Artist and Music Review: Josh Groban and his Christmas album "Noel"

Christmas joy arrives early this year 2007 for millions of Josh Groban fans as 143/Warner/Reprise Records announces the release of "Noel" the artist's long-anticipated classic recording of holiday songs. If you love classic Christmas carols like Oprah, this is the album for you. "It's the one Christmas CD every family should have," Oprah says. Before we start reviewing Josh Groban's latest Christmas album "Noel", let's take a look at his biography below.

He was born to a Jewish American father (a descendant of Polish and Russian immigrants) and a Norwegian American mother. Joshua Winslow Groban (born February 27, 1981 in Los Angeles, California) is an American Grammy nominated singer/songwriter, known for his mature, lyrical, dusky baritone voice and for his youthful good looks. According to the New York Times, he has "a voice with the power to knock the arena senseless". A very talented multi-instrumentalist, Groban plays piano, drums, washboard, piano accordion, marimbas, saw, triple-necked electric guitar, flugelhorn, dulcimer, and has expressed an interest in learning to play uilleann pipes (similar to bagpipes but Irish).

Groban debuted as a singer in seventh grade, but then he put music aside for a few years and went to Bridges Academy. In 1997 and 1998, he enrolled at the Interlochen Arts Program, majoring in musical theater, which is also when he began taking voice lessons outside of school. In late 1998, the 17-year-old Groban was introduced by his vocal coach to Grammy-winning producer/arranger David Foster. Groban worked for Foster as a rehearsal singer on a series of high-profile events, including the 1999 Grammy Awards -- where, as a stand-in for Andrea Bocelli, he rehearsed Foster's "The Prayer" with Celine Dion -- and the January 1999 inauguration of Gray Davis as governor of California.

Josh attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts as a theater major and graduated in 1999. After graduation, he attended Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA. After only one year in the drama department at Carnegie Mellon University, his choice school, Groban left when he was offered a recording contract at Warner Bros. Records through Foster's own 143 Records imprint.

Throughout his young career, Groban has appeared on many shows and events delivering his matchless talent and releasing successful albums. Groban has also starred in a number of minor TV roles, such as in the show Ally McBeal. He played the role of Malcolm Wyatt in the May 2001 season finale of the series, performing "You're Still You" and continuing with countless performances on Oprah Winfrey, Good Morning America, The Today Show, two PBS specials, the Superbowl, the Oscars and the closing ceremonies of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics with an audience of over 2 billion people. His first PBS Special went on to become the No. 1 selling DVD of 2002.

Groban's eponymous debut album "Josh Groban" featuring the hit single, "To Where You Are" was released on November 20, 2001. Under Foster's influence, Groban's first album focused more on the classics with songs such as "Gira Con Me" and "Alle Luce Del Sole", the first ones decided on by Foster and Groban. Over the next year, Groban became a star. His album went double platinum. His follow up CD "Closer", which was released on November 11, 2003, with the smash hit "You Raise Me Up" brought enormous success to the young singing sensation. On November 7, 2006, Groban released his third studio album, Awake, featuring guest appearances by the vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo and jazz pianist Herbie Hancock. The first single "You Are Loved (Don't Give Up)" shows the Grammy nominated Groban's tremendous growth as a vocalist, producer and songwriter since he first appeared on the musical landscape.

In June 2007, Josh spent some weeks in London recording a Christmas album with the London Philharmonic and the African Children's Choir, which he discussed on the DVD from "The Making of Noel". The Christmas-themed album "Noel" was released in October, 2007. Josh Groban's new Christmas CD is a joy and a triumph. Only his fourth studio album, "Noel" finds Josh Groban already tackling that canonical mainstay of the adult contemporary singer, the Christmas album. As always, "Noel" is a masterfully performed set, balanced neatly between pop standards and the more operatic material that showcases Groban's roots. This is another two-thumbs up for Josh Groban.

One of the main advantages of "Noel" is the grandiosity of sounding the songs' instrumental background for Josh Groban performs classical songs with the accompaniment of London Philharmonic Orchestra and also sings together with the African Children's Choir, a gospel choir and The Mormon Tabernacle Choir. "Noel" launches with the classic Silent Night and Groban's amazing voice carries the tune magnificently over a soothing easy background by the London Symphony Orchestra. In the album, Groban has managed to flow effortlessly between the standard Christmas songs like "The Christmas Song", "Silent Night", "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear", and traditional songs like "Panis Angelicus", "O Come All Ye Faithful" (with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir) and "Ava Maria", but also enriching music forever by adding such songs bound to become classics like "Thankful", written by David Foster. It was impressive to hear Groban singing in French on "Petit Papa Noel" and guest artists Faith Hill on "The First Noel" and Brian McKnight on "Angels We Have Heard On High" add a special touch to the album. While "I'll Be Home For Christmas" mixes in touching messages home from soldiers serving overseas -- a device that risks sounding maudlin but instead tugs genuinely on the heart strings. "Noel" continues its tone of warmth and holiday spirit, concluding with "O Come All Ye Faithful" over a choir and pipe organ, providing a joyful and resounding conclusion to this album.

"Noel" is the first Christmas-themed album to top the Billboard chart since Kenny G's 1994 offering, "Miracles". "Noel" is filled with mostly traditional songs arranged with a balance of classic style and contemporary polish, allowing this CD to be a favorite among all music lovers. A must have for any Josh Groban fan. If you are not a Josh Groban fan before you hear this then you will be once you have.

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