JEFFREY BIEGEL, PIANO; A Steinway Christmas Album (Steinway & Sons) ****

On this album pianist Jeffrey Biegel offers up a delightful musical trip through some of the best known and most beloved popular and classical holiday music. The arrangements are by a number of different people, including some by Biegel himself. There is also a piece written for Biegel by Gregory Sullivan Isaacs, “Quiet Night,” that hauntingly combines “Away in a Manger” and “Silent Night;” Biegel plays it with feeling and wonderful expressiveness.

Biegel, in fact, does a fabulous job with these pieces. His playing is radiant and transparent; it’s soulful where needed and playful at other times. The arrangements are fresh and imaginative – just listen to the opening track, Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride,” or Mel Torme’s “The Christmas Song” to get a sense of the mood this album evokes. This is a captivating addition to anyone’s holiday collection.