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About All Is Calm, All Is Bright…

D.C. Anderson’s ALL IS CALM ALL IS BRIGHT wins more fans every holiday season as those who purchased it in previous years bring it out to share with friends while trimming the tree or enjoying an intimate holiday gathering. Jane Siberry’s rich gem ‘Are You Burning, Little Candle’, Lee Holdridge’s ‘O Joyful Children’, Lucy Simon’s folk flavored ‘Heaven Can’t Be Far’ and D.C.’s own ‘Hands’ complement the David Buskin composition ‘The Rest of the Year’, traditional songs ‘Silent Night’ and ‘Infant Holy’, the two Stephen Sondheim holiday rarities, and the comic ‘Dicken’s Carolers’ and ‘The UPS Bell Carol’ – two songs from Seattle’s FORBIDDEN CHRISTMAS.

Pianists Steven Landau, Lem Jay Ignacio, acoustic guitarists Roy Zimmerman and Steve Bargonetti, cellist Diana Parmeter and acoustic bassist Ritt Henn create a beautiful setting for D.C.’s vocals.

Praise for All Is Calm, All Is Bright…

• “It's a little late to start reviewing Christmas albums, especially as they're generally off topic for this column. Include a couple of Sondheim rarities, though, and I'm glad to listen. D.C. Anderson does just that in all is calm, all is bright.

  "Three Wishes for Christmas" (music by Jule Styne) was cut from Gypsy; it's rather mild, but hey! it's from Gypsy. Actually, I'd guess that it was not written as a "real" Christmas song but intended as part of the Minsky salute to Christmas in the second act (which culminates in the "Let Me Entertain You" strip). Thus, it's supposed to be a stripper's view of Christmas, in the same way that "His Love Makes Me Beautiful" (in Styne's Funny Girl) is not intended to be a wedding song for real.

  The other Sondheim song, "Christmas Island at Christmas Time" (music by Mary Rodgers) is something else again. This is a nifty comedy lyric laced with humbug, set to a gentle calypso rhythm. It seems written in the same vein as that Rodgers/Sondheim gem "The Boy from. . ." (from The Mad Show), and I'm glad to have it on CD.

  Anderson also includes something from Kander and Ebb, a moderately pleasant comedy number called "I'm Gonna Be an Angel." The rest of the songs - most of them apparently new - come from a variety of hands. Several have lyrics by Anderson and music by Steven Landau, and they are interesting - if you're interested in interesting Christmas songs. But it's the Sondheim tracks that grab the attention.”

  — Steven Suskind

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