Tom Culver
Pretty Christmas Lights
Tom Rolla’s Gardenia, West Hollywood, CA, December 9, 2016
Reviewed by Mary Bogue for Cabaret Scenes
Photo: Angie Clement Cromwell
Santa is real in the form of Tom Culver who delivered an overflowing gift bag of Christmas music that we’ve waited a whole year to receive, with new and glittering songs leaving us wanting to open this present again and again. Helping convey this night of magic was his amazing Musical Director Rick Hils on piano, who innovatively arranged and co-wrote standard-worthy Christmas songs which were served up with brilliant drum work by Jack LeCompte, warm bass by Tim Emmons and iconic harmonica wailing by Mike Rosen.
Culver easily unwrapped “Winter Weather” (Ted Shapiro) as a medley with “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” (Irving Berlin) with perfect phrasing, thrilling the sold-out crowd. Then he gave us a thoughtful “Are You Going Away for the Holidays?
,” which he wrote with Hils. Culver easily switched from soft and glowing lyrics to movie-score-ready twinkling rhythms, such as “I Love the Holidays,” and excited the audience with the Latin-influenced “It’s Christmas Time in Brazil,” both written by Culver and Hils. His flair for Latin rhythms and Hils’ brilliant arranging created quite the treasure with “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” (Sammy Cahn/Jule Styne) and added sparkle with LeCompte’s and Emmons’ incredible stylings.
The perfect Santa, in a voice evocative of whiskey and cinnamon, Culver brought inventive interpretations of standards, remarkable storytelling and commitment to the lyrics that brought the room alive with love. Saving the best for near-last, he shared his “Pretty Christmas Lights” (written with Hils), the title cut from his new CD—a toe-tapping beauty that gave a heart-warming and friendly radiance, full of cheerful imagery and sung in his luscious style, landing in the sweet spot of all that is Christmas. Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus — and he writes songs and sings, too!
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