By Glen Creason
For seventeen seasons Dave Koz has brought a group of top entertainers to the Performing Arts Center to celebrate Christmas without ever producing a bag of coal for the fans who pack the joint each yuletide. This year he invited the electrifying Jonathon Butler, the surprisingly fresh Christopher Cross and newcomer Maysa with pipes almost bigger than the hall could hold. As a glittering ornament atop the concert Christmas tree the music was sweetened by the Musuca Children’s Choir. These kids made “Carol of the Bells” a beautiful beginning to an action packed show featuring a couple of dozen songs including the evergreens of the holidays brought forward in all manner of form including ensemble pieces and rousing solos. Much of the night was filled with light-hearted familiars as in “Let It Snow,” “Sleigh Ride,” “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” and a duet in the American Idol style of “This Christmas.” Each star was allowed a moment in the spotlight to step outside the holiday: Maysa performed her “Inside My Dream,” Jonathon Butler broke off from “O’ Holy Night” and into his gospel rave “You’re My Everything” and Christopher Cross played a medley from his unreal successes of 1981 that were like pulling the old sweater vest out of the closet and finding it stylish again.
Of course, at the center of it all was the affable and awesomely talented Koz who good-naturedly bantered with his guests at every turn but stepped in to blow some pretty warm sax at exactly the right times. He also saluted his Jewish roots with the truly terrific “8 Candles” and even dashed off Adam Sandler’s “Chanukah Song.” There were very nice moments in the overall warmth of the show including Christopher Cross’ moving “We Will Remember You” to those serving in the military around the globe and a conclusion of having vets stand and take a bow. Also an admirable “Dream of Peace” with the kid’s choir that was as sweet as grandma’s divinity followed by some rather high voltage secular stuff including “Ride Like the Wind” by Cross that actually rode the Winter wind pretty hard.
