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Our Review

Brooke Ramel impressed me on last year's Holidays at Home, a musical compilation by women singer-songwriters for charity (Children International). Brooke Ramel's own Merry, Merry Christmas was one track on that release, and it is also the name of this 2002 holiday album. Merry, Merry Christmas is a charming, low-key effort--no liner notes, no fuss. The offering presents lovely, flowing pop-rock, and it extends beyond routine Christmas fare to include several intriguing and somewhat offbeat selections (an exquisite, haunting Danny Boy and an intensely cool La Vie en Rose).

Ramel has established herself as a songwriter, and she includes one original number here. The title track Merry, Merry Christmas skillfully speaks of the ubiquitous seasonal sentiments, here conveyed with bittersweet warmth. Even the traditional chestnuts carry a fresh Ramel sheen. For example, her Jingle Bells presents multiple tracks; the artist creates a jolly round, singing against herself. And her seductive Merry Christmas Darling is an easy-listening delight.

Merry, Merry Christmas is upbeat and fun. In future holiday seasons, it would be cool to see this talented singer-songwriter try her hand at additional original seasonal offerings.

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2008)

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From the Website:

Brooke's "unplugged" Christmas CD features Christmas songs and some other songs that go well with them.

Brooke was born in Raytown, Missouri. By her seventh birthday, she started playing the guitar and by the time she was 8 years old, she was playing "gigs" at local churches, fairs, pizza parlors, and the state prison. By age 9 she had made her first television appearance on a local talent show and had done a one-hour live radio show. . .

Brooke attended Stanford University and also studied in Paris. After graduating, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue her obsession with music. Since then, she has never looked back.

Brooke has been making her living as a professional artist performing in coffeehouses, book stores and numerous outdoor locations, as well as venues such as The Coach House, The Galaxy Theatre, The Crazy Horse and Universal City Walk in Southern California and the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas.

Brooke Ramel

Merry,
Merry Christmas

Artist site

Track List