Cool Yule

Personnel: Dean Parks (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Doug Livingston (steel guitar); Gayle Levant (harp); Bruce Dukov (violin); Karen Van Sant, Matthew Funes , Lynn Richburg, Brian Dembow, Alma Fernandez, Andrew Duckles (viola); Eric Rigler (Uilleann pipe); Leanne Becknell, Dan Higgins , Gary Foster , Greg Huckins, Joel Peskin, Rose Corrigan, Bill Liston (woodwinds); Rick Babtist, Warren Luening, Wayne Bergeron, David Washburn , Larry Lunetta (trumpet); Phillip Yao , John Reynolds , Steven Becknell, Joe Meyer (French horn); Alex Iles, Steven Holtman, Phillip Teele, Andrew Martin , William Frank "Bill" Reichenbach Jr. (trombone); Randy Waldman, Robbie Buchanan (piano, keyboards); Dave Carpenter (upright bass); Vinnie Colaiuta (drums); Bashiri Johnson (percussion); Johnson Enos, Ken Stacey, Sean Holt, Fonzi Thornton, Sharon Jerry-Collins, Dennis Collins , Tabatha Fair, Bette Sussman, Windy Wagner, Aaron Sala, Beverley Staunton (background vocals).
Audio Mixer: Mick Guzauski.
Liner Note Author: Jay Landers .
Photographer: Michael O'Neill .
It seems odd that Bette Midler didn't release her first Christmas album until 2006, but COOL YULE proves worth the wait. A solid collection of seasonal favorites, the album features Midler in typically excellent voice backed with a kicky jazz combo and orchestra. Along with the usual standards, Midler dips into more personal waters, recalling her own Hawaiian childhood with the traditional island tune "Mele Kalikimaka" and performing a tongue-in-cheek rewrite of her previous hit "From A Distance." A duet with Johnny Mathis on a medley of Yuletide favorites is equally endearing.