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Muriel Anderson loves her guitar. That much is certain. And she plays it masterfully on A Little Christmas Gift, her 1995 collaboration with Jean-Félix Lalanne.

Already in a frenzied pre-Christmas state, I rarely listen to a record more than twice at this time of year. But I listened Ms. Anderson's CD all week long, as I worked on many projects. Beginning with a french medley, including Est Né Le Divin Enfant, Marche Des Rois, and Les Anges Dans Nos Campagnes, she took me on a soothing winter sleigh ride. I particularly enjoyed her arrangement of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, which paid homage to Chet Atkins, one of her many great teachers and influences. She also played a very nice rendition of Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring, one of my favorite seasonal hymns.

Although many artists attempt Silent Night, Ms. Anderson's is one of the few whose attempt hits the mark. Her fingers combine the intrinsic beauty of the melody with her tremendous skills as picker and arranger to produce the reverence and simple grandeur the piece demands. It is a fitting conclusion to a wonderful record.

Unfortunately, my equipment picked up a bit more bass than I typically hear on an acoustic CD, particularly on the opening medley. But this only slightly overshadowed my enjoyment of this work. Muriel Anderson deserves high marks for her Christmas gift.

--Richard Banks
(Reviewed in 1998)

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Muriel Anderson

A Little Christmas Gift

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