisp, and her approach is thoughtful rather than showy.

Her 12-track Christmas, produced, arranged, and conducted by Chris Walden, steers clear of overtly religious material or overly familiar carols. One unexpected holiday, however, makes a meaningful appearance: Hanukkah. “The Chanukah Song,” also known as “We Are Lights,” written by Stephen Schwartz and Steve Young, features Whitmore joined by her brother Billy Grubman for a performance that is earnest and affecting.

Another reflective moment arrives with “The Ghosts of Christmas Past” by Michael Orland and Jamie Wooten, a bittersweet remembrance of friends and family no longer present.

For the most part, Whitmore’s winter survey focuses on happiness — as in “Happy Holiday” — and the perennial hopes for snow and Santa Claus. That jolly fellow in the red suit takes center stage in the bouncy “(Everybody’s Waiting for) The Man with the Bag,” while a more mature perspective arrives in “Grown-Up Christmas List,” addressed to Santa with a plea for peace on earth.

Whitmore was named after another legendary singer named Judy — yes, Judy Garland — so it feels only logical that her Christmas album includes the song forever associated with that name. You know the one. Written for Meet Me in St. Louis, where Garland played one of several sisters, rode the trolley, and had a crush on the boy next door, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” has endured for more than eight decades.

Whitmore delivers a lovely rendition, accompanied by a large orchestra — more than 40 players. She uses the now-standard lyric revision made famous by Frank Sinatra, replacing the original film’s more somber “Until then we’ll have to muddle through somehow” with “Hang a shining star upon the highest bough.” Sinatra didn’t care for muddling through, and history has followed his lead.

Speaking of Sinatra, Whitmore also takes on “The Christmas Waltz,” written by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn and introduced by Ol’ Blue Eyes himself. Her version follows Sinatra’s blueprint very closely. A Grinch or Scrooge might call it copycat, but in the spirit of holiday generosity, it plays more like affectionate homage.

The structure mirrors Sinatra’s arrangement, with choral passages appearing in the same places — opening, middle, and close. Listeners hoping for fresh takes in tempo or phrasing might also note similarities to the Carpenters’ “Merry Christmas, Darling,” which uses a comparable choral echo effect.

Fortunately, Whitmore’s warm voice and emotional investment keep these tracks from feeling like reheated leftovers. She’s hardly the first to pair Irving Berlin’s “Happy Holiday” with Kay Thompson’s “The Holiday Season,” but tradition and nostalgia are core ingredients of the season. This album delivers both.

And isn’t it fitting that an album evoking images of family and friends gathered around the Christmas tree was recorded at Evergreen Studios?

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Judy Whitmore – Christmas Track Listing:

1. Kay Thompson’s Jingle Bells
2. Christmas Time Is Here
3. Snow
4. Merry Christmas Darling
5. Happy Holiday/The Holiday Season
6. Grown-up Christmas List
7. The Man With the Bag
8. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
9. Home For the Holidays
10. We Are Lights (duet with Billy Grubman)
11. The Christmas Waltz
12. The Ghosts of Christmas Past

Judy Whitmore’s albums are available on CD and digital platforms via Arden House Music. Her earlier releases focus on classics from the Great American Songbook.

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