Wayne Haun “Sentimental Season” Album Review

Prime Cuts:  Sentimental Season, Light a Candle, Earth is a Much Sweeter Planet

There are some sounds that never have an expiration date.  And there are some sounds that are tailored made for certain times of the year that they seemed inseparable like a horse and a carriage.  Christmas, as Wayne Haun right advocates, is indeed a sentimental season.  It's the time where we envisage families getting together congregating around the Christmas tree with a glass of warm egg nog on one hand and presents in the other.  And nothing brings out such feelings of nostalgia better than the riant sounds of richly adorned orchestrated strings and the soft tinging of jazzy piano riffs.  Despite the passing of time, there's something God has created in us that yearns for the warmth feelings often created by such majestic renditions of Christmas songs over the Yuletide season. 

"Sentimental Season," Haun's debut Christmas effort and his sophomore solo record, brings back the big lush traditional sounds of Perry Como, Frank Sinatra and Johnny Mathias.  It is perfect companion piece to Haun's debut solo record "Old Soul," released last year on his own StowTown Records.  Haun is no stranger to the Christian music community.  The nominee of an unprecedented 12 whopping Dove Awards this year, Haun has had received the most nominations across the history of the show.   Further, with his copious compositions and his production chores that he has done for artists such as Ernie Hasse and Signature Sounds, the Taylors, Greater Vision and many others, Haun's name is proliferated across the booklets of CDs far too many to mention. 

Instead of slothfully relying on the tried and true Christmas standards or stringently indulging in a complete album of self-compositions, Haun has struck middle ground by placing 5 newly crafted paeans alongside 5 familiar carols and covers.  Let's start first with the originals.  Featuring a late-night free flowing lounge piano that Diana Krall has made an entire career out of it, the jazzy light hitting backing of the title cut "Sentimental Season" is beautifully contrasted with Haun's multiple octave long-note holding vocals.  With a shuffling beat, "On a Snow Covered Street" brings us on a romantic walk across the streets of New York as we are conterminously tantalized by the chilling blow of the winter freeze as well as mesmerized by the sights of the well-decorated streets and the beautifully lit shops.  Sounding like it was written for made-for-Christmas love story movie, "Earth is a Much Sweeter Place" is simply romance personified.

Yet, "Sentimental Season" is more than just a maudlin and sugar-coated affair; in his effect to re-create the nostalgic beauty of the Christ season, Haun also sings out the need for us to minister to the disadvantaged with "Light a Candle."  And with the traditional offerings, he has enlisted some distinguished guests to spice of the old faithfuls.  Most meaningful is when Haun's grandmother, mother, and sister join him for an emotionally impacting version of "Beautiful Star of Bethlehem."  Jaimee Paul adds a soulful Gospel touch to "Silent Night;" while StowTown Records' latest signee TaRanda Greene adds her high soprano to "The Christmas Song."  In a time when Christmas hastens us with its demands, deadlines and endless family gatherings, "Sentimental Season" gives us some ruminative pause as it sweeps us into the euphoria of the season reminding us again of the season's true meaning.

 

 

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