Jackie Evancho sings a heavenly Christmas

The highlight of the year for fans of the young soprano Jackie Evancho is definitely the coming release of her new album, Songs From The Silver Screen. You know what it means when you see the words “silver screen.” That refers to the movies and Jackie has indeed recorded some of the most loved movie themes of all time. Think Pure Imagination, Music Of The Night, When I Fall in Love, Can You Feel The Love Tonight, Come What May, My Heart Will Go On and others.

But since that album still has to be released, you might in the meantime first enjoy Jackie’s beautiful singing in Heavenly Christmas. This is what I had been listening to these past days and it really prepares you for the Holiday spirit. Jackie sounds like an angel and there is quite a fine selection of Christmas songs in the CD. Besides, this one is a full-length album unlike her big selling O Holy Night that was released two years ago and which had only four songs.

Now don’t tell me you think it is too early to start thinking, much less writing about Christmas. Just in case you have forgotten, we start and end the yuletide festivities earlier and later than any other country in the world. And just in case you also have not noticed, the Christmas season is already upon us Pinoys. The malls are selling Christmas stuff and playing Christmas songs and so are the radio DJs. One cannot really help but think of Christmas out here and I got a big kick to that direction when I got Jackie’s album.

Heavenly Christmas was recorded with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and the New York Chorus of St. Cecilia. Assist from these groups provided 12-year-old Jackie with just the right mood to sing the songs. Which is just as well because most of the contents of the album are traditional carols that require a crystal clear voice, which Jackie already has and just the right touch of reverence for the blessed Christmas event. These are The First Noel, Away In A Manger, What Child Is This, O Come All Ye Faithful, O Little Town of Bethlehem and the perky Ding Dog Merrily On High.

Sweet and sentimental is her take on the standards, I’ll Be Home for Christmas and White Christmas. I hear them and again I marvel at how these songs get more and more beautiful year after year after year. And then there are the later works, which might mature one day into Christmas favorites. These are Believe, a composition by Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri for the animated movie that starred Tom Hanks, The Polar Express and Walking In The Air, the theme from the also animated film The Snowman.

I noticed that Jackie now sings with a laidback sophistication quite mature for her age. I would rather she didn’t but it is a fact that her singing has acquired polish and will get even better as she grows up. That cannot be helped. Little girls grow up and Jackie is no exception. A huge consolation though is the way she looks. She is a pretty, wholesome looking 12-year-old on the CD cover. No colored hair, no nose ring, no garish eye shadow or nail gel, etc. Given the way little girls are fixing themselves now, that is a relief.

If you are in the mood for more of Jackie, who by the way is in the Billboard Magazine list, under 21, of the top minors in the music business, you might want to revisit her Dream With Me album which is available on both CD and DVD. This was produced and also features the famous David Foster. That means only impeccable choices as far as songs and arrangements and also Jackie’s singing are concerned in the album.

I have heard this one lots of times, but I still marvel at how extraordinarily gifted Jackie is as a singer. The duets are incredible, Somewhere with Barbra Streisand and A Mother’s Prayer with Susan Boyle. And there are also When You Wish Upon A Star, All I Ask Of You, Angel, Nessun Dorma, The Lord’s Prayer and others.