Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Jennifer Cella (vocals); Al Pitrelli (guitar, keyboards); Dave Wittman (guitar, bass guitar, drums); Chris Caffery, Alex Skolnick, Paul O'Neill, Angus Clark, Tristan Avakian (guitar); Amy Helm (whistle); John Clark (horns); Jon Oliva, Robert Kinkel (piano, keyboards); Jane Mangini (piano); Carmine Giglio, Mee Eun Kim (keyboards); David Z, Johnny Lee Middleton, Jeff Allegue (bass guitar); Jeff Plate, Takanori Niida, John O'Reilly (drums).
Recording information: Soundtracks, New York, NY; Studio 900, New York, New York; Stellar Productions, New York, NY.
The great cosmic fable of THE LOST CHRISTMAS EVE posits angels on earth, snow princesses in the galaxies, and Christmas in the hearts of hardened businessmen and New York City street kids. Trans-Siberian Orchestra's prog-rock opera (the third in a trilogy of Christmas-themed concept albums) traverses time and space to tell the story of a lonely man who discovers the deeper implications of love on a dark night before that merriest of days.
Composer and producer Paul O'Neill favors big, theatrical arrangements and booming production, often utilizing vocal choirs (both gospel and classical), orchestral instruments, and a rock/big-band ensemble to achieve maximum oomph. His compositions are a catalog of emotion-stirring styles, as he glides from piano-pounding pop ("Christmas Nights in Blue") to bouncy fusion ("Christmas Jazz") to hard-edged rock ("Christmas Jam") to chamber music ("Remember"). Traditional carols appear amongst--and sometimes within--O'Neill's exciting originals. This dual approach is used most strikingly on "For the Sake of Our Brother," on which vocalist Daryl Pediford twines a heartrending "O' Come All Ye Faithful" into an impassioned Tom Waits-like ballad about faith and trust. With THE LOST CHRISTMAS EVE, Trans-Siberian Orchestra has created another classic backdrop for celebrating the season of hope and goodwill.
