At Long Last... Christmas

Having launched their own record label, Red Hen, Lowen & Navarro have an incentive to release records, which may help explain why At Long Last… Christmas is their second album of 2002, following Live Radio. Lowen & Navarro prove well suited to a holiday collection, contributing a couple of their own reflections on the season, the socially conscious "A Song of Christmas" and the reverent "The Meaning of Christmas," in their familiar harmony-laden acoustic style. Since these are artists who usually perform only original songs, its a treat to hear them present their arrangements of traditional fare solely as performers. Casting the seasonal songs in their style, they come off as sincere and effective interpreters whether singing "Silent Night" in Spanish or providing guitar percussion to "The Little Drummer Boy." Eric Lowen is a particular standout toward the end of the disc with his instrumental performance of "White Christmas" and invocation of his Scandinavian heritage on "Nar Juldagsmorgon Glimmar." ~ William Ruhlmann