Album of the Day

Hawaii might not qualify as a winter wonderland, but the holiday spirit is strong there to judge from Don Ho's CHRISTMAS ALBUM. The 1967 Reprise collection frames Ho's vocals with choral and orchestral backing arranged by Gordon Jenkins (a veteran of Sinatra sessions), and the singer's easy-going style meshes perfectly with these 11 songs. There are plenty of seasonal chestnuts here, including wonderful versions of “Silver Bells” and Mel Torme's “The Christmas Song,” but there are also unusual selections that reflect the set's tropical origins - “Mele Kalikimaka” and the Hawaiian equivalent to “Silent Night,” “Po La'i.” You can have a Honolulu holiday without setting foot on a plane just by cueing up THE DON HO CHRISTMAS ALBUM.