Romero Lubambo & Pamela Driggs: “Christmastime In Rio” (2024) CD Review

It’s that time of year again when artists are compelled to release holiday albums, many of them focusing on the same dozen or so songs. But each year, among the multitude of Christmas releases, there are a few special, unexpected gems. One of those gems this year is Christmastime In Rio, a beautiful album of warmth and compassion and joy, none of it forced or anything less than genuine. And while several of the songs chosen by guitarist Romero Lubambo and vocalist Pamela Driggs are ones you likely know and love, there are some lesser known tunes as well, and there is one original composition. Joining them on this album are Itaiguara Brandão on bass, Rafael Barata on drums, and Luisa Lubambo on backing vocals, along with guests on certain tracks.

They open the album with a sweet rendition of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” that features some beautiful work on guitar. “Let your heart be light/From now on our troubles will be out of sight,” Pamela sings, and I am inclined to believe her. I was a little disappointed to find these guys chose the “Hang a shining star upon the highest bough” line instead of the infinitely better “Until then, we’ll have to muddle through somehow,” but it is still a wonderful rendition. Vitor Gonçalves joins them on accordion, his work a large part of this track’s great appeal. Peter Martin joins them on piano for “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” delivering some really nice work. Pamela’s vocal work has that feeling of home, and playing this track can help you make a home of whatever place you end up spending your holiday. “I’ll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams.” It all feels like a dream, doesn’t it? “I’ll be home, home with you,” she adds at the end.

“Holiday Of Love” was written by Bill Driggs, a somewhat distant relative of Pamela Driggs. It was recorded by The King Sisters (also distant relations), who put out their rendition in the late 1950s. This rendition by Romero Lubambo and Pamela Driggs has a gentle vibe as it begins, and then grows from there to become a rather spirited number, a livelier rendition than that by The King Sisters. “The music swells, and candles glow/And folks will greet the friends they know/And sing a song of long ago/The holiday of love.” Vitor Gonçalves joins them on accordion for this song, and there is more excellent work on guitar. This is one of the tracks that make this a special holiday album. It’s followed by “Christmas Love Song,” which was written by Johnny Mandel, Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman (and is often listed as “A Christmas Love Song”). It has been recorded by many artists over the years, including Johnny Mathis and Rebecca Parris. Tony Bennett recorded this song too, but under the title “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” Romero Lubambo and Pamela Driggs deliver a pretty rendition, with Pamela’s approach warm and loving. Peter Martin joins them on piano. “You’ll just look at me and know Christmas is here.”

Another of this album’s highlights is a striking rendition of “Silent Night,” captivating from those opening moments before they even begin to sing the lyrics. Luisa Lubambo joins Pamela on vocals. This is one of my favorites of the traditional Christmas songs, and these guys do an absolutely wonderful job with it. It’s gorgeous. And when you think it might be reaching its conclusion, it is actually only approximately the halfway mark, and they take the song in an unexpected, and wonderful, direction before returning to its main theme. That’s followed by “Presente De Natal,” a song written by Nelcy Noronha, and recorded by João Gilberto in the early 1960s. This track has a gentle, soothing feel, which I’m guessing a lot of people are going to appreciate in these days of anxiety and tension. Joe Locke joins them on vibraphone for this one, and delivers a good lead in the middle. Joe Locke also plays vibraphone on “Winter Reverie,” helping to set the tone at the beginning. This is the album’s original composition, written by Romero Lubambo and Pamela Driggs, and it has a wonderfully light vibe, feeling almost like a fairy tale, which works so well with a line like “The falling snow, a magic night.” It tells of a time of love, of friendship, of music. “Love fills the air with song/Old harmonies/There’s laughter everywhere/Wrap the gifts and tie the bows.”

Romero Lubambo and Pamela Driggs then deliver some of the season’s most well-known songs, starting with Mel Torme’s “The Christmas Song.” This is a special rendition, just vocals and guitar, giving it an intimate and warm vibe. There is an excellent guitar solo in the second half. Then Vitor Gonçalves joins them on accordion again for “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.” The music they come up with for this song is so much better than what its lyrics deserve. Seriously, I’d love to hear a better set of lyrics sung to this music. That’s followed by a pretty rendition of “White Christmas.” At the beginning, like their rendition of “The Christmas Song,” this track is just vocals and guitar, including some really nice backing vocal work. And then halfway through, Romero Lubambo adds some percussion. Their version of “Jingle Bells” begins with some wonderful solo guitar work, and features Peter Martin on piano. They then wrap up the album with “Toyland,” a somewhat playful song written by Victor Herbert and Glen MacDonough, this version featuring accordion work by Vitor Gonçalves, as well as some excellent stuff on guitar. Ah, the years pass so quickly, don’t they? “Once you pass its borders/You can ne’er return again.”

CD Track List

1. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
2. I’ll Be Home For Christmas
3. Holiday Of Love
4. Christmas Love Song
5. Silent Night
6. Presente De Natal
7. Winter Reverie
8. The Christmas Song
9. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
10. White Christmas
11. Jingle Bells
12. Toyland

Christmastime In Rio was released on November 8, 2024.