Butch Thompson, Laura Sewell - Bethlehem After Dark

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Music reviews of Bethlehem After Dark

Music Review: A Little Night Music
Rating: 5 Stars

As with the velvet/sandpaper combination of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, the pairing of classical cellist Laura Sewell with ragtime piano king Butch Thompson seems unlikely at first, but turns out to work beautifully because the two musicians show so much selfless respect for each other's work as the alternate leading and supporting each other.

For a two piece band with no over-dubs or electronic effects, it's amazing how many musical colors not associated with Christmas - stride, ragtime, blues and gospel - these two can evoke on familiar pieces such as "Angels We Have Heard on High", but the most moving and effective pieces are the least Christmasy: a lovely and understated "Ave Maria", an elegant and soothing "Softly and Tenderly" and a subtle, gorgeous take on the hymn "Lo, How a Rose". This is music which evokes the calm and stability of a 19th century Quaker meeting house.

This would be perfect music to decorate a Christmas tree to, or better yet, to play as you put the presents under the tree on Christmas Eve after the kids have gone to bed. It's lovely, music unique, calming and serene.

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