One Track Mind: Jane Monheit and Sara Gazarek, “Spend Christmas with Me” (2012)

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Among the voluminous amount of Christmas music recently released lies a fun stocking stuffer: “Spend Christmas with Me,” a duet with jazz chanteuses Jane Monheit and Sara Gazarek. Benefitting the ASPCA, the song showcases two accomplished vocalists singing about how the East and West coasts celebrate the holidays.

Written by Larry Goldings and Cliff Goldmacher, “Spend Christmas with Me” pairs the Los Angeles-based Gazarek with New Yorker Monheit; while they may hail from opposite sides of the United States, their voices perfectly complement each other. Soft piano begins track, with Monheit’s warm voice extolling the virtues of a New York Christmas:

There’s tinsel on Fifth Avenue,
Snow in Central Park
And Rockefeller Center looks like heaven after dark
There’s a fire in the fireplace,
Your present’s by the tree
Come spend Christmas with me

Gazarek, whose lovely voice lacks Monheit’s deep range but still has depth, responds with her take on the West Coast:

There’s primrose in the canyons,
The hills are painted gold
The frost on my martini is the only thing that’s cold
We can walk down by the water,
Watch the sunset on the beach
Come spend Christmas with me

Accompanied by just a trio, the two parry back and forth about the weather, the lyrics and music adding sophistication to a typical Christmas song. “Come Spend Christmas with Me” bears a retro sound with chords right out of a Vince Guaraldi song. By the end, Monheit and Gazarek harmonize, their voice complementing each other perfectly. All in all, the track offers a charming alternative to modern holiday songs, and serves as ideal accompaniment for your cocktail or dinner party. With martini in hand, immerse yourself in the warm sounds of “Come Spend Christmas with Me.”

“Come Spend Christmas with Me” is available through iTunes and Amazon; all proceeds benefit the ASPCA.

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Kit O'Toole